Tracker Pixel for Entry

​Theatre B’s “A Beautiful Hell”: Grief Out Loud

Theatre | August 29th, 2018

by Stella Mehlhoff
stellamehlhoff@gmail.com

“Our mission is to invigorate civic conversation through intimate and transformative storytelling.” This statement posted on Theatre B’s website and tacked to their studio wall in bright yellow paper is well embodied by the company. Theatre B’s “A Beautiful Hell” is all promised; intimate, transformative, and the start of a crucial conversation.

“A Beautiful Hell,” based on Carol Kapaun Ratchenski’s book of poetry, is rich with moving, vivid details and poignant truths. Centered on the loss of Ratchenski’s own two year old son to cancer, its defining themes include human resilience, the paradoxes of life, and the journey of grief and acceptance. The book is straightforward, heart-breaking, and strikingly relevant. Afterall, everyone has lost someone, whether it be a spouse, a cousin, a child, or a friend. Grief is as universal as coming of age. Yet despite its ubiquitous nature, it has become, as the book says, “Just another thing we don’t talk about.”

Laurie Baker, the brilliant woman who brought book to play, describes its purpose best, “We’d like people to open up and talk about their grief.”

As simple as that idea sounds, it is frighteningly revolutionary. Few people are equipped to deal with the unavoidable tragedy of loss. Grief cannot reach acceptance alone.

Director Carrie Wintersteen speaks to this, “I found the poetry beautiful, but difficult to take in when just reading it because that is such a solitary experience. I love the notion that it might be out loud, acknowledging that out loud means together. Out loud means people experiencing her poetry, but not just doing it alone, doing it in a group where there is support, recognition, comfort, and discovery.”

Karissa Noelle who plays Ruby, the grieving mother, provides some insight, “I want people to walk away from this show with reassurance that grief is normal. I hope to portray, through Ruby, the importance of living through our pain, forgiving ourselves, and connecting to those kindred souls around us that allow us to move forward with life.”

Carrie Wintersteen adds, “I want people to take away from this the reinforced knowledge and deep understanding that grief has to be a shared process.”

“A Beautiful Hell” quotes, “Grief comes for us all. Life teaches us to mourn. Luckily we don’t have to do it alone.”

The message is clear. Life brings tragedy, loss, and grief; it is awful, unfair, cruel, and it leaves no one untouched. Still, there is a flip side to the paradox, and the only way to return to laughter, light, and the good things, like fine coffee and finer company, is to find the answer to the play’s question, “How can we break the wall of secrets?”

Through art, conversation, books, plays, and stories…

By saying them out loud.

YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Game Changer’s Ideas Festival

Friday, September 7, 7 p.m.

Empire Arts Center, 415 Demers Ave, Grand Forks

Tickets at https://www.gamechangernd.com/tickets.html

Recently in:

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comNorth Dakotans will take part in a nationwide civil rights rally on Thursday, July 17. Protests, marches, rallies and acts of service are scheduled in Bismarck, Bottineau, Devils Lake,…

Back-to-school season is on the horizon, but there's still plenty of summer left. Check out our favorite August attractions and events in North Dakota and western Minnesota. And if if you missed them, here are a few excellent May…

July 18-19, 25-26 and August 2-3North Dakota Horse Park, 5180 19th Ave. N., FargoLadies and gentlemen, prepare to place your bets — racing season is upon us! Not just horses will be racing this year; word on the street suggests…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com On July fourth, Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest took place at Coney Island. The winners, Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo, reigned victorious. Chestnut earned his 17th title by…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWhy doesn’t the world require politicians to leave office at 60?Most of the leaders of countries, whether gods, fascists, democrats or socialists, are not doing very well these days. David Van…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gion and Simone Wairickgion@gmail.com The Red River Market returned to downtown Fargo on Saturday, July 12. The event will take place every Saturday except July 19. (That date will be moved to Sunday, July 20, due to the…

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comThe Moorhead Public Library will offer three free, all-ages outdoor concerts featuring regional bands this summer. The series begins on June 12 with the Meat Rabbits, a group that blends…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comPhoto by Sabrina Hornung Wing, North Dakota is a town of 132 located about an hour northwest of Bismarck on Highway 36. There’s a shiny new Cenex on the intersection of the highway and the high…

By Deb Wallworkdwallwork@icloud.comI first met Catherine Mulligan at a party at her house. It was a small gathering, spontaneous, just a few people over for dinner. Directed toward a stack of plates and bowls and a big pot warming…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comPhoto by Yvonne Denault There is something intimate and personal about plays. Even in our age of multimillion dollar Hollywood productions and droves of streaming services, watching actors…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

The drug that keeps re-purposing itselfBy Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com There is a drug that is getting a lot of attention nowadays all over the world. It has various commercial names (Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus), but…

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.com Working in the Bakken oil fields of the Williston Basin is so different from my home in Fargo. I'm not judging, because the people working and living in western North Dakota are very…