How to Survive the End of the World A Flirtation with Capitalism with Jenn Kidwell and Brandon Kazen-Maddox
Mar 27, 2026
Jenn Kidwell, OBIE-winning clown and theater-maker who interrogates race and capitalism. Brandon Kazen-Maddox, ASL artist and former circus acrobat who brings embodied signing to performance. They discuss creating We Come to Collect, using mirrors and projection to force audience reflection, integrating ASL as an artistic collaborator, and staging a live money ask that tests capitalism in real time.
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Show Born From New Orleans Research And Collaborations
- Jenn Kidwell developed We Come To Collect from research trips to New Orleans, residencies, and conversations with abolitionist clergy.
- The piece shifted from prisons/plantations research into a broader interrogation of capitalism after conversations in New Orleans and residencies with collaborators.
ASL Role Entered Through Organic Introductions
- Brandon Kazen-Maddox joined after an organic meeting introduced by Jekka Barry and conversations about expanding a one-person show into a collaborative work.
- He insisted the ASL role be co-creative, not interpretive, and brought Patrice Creamer to ensure deaf perspectives were centered.
Mirror Set Makes The Audience Part Of The Work
- The mirror set forces audience self-reflection by visually folding spectators into the performance, making private reactions public.
- Jenn and the design team iterated from small residency mirrors to a large 10x14 mirror so audiences both see themselves and the projected world beyond.