RealTime Arts Invites Local Audiences to a Meal, a Play & a Conversation

Breaking Bread Together While Breaking Down Barriers

This month there’s a new way to connect with community over a shared meal, thanks to local theater company RealTime Arts. Throughout July, they’re presenting an innovative concept called “American Potluck,” which is a series of events hosted in local homes. The hope is that by breaking bread together, folks can also begin to break down barriers and engage in thoughtful discussion.

Co-founders and co-artistic directors Molly Rice and Rusty Thelin say the experience is a little like going to a dinner party with neighbors and friends —- only it starts with a short play performance. Based on the award-winning Equitable Dinners model created by Out of Hand Theater in Atlanta, each evening begins with a short piece developed by RealTime Arts’ Molly Rice from a series of community listening sessions. Afterward, participants break into groups for a potluck-style meal and meaningful conversation.

So how exactly does it work? Guests arrive at a private home or community hub, get seated and experience the following: a short (15-minute) original play (outside in the garden, weather permitting). They then move on to a potluck-style meal provided by the host (ahead of time, selected guests have been invited to bring dishes that reflect their American identities) and a small-group conversation with other audience members. These talks are guided by trained facilitators, centering on the play and the theme of food, health and American identity.

Credit |
Dominique Murray
Credit |
Dominique Murray

Thelin and Rice explain that they first saw a presentation about the series at a conference, and then were able to go to an Equitable Dinners event in Minneapolis at Mixed Blood Theater. “We were impressed with the simple but powerful intimacy of small groups gathering for a play, a meal and a conversation about a topic that impacts their community,” they share. “We witnessed warmth and fellowship among strangers, healthy exchange of perspectives and a real sense of care about the issue; we left feeling inspired to learn and do more.”

They felt the model aligned perfectly with RealTime's aesthetic, mission and past projects, so they decided to bring it here to Pittsburgh. “We tend to gather strategically small audiences (around 50-100 people), to maintain a sense of intimacy and connection,” they explain. “Our projects usually focus on the lived experience of real people and often include shared meals (as in our nationally-recognized production Khuraki, created with a group of Afghan immigrants), and we often include post-show conversations. So we felt it would be a perfect fit for us. “

Credit |
Patrick Fisher - Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
Credit |
Patrick Fisher - Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

But the main reason they’re creating these events now is to honor the 250th anniversary of our country with a return to the practice of civic dialogue, as opposed to political debate. Their theme for the events is "We Hold These Truths: American Potluck," and they believe the topic is one everyone has thoughts and feelings about. “We hope to create an environment in which strangers, friends and neighbors can talk to each other in the comfort of private homes and community hubs about issues that affect us all, away from screens, TVs and social media,” they say. “We hope to practice the art of civic discourse, using the power of theater as a catalyst.“

Credit |
Patrick Fisher - Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
Credit |
Patrick Fisher - Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

Shows here will take place on the following dates: in North Side; July 8 and 9; Troy Hill, July 11 and 12; Millvale Food and Energy Hub; July 24; and Point Breeze, July 30 and 31. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Following the Radical Hospitality mode that aims to make these events accessible to everyone, tickets to “Equitable Dinners” will be by suggested donation.

Credit |
Dominique Murray
Credit |
Dominique Murray

They’ve been preparing for the Pittsburgh gatherings for several months now, beginning in April with Zoom listening sessions where they heard stories from people across Pennsylvania about food, health and American identity. They credit their partners Age Friendly Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Workers Collective and Allegheny Health Network’s Center for Inclusion Health for helping to gather folks from across the state for these meetings.

Rice (the lead playwright for the project) then wrote a short play based on the rich conversations in these listening sessions. They did a live reading of the play for attendees, too, to make sure they had gotten their stories right.

From that point, they’ve working on three different aspects of the project: 1) preparations with the Pittsburgh hosts for the events taking place in their homes; 2) training and meetings with facilitators who will guide the post-show conversations; and 3), rehearsals at each location with the crew and their “wonderful” actor, Malika Cleckley. “Rehearsals are both challenging and exhilarating,” they say. “The actor has to contend with not one, but four different site-specific performance locations.”

Credit |
Patrick Fisher - Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
Credit |
Patrick Fisher - Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council

Cleckley is a locally-based actor who would describe herself as a student of the arts; she’s been acting since the 4th grade. She got involved in this particular project when Thelin, who teaches at her university, offered her the opportunity to work on Equitable Dinners this summer.

Cleckley says that preparation for this project has mainly happened during rehearsals where they’re adding the finishing touches to the piece, yet her preparation is also found in gratitude. “I feel as though I have been gaining so much from this show with my gratitude and appreciation for this role,” Cleckley says. She hopes every attendee can learn something. “I believe that all theater is educational,” she says, “but this piece is truly PACKED with so much information about all kinds of different topics, and I’m excited to hear what kinds of conversations our audience will come up with after the show.”

There are a few goals for these evenings: that the audience enjoys and relates to the original play inspired by other Pennsylvanians; that they learn a little about the topic of food and health in America (a few data points will be provided for that purpose); and most importantly, that they have a great experience conversing with friends, strangers and neighbors about an issue that matters to them. “We hope not only that they'll hear some new perspectives that broaden their understanding, but also that they'll leave inspired to take further action on the topic, and to have deeper conversations with people in their own communities about how to strengthen our region,” say Rice and Thelin.

Credit |
Dominque Murray
Credit |
Dominque Murray

They sense that this project couldn’t come at a more crucial time. Rice says, “We feel that the tension around politics and current events has caused neighbors to stop talking to each other as much as they used to. We really hope that these events allow neighbors to gather, eat together and express what it means to be an American together, through art, food and conversation.”

Thelin agrees. As a performance company, their specialty is creating intimate theatrical works that ultimately promote a sense of connectedness. He says, “And what more welcoming gesture is there than a person opening their home to friends and strangers alike, to discuss what they have in common as well as how they're different?”

Credit |
Patrick Fisher - Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
Credit |
Patrick Fisher - Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council
Corinne W

Author

Corinne W

Freelance Writer & Editor

Corinne is happy to be back closer to home (D.C.) after 11 years in the glorious Pacific Northwest. Though she cherishes global adventures, she also lives for discovering local gems, from the best spots for coffee, conversation and soul-nourishing music, to water activities and trails on which to walk a loveable little husky. You can follow her on Instagram at @travelcorx