Mind on Fire is a Baltimore based theater group that seeks to bridge the gap between classical and experimental music and art genres. According to the mission statement on their website, “Mind on Fire makes music by living composers and showcases the talents of performing artists, building creative access and collaborative partnerships in Baltimore.” It goes on to say, “What happens when disparate resources, sensibilities, and expertises are shared in the pursuit of art making? Mind on Fire seeks to answer that question by presenting exceptionally compelling art performances by people of all disciplines and skill levels.”
The question of, “what happens” is on display in this company’s many pieces of music and performance, and while the answer might not be clear at first, it is clear that we are in the presence of important theater making done on a level that is unsurpassed in this arena.
Founded in 2017 by a group of exceptionally talented artists from both classical and experimental musical backgrounds, along with contributions by visual artists, filmmakers, dancers, choreographers, actors, these seemingly disparate collaborators have created and showcased some incredibly innovative pieces.
The second of and we, each’s two sold-out shows in Baltimore almost didn’t happen. A power outage in Theatre Project on Preston Street forced it to shut down just hours before the curtain was to go up. This quick-witted group of creatives hauled what they could from the set (not much), and proceeded to mount the production in a makeshift music hall that actually contributed to the ambience of the piece quite nicely.
This last-minute pivot was handled with what I’m sure was a good deal of nerve-wracking decision making—what to take, what to leave behind, not to mention where to go! But they made it work, and having no basis for comparison having not seen the set designed for the piece, I can just say it was an impressive move and it paid off greatly for the audience in the packed, makeshift 2640 Space, a performance venue straddling Old Goucher and Charles Village.