TREATY: A Play About How to NOT Blow Up The Planet is about the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) that has been touring New England. Kate Middleton of Ground UP Productions, the play's producer and director, says: "through a shared experience of the human condition, we believe that theatre can bring us closer to each other, creating connection, empathy, and pathways to change." The playwright, Chris Thorpe, was inspired to write TREATY after a chance meeting with a disarmament expert introduced him to the world of the TPNW negotiations, and the ordinary people trying to achieve an extraordinary outcome. Throughout the New England tour, the role of Chris has been played by Seth Shelden, who also is the General Counsel and United Nations Liaison of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), Nobel Peace Laureate 2017. Join Kate and Seth on 10 August (one day after Nagasaki Day), to learn more about the play and the real-world actions its producers are endeavoring to advance, such as the ICAN Cities Appeal.  

Seth Shelden is General Counsel and United Nations Liaison for the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize-winning coalition working to prohibit and eliminate nuclear weapons. As General Counsel, he leads ICAN’s internal legal affairs and provides guidance on a wide range of legal matters. As United Nations Liaison, he represents ICAN in promoting universalization and implementation of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and he assists governments in signing and ratifying the treaty. Mr. Shelden holds a J.D. degree from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, and a B.A. degree, from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as a certificate in International Nuclear Safeguards Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy.

Kate Middleton is the Artistic Director and Founder of Ground UP Productions. She is the Producing Director of Ground UP's Annual New Works Reading Festival, where TREATY was first workshopped in 2024. As an actor, Kate most recently wrapped a 6-Episode mini series "Perfect Sundays" out Summer 2026 on Netflix!