By SHARON EBERSON
My experience of RealTime Arts’ Equitable Dinner will not be yours. Yet, I can wholeheartedly recommend that you snatch up whatever slots are left for the trifecta of a short play based on community listening sessions, a potluck-style meal provided by the host, and conversations sparked by what you’ve seen and heard, facilitated by leader, but driven by what you bring to the table.
RealTime Art’s Molly Rice wrote the short piece about food, family and so much more, performed by Malika Cleckley, that I have seen in rehearsal in a private Troy Hill home and as a participant at NavusHouse on the North Side.
“We Hold These Truths: American Potluck” is the title of the evening, directed by Rusty Thelin and shaped by the setting and the company you find yourselves keeping. If you arrive with someone, you are encouraged to separate during the meal and discussion — we divided into two groups Thursday at NavusHouse, one indoors, in the comfortable great room with kitchen and air-conditioning; one in the outdoor patio, green and lush, partly under the canopy of an almond tree, where the play was performed.
The discussion was frank and enlightening, with participants ranging from people familiar with RealTime and the theater community, someone new to the neighborhood, and another who has helped transform an abandoned lot in Wilkinsburg into a vegetable garden. A few attendees came to listen and learn, while most contributed to the discussion about how food fits into their lives and their cultures. For example, fresh produce wasn’t always available to me, as someone who grew up with working parents, in a New York City apartment building, with grocery stores a long walk away. To this day, I still meet Pittsburghers who are jolted to realize that people can live lifetimes in an apartment building, and never plant anything outdoors.
In the welcoming atmosphere of NavusHouse, a residence designed to host guests and gatherings, we were fed a fresh, bountiful, summery spread, buffet-style, getting to know those seated nearby, before Thelin led our table’s conversation. He began with how to signal levels of discomfort in what could lead to uncomfortable topics, but that didn’t happen in my group.
We talked about living with food insecurities, food deserts, nutrition, container gardening, grandma’s kitchen … it ran the gamut. They conversation was thoughtful and meaningful, sometimes soulful.
It’s worth nothing that among the discoveries, for me, was NavusHouse, tucked into a hilly North Side side street, and host to music, theater and other events. The remaining Equitable Dinners are in Troy Hill, Millvale and Point Breeze, with a precious few tickets left.
RealTime’s American Potluck has left NavusHouse, gracious hosts in a space I hope to return to, and continues this weekend with two sold-out nights (with a wait list) on Troy Hill.
Equitable Dinners was created by Out of Hand of Atlanta, and geared toward “meaningful connections through art and courageous conversation.” Their model has been adapted for different subjects around the country, and Thelin and Rice plan to continue along this path, with future dates, sites and themes yet to be determined. I’m glad to hear it, because the moment the experience was over on Thursday, I was ready to go back for seconds.
TICKETS AND DETAILS
There are four hosts for RealTime Arts’ July 2026 Equitable Dinners, with the theme “We Hold These Truths”: AMERICAN POTLUCK: NavusHouse, North Side; July 11-12 in Troy Hill; July 24 at Millvale Food + Energy Hub, Millvale, and July 30-31 in Point Breeze. All shows at 7 p.m. Tickets and details at https://www.realtimearts.org/ and https://realtime.ludus.com/index.php.
Categories: Arts and Ideas, Our Posts, Reviews
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