A box of old postcards carries messages from a distant time—memories of things that have gone before. Iowa City’s Working Group Theatre is using those old postcards to encourage community members to save a memory. The Postcard Project is part of Working Group’s collaboration with the University of Iowa’s Hancher, which will culminate in the presentation of The Broken Chord, a new play that explores issues of memory.
Over the next few weeks, boxes of postcards will appear in local restaurants, coffee shops, and other businesses. They will be accompanied by a simple instruction: "Please write down a memory that you would never want to forget." Working Group Theatre plans to collect these reused postcards and display them at the world premiere of The Broken Chord, which will be presented Friday through Sunday, April 12-14 at the Englert Theatre.
Working Group collaborators Maria Vorhis, Kate Krohn, and Kaitlyn Busbee are directing the postcard project with logistical support from the Hancher marketing intern team.
"We've worked with a lot people with dementia as part of The Broken Chord project," said Vorhis, "and many of them have lost their most important memories in their fight against Alzheimer's disease. We want to give members of the community a moment to reflect on their own essential memories, and share them with others."
The Broken Chord project is made possible in part by a grant from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters and MetLife Foundation All-In: Re-imagining Community Participation Program and a grant from the Iowa Arts Council. The performances are supported by the Englert Theatre, Oaknoll Retirement Residence, and the F. Wendell Miller Fund.
The project has involved activities in classes and across the University of Iowa campus including work with College of Public Health, College of Nursing, Center for Human Rights, College of Social Work, and Department of Rhetoric, and The Examined Life Conference. Additionally, project activities have engaged the Iowa City community including collaborations and activities with The Alzheimer's Association Eastern Iowa Chapter, Iowa City Hospice, The Senior Center of Johnson County, City High School, Oaknoll Retirement Residence, and other elder care facilities in around Johnson County.
How to get tickets
Tickets for The Broken Chord are $35 and $25 for nonstudents, $31.50 and $22.50 for senior citizens, and $10 for college students and youth. Tickets are available from the Hancher Box Office, located on the first floor of the south end of the Old Capitol Mall near the parking ramp. The Hancher Box Office is open for phone (319-335-1160 or 800-HANCHER) or walk-up business from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekdays. Tickets may be ordered online at www.hancher.uiowa.edu. Any remaining tickets will be available for sale one hour before show time at the Englert Theatre.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Hancher in advance at 319-335-1158.