Welcome to the digital program for our 2026 public sharings of The Birth/Death Project

Abstract illuminated radiating purple flower on leafy green background. White text lists logistic info about sharings repeated on this page and also "Come remember what it feels like to be truly human together."

2026 summer Sharings

Thanks to all those who joined us at our first wave of sharings on Friday, June 26 at 7pm as we closed out The LAVA Center’s On the Boards Festival in Greenfield, and on Saturday, July 11 at 1pm at Holyoke Public Library (Community Room) and at 4pm at Forbes Library in Northampton (outdoor Hess Stage).

Devised by: Ellen Morbyrne with Dorian Gregory, Trenda Loftin, Seth Olsen, Lauren Ostberg, Em Rawls, Jordan Reed, Lena Vani; inspired by interviews with folks across the Valley

Directed by Ellen Morbyrne

Performed by Dorian Gregory, Trenda Loftin, Seth Olsen, Lauren Ostberg, Em Rawls

Produced by Ellen Morbyrne, Lena Vani, Rachel Hall

A performance collage inspired by the real stories local folks have shared with our project has been woven together to share with all of you. Joy, grief, wonder, fear, amazement, mess, glory, hilarity, pain, connection. Join us in remembering what it feels like to be truly human together.

Thank you to those whose interviews contributed to these first sharings:

Dr. Caballera Roca, Kathleen Hulton, Amie Hyson, Jan Maher, Sheila MacNab Millar, John Porcino, and many others!

Thank you to the following folks for their support in a variety of ways:

Michele B., Toby Vera Bercovici, Annie DelBusto Cohen, Ash Goverman, Becca King, Dave Marks, Dan Morbyrne, Myka Plunkett, Jordan Reed, Linda Tardif, Julia V. Whalen, and many others!

Special thanks to Molly Brennan for donating the masks we’re able to offer audiences!

Special thanks to Northampton Community Music Center for lending us music stands!

Our sharings were free to attend! We welcome your donations in support of the project (please click here). Donations made on June 26 were split 50/50 with The LAVA Center.

The 2026 phase of this project was supported in part by grants from the Conway, Hadley, Holyoke, and Shelburne Cultural Councils, local agencies which are supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.

Photos of Production & Performance Team for this run of public sharings of our work-in-progress (from top left): Ellen Morbyrne, Lena Vani, Rachel Hall, Trenda Loftin, Em Rawls, Dorian Gregory, Seth Olsen, Lauren Ostberg

Click here to learn all about our project and our team

Questions about the sharings? Please email us.