‘All Good Things Must Begin: Short Plays Imagining the Future’
The Arts & Climate Initiative, in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Practice in the Arts, just released their most recent anthology, All Good Things Must Begin: Short Plays Imagining the Future, edited by Chantal Bilodeau.
Originally commissioned for Climate Change Theatre Action 2023 – a worldwide festival that brings communities together around climate issues – the plays offer a daring leap into the future, with stories that reject apocalyptic narratives and celebrate regeneration, community, and justice.
Inspired by the journal entry of science fiction writer Octavia Butler, from which the book takes its title, fifty playwrights from around the world share their vision of what the future may hold with humor, poetry, playfulness, hope, courage, but also sometimes grief and pain. All Good Things Must Begin brings the climate conversation to the stage, intertwining art with activism to inspire a collective re-envisioning of our world.
The book is a perfect resource for artists, activists, educators, and anyone looking to explore the power of storytelling to spark climate action — plus, it makes a great gift!
The new anthology is now available as a paperback and ebook on Lulu Press.
Featuring essays from GiGi Buddie, Ian Garrett, Himali Kothari, Clare Preuss, Elspeth Tilley, and Mark Wallace.
Featuring fifty short plays from established playwrights and emerging voices alike, including: Javaad Alipoor, Klae Bainter, Keith Barker, Nicolas Billon, Chantal Bilodeau, Wren Brian, Manjima Chatterjee, Karen Elias, Nathan Ellis, Kendra Fanconi, Angie Farrow, Annie Furman, Justine Garrett, Emma Gibson, Dia Hakim K., Whiti Hereaka, Sarah Higgins, Jessica Huang, Vinicius Jatobá, Vitor Jatobá, Nathan Joe, Aleya Kassam, Nikhil Katara, Ethan King, Himali Kothari, Heidi Kraay, Camila Le-bert, Andrea Ling, Joan Lipkin, Eric Lockley, Joanne MacDonald, Thomas McKechnie, Anna Maria Nabirye, Lana I. Nasser, Tira Palmquist, Sigmund Pecho, Nicole Pschetz, Gab Reisman, Mark Rigney, Carmen Rivera, Juan C. Sanchez, Charly Evon Simpson, Darrah Teitel, Chris Thorpe, Harley Vale, Kirby Vicente, Caity-Shea Violette, Kevin Matthew Wong, XANA, and Haeweon Yi.
Chantal Bilodeau is a playwright who focuses on the intersection of storytelling and the climate crisis, and the founding artistic director of the Arts & Climate Initiative.
The Arts & Climate Initiative uses storytelling and live performance to foster dialogue about our global climate crisis, create an empowering vision of the future, and inspire people to take action.
This publication is made possible by the generous support of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.