06/12/2026
Our first week of rehearsals for The World Goes 'Round ended with something pretty special.
Today, our cast participated in a Listening Lab led by Dr. Anne Palmer, Senior Project Manager with the International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics at Johns Hopkins University and a member of Spinning Tree Theatre's Board of Directors.
At Spinning Tree, we believe theatre isn't just about learning notes and choreography. It's about learning to listen. To ourselves. To each other. To the stories we're telling together.
This work lives at the intersection of art and well-being, part of a growing field sometimes called neuroarts, which explores how creative experiences can help us connect, focus, build empathy, and strengthen community.
At the end of the session, Anne asked our artists, "As you head into rehearsal, what is one word that captures how you want to show up today?”
Their answers covered the wall:
Peace.
Open.
Growth.
Bloom.
Together.
Happy.
Focused.
Present.
Curious.
Linked.
Conscious.
Collected.
As we wrap up our first week, we're carrying those words with us, too. And we're grateful for a cast of young artists who continue to show up with openness, curiosity, and care for one another.
Here's to week two. ❤️🎭
