Chester Legion (This venue is wheelchair accessible)
Description:
90 lbs of Yarn, 15 Years and One Incredible Story.
The Knitting Pilgrim is a one-hour, one-man interdisciplinary play, followed by a 30-45 min talkback. The audience meets Kirk Dunn as he knits in front of three large projection screens. He welcomes the audience and suggests he teach them how to knit – a gentle entry into a conversation about Kirk’s life as a churchgoer, actor and knitter, and how, prompted by the tragedy of 9/11, he found himself knitting a triptych of tapestries, designed in the style of stained-glass windows, which explore the commonalities and conflicts of the Abrahamic faiths. What he thought would take him 10 months ended up taking him 15 years.
As Kirk’s performance builds, the screens are used for image and video projection, including interviews with Christian, Muslim and Jewish consultants who add their perspectives to his journey. At times comedic, at times soulful and spiritual, but never preachy, Kirk intertwines stories of the rise of xenophobia, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, fear of ‘the other,’ and how social media pours gasoline on the fire. He also talks about the trials and tribulations of what ended up being a 15-year journey completing the tapestries, his doubt about his art, and questioning his right to address the interfaith issues which plague the world.
At the end of the show, Kirk has—through his humble manner of making no pronouncements and only asking questions—knitted together the strands of his stories to demonstrate that the Abrahamic faiths have more in common than not, and that they all strive for the same thing: peace.
“This show was transformative… I felt like something fundamentally emotional had shifted for me. I had never seen anything like this before in all my years of going to theatre….”
– Olivia Fava, CFMU Radio
Join us for a comic, inspiring, and uplifting story of artistry, exploration, and faith in The Knitting Pilgrim.
Note: Knitting during the show is encouraged, so bring your skeins and needles if you have them!
Tickets:
Early Bird Pricing until May 5th
$25 plus tax Adults
$10 plus tax Youth (under 20)
Regular Pricing May 6th – May 26th
$30 plus tax Adults
$15 plus tax Youth (under 20)
Reserved Seating. A cash bar will be available.
The Chester Playhouse is committed to making live performances accessible to all audiences. If cost is a barrier, access $10 community tickets, by entering promo code 10for10 when you book online or call the box office to book – no questions asked!
