My Joy Is Heavy FTC Events

Now that MY JOY IS HEAVY has taken its final bows, take a look back at our line-up of For the Culture events that NYTW Education & Engagement hosted throughout the run of the show. From meaningful post-show conversations with our partners to joyous events including our Arts & Community Day, we had a blast connecting with so many communities to celebrate the themes of the show.

We hope you join us for our robust line-up of gatherings and events surrounding the In the Bricks Festival!

For the Culture Events

MAR 1: Arts and Community Day
Sunday, March 1 – 11:00AM-1:30PM
Rod Rodgers Dance Company (62 E 4th Street) and NYTW (83 E 4th Street)

Join us for a day of free family workshops exploring creativity, connection, and care in partnership with Rod Rodgers Dance Company and NeuroArts Wellness Lab. Through music, movement, storytelling, and hands-on artmaking, families of all ages will explore how art helps us heal, grow, and celebrate joy.

At this Arts and Community Day, family does not just mean biological. Chosen families, friends, and individuals simply looking to be in community with us are more than welcome to participate.

Workshops will run in rotating sessions, allowing families to experience multiple activities throughout the day. Workshop offerings include:

🎶 NYTW Sing Along – Raise your voice and tap into the joy of storytelling through song! Families will learn and sing along to iconic, feel-good hits from NYTW’s celebrated musicals, including RENT, Hadestown, and ONCE. No experience needed, just bring your energy, curiosity, and best shower-concert vocals. All ages welcome!
🎭 Puppetry & Imagination Play – In this hands-on workshop, families will craft a simple puppet using everyday materials, then explore how movement, voice, and imagination bring characters to life. A playful introduction to storytelling that invites creativity, collaboration, and big imaginations. All ages welcome!
💃 Dance & Movement – Move, groove, and discover the stories your body can tell. Through guided creative movement, families will explore rhythm, expression, and connection, building confidence while celebrating the pure joy of moving together. All ages welcome!

Come for one workshop or stay for them all. Arts and Community Day is designed for families to explore, create, and experience the healing power of the arts together.

We invite you to wear yellow for the event! Yellow represents hope, optimism, and joy: a reminder that you are never alone. Celebrate our togetherness and put on some yellow if you have it!

 

MAR 4: AfterWords – The Artistic Process of My Joy is Heavy
Wednesday, March 4 – Post-Show
New York Theatre Workshop

Engage directly with the creative team as they share insider stories from rehearsals, answer your burning questions, and explore the profound themes of heartbreak, healing, and the unstoppable human spirit that make My Joy Is Heavy a truly unforgettable experience.

 

MAR 5: AfterWords – The Role of Music in Resilience & Resistance
Thursday, March 5 – Post-Show
New York Theatre Workshop

Join us as the team from The Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine, CO_LAB Theater Group, and Autistic Theatremakers Alliance delve into the multifaceted role of music in human survival and connection, particularly within communities shaped by resilience, adaptation, and creativity. Panelists will examine how music operates as protest, catharsis, and possibility, while illuminating the ways artists of all abilities and ages expand what performance can be—and how music, when centered as a therapeutic practice, fosters healing, access, and human flourishing.

This panel is co-sponsored by The Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine, CO_LAB Theater Group, and Autistic Theatremakers Alliance.

 

MAR 11 (RD Night): AfterWords – Access & My Joy Is Heavy: A Conversation on Care, Inclusion, and Performance
Wednesday, March 11 – Post-Show
New York Theatre Workshop

After the show, join us for an exclusive behind-the-scenes conversation, where the visionary design team shares how they crafted the immersive world, mood, and visual storytelling of this heartfelt musical—an emotionally powerful journey through loss, resilience, and rediscovering joy—while incorporating access throughout the process.

 

MAR 12: Open Salon – Joy, Grief, and Everything In Between
Thursday, March 12 – 8:30PM
Downtown Art (70 E 4th St)

This open salon invites poets, writers, and storytellers to explore the emotional landscape of the quiet sacrifices that shape our lives. Through verse, reflection, and shared experiences, we will honor the beauty and complexity of caring for others—and ourselves. Whether you come to share or simply to listen, you will find a circle of voices that hold space for joy, grief, and everything in between.

 

MAR 18: AfterWords – Self-Advocacy in the Medical Office
Wednesday, March 18 – Post-Show
New York Theatre Workshop

Hear a dynamic conversation from The Community Service Society, Mae and fellow community health advocates on self-advocacy in healthcare— how to speak up for yourself and your loved ones to get the care you deserve. Together, we’ll explore ways to ask questions, make informed decisions, and find confidence when navigating a complex medical system.

This panel is co-sponsored by The Community Service Society NY and Mae.

 

MAR 24: Community Conversations: Joy, Connections, & Grief with Allison Gilbert
Tuesday, March 24 – 9:30-11AM
NYTW (83 E 4th St)

Join us for a morning gathering at NYTW, featuring Patricia McGregor in discussion with Allison Gilbert, Emmy Award-winning journalist, author of Passed and Present and co-author of The Joy of Connections: 100 Ways to Beat Loneliness and Live a Happier and More Meaningful Life with world-renowned therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Hear Allison reflect with us on the themes of The Bengsons‘ new show, My Joy is Heavy, and then continue the conversation in community with us over light refreshments. 

 

MAR 24: AfterWords – The Art of Care
Tuesday, March 24 – Post-Show
New York Theatre Workshop

Join us for a reflective conversation inspired by My Joy Is Heavy, exploring parenthood, caregiving, creation and survival. Together, we’ll consider how caregivers and artists hold joy, fear, love, and responsibility all at once. Moderated by Patricia McGregor and featuring Sarah Lunnie, Ashley Melone, and Nicole Ari Parker.

 

MAR 25: ShopTalk – Processing Grief through Storytelling
Wednesday, March 25 – Post-Show
New York Theatre Workshop

Join NYTW for a ShopTalk exploring how storytelling can create space for healing. This conversation will be co-led by a NYTW team member and Repose Therapy Group, offering reflection, gentle facilitation, and practical emotional care practices.

Learn more about our community partners for My Joy is Heavy here!

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Categories: 2025/26 Season and For The Culture. Tags: Education & Engagement, For The Culture, and My Joy is Heavy.