Cemetery Club Director's Note

Grief, at its core, is a response to loss. It can be an emotion, a crisis, an adjustment, a healing process, and more. Everyone grieves differently, which means there is no “right” or “wrong” way to grieve.

–Emily Swaim

Grief is as important as Joy. But many of us have been taught that grief and the expression of difficult emotions are things we just don’t do. We are supposed to lock away our sadness and be happy at all costs. And then when the feelings finally explode out and wreak havoc in our lives, we don’t know what to do. The grief can become all-consuming and fill us so completely that there is no room for anything else.

Interestingly, when we have safe places for difficult emotions to transpire and times to “let it out”, we are able to have more space for joy and delight to fill us. So, it’s up to each of us to delve into our own personal space of joy and grief. It’s up to us to try to understand a little more of where we can be strong and stand on our own and where we need support. It is up to us to realize it’s okay to seek out help. And it’s imperative to celebrate the lives we are building.

And, of course, it’s way more complicated than what a 300-word director’s note can address!

That’s why this play is important. It shows the importance of our connection with others. It shows how our friendships and support systems are so incredibly important as we experience our own spaces of grief. Yes, Cemetery Club is a comedy. Often laughter lightens the heaviness so we can look more closely at our sadness!

So I encourage you to laugh at the ridiculousness and allow yourself to connect to the characters, see a part of yourself in all of them. Let yourself honor  something/someone/someplace you are grieving. And then, give yourself permission to let that grief flow through you to allow space for joy.