It’s the age-old story (at least for the past 10 years): can humans break our bad habits and change the way we live in the face of climate change?

When the Rain Stops Falling is a play is coming to the Wilma Theater from October 12th – November 6th to address these questions. The play begins when a fish falls from the sky in the year 2039, and a man prepares to meet his estranged son. Follow Gabriel’s family story of four generations from 1959 to 2039. When the Rain Stops Falling addresses climate change in an alternative way. As Walter Bilderback from the Wilma Theater says,

“I think the play is important because it succeeds in theatricalizing Rob Nixon’s notion of “slow violence,” which Nixon thinks is one of the qualities of global warming that poses a challenge for powerful artistic engagement:’“By slow violence I mean a violence that occurs gradually and out of sight, a violence of delayed destruction that is dispersed across time and space, an attritional violence that is typically not viewed as violence at all.'”

Sustainable Philadelphia 2039

Also cool: Plant Group and partners are putting on a lobby installation “A Sustainable Philadelphia, 2039”, in conjunction with the event. The exhibit will explore Philadelphia’s smart future and green infrastructure, self-watering planter, interactive tablets and more. The lobby displayed will be launched before the October 13th (7:30) performance and will be open to the public on select afternoons.

Photo: Silas Drewchin / PLANT Group

if you go: details for When the Rain Stops Falling

• What: When the Rain Stops Falling
• Where: Wilma Theater, 265 S Broad Street, Philadelphia
• When: October 12 – November 6, 2016
• Price $10 to $45

Get your tickets online.

When the Rain Stops Falling: Special Events

Attend these performances for an added bonus.

Beer Tasting pre-show reception: Friday, October 14, 7pm Join us for a pre-show beer tasting in our lobby from 7 to 8pm sponsored by Saint Benjamin Brewing Company— complimentary for ticket-holders to that evening’s performance!

Directors Gathering Dialogue: Tuesday, October 18 Immediately following the performance, a member of the Directors Gathering will join When the Rain Stops Falling director Blanka Zizka for an audience-led conversation to discuss the behind-the-scenes process of directing When the Rain Stops Falling.

Post-Show Discussions: October 20 and 27 Learn more about the production through discussions with artists and audience members following these evening performances.

Art in the Anthropocene, a discussion symposium: Saturday, October 22 at 4:30pm What are the challenges for artists trying to address the theme of climate change? A multi-disciplinary panel addresses the question. Panelists will include E. Ann Kaplan, author of Climate Trauma, and Philadelphia poet Brian Teare.

Young Friends pre-show reception: Friday, October 28, 7pm For audience members 40 and under, this performance includes a complimentary pre-show food and drink reception at the Wilma from 7 to 8pm!

What’s Next? A discussion symposium: Saturday, October 29 at 4:30pm A distinguished panel will discuss what we can do as individuals and as citizens to meet the challenges of a changing climate. Panelists will include Philadelphia entrepreneur and activist Judy Wicks (White Dog Cafe, Sustainable Business Network) and Ashley Dawson, author of the forthcoming Extreme Cities: Climate Change and the Urban Future.

Coffee Chat: Wednesday, November 2 Chat with literary staff about When the Rain Stops Falling and enjoy complimentary Saxbys Coffee following Wednesday’s matinee performance.

Open Captioning: Saturday, November 5, 2pm

Cover photo: Taysha Canales and Brian Ratcliffe. Photo by Matt Saunders.

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Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake. View all posts by Julie Hancher