“I believe artists play a role in helping carve pathways back to the imagination because change comes from the imagination,” said Aaron Davidman, who is performing his latest play, “Ghost Town Bardo,” tonight in Haines.
Davidman is the sole performer in the show, which centers around a U.S. veteran.
“Through telling his life story he’s trying to better understand gun violence and violence in American culture,” Davidman said.
His last play, “Wrestling Jerusalem,” was published in 2016 and explores the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“I seem to be interested and drawn to taking on polarizing issues and trying to depolarize them and try to invite the community to reengage with nuance and complexity,” Davidman said.
Davidman said in writing the play, he was personally trying to better understand the issues surrounding gun violence and individualism in the United States.
The main character in “Ghost Town Bardo,” he said, came from another project he’s working on. That play is also based on Davidman’s research into gun violence, but features 20 characters and takes a much broader look at the issues, he said.
“In a way, this new work is a much more intimate portrayal,” Davidman said.
In the winter, Davidman said he felt inspired to focus on just one of the characters from the larger play.
“I let this seed blossom and grow into this new play,” he said.
Davidman will perform the first ever public reading of “Ghost Town Bardo” at 7:30 p.m. at the Chilkat Center Lobby. Haines author and Alaska writer laureate Heather Lende will lead a conversation following the performance.