Meridith Grundei, MFA, AEA, SDC is raising money to produce "NOTHING FURTHER." at CultureLab, LIC
NOTHING FURTHER is a multimedia performance that will take you on a generational whirlwind of a ride through the closed doors of a suburban home. This is a story about a daughter's relationship with her father. It is the unfolding of a mystery about secrets, memory, generational trauma, gender identity, and the need to keep up appearances.
The name of this performance exhibit, NOTHING FURTHER came from the police report that was filed after the investigation of my father’s death had been completed. The last two words on the report read, “NOTHING FURTHER.” As audiences will discover, however, there is much more to explore and investigate in this piece. Linear.png1.11 MB
WHERE WE HAVE BEEN AND WHERE WE ARE GOING
This project has been waiting to emerge for almost a decade since my father’s mysterious and untimely death in 2011. I have been committed to and passionate about uncovering my family's history inspired by the things we found when my Dad was in a coma. During the first work-in-progress in September of 2019 (it was then called The Father Project), many people commented afterward about their relationships with their own fathers — and how they appreciated how vulnerable the material was.
How did my father end up down this path that led to his death, and what generational traumas led to his behaviors and decisions in life? I am interested in unearthing the unspoken wounds we carry that subsequently get passed down to the next generation if they are not tended to... and hopefully healed.
I sat with this piece for a while wondering what it needed in the next phase of its development when I saw an image of a woman sitting in a plexiglass booth looking at a record player. This image was like a lightbulb for me!
“That’s it!” This show is a one-woman performance exhibit in a gallery. The audience, YOU, will be the viewer, and the investigator of this performance. It will be performed on a loop with set viewing times so you can come and go as you please. Or not.
From this performance experience, and through the generous support of you and CultureLab LIC, we (Brian Freeland, Director) and I will be applying to festivals and pitching this project to venues in NYC and beyond.
It will take place entirely in an 8’ x 10’ plexiglass room, designed to look like my childhood home. The central theme is the investigation of my father’s mysterious and untimely death. I play the protagonist using humor, movement, found text, and video where I will be representing the multiple generations through the lens of myself, my mother, my grandmother, and the depiction of women in media from these generations (think Elyse Keaton and June Cleaver).
The plexiglass room represents what we don’t want the outside to see. You, the audience, are the voyeur, the passerby. I have always been obsessed with suburban neighborhoods and how tidy and perfect they look on the outside. Always curious about if the same is reflected on the inside. And since my upbringing was in suburbia, I know from experience, that the inside can be a very different reality than what is reflected on the outside.
I am driven to share this story about secrets and the family dynamic, hoping it will reflect back and expose the necessary, real, and challenging conversations that need to happen so that we can all live more accepted and fully human lives.
ARTIST FEES: Director, composer, performer, stage manager, and a sound designer will all be paid a living wagefor their work.
SET, COSTUMES AND PROPS: Plexiglass room (8' x 10'), and all other materials and labor for this show.
MARKETING AND PUBLICITY: Publicist, videographer, photographer, and all other efforts to get bodies in the space.
ADDITIONAL COSTS: Admin costs and unexpected fees that may arise as the show continues to develop. MEET THE CREATIVE TEAM: Brian Freeland - Director/ Projection and media design Meridith Grundei - Perfomer/ Creator/ Producer Gary Grundei - Composer/ Sound design Darius-Anthony Robinson/ Choreographer Mackenzie Sherburne - Docent Stage Manager - TBD
I am excited to have the additional support of CultureLab for NOTHING FURTHER. as one of their 2022 resident artists:
“Culture Lab LIC is a 501(c)(3) formed to bring accessible highquality art of all genres to our community, and to support local artistsby providing rehearsal, performance, exhibition space, as well as arobust residency program. Culture Lab LIC is dedicated to upholding,equity, diversity and inclusion across all our platforms.Operating out of a 12,000 square foot art center, Culture Lab LIChosts two fine art galleries, a 90 seat theatre, classroom space, andan 18,000 square foot outdoor venue, made possible by thegenerous donation of space from Plaxall Inc. CultureLab LIC is more than a venue, it is the heart of Long Island City.Learn more at www.culturelablic.org.”
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your support.
NOTHING FURTHER. I HAVE SO MUCH GRATITUDE I would like to thank and acknowledge my past collaborators who have helped me get this project to this phase: Mare Trevathan, James Walker, Jessica DeNicola, Gary Grundei, Brian Freeland, Kristen Tripolitis, Kevin Lowery, MacKenzie Sherburn, Lorenzo Sariana, Ethie Friend, Sean Mallary, and Jordyn Prince.
And, YOU. Some of you contributed to my work-in-progress showing of The Father Project and without your support, I would not have gotten to this exciting phase in the development of this story. I truly thank you for believing in and supporting my vision. WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT MERIDITH's WORK
I've been lucky enough to collaborate with Meridith Grundei in multiple projects, in many permutations: as an actor in projects she directs, as director in projects she acts in, as a producer on projects she directs or acts in... One of the most creative, fun, and delightfully weird of these collaborations was an early workshop of what is now NOTHING FURTHER.
I won't call Meridith "fearless", as I know the deeply personal, private territory she's exploring MUST inspire some terror.
But the grace, humility, curiosity, and generosity she brings to this excavation are uncommonly courageous. And it's this unique and inspiring bundle of goodies that makes Meridith's work absolutely mesmerizing. - Mare Trevathan
I can’t say enough good things about Meridith Grundei’s masterful direction of my mostly one-man show Out of The Blue. - Eli Hans, Out of The Blue
Meridith Grundei is one of the most fierce, brilliant, promising creatives I know. Her ability to see what needs to be said, feel what needs to be asked, and craft that into theater that is both innovative and deeply impactful is astounding. - James Walker, Normal Heights
Rewards
THE POOL GUY
Donate $15.00 or more
Amount is fully tax-deductible.
Donate $15 or more. A social media shout-out in the form of a huge "Thank you!"
THE MARINE
Donate $25.00 or more
Amount over $5.00 is tax-deductible.
Donate $25 or more Receive a ticket to the show and a special "shout-out!" on social media.
THE HOMEMAKER
Donate $50.00 or more
Amount is fully tax-deductible.
Donate $50 or more Receive a personalized video "Thank you!" where Meridith will show you how to make an apple pie and post it to social media.
THE ROMANTIC
Donate $75.00 or more
Amount is fully tax-deductible.
Donate $75 or more You will receive a personalized "Thank you" letter sprayed with Meridith's favorite scent and written in cursive.
THE WATCHES
Donate $100.00 or more
Amount over $20.00 is tax-deductible.
Donate $100 or more You will receive a workout routine, on video, timed at 6 mins. Plus, wait for it... everything listed above.
THE POLICE REPORT
Donate $250.00 or more
Amount over $40.00 is tax-deductible.
Donate $250 or more Receive a signed copy of THE police report by the creative team. Plus, everything listed above.
THE PASSERBY
Donate $500.00 or more
Amount over $80.00 is tax-deductible.
Donate $500 or more Complimentarytickets to the full viewing, plus everything else listed above.
THE DOLLHOUSE
Donate $1,000.00 or more
Amount over $100.00 is tax-deductible.
Donate $1000 or more You will receive a set of dollhouse-sized figurines and a selection of tea so you can reenact the themes of the show with your preferred outcome. The tea is a bonus. Plus, everything else listed above.
THE NEIGHBORS
Donate $2,500.00 or more
Amount over $150.00 is tax-deductible.
Donate $2500 or more You will receive a pair of binoculars to keep your eyes on things, plus, everything else listed above.
THE PURPLE ROCK
Donate $5,000.00 or more
Amount over $200.00 is tax-deductible.
Donate $5000 or more You will receive a beautiful purple quartz rock to display proudly in your home for all of the neighbors to see. Plus, everything else listed above
THE BIG REVEAL
Donate $14,000.00 or more
Amount over $1,200.00 is tax-deductible.
Donate $14,000.00 and fund the entire show. You and a guest will be flown to NYC or wherever this show will pop up next (and it will!) You will be a forever producer of this work and, of course, you will receive everything listed above.
