MuZen Mindful Creative Theater
Overview
MuZen is a theater company dedicated to producing work that intersects between mindfulness practices, puppetry, ritual, climate and social activism. We produce large scale street and festival events that are affective in energizing the press on issues such as methane gas leaks, air quality, pipelines, monsanto, and more.
Mission
MuZen Mindful Creative Theater Mission
International Interdependence for all Beings
Muzen theater celebrates enlightenment, community and creative activism through large and small scale street theater events that are offered on the street, in homes, and in theaters.
Our performances seek to engage audiences in group activities as well as through story about the core truth of our interdependence with each other and with all beings on the planet. Muzen has been producing an Interdependence Day event in Northampton, Ma for the past 3 years, and hopes to make it a national holiday! http://www.gazettenet.com/Activists-celebrate-Interdependence-Day-in-Northampton-11015748
MuZen is passionate about Music, Mindfulness, Puppets and Activism! We make giant puppets and small delicate paper puppets that have traveled to many Western Mass City Halls and streets expressing the truth about Climate Change, and the need to transform our way of living from a consumption based society to a world defined by the core values of loving kindness, peace, equality and sustainability.
MuZen believes that humanity needs to remember our roots as people of the earth. We are grateful to the still surviving indigenous communities of our planet who are upholding right relationship with the earth. We seek to follow in the wisdom of our spiritual teachers, in particular of the Buddha who taught that our world is deeply influenced by our minds, and if we tune our minds, calm our emotions, and live peacefully in our bodies, this will naturally lead to a compassionate society where all beings and the earth itself will be treated with equality and respect.
Our theater practices seek to guide both players and audience members to experience innately the truth of our interdpendent existence. Our street theater attempts to bring about something beyond direct protest. We seek to illuminate the big picture: the elements, history, personal responsability, and the truth of the suffering we see on earth.
We draw inspiration from the Zen Peacemakers who follow the Three Tenets: Not Knowing, Bearing Witness, & Taking Action. At MuZen we add creativity to our action. We feel that creativity is an essential element in bringing about change. Creativity can illuminate and therefore transcend the dualism of right and wrong, and illuminate a path which is fun, inspiring and part of the natural gift of being human, which is to be creative!
Programs
We offer a MuZen Sangha-which is our core group of volunteers. We meditate together, sit in council and make theater together.
MuZen Circle-Ups: Create Social events that integrate council, theater, music, and group improvisation.
Annual Interdependence Day Celebration: On the July 4th weekend we produce a parade, theater event and direct action in Northampton, Ma.
Impact
We have been very affective in combining theater, puppets and activism. We have helped activist organizations mobilize the press, and in turn affect businesses. Such as our 2016 Interdependence Day we flagged methane gas leaks in the city of Northampton and the gas companies came to the table and made an agreement to seal all stage 3 gas leaks before 2020.
Directors
Beth Fairservis, MPC- Artistic Director of MuZen and Buddhist Counselor www.bethfairservis.com
Stephen Katz, Musical Director of MuZen, Cellist and Composer. www.stephenkatzmusic.com
Countries
United States
States or Provinces
Massachussets
Contact
https://www.muzen.org
Beth@bethfairservis.com