About the Play:

The Art of Remembering is a one-act drama by Adina L. Ruskin. The story of a young woman who reminisces about her own life, the life of her grandmother, and even the lives of strangers she has met on the way when she takes on the task of cleaning out her childhood home after her father's death.

The Art of Remembering is about Rebecca, a grieving woman who returns home to bury her father. While there, she cleans out her childhood closet, and as she rediscovers objects, memories come tumbling out. She finds herself immersed in the past and her persona splits into three different aspects, portrayed by three actors who travel through time and myriad of memories in a non-linear fashion. Together, the three Rebeccas, drift from memory to memory, reconfiguring and re-enacting the past in an attempt to console, celebrate, and reconcile. Touching on stories as diverse as a feisty Polish-Jewish émigré taking America by storm, an Argentine who stands against his country's repression, and a woman who witnesses the fall of the Berlin Wall, The Art of Remembering reminds us of the beauty of life and the importance of our past. As the script says, "it only takes one generation to forget."

The Art of Remembering premiered in 1996 at The Roman Eagle Lodge during the 50th Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland. It won critical acclaim and was heralded by the BBC as "Best of Fringe". It was also selected as the best one-act play in England in 2001. The play has been performed in regional, college, and community theatre productions.

Cast: 3 women

What people say:

"Four Stars, Pick of the Day…Marcel Proust bit into a biscuit and his memory took off for several volumes… The Art of Remembering has a cast of three and some mimed relics and remembered addresses, but they speak volumes in under an hour… inspiringly creative. It is certainly guaranteed to heal any misgivings you may have about the endurance of the human spirit." — The Scotsman

"Three women, each with a suitcase, unpack the memorabilia of their life experience, letting loose memories of people and places and events in evocative fragments reaching back over the century. In Adina L. Ruskin's cinematic-style collage play, cleverly composed… the memories are momentarily held before us, then dissolve as others take their place. The careful blend of poignancy and lively humour add to its special appeal." — The Stage (UK)

"The Art of Remembering is an intimate, honest, and moving theatrical experience honoring the memories that shape us, the people who touch us, and a past that sometimes picks us up, takes us for an unexpected ride, then carries us all the way back to the present, wiser and braver and more resolved." — The Austin Chronicle

bout the Playwright:

Adina L. Ruskin is an American actress, teacher, and playwright who was born in New York City of French and Argentine heritage. Her first play, The Art of Remembering, was selected as the best one-act play in England in 2001.