Saturday, August 6, 2011

A Negro Speaks of Rivers/Mothertongue Collaboration at Gender Dynamix


Phase Two of my collaboration with The Mothertongue Project is underway.


Freeing the Breath Healing the Body Healing the Breath Freeing the Body
This week I reflected on my time in Greece last summer and visiting The Theatre at Eppidarus. This ancient theater is on the site of one of the earliest surgery hospitals. Even brain surgery was performed there. At that time it was recognized that theatre has the power to heal. Thousands of people flocked to see a show and get a healing. My collaboration with the Mothertongue project speaks to that ancient tradition. Using theatre to heal both the performer and community. This is the spirit that I started week 2 and our work with Gender Dynamix.

The participants have very little (if any) performance/acting experience. The process is a bit scary. I will ask them to go places they haven't gone before both physically and mentally. So small group meetings with Sara Matchette ( Mothertongue Co-Artistic Director) the participants and I gave us a chance to commune without the stress of having to perform in anyway. It was nice to see everyone physically more at ease and ready to start the process of building Creative Instructions…. low stress, trust building, on one meeting. We all need to get to know each other feel that we are safe place so that we can share experiences and create theatre in the traditional sense of the words.