Live from the Bardo: My Dinner with Mary, which premieres January 13-30, 2022, at Theater for the New City, New York City, is billed as “An Absurdist Comedy with Music.” Written by Coni Koepfinger and Dan Carter with music by Joe Izen, it transports us to a world that we can only imagine.

It is the world of the dead. In Live from the Bardo: My Dinner with Mary, the two principal characters, Mary and Mary Ellen, are on a journey. That journey challenges both of them, as Mary Ellen attempts to help Mary attain a new stage of existence.  In the process, the spirits of legendary actors come to life. Thus, Joseph Jefferson, Helen Hayes, Katharine Hepburn, Jose Ferrer, Bea Lillie, and Bert Lahr all make appearances.

You Mean Live from the Bardo is Not Realistic?

Theatre is many things. But it is rarely realistic. No matter how real it may appear to be, only a small percentage of the plays that have been written over the past 2,500 years can be considered realistic. Live From the Bardo: My Dinner with Mary is a lot of things, inventive, funny, and engrossing. And, like most theatre, it is not realistic. But, as it is with all theatre, especially absurdist plays, it is inextricably connected to our lives, as we connect with the two main characters, Mary and Mary Ellen.

Connecting with Mary and Mary Ellen

What are some of those connections to our lives we find in Live from the Bardo: My Dinner with Mary? What are some of the aspects of this absurdist comedy that we can identify with? First, the main characters are estranged friends, each of whom is unique. Yet, they share a common history. Also, each is dealing with a new, challenging situation, is in transition, and is experiencing a wide range of emotions. Consequently, reunited after years of estrangement, they work towards a related but individual goals.

Live from the Bardo: My Dinner with Mary – Tickets

Live from the Bardo: My Dinner with Mary is the essence of theatre. As a result, it transports us to another world for a finite period of time. That world is unique. In fact, it is otherworldly, somewhere in the nether regions, and beyond distant. Yet, it is immediately accessible to us, funny, moving, intellectually challenging. See it! Get tickets today.

For more information and tickets to Live from the Bardo: My Dinner with Mary, which premieres January 13-30, 2022, contact Theater for the New City, New York City by following this link.

Please see Coni Koepfinger’s guest article Imagination and Beyond the Curtain at Broadway Educators.

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