All
Foremost ..thank you for patience and diligence today. There were a lot of us..lots of questions… and less time than I had hoped.
I know that some feel more lost…frustrated…disappointed…others were empowered…excited.. Yi Hsin will soon post our collage responses and we will use them as we begin our collaboration with CrossTown Theatre Troupe. Take a moment to read below.
The Panel. I sent the following message to the panel:
We are so grateful for your time and presence today. It was a little unwieldy–much ground to cover for a small city. Your responses were candid, honest, thoughtful, inspiring, frustrating, and illuminating. They will give us great direction as we and CrossTown Theatre Troupe ( a theatre troupe made up of Ypsi youth, directed by MFA student, Jenny Sawtelle and undergraduate Shella Kelsey) become our co-investigators on this project. As we get further along in the project we may come back to you…perhaps to provide us a story, or a sound or be part of the project/production itself (i.e. tree)
Thanks so much as we embark on a project which we hope will reflect the issues, strengths, & challenges of the city. Warmly, Decky and the class.
The Purpose--what is the purpose of this project? Or what are they? To create theatre which speaks about a specific subject? To create a theatre piece to generate community dialogue? For next week–come up based upon what you know now.. the panel, the blogs, the research, the reading–the purpose or purposes of this project.
CrossTown Theatre Troupe
This troupe, started in Fall and directed by classmate/MFA student Jenny Sawtelle and undergraduate Shella Kelsey, had their premier performance yesterday. I was remiss and did not share with you the bravery and depth of their first performance and talk-back yesterday. Both the performance and talkback had a sense of fearlessness and readiness to speak truth to power and to the public. Though certainly a blog posting will not make up for what was not shared today.. I have no doubt that the youth in CTT will make sure that their voice is heard. We will and/or they will share with you the mission of CTT. We also (prior to their arrival) go over some clarity of roles and the possible challenges of equity in this collaborative relationship.
All-this work is messy at times. This is not an excuse– it is the reality. There can always be new or better or different approaches-this is one way, not the way. Clarity of purpose will help guide -as will narrowing down the subjects/issues being explored and addressed.
My purpose in this class is two-fold. As the instructor it is my responsibility to expose you to this kind of process and work through research and practice so that you can adapt it/utilize it/embrace it–in your own work. At the same time, my purpose is to ensure that we create an authentic community based performance and in this case, it is with CTT/youth. And to do so–co-create this work- respect of those we engage and co-create is paramount. Sometimes one purpose (one of mine) may supercede another. It is never intentional.
Please respond to this and to the post by Yi Hsin before next Tuesday (and please before 3pm on Tuesday). The youth will be arriving and joining our class an hour or so in. We will also brief the readings prior to them arriving.
stay warm. be warm. be.
decky
I look forward to interviewing more/other people about YPSI- I’m really to jump into this! I also really look forward to working with the Youth from Crosstown. there show was great!! Do they all have rides for meeting this week or do we need to figure that out?
I’m looking forward to clarifying the purpose. I’m curious how many people we are going to interview- and what we will ask them. Is the focus creating community dialogue? Creating a dialogue among groups that don’t usually talk? promoting pride in their city? highlighting the deficits? Assets? Are the youth the performing focus? or us? will there be community members (non-youth) that perform with us as well? Are we supporting or trying to reveal or be controversial? Are we highlighting the past or exploring the present or future? What is the next step? Who are we creating this for? A lot of questions and not a lot of answers…
On another note: We never completed the snack list this week- anyone willing to bring anything this week to share? Maybe a few people?
Actually Deniya signed up for snacks this first week, but we will need to send it around again.
As dense and at times frustrating the panel was last week, it was really nice to hear from residents who have invested in Ypsi for a considerable time. Many of us are new to the area and I know when I talk about it I feel like I have a very limited perspective. There is so much more to know!
I’m also looking forward to narrowing the subject. What was probably most frustrating to me about last week is I didn’t find myself coming closer to a singular concept or idea we should focus on within the performance. I wanted there to be a black and white: :This is the largest issue in Ypsi…” “Do a performance on this…”
Meeting the crosstown performers will be treat! We are really lucky to have a group willing to bring in a very different energy to the class and idea of ypsilanti. I’m really looking forward to hearing from them.
A purpose is more broad… less specific. Our subjects/themes of this production will be decided co-collaboratively -EMU Students and CTT.
Some examples of purposes include:
To foster a community dialogue
To work to bridge disparate parts of the community
To foster awareness/give light to some of the issues impacting Ypsilanti
To locate a center
To give voice to some of the more marginalized people of the community
To address both the city’s assets and deficits—(can acknowledgement of a deficit become an asset)
To create a platform through theatre where the youth voice is presented in collaboration /contrast with a non-youth voice, with the college students representing the non-youth voice
Notes: We are creating this performance for the citizens of Ypsilanti…young and old. Old and young. Our audience is multi-generational.
Ideally, the youth are co-creators /co-performers.
Our next step as a whole group is to narrow the areas/subject of focus so we can
1. figure out who we need to communicate with
2. connect with such groups and people and coordinate such get-togethers
3. provide training in story circles and more structured approaches to dialogue
Our next step as a class is to begin some ensemble building with CTT and other youth who may participate, sharing what we have discovered about Ypsilanti and hearing from those (CTT members) who live here –what they know and believe about the city. Such beliefs/knowings will build on what the class has discovered and help us to narrow our themes/subjects.
Sounds great! Thanks for clearing this up for me. Can’t wait to work with CTT & doing story circles! See you Tuesday! 🙂
I also thank you for the purpose/theme information.
Although many fascinating topics were discussed, what seemed to stand out for me is a lack of identity, or perhaps individuality. The panel seemed to be concerned over the “unknown” boundaries; but I don’t know if most of our Ypsilanti citizens, particularly the age group we will be working with on this project would share the concern over the difference between a city or township-but maybe they would be concerned about something along the lines of what Venus mentioned…the only Ypsi Pride statement she has heard is being from the hood! What does it mean to be an Ypsilanti resident? If we should be able to say with pride that we are from Ypsi-why don’t we? Or why when we do are we not heard? Why do we not stand out?
Almost forgot- some favorite quotes/points included
We have to be the change we want to see.
We are on the verge of a renaissance.
…keep the connections made by grass root campaigning…
society is designed to keep us apart
I believe we must share a common purpose(s) at the very beginning of this work while each of us might have another purpose of their own . If we don’t share it, how could we know where we’re heading to…?
The purpose of this work…I think the very very first purpose would be for both residents and us (CTT youth and EMU students) to know Ypsi deeply, acknowledge strength and weakness of this city through the process of creating performance, performance, and post-performance discussion. I think so especially because I identify myself as “outsider” who wants to know the place she lives and studies in.
I’m so excited to work with CTT youth…I was very impressed to see them performing at MLK day. I saw excitement in their eyes…they were proud of themselves. I felt they have power to change future of Ypsi better.
優梨
Is it about why we do this?
– research, interview, plan & present performance … etc.
When I planned a performance,
I tended to make myself divided from my audience.
– thinking “How can my idea overwhelm them?” “Will they like it?” “After performance, is there a chance to be hired to local festival or something?” etc.
It was right. There was a huge wall between me (performer) and audience (community) But in this project, I found I should look myself one of them … oh, I will change a word from “them” to “us”.
So, I am one of us.
Frankly speaking,
I have never seen America or any American region as my land because I am a foreigner. This time is becoming a different one. Ypsi is a transit land, so not only I but also others see it “others” not “mine”.
So, it can be; One of purposes of this project in “my life” can be the first time to accept a American community as my community. Yes, this can be only start. But this attachment is very important to me.
(No one could believe that a Korean international student could make a real community-based performance in the US. I still doubt, somehow.)
The purpose …. no more else yet.
Just embrace this land and people as my land and my people.
Like Luiz Valdez in El Teatro Compasino did in California,
I may do in Ypsi, Michigan.
Can I embrace here?
Can I embrace you?
BELIEF…A COMMON PURPOSE
“No one could believe that a Korean international student could make a real community-based performance in the US. I still doubt, somehow.”
RESPONSE: I believe, Big Fire.
“What was probably most frustrating to me about last week is I didn’t find myself coming closer to a singular concept or idea we should focus on within the performance.”
RESPONSE: I believe we never will find that One Concept. I believe we will be inundated with themes, just like all of feel at this moment. This is the 21st century, we need more than one theme: can you watch the news without a million things blazing across the screen? Can you watch a movie with the camera static for too long? Can you stand facebook without a hundred other minute applications tempting your fingertips?
Can you can you imagine Angels in America with only one theme? Let’s dream big.
“I saw excitement in their eyes…they were proud of themselves. I felt they have power to change future of Ypsi better.”
RESPONSE: I believe, Yurri, that our fuel will come from them too.
“Ideally, the youth are co-creators /co-performers.”
RESPONSE: I believe this is one common purpose: To perform. That is enough for me to create. Is that enough for you? Is that enough for the kids?
“Although many fascinating topics were discussed, what seemed to stand out for me is a lack of identity, or perhaps individuality.”
RESPONSE: I believe that this is true about fair Ypsi. But don’t most cities struggle for their identity or lackthereof? I mean if you aren’t the Big Apple, the birthplace of motown, or the heart of rock-n-roll, then what are you? Is this struggle universal? I do believe it is…
FINAL, FLEETING, MOMENTARY THOUGHT: Must one be a part of the community to create art around it? Must one have a theme made of stone, immovable and impassable? Must we completely give the performanceto the youth voice…what about our voice?
I believe we should tread carefully when making assumptions about what the kids will and will not like. They will inevitably surprise you each and every time. Let’s have some faith and believe that the universe will help guide us on this adventure.
Forget the script. Throw out convention.
Let’s make a community performance.
Having the panel come speak to us last week was incredibly eye opening. I appreciated their candid answers and honesty with us as we begin this dialogue and interview process together as a group. I feel like as far as the performance goes, there is so much ahead of us to reach as a group in order to obtain our goal– it’s almost overwhelming to think about! Yet every week I feel like we leave a little more connected and ready to take on this task, which is a very exciting and affirming feeling. I’m very interested to meet and start working with the Ypsi youth on this project so that we can get a sense of what they’re thinking/wanting to accomplish. However, I can’t help but echo Kirk’s previous question — “Must we completely give the performance to the youth voice?”
I feel that this performance will undoubtedly uncover some of our own voices/concerns/thoughts in one way or another… But if we do not completely give the performance to the youth voice, where do “we” stop and they begin?
I found last week’s panel discussion fascinating; I wish it could have lasted longer…there were a few topics I wanted to delve into deeper. It caught me off guard to hear Steve say he considers EMU to be “the” or “a” center of Ypsi. I know we’re aiming for a theme that is separate from the EMU community, but I’m having a little trouble grasping that idea. Marti also brought up an interesting point about Pease auditorium being a magnificent venue that most residents don’t even know about. Beautiful performance spaces make the arts that much more splendid especially for youth. But maybe I’m straying from the subject. I’m definitely looking forward to getting the kids perspectives and feedback 🙂 One thing I do know about Ypsi that I think we can all agree on is if you’re familiar with this city, you call it “Ypsi” not “Ypsilanti” or like my dad likes to call it “YIPsilanti” 😛
I hope this process and performance will provide you opportunities to construct your own narratives/stories on the city and the subject(s). THe ‘outsider’ voice may be something, given Big Fire’s earlier comments’, warranted/needed..