An unconventional theatrical experience that blends immersive storytelling, psychological exploration, and dark humor is set to make its world premiere Off-Broadway this summer with How to Put Down the Weight of Your Past.
Presented by Breaking Motion, the new work by playwright Tommy Vines will run for a limited three-week engagement through Aug. 9 at the American Mime Theatre in Manhattan. Directed by Madeline Riddick-Seals, the production invites audiences into what initially appears to be a self-help seminar before gradually unraveling into something far less predictable.
The play centers on an experimental class led by two seemingly expert facilitators who promise to help participants release the emotional burdens of their past. As the session progresses, however, the carefully structured workshop begins to fracture, and the boundaries between healing, manipulation, and performance become increasingly blurred.
According to the production, audiences can expect an immersive experience in which “nothing can be trusted.”
Riddick-Seals describes the work as an examination of difficult questions surrounding memory, identity, and emotional baggage.
“How to Put Down the Weight of Your Past picks at life’s absurdities to reach the raw center of our collective past,” she said in a statement. “This show is for those who seek out the hard questions—eager to respond, and ready to release.”
The production stars Tommy Vines as Nameless alongside Kirsten Kilburn as The Other One. Kilburn’s screen credits include Supernatural and The Twilight Zone, while Vines is known for the Oscar-shortlisted short film Hysterical Girl as well as It’s Always Almost Over and INTERLOPER.
Vines has also attracted praise from theater professionals for creating emotionally charged, experimental work.
“Tommy Vines doesn’t just make theater,” said Kaliswa Brewster, co-producer of the Tony Award-winning Cats: The Jellicle Ball. “She is a must-see artist who makes experiences that live in your body long after you’ve left the building.”
Producer Dominique Bravo echoed that sentiment, calling Vines “a talent to watch” whose previous work explores “the shadow side of the human experience.”
The creative team includes scenic design by Riddick-Seals, lighting by Gwen Trueblood, sound design by Irene Wang, and stage management by Hera Jung. Amanda Reynolds serves as assistant director, with Kyla Callison as intimacy coordinator and Jim Vines as magic consultant.
Preview performances begin July 23, with opening night scheduled for July 25. Tickets start at $25.
Rather than offering audiences a traditional play, How to Put Down the Weight of Your Past promises an interactive theatrical event that challenges expectations of both self-help culture and live performance, inviting theatergoers to question not only what they’re watching—but also their own emotional baggage.