PMA Associate Professor Beth F. Milles’ play Heading into Night will be embarking on a European tour, with performances in Durham, England from July 23-25, Edinburgh, Scotland from August 11-17, and Madrid, Spain on July 30. Milles will participate on behalf of the play in the Walking the Talk for Dementia conference in Santiago de Compostela, Spain on August 25-September 1. The play has also completed interactive workshops with Ithaca's Hospicare and Beechtree Nursing Home, supported by a Cornell Einhorn Grant. Heading into Night was co-devised and is performed by renowned Cirque du Soleil clown Daniel Passer.
A deeply moving yet unexpectedly humorous play, Heading into Night delves into the intricacies of memory. Are we more than what we know, what we love, what we can hold onto in the swirling carousel of time passing? Are we ever more than what makes us laugh? Through Milles’ and Passer’s masterful work, the audience embarks on a surreal and poignant journey, finding hilarity, joy, and unexpected revelations in the ironies of fading memory. Passer’s whimsical and emotionally resonant portrayal breathes life into moments that challenge the mind while warming the heart, creating an unforgettable theater experience where humor transcends the challenges of forgetting.
Milles spoke about the local partnership in Ithaca. “We were so fortunate a receive a grant through the Einhorn Center for Community Engagement for Heading into Night to partner with Hospicare and Beechtree Nursing Home—to share our work and to support caregivers. Part of the inspiration of Heading into Night is related to the innocence of clown, the openness of improvisation, focusing on the practice of saying “yes, and” in response to the moment-to-moment work of discovery, once one has forgotten. On May 30 we shared elements of the play and a conversation with residents and Caregivers at Beechtree.”
As the workshops conclude, Milles prepares to bring the play to Durham, Edinburgh and Madrid this summer. Each presentation will offer opportunity to reinvent aspects of our show, with a new actor and local musician in for each location. Several PMA alums will perform with Daniel Passer, including Chandler Waggoner ’15 in Durham and Tess Lovell ’25 in Edinburgh, Taylor Bazos ’23, the Assistant Director for the Los Angeles production will co-produce the play. Milles and her team are also engaging with dementia care in these spaces to support those who are experiencing cognitive challenges. Finally, Milles and Passer will participate for the Walk for the Talk for Dementia in Santiago De Compostela and will present at the immersive Symposium and participate as part of the Camino walk.
Read more about Heading into Night.
