The Burning Reed: An Evening with Jalaladdin Mohammed Rumi

ALL OCTOBER 2026 PERFORMANCES POSTPONED due to a medical emergency with the actor (he'll be OK, expected to make a full recovery) ... more info on re-scheduled dates in next few days.

Join us for a soul-shifting evening with 13th Century Sufi mystic Jalaladdin Mohammed Balkhi, known to 21st century fans as Rumi.

Why is a 13th Century Persian cleric the best-selling English language poet in the US?  Why did Rumi refer to his impending death as his wedding night?  What was the nature of his relationship with the wandering mystic Shams, and how did their closeness estrange his son and lead to the early death of his daughter-in-law?

These questions and more are addressed in a new one-person show being staged as the first original production of Stonesthrow Theater, a new theater company in residence at the Wendell Meetinghouse. The play is the brainchild of Joe Laur, who wrote the script and created original versions of dozens of Rumi’s poems and stories for the production. Laur also plays  Rumi. Encounter Ghengis Kahn, Sufi masters, Shams of Tabriz, the mystical bond of the Lover and the Beloved, and just maybe, your own Soul.

Written and performed by Joe Laur, directed by Tim Holcomb. This event is part of the Wendell Meetinghouse Community Arts & Conversations series, and supported in-part by the Friends of the Wendell Meetinghouse and the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts.

Evening performances are scheduled for October 15, 16, 17, 22 and 23 at 7:30 pm; 2:00 pm matinee performances are scheduled for October 18, 24 and 25. All performances take place at the Wendell Meetinghouse (1 Morse Village Rd.  Wendell, MA).

Tickets: -- Advance $15 (Thursdays) - $20 (Friday to Sunday) -- Door $20 (Thursdays) - $25 (Friday to Sunday) -- Card to Culture $10 Advance tickets available at https://patron.wendellmeetinghouse.org/ticketing/wmh/catalog/events). This show is part of the 2026 Stonesthrow Theater season; SEASON TICKETS (https://patron.wendellmeetinghouse.org/ticketing/wmh/catalog/subscriptions) and SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES available (https://patron.wendellmeetinghouse.org/memberships/wmh/catalog)