Jenny Lavery in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Photograph by Kimberly Mead.

Most of us know it is important to discuss our end-of-life wishes with our loved ones, but don’t  know how to start the conversation.  It is a difficult topic to bring up and few of us know where to begin. The Final Acts Project hopes to change that.  By using theater and other creative arts to make end-of-life an approachable subject, The Final Acts Project believes we can provide the tools needed to start these much needed discussions.

Theater allows us to feel emotions we might otherwise have a hard time expressing.  It allows us to connect with others and to feel part of something larger.  If we can see some of our fears and concerns performed, they become less scary.  They become easier to talk about.  If we are given educational materials at the same time or have the opportunity to participate in a discussion of what we have just seen, then the conversation becomes even easier.  What seemed like an impossible discussion now feels possible.

The Final Acts Project has a creative team developing materials that can help get these conversations started.  We have already started performances in Texas, where The Final Acts Project is based; however, the goal is to have these performances spread across the country, starting a national conversation on end-of-life.  You can learn more about some of this work by clicking on the Events tab. Please explore the rest of our site to learn the full scope of what we are currently doing and to meet the people involved with The Final Acts Project.

The Final Acts Project believes each person should be the author of his or her own final script.  Through theater, creative arts and the humanities we hope to help all achieve this.  Please join us!