The Agewyz Podcast

The Caregivers: Social Practice Art

Episode Summary

Director and Creator Nell Bang-Jensen talks about her play “The Caregivers,” created in collaboration with Philadelphia-area home health aides, hospice workers and family caregivers, several who performed in the play. Part fantasy, part reenacted stories based on the caregivers’ experiences, the social practice performance piece recently ran at Philly’s Pig Iron Theater Company where it sold out all shows.

Episode Notes

Director and Creator Nell Bang-Jensen talks about her play “The Caregivers,” created in collaboration with Philadelphia-area home health aides, hospice workers and family caregivers, several who performed in the play. Part fantasy, part reenacted stories based on the caregivers’ experiences, the social practice performance piece recently ran at Philly’s Pig Iron Theater Company where it sold out all shows. Nell tells us what was fun and what was challenging about creating the piece, why it was important for her to pay the caregivers who performed in the show and how the audience responded. Her current focus: finding the next artistic home for “The Caregivers” now that the run has ended.

This episode is a follow-up to an earlier conversation with Nell; if you missed it, tune in here: https://bit.ly/2DMlRqK.

Learn more about “The Caregivers” - https://nellbangjensen.com

Watch the play’s post-show Q&A: https://bit.ly/2HPN9dA

Music: “Astrisx” by Blue Dot Sessions | CC BY NC | Free Music Archive