July 19, 2023: The edge of craven, the end of the trail
We're joined by Rhonda Anderson, Western Massachusetts Commissioner of Indian Affairs, The Word Nerd Emily Brewster answers a listener question about shifting definitions, and immerse ourselves in the latest production from Double Edge Theater.
The Fabulous 413 · Monte Belmonte & Kaliis Smith
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Show Notes
Today is a sandwich, which is great because we are hungry for bookends.
Perhaps ironically, this is an important part of a... whoops, that was about to be a spoiler for Double Edge Theater's Summer spectacular, "The Hidden Territories of the Bacchae", currently showing at their Ashfield facilities. This work is a re-imagining of the work that started the company and takes the audience on a journey not just through story, but across meadows and barns and more. We spoke with several members of the cast and crew about this production and broadening the scope of what theater can do, including co-founder and artistic director Stacy Klein.
Double Edge played a tangential part in the establishment of The Ohketeau Cultural Center, of which Rhonda Anderson is a co-founder. But Rhonda is also the western Massachusetts commissioner of Indian affairs, and now has become a board member of the Woodlands Partnership of Western Massachusetts. We speak with her about increasing visibility for indigenous communities, about reconnecting with the land, and healing the wounds in both.
And one might find the mistaken histories we've attributed to those indigenous communities craven. Or maybe you've noticed a shift in how that word is utilized lately. The Word Nerd, our resident wordster and senior editor at Merriam-Webster in Springfield, Emily Brewster, takes on a question from one of our listeners about a shift they've noticed in usage for two adjectives: mortifying and craven. The results are not shame-y, we promise.