“Is there a way to have dementia without tragedy, when ‘to be or not to be’ is always the question?”
No Contract is a one-woman show by Kirsten Wilson about her mother’s dementia – Marie Wilson, founder of ‘Take Our Daughters to Work Day,’ LGBTQ+ leader, author, and equity-based feminist.
The dramatic ‘contract’ at the heart of this two-act performance is her mother’s request to be killed if she loses her mind. The production blends autobiographical storytelling, Hamlet, King Lear, karaoke, and audience engagement to explore the complex tension between choosing life and death—the “to be and not to be” of assisted suicide after a dementia diagnosis.
In No Contract, Wilson uses humor & heart to prevent both the performance & her mother’s life from becoming a Lear-like tragedy. As Wilson says in Act One, “My mother’s life was always supposed to be a romantic comedy, a 1950’s musical, except with lesbians dancing in the street. I will not let it turn toward tragedy.”
Three Ways to Experience:
Dairy Arts Center, Boulder, CO
9/17/26-10/4/26
Thurs-Sat 7pm | Sunday 2pm
One Special Performance for Immunocompromised Audiences
9/30/26 | 6pm (click here)
One All-Day Performance with a Dementia Storytelling Workshop
10/3/26 | 9:30am-5pm (click here)
MORE INFO ABOUT SPECIAL PERFORMANCES/WORKSHOP
Wednesday, 9/30/26, 6pm - Special Performance for Immunocompromised Audiences
This show provides the following: Audience capacity is at 30% to provide space for two empty seats between audience members. KN95 masks must be worn by performers and audience members. Air filtration used. 6 feet of space between performers and the front row. 6pm performance. (click here for TIX)
Saturday, 10/3/26 - All-Day Dementia Storytelling Workshop & Performance
Take a day-long deep dive into the impact of caring for family members with dementia or negotiating your own fears of losing your mind with celebrated facilitator and artist Kirsten Wilson. This is an opportunity to gather in community to use the performance to launch your own reflections and writings on the impact of dementia and fears associated with aging. The morning will begin with a performance of Act I, followed by personal reflections, writing, and discussion on dementia. After a shared lunch within small reflection groups, a performance of Act II, with a facilitated dialogue, writing exercises, and reflections. No skill as a writer is necessary, just a willingness to courageously explore caregiving, our mortality, and dementia in community. (Lunch included in workshop). (click here for TIX)
