The Ashland Climate Collaborative is pleased to announce a collaboration with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for this season’s production of You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World!
By Lorrie Kaplan, Board President, Ashland Climate Collaborative
Running April through August, the play is a darkly funny and deeply human new work that explores how people find connection and meaning in uncertain times. While the image used to promote the play suggests a sudden world-ending meteor event, the play is actually about planetary death via human-induced climate pollution and environmental degradation.
The play explores a wide range of emotions—including grief, regret, absurdity, and love of place—as well as whether our individual actions make any difference.
This is one of the most common questions that comes up when discussing our changing climate. So, OSF invited Ashland Climate to create lobby displays for You are Cordially Invited… to take it on.
If climate change is a global problem, shouldn’t it be addressed globally? Does what we do at home really matter? At the Ashland Climate Collaborative, we believe the answer is yes—and.
Large-scale changes are essential. Policies, infrastructure, and institutions must evolve to meet the challenge. But these changes will only happen if communities care enough to demand them and model new possibilities.
Also, when neighbors work together—preparing homes for wildfire, electrifying buildings, reducing food waste, conserving water, and promoting safe biking and walking—our choices ripple outward. Studies show that people are often more likely to adopt climate-friendly habits when they see neighbors and peers doing the same.
When many caring communities make changes, the results grow exponentially.
Ashland Climate helps Ashland residents turn concern into action.
We also believe that it matters how we approach climate action. Fear and anger are understandable responses to the climate crisis, but those emotions can leave us feeling overwhelmed and powerless. Acting from a place of love for our community and joy in caring for the natural world can be far more motivating and sustainable. And fun!
Aligning our day-to-day lives with a changing climate does not have to mean sacrifice and despair. It can mean building stronger neighborhoods, restoring the beautiful landscapes we cherish, and discovering new ways to live well together.
Come see us!
Ashland Climate will also host two talk-back sessions immediately following the Saturday matinee performances on April 25 and August 15. Book your tickets now for those dates to participate in a unique opportunity to discuss these themes together.
The Ashland Climate crew who will answer your questions at the talk-backs.
Theater helps us confront difficult truths and imagine new futures. We hope that You are Cordially Invited… inspires attendees to take action in their own communities.
Because when people who care come together, even the biggest challenges become shared work. And shared work can change the story.
It’s a fabulous play. Go see it!
Lorrie Kaplan is a co-founder and current Board President of the Ashland Climate Collaborative, a 501c3 nonprofit organization.