July 26-27, 2025
2025 PROGRAM
A Field Guide to Forgotten Ancestors by Lacy K. Campbell (installation)
Durational
Length: available to attend during the entire festival
Location: All over property
Audience capacity: everyone at festival
Description: “A Field Guide to Forgotten Ancestors” is an interpretive exploratory trail installment through the wilderness. It investigates ancestry from many angles and will lean into seventh-generation thinking: participants as the seventh generation and also as the first of seven generations to come.
​
Note: you will travel through this piece
​
Pulse by Meysha Harville + Mare Hirsch
(interactive installation)
SATURDAY - 9pm
Length: 30 min
Location: Grove
Audience capacity: everyone at festival
Description: This installation invites audiences to interact with heartbeat sensors that manipulate lights suspended throughout the trees.
​
Note: There will be flashing lights in this piece
​
Pulse by Meysha Harville + Mare Hirsch
(music/performance)
SATURDAY - 9:30pm
Length: 30 min
Location: Grove
Audience capacity: everyone at festival
Description: This is Mare and Meysha’s second collaboration and is equal parts performance, collective connection, and light installation. It will feature spoken word performance set amidst an installation of lights activated by heartbeat sensors.
​
Note: There will be flashing lights in this piece
​
Passage Between by Francesca Betancourt
(performance)
SATURDAY - 2:30pm and 5pm
SUNDAY - 11:30am
Length: 20 min
Location: Begins at MEADOW
Audience capacity: 15 per performance
Description: A unique travelling audio play, “Passage Between” invites its audience to see magic in the details of the ordinary, and explores the solitude and strength of being caught between worlds.
​
Note: you will travel throughout this piece.
​
Same River Twice by Becky Poole
(music/performance/participatory)
SATURDAY - 1:30pm, 3pm, and 8pm SUNDAY - 10:30am
Length: 45 min
Location: Begins at Meadow
Audience capacity: 15 max per performance
Description: Join your existential, temporary, and very much unsanctioned Brownie Troop. "Same River Twice" will ask festival participants to be in discussion about community building and changing narratives. Let’s make new friends and keep the old.
Note: You will travel throughout this piece
Content warning: description of violence
The Gift by Jordan Moeller
(comedy/performance)
SATURDAY - 2pm and 4:30pm
SUNDAY - 10am and 11:30am
Length: 15 min
Location: Creek
Audience capacity: 20 per performance
Description: "The Gift" is about a frog who is suddenly and randomly given the gift of human consciousness. Equal parts funny and poignant, the performance will begin as character comedy and slowly evolve into clown and choreographed dance. "My wants and needs, though wetter, are no less important than yours."
Note: You may be invited to swim or play in the river at the end of this piece, if you so choose!
Forest in Motion by Parmida Ziaei
(dance/performance + installation)
SATURDAY - 2:30pm, 4:30pm, and 6pm
SUNDAY - 10:30am and 12:30pm
Length: 15 min
Location: Grove
Audience capacity: 25 per performance
Description: The forest comes alive in an installation by Parmida that invites deep sensory engagement. Inspired by Persian calligraphy, painted fabric pieces are suspended among the trees, gently shifting with the wind and encouraging the audience to move, touch, and see in new ways. Visitors are invited to gently move among the fabric as if it were an extension of their bodies. The installation is animated through both movement and sound, brought to life in a live performance by Parmida at set times during the festival.
Note: Audience is encouraged to gently touch and interact with the piece. Come and go as you please and see the performance from any angle. Last performance will have a small offering.
​
Homebodies: A Ritual to Lose Oneself by Stefan Richmond (participatory/workshop)
SATURDAY - 1pm
SATURDAY - 3:30pm
Length: 1 hour
Location: Grove
Audience capacity: 25 per experience
Description: “Homebodies or A Ritual to Lose Oneself” guided by Stefan Richmond, is a movement meditation/experience. What if self-care could be performance? What if the audience is the performer? Using techniques of deep listening, mediation, shamanic healing, and somatic cultural practices as research, fused with elements of performance art, Stefan offers a gift of autonomy—a moment to come back to yourself.
Note: The piece invites people to show up as they are and move as little to as much as they want. There will be invitations for guided movement throughout the workshop/piece. This meditation can bring up emotional and energetic shifts. Bring water and a notebook.
​
Homebodies: A Ritual to Lose Oneself by Stefan Richmond (performance)
SUNDAY - 12 noon
Length: 30 min
Location - Grove
Audience capacity: everyone at festival
Description: “Homebodies or A Ritual to Lose Oneself” guided by Stefan Richmond, is a movement meditation and performance. What if self-care could be performance? What if the audience is the performer? Using techniques of deep listening, mediation, shamanic healing, and somatic cultural practices as research, fused with elements of performance art, Stefan celebrates a gift of autonomy—a moment to come back to himself and invite you to do the same.
​
Improv for Wellness: Communal Self-Care Session
by Teague M. Parker
(participatory/workshop)
SATURDAY - 3pm
SUNDAY - 10am
Length: 120 minutes (2 hours)
Location: Barn
Audience capacity: 30 per experience
Description: Everything we do is an act of creativity. The way we walk, talk, draw, code, lead, cook- it all is an act of self-expression. Through this workshop, we'll discover the creativity inherent within us as a means to unleash our Inner Artist, all while seeing how the way we navigate through the world teaches us about ourselves, our strengths, and our desires. Group discussions, free writes, and inspirational exercises will guide us towards the people we are, rather than the people we think we should be.
​
Benediction by Debbie Baer
(poetry/performance)
SATURDAY - 6:30pm
Length: 10 min
Location: Meadow
Audience capacity: everyone at festival
Description: Benediction is a pre-meal reflection on the changing seasons of our lives and an invitation to relish the brief yet nourishing act of coming together around a shared meal.
Note: this performance will happen once before dinner and is meant to be seen by everyone at the festival
NOURISH, A Meal in Community by Jess K Smith
(meal)
SATURDAY - 7pm
Length: 1 hr
Location: Meadow
Description: The festival meal will invite audience and artists to sit together and enjoy a beautifully curated vegetarian meal that features fresh and local flavors.
Note: This is meant for everyone at the festival. A dinner ticket is required or you can bring your own food to the table to eat in community.
Uke-oke by Sam Turner
(participatory)
SATURDAY 3 - 4pm (Creek), 4 - 5pm (Shore), 8-9pm (Creek)
SUNDAY - 9:30 - 11am (Creek)
Location: Creek and Shore
Audience capacity: 1-3 at a time
Description: An interactive live music offering, with a menu of songs a’la karaoke, but with options for karaoke style, jukebox style, or singalong style. In “Uke-oke” Sam seeks to support each audience member or small group that finds him by the water to make them feel held and hyped as they sing to his accompaniment.
Note: you can access this piece anytime during its slots. Come and go as you please.
Dance party tunes provided by DJ Cheri’Amour
2025 LEAD ARTISTS
lacy k campbell
she/her/hers
Lacy K Campbell is an award-winning theater artist and creative director whose work focuses on experiences that bring people together across cultural boundaries. She has created site-specific work with theater companies across the US, including on public transportation, inside national landmarks, and on small watercraft. As a creative director, her current work focuses on guest journeys through various cultural attractions and entertainment projects in the US and overseas. She has received support from several organizations including Artist Trust, The Awesome Foundation, The Chicago Humanities Festival, and spoken at IAAPA, SATE, and at several universities as a guest lecturer in puppetry, devised work, and site-specific theater.
parmida ziaei
she/her/hers
Parmida Ziaei is an Iranian multidisciplinary artist, designer, and co-founder of Seda Iranian Theatre Ensemble. Her work is deeply influenced by her dual identity as an Iranian immigrant and draws inspiration from her background in architecture and theatre. As a designer, Parmida has contributed to a diverse range of projects, including interior, architectural, immersive, and entertainment spaces. She has worked as a scenic and production designer for numerous Seattle theatres, such as ACT, Village Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company, Seattle Public Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, and more. As a performer, Parmida integrates the intricacy and elegance of Classical Persian dance with the fluidity of modern and contemporary movement, creating a distinctive style that reflects her merging identities. Her performances explore visual forms, resilience, culture, and socio-political issues. www.parmidaziaei.com
JORDAN MOELLER
he/him/his
Jordan Moeller (he/him) is a comedian and large bird based out of Los Angeles. His irreverent, satirical, and rollicking solo comedic work has been seen on Characters Welcome, San Francisco Sketchfest, SketchFest Seattle, and countless other screens and stages across the continent. Previously, he’s been a member of sketch house teams at BoogieManja Sketch Collective and The PIT in NYC, and he is currently the lead producer of Nebula Comedy in Los Angeles and a writing and performing member of Speakeasy Sketch, a Pack Theater house team. He is the proud recipient “Best of Fest - Solo Performer” for his character set at Denver Sketch Fest in 2024. Follow him at @meat_prank on instagram, and keep an ear out for his forthcoming historical comedy podcast, "Whispers on the Adriatic" originally developed at Art Party!
STEFAN RICHMOND
he/him/his/they/them/theirs
Stefan is a Colorado-born, Seattle transplant actor/movement/performance artist & educator. After graduating from the University of Northern Colorado with a B.A. in Theatre Arts and Dance, They made their way to the PNW through the Intiman Emerging Artist Program in 2016 and have been a full-time artist in Seattle. As a creative collaborator and storyteller, they believe in the power of storytelling and its ability to heal. The projects they seek to create and collaborate on examine and explore the intersections of stories and emotions related to physical space, natural movement within the body, and language/text. Some Seattle credits include 3-2-1! (Saltshake Productions) , Henry IV (Seattle Shakespeare), Salvage Rituals (Emmy Smith Stewart/Jeffery Azevedo), #1(CO—_), ordinary grief or people yet to come (zoe|juniper), multiple educational touring shows with Book-It Theatre, Romeo y Julieta (Franco/Seattle Shakespeare), Black Bois (Dani Tirrel+Congregation), Pylon III (Tectonic Marrow Society), The Earth Shakes (Heron Ensemble), Carry We Openly (Amador/Stokes) and The House of Dinah (Andrew Russell/Dani Tirrell/Jerome Parker.)
BECKY POOLE
she/her/hers
Becky Poole is an actor, performing artist, writer, feminist murder balladeer, and musical saw player. She began writing murder ballads with her take on Omie Wise called “Omie Homage” - giving Naomi the upper hand. Her writing has progressed from script-flipping exercises to thoughtful musings on cultural systems and how they fail us. In August Poole released an album of murder ballads based on Andrea Yates and Dena Schlosser, two women who killed their children in the early 2000s called “The Ballad of Dena & Andrea.” The album has an accompanying podcast exploring misogyny, toxic religion, motherhood, incarceration, and mental health. Becky believes that by amplifying contemporary stories of female/femme violence (perpetrated by and thrust upon them) using oral traditions through an intersectional feminist lens, we can create new myths and allegories in which a woman (inclusive) is not merely the dead object, but the whole subject.
TEAGUE M PARKER
he/him/his
Teague M. Parker (He/Him) is an Actor, Playwright, Improviser, Producer, and Teaching Artist. After graduating from Western Washington University, he founded Come Up Productions, which highlights up-and-coming artist while bringing Free Theatre & Live Events to the Washington community. Through Come Ups, Teague shares his original theatre pedagogy,Improv for Wellness: a technique combining established improvisation, theater, and wellness practices to help students learn tools for self-care & self-empowerment across mind, body, and spirit. Teague has performed on stages ranging from Seattle, Mexico city, and Chicago, won a national award for his full-length play, served as assistant professor for Cornish College of the Arts’ playwriting program, and facilitates professional development workshops on equitable, trauma-informed practices for educators across Washington. Teague’s Improv for Wellness pedagogy has been brought to Seattle regional theaters, had masterclasses with graduate and PhD programs, and partnerships with the Museum of Pop Culture and Seattle Office of Arts & Culture. He currently hosts the Improv for Wellness Adult Drop-In Sessions – a weekly self-care centered workshop free to the public. Taking the performance out of traditional arts practices, Teague removes the barriers that hold us from believing in our creativity and identity.
sam turner
he/him/his
Sam is a Seattle-based teacher and actor who attended Western Washington University, earning degrees in Theatre and Elementary Education. He is currently in his 9th year at Genesee Hill Elementary teacher as the Dance specialist, after earning his Masters in Science in curriculum and instruction. He is thrilled to be in the orbit of these amazing art party artists.
debbie baer
she/her/hers
Debbie feels lucky that she gets to write for a living. She has no intention of living anywhere she can't see mountains ever again.
francesca betancourt
she/her/hers
Francesca Betancourt aka Cessa (she.her.hers) Cessa is an actor, intimacy director, facilitator, and co-artistic producer of ART PARTY. She holds two BAs from Western Washington University in Theatre (acting, directing) and Sociology (social injustice, intimate relationships) and has trained in applied theatre at City University of New York. She has worked in theatre, dance, and arts education in Ireland, India, the Philippines, New York, Florida, Wisconsin, Washington D.C., Maryland, and Washington. She is the artistic director for the storytelling event and podcast she is FIERCE, and a founding member of HERON ensemble (a multidisciplinary theatre collective) and Pacific Northwest Theatrical Intimacy. Cessa currently directs a program in anti-racist and culturally sustaining arts education in the Seattle public school system and teaches globally for Intimacy Directors and Coordinators. As a multidisciplinary, bisexual, mixed race (Cuban/Irish) woman, she seeks to make art that builds bridges between worlds. Her work is based in trauma conscious social/emotional arts practice, agency, whimsy, and physical storytelling. francescabetancourt.com
will darling
he/him/his
Will Darling is a Seattle based multi-disciplinary artist who works with language. He grew up in the Seattle queer arts and punk scene, a community that has influenced his art and political activism from a young age. He studied Sociology and Theater Design at Seattle University and graduated with Honors in 2016. Darling has written locally and nationally for publications such as the Seattle Times, The Stranger, and The Believer. He has sold over 400 copies of his zine, Gay Cabin and is the founder and lead designer of Good Boy Designs: a queer jewelry company. He has completed residencies at Velocity, Town Hall, and Washington State University. Darling has been awarded artist grants from 4Culture and Artist Trust.
MEYSHA HARVILLE
they/them/theirs
Meysha is a Black, non-binary, trans artist from Youngstown, Ohio, currently in the PNW. Their multidisciplinary work—spanning music (with TxM and Transonic), theater, and poetry- explores themes of Black trans joy, identity, spirituality, and righteous anger. Currently, Meysha is developing their first full-length play, a testament to their commitment to storytelling and taking your time with your things.
MARE HIRSCH
she/her/hers
Mare Hirsch is an artist whose practice is mediated by digital technologies, data, and code. Her work investigates the ways technology and art can expand opportunities for creative expression, connect data to creative practice, and foster opportunities for inclusive discourse on the social, political, scientific, and philosophical issues of our time.
jess K smith
she/her/hers
Jess K Smith (she/her) is a freelance Director, Intimacy Director (Pacific Northwest Theatrical Intimacy), Co-Founder and Creative Producer of ART PARTY residencies and festival, and Chair and Associate Professor of Theatre Arts at the University of Puget Sound. She loves creating imaginative interplay between heightened physicality and naturalistic scene work whether through adaptations, interdisciplinary collaborations, new plays, or classic texts. Her work has been featured on stages in New York, Seattle, Portland, Anchorage, Prague, and Cape Town. She earned an M.F.A. in Directing at Columbia University under Anne Bogart. jessksmith.com
DJ CHERi'AMOUR
they/them/theirs
DJ Cheri'Amour (they/them) is a Detroit bred artist /activist/ vibe curator that spins for the love all around the PNW. As a lover of so many genres of music, Cheri'Amour spins anything from trap princess rap to 90s RnB.Hip Hop to technobass and vintage disco, to afrobeats, reggaeton, and dembow. Now matter what, it;; be music from the heart that you can F E E L.
