The Arctic Cycle is a series of eight plays that look at the social and environmental changes taking place in the eight Arctic states: United States, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Russia.

The idea for the series emerged after a trip to Alaska in 2007. I learned that the Arctic is warming much faster than the rest of the world. That Arctic communities produce very little greenhouse gases, yet bear the brunt of the impacts. And that we are losing incredible riches, both cultural and natural, before we have even begun to fully appreciate them. I wanted to turn this trip, this experience, into something that could be shared with other people. Into stories that could inspire. And so the Arctic Cycle was born.

The first three plays of the series, Sila (Canada), Forward (Norway), and No More Harveys (United States) premiered in 2014, 2016, and 2022, respectively. They are published by Talonbooks and are available from most online bookstores. The fourth play is in development. The other three plays will be written in the coming years.

Both an artistic and a research project, the Arctic Cycle explores complexity and interconnectedness, hope and grief, and tries to capture the poetry of the present moment. The plays give voice to humans but also to supernatural beings, natural features, and animals. They ask who we are and who we want to be. And if I’m lucky, they might help propel us forward into a hopeful future with an equal measure of purpose and compassion.