My Joy is Heavy

As you dive into this edition of “The Brief” Study Guide, we invite you to reflect on the themes of MY JOY IS HEAVY. What do you remember from your time in the pandemic? What do you do to get through hard times? Learn about The Bengsons and their story of grief and joy, the role of music in resilience, how access is woven into the production, and more. And then, join us at the Workshop to see the show and celebrate our joy and community!

March 24, 2026 by NYTW Education & Engagement

For MY JOY IS HEAVY here at NYTW, access has been woven into both the fabric of the piece itself and the audience experience of the production. From open captions projected onto a dedicated section of the set design to various affinity nights and to technical choices to make every show a relaxed performance, these intentional decisions are the result of many conversations between The Bengsons, the creative team, NYTW staff, and access dramaturg Alison Kopit.

Alison took some time a couple weeks before tech rehearsals began to tell me about her story of developing the practice of access dramaturgy, as well as her work on My Joy is Heavy.

March 11, 2026 by Marty Chandler

MY JOY IS HEAVY is just around the corner here at the Workshop, and our Education & Engagement team has partnered with nine organizations to reflect on the conversations around love, joy, and care that The Bengsons open up through their piece. These themes of the show are embodied in the impacts our partner organizations have on families, caregivers, and artists. From groups working at the intersection of the arts and healing, to health service and advocacy organizations, to performance groups for artists of all backgrounds and identities, we are honored to be working with these partners. We invite you to join us for a post-show conversation or community gathering to get to know them more, and read more below in the meantime.

February 12, 2026 by NYTW Education & Engagement