Lullaby for Dottie Harper Park
September 2011
Burien, WA
In 2011, the Burien Arts Commission invited Neare to collaborate with them for their nascent festival, Arts-A-Glow, heretofore held at the postage-stamp-sized Town Square Park. Neare identified a forsaken gem, Dottie Harper Park, as a potential new site for a more vibrant annual fall festival. Previously, Dottie Harper Park had a less-than-wholesome reputation, and the Arts Commission believed residents would reject an event held there. With Lullaby for Dottie Harper Park as the centerpiece, 1,100 people attended Arts-A-Glow that year. Today, Arts-A-Glow is Burien’s beloved annual autumn festival—held at Dottie Harper Park.
Lullaby for Dottie Harper Park was a free, site-specific performance in this neglected grove in Burien. Our intent was to reconnect the community with this park by highlighting the sacred beauty of its noble trees, igniting public enthusiasm for the new festival.
“The most beautiful theatrical event I have ever seen.”
CAST AND PRODUCTION TEAM
Creative Collaborators: Lucia Neare, Matt Goodrich, John Small, David Verkade, Stacey Hansen, Mark Haim, Guy Caridi, Jessica Jobaris, Cathy Madden, Barbara Fugate, Ruth Baugh
Musicians: Matt Goodrich, Holly Eckert, Rich Eckert, Toby Hansen, Lucia Neare
Performers: Whitney Lawless, Naomi Russell, Jens Wazel, Julia Beers, Christine Longé, Gabby Bruya, Robin Campbell, Shellie Gravitt, Rosa Vissers, Liz Cortez, Sruti Arun Desai, Jennifer Peterson, Hendri Walujo, Lila Hurwitz, Kathryn Padberg, Jenna Bean Veatch, Christian Swenson, Lee Ann Hittenberger, Craig Sheiber, Abigail Best, Lynne Compton, Winfield Hobbs, Justice Beitzel, Guy Caridi, Esme DeCoster, Keziah Eckert, Parlin Shields, Sophia Schloss, Kristianne Huntsberger, Nasim Simmons, Kari Morehouse, Deirdre Africa, Marilyn Young, Bryan Thomas, Lucia Neare
“I do believe to experience one of your works is transformative on every level.”
