Re-creating the homeplace: more-than-human constellations and the political consequences of storytelling in central Appalachian community-based theatre

This paper details ethnographic observation of the development and performance a community-based theatre production in eastern Kentucky, titled The Homecoming. Participating provides community members an opportunity to collaboratively, creatively tell story their place. In Central Appalachia, where artform has over four decades history, plays regularly push back on damaging stereotypes actively encourage open dialogue. Productions both highlight demonstrate members’ agency imagine – bring about possible futures for what Kentuckians call ‘homeplace’. I mobilize literature from feminist geography, more-than-human Appalachian studies frame analysis my findings. contend that ‘homeplace’ emerges interplay between humans material world. Coal, pharmaceutical opioids, organic vegetables populate shape political identities, opinions, dialogues, as contention is navigated through narratives. offer ‘constellations’ theoretical framing help us think these politics, emphasizing human storytelling one many forces those politics. argue collaborative, reflexive process utilized by consequence, changing how participants perceive interact with themselves, each other, shared homeplace.