Thresholds: Art, Science, and Neurodiversity
Sunday, June 2, 2024
6 pm Doors // 6:30 pm Show
All Ages
$10 (+taxes/fees) Advance General Admission // $17 (+taxes/fees) At The Door
Ticket purchases are final and non-refundable
Thresholds is a project of Beth Graczyk Productions. BGP offers complimentary tickets to those who identify as part of the neurodiverse community. Email here for details.
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An evening of film, performance, and dialogue exploring the diversity of sensory processing through the lenses of art and science. The event will include two short films and a live performance featuring the Twin Cities’ very own Michael Wolfe, who identifies as a “black, queer, performance artist with autism,” offering insight into his daily life and inner world. Neuroscientist Guadalupe Astorga will talk about her research on the neurodiversity of visual perception, and Wolfe & Astorga will both share insights about their unique processes.
Michael Wolfe (he/him) When asked why Michael decided to pursue work as an actor, he answered, “Well, because I love it. Theater allows me to reach within myself and activate aspects of my personality that I don’t normally tap into in my regular life.” Since joining Interact Theater (Minneapolis) in 2011, a radical inclusion theater group, Michael proves himself as a dedicated and compelling performer in a multitude of roles in shows such as Joy, What Fools These Mortals Be, and Plotholes: A Fool’s Foibles. As successful as Michael is as a soloist, he says that his work as an artist is not just about him as a performer. “It’s like when people are growing up, people ask them what are they going to do with their life that benefits not just them but their community and make life better? I like to think doing this [theater] is contributing to bettering society. I like to think it benefits myself and others.”
Dr. Guadalupe Astorga (she/her) has a PhD in Neuroscience and has studied different aspects of brain function, from neuronal communication to circuits and behavior. Her work has been published in prestigious journals and has led to international collaborations with renowned scientists. Her research has been funded by grants from different institutions, including the National Science Foundation and the Leon Levy Foundation. Astorga is currently developing a translational research program at Rockefeller University to create software learning tools for autistic children. Astorga has previously collaborated with visual artist Sidney Edwards to create an immersive art exhibition that harmoniously engaged the senses of touch and smell alongside the visual impact of his art pieces. She is currently focused on developing immersive experiences to raise public awareness of autism and neurodiversity, aiming to promote inclusivity and acceptance.
Beth Graczyk (she/her) is a director, choreographer, performer, and scientist. As an artist, she has collaborated on over 60 productions nationally and internationally in Japan, China, Ecuador, France, and India. Her work has been supported through numerous residencies, including Marble House, Vashon Artist Residency, Hambidge & Abron’s AIRspace, and she has been produced/presented by Gibney, OTB, Velocity Dance Center, La MaMa, CPR, Movement Research, and Jack. She has received funding for her work through NEA, 4 Culture, WSA Commission, and the City of Seattle amongst others. As a scientist, Graczyk has contributed to ten publications and currently works at Rockefeller University. In 2020, she formed her own performance company, Beth Graczyk Productions, which is based in New York CIty and collaborates with artists nationally including Minneapolis, Seattle, and New Orleans.
Aaron Gabriel (they/them) is a Twin-Cities based generative theater artist and theater/dance composer whose creative work with marginalized artists – nationally and internationally – has spanned 20+ years and over 40 productions. Gabriel’s unique approach to participant-based music creation music and lyric writing has allowed them to produce work with under-represented (primarily differently-abled and LGBTQIIA+ artists) in Algeria, Congo, India, Morocco, Thailand, France, and England as well as a decade-plus musical about iconic Storyville with musicians in New Orleans that was premiered at the Guthrie Theater in 2018. Gabriel has worked with artists with intellectual and developmental disability for over 12 years. Prior to COVID-19, Gabriel had begun work on a new movement/music performance with choreographer Beth Graczyk, examining the experiences of LGBTQIA+ artists with disabilities that was workshopped at the Walker Art Center and featured in Movement Research. This project is awarded a MN State Arts Board Touring Grant. Most recently, Gabriel was awarded a 2021 and 2022 MN Creative Support Grant to continue advancing their understanding and application of technology in the creation of sonic landscapes.
Hanne Vaughn (she/her) is a video editor based in New York City, renowned for her distinctive style and ability to craft compelling narratives in the world of visual storytelling. One of the most sought-after editors in the industry, Vaughn has won Emmys for both editing and sound design and her portfolio covers a wide array of projects spanning almost every genre. Her recent accomplishments include documentaries about rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina and gender inequalities in Senegal.