January 9, 2025 | General, Theatre,

Deep Dive into the Life & Times of Michael K with PRBC!

Whether you’re a theater buff or someone who’s never set foot in a playhouse, ArtsEmerson’s Play Reading Book Club invites you to explore scripts, share insights, and connect with fellow theater enthusiasts. Our next adventure takes us into J.M. Coetzee’s powerful Life & Times of Michael K, diving into a story that goes far beyond the stage. Members of the Play Reading Book Club will be treated to a private reception with a creative producer for this production at ArtsEmerson, and they also receive a members-only discounted ticket rate of $25 to see the show.

Life & Times of Michael K follows Michael, a simple man carrying his dying mother across the harsh landscapes of South Africa ravaged by civil war, to die on the farm where she was born. This narrative explores themes of survival, freedom, and the human spirit’s resilience. Created by the Baxter Theatre and Handspring Puppet Company, this performance uses mesmerizing marionettes to tell a story of human resilience. The production transforms a deeply personal struggle into a universal exploration of the human spirit – showing how ordinary people find extraordinary strength in the most challenging circumstances.

The opportunity of Joining the Play Reading book club will afford you the opportunity to engage over the course of four weeks in many theatre creation processes including;

1. Reading and dissecting the scrip of Life & Times of Michael K.
2. Diving into the themes, context and process from professional theatre artists evoking your theatrical side.
3. Attend a reception with a producer from the show!
4. See the production live at a discounted price of $25!

The Play Reading Book Club at ArtsEmerson is FREE to register and will take place from January 22 – February 15 at a number of locations around Boston.