I finally figured out how to get photos off my phone! Here are a couple of pictures from the first project planning meeting in early December.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
First Grant and How You Can Help
This activity is made possible, in part, by funds provided by the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council from and appropriation by the Minnesota Legislature.
Hurray! We got our first grant for this project from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. In order to access it, though, we need to match it.
We welcome support in any forms – moral, physical and financial among them. We need all the good wishes and encouragement we can get! If you have creative ideas or suggestions, let me know. If you want to volunteer with the project we’ll need lots of people power. If you are interested in contributing financially you can make a tax-deductible contribution thanks to the fiscal sponsorship of the non-profit Nautilus Music-Theater.
If you’d like to make a donation you can do so online or by mail to Nautilus Music Theater. Be sure to designate “West Side Community Theater Project”
By mail: Nautilus Music-Theater 308 Prince St Ste 250 St Paul, MN 55101
Online: https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/MakeDonation.aspx?ORGID2=411721692
Hurray! We got our first grant for this project from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. In order to access it, though, we need to match it.
We welcome support in any forms – moral, physical and financial among them. We need all the good wishes and encouragement we can get! If you have creative ideas or suggestions, let me know. If you want to volunteer with the project we’ll need lots of people power. If you are interested in contributing financially you can make a tax-deductible contribution thanks to the fiscal sponsorship of the non-profit Nautilus Music-Theater.
If you’d like to make a donation you can do so online or by mail to Nautilus Music Theater. Be sure to designate “West Side Community Theater Project”
By mail: Nautilus Music-Theater 308 Prince St Ste 250 St Paul, MN 55101
Online: https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/MakeDonation.aspx?ORGID2=411721692
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Project Artistic Team
Producer/Composer/Music Director - Becky Dale
Director - Harry Waters, Jr.
Playwright -- Al Justiniano of Teatro del Pueblo
Process Dramaturge -- Ben Krywosz of Nautilus Music-Theater
Community Partner/Advisor -- Sandy Agustin of Neighborhood House
Director - Harry Waters, Jr.
Playwright -- Al Justiniano of Teatro del Pueblo
Process Dramaturge -- Ben Krywosz of Nautilus Music-Theater
Community Partner/Advisor -- Sandy Agustin of Neighborhood House
Community-Engaged Theater Process Summary
Community-Engaged Theater Process Summary
-- based on Cornerstone Theater Company’s community collaboration method; quotations are from Cornerstone Theater Company Community Collaboration Handbook: a method.
It’s Artist Led – build an artistic team to lead the project
“The artistic process for our community collaborations is artist driven. In other words, a production’s aesthetics are largely generated and certainly guided by the professional artists rather than the community participants. This does not mean that community members are left out of the process. Our collaborative partnerships are deeply valued and community input profoundly enriches the art. However, the artists’ contributions to the project are their artistic skills, insights and points of view. They are responsible for decisions about the art and the art-making, including casting, design, and script choices.”
Get to Know the Community/Build Community Partnerships
“Community Partners are vital to meeting other community members. They introduce us to people who will become new project advocates and participants, and these new people will in turn introduce us to other new people, and so on. As the number of community members we meet increases, so does the diversity.”
“Although the purpose of a community collaboration is the creation of a work of art, the hearing and telling of stories can have tremendous significance for community identity. In the sense that communities know themselves by their stories, storytelling often has the power to clarify and even strengthen community identity.”
“Mutual Mentorship – the entire research process is based on the premise that the community participants are teaching us so that we may build upon and create from that knowledge. The more that the professionals and the community learn from each other, the more the script can attentively give voice to the community’s most integral issues.”
Develop the Script
Script may be adaptation of an existing text or an original play. Playwright and other members of the artistic leadership team gather stories from community members for script development through Story Circles, Workshops that involve theater and writing exercise, one-on-one interviews, questionnaires and discussion sessions. When a draft script is ready one or more community readings of the script are held, gathering feedback from the community using Liz Lehrmann’s Critical Response Process.
Casting
“The most effective way to get people to audition is to talk to them, one at a time.”
“Every stranger is an auditioner you haven’t met”
“Invite people to audition. Initiate conversations with people walking by. Tell them about the project in general, and extend the invitation to audition. Encourage every community member to audition for the show.”
This method includes 2-5 professional actors performing side by side with community performers. (In the West Side Community Theater Project we plan to use 2 professional actors).
“The audition process should be positive, affirming, joyful, and fun for the people auditioning.”
“Often the main audition is done using unrelated text, sometimes a random sentence from a newspaper. The auditioners are asked to read that sentence several times, each time with a different intention. For example: read the sentence as if it makes you angry, or like it’s a bit of gossip, or as if it’s the funniest thin you’ve ever heard, etc.”
Director, playwright and music director/composer are present during auditions and consult in casting decisions.
Rehearsals
“The key is to learn while you teach, and value what community-based artists bring in terms of experience and knowledge of the community – life experience, really. Remember that their life experiences are just as valuable as the theatrical skills we are teaching them.”
“A community collaboration is a professional play involving first-time actors. This paradox often requires a great deal of flexibility from stage management.”
“Creating an artistically innovative professional production with frist-time artists is a paradox that must be embraced. This embrace is needed at every poin in the process, bt nowhere is it so necessary as in the rehearsal room.”
-- based on Cornerstone Theater Company’s community collaboration method; quotations are from Cornerstone Theater Company Community Collaboration Handbook: a method.
It’s Artist Led – build an artistic team to lead the project
“The artistic process for our community collaborations is artist driven. In other words, a production’s aesthetics are largely generated and certainly guided by the professional artists rather than the community participants. This does not mean that community members are left out of the process. Our collaborative partnerships are deeply valued and community input profoundly enriches the art. However, the artists’ contributions to the project are their artistic skills, insights and points of view. They are responsible for decisions about the art and the art-making, including casting, design, and script choices.”
Get to Know the Community/Build Community Partnerships
“Community Partners are vital to meeting other community members. They introduce us to people who will become new project advocates and participants, and these new people will in turn introduce us to other new people, and so on. As the number of community members we meet increases, so does the diversity.”
“Although the purpose of a community collaboration is the creation of a work of art, the hearing and telling of stories can have tremendous significance for community identity. In the sense that communities know themselves by their stories, storytelling often has the power to clarify and even strengthen community identity.”
“Mutual Mentorship – the entire research process is based on the premise that the community participants are teaching us so that we may build upon and create from that knowledge. The more that the professionals and the community learn from each other, the more the script can attentively give voice to the community’s most integral issues.”
Develop the Script
Script may be adaptation of an existing text or an original play. Playwright and other members of the artistic leadership team gather stories from community members for script development through Story Circles, Workshops that involve theater and writing exercise, one-on-one interviews, questionnaires and discussion sessions. When a draft script is ready one or more community readings of the script are held, gathering feedback from the community using Liz Lehrmann’s Critical Response Process.
Casting
“The most effective way to get people to audition is to talk to them, one at a time.”
“Every stranger is an auditioner you haven’t met”
“Invite people to audition. Initiate conversations with people walking by. Tell them about the project in general, and extend the invitation to audition. Encourage every community member to audition for the show.”
This method includes 2-5 professional actors performing side by side with community performers. (In the West Side Community Theater Project we plan to use 2 professional actors).
“The audition process should be positive, affirming, joyful, and fun for the people auditioning.”
“Often the main audition is done using unrelated text, sometimes a random sentence from a newspaper. The auditioners are asked to read that sentence several times, each time with a different intention. For example: read the sentence as if it makes you angry, or like it’s a bit of gossip, or as if it’s the funniest thin you’ve ever heard, etc.”
Director, playwright and music director/composer are present during auditions and consult in casting decisions.
Rehearsals
“The key is to learn while you teach, and value what community-based artists bring in terms of experience and knowledge of the community – life experience, really. Remember that their life experiences are just as valuable as the theatrical skills we are teaching them.”
“A community collaboration is a professional play involving first-time actors. This paradox often requires a great deal of flexibility from stage management.”
“Creating an artistically innovative professional production with frist-time artists is a paradox that must be embraced. This embrace is needed at every poin in the process, bt nowhere is it so necessary as in the rehearsal room.”
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Project Launched -- First planning meeting
December 2, 2008 was the first planning meeting for a community-engaged music-theater project on the West Side of St. Paul, MN. These are the notes form that meeting:
Notes from meeting 12/2/08
Includes additional thoughts/questions from Becky
Present: Becky Dale, Harry Waters, Jr., Al Justiniano, Sandy Agustin, Ben Krywosz
Proposed agenda:
Artistic Content/Aesthetic
Roles
Scope
Timeline
SWOT/C (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats/Challenges)
Language Access
Fundraising
Artistic Content
What do we envision this piece to be? Will there be a single narrative with developed characters that change over the course of the piece? Or will it be a series of vignettes? What is our aesthetic? How do we reach consensus about that?
Background experience and Roles in this project
Becky brings:
Experience as Theater Composer (Nautilus, Ten Thousand Things, Macalester College Theater Dept, Playwright’s Center, Cornerstone Theater Company)
Experience with Community-Engaged Theater through Cornerstone Theater Institute 2008, also Nautilus/Ten Thousand Things project with Eric Ehn in 1999
Knowledge of West Side (18-year Resident, Coordinator of West Side Family Center 1996-2000)
Experience in Community building and Nonprofit Admin (Casa de Esperanza, Prevent Child Abuse MN associate director 2001-present)
Becky’s roles in this project:
Convener
Producer
Composer/Music Director
Ben brings
Extensive experience as Producer, Director, Dramaturge. Artistic Director Nautilus Music Theater
Teacher of integrated singer-actor-movement training
Composer-Librettist collaborative training
Developer of collaborative tools for theater artists
Ben’s roles in this project:
Advisor, Leader of a collaboration workshop to guide our process
Nautilus is serving as fiscal sponsor for the project
Sandy brings
Experience with community-engagement and arts (Intermedia Arts, Neighborhood House)
Knowledge of West Side and immediate area surrounding Neighborhood House
Experience as performer and creator (Dancer, Choreographer)
Sandy’s roles in this project:
Advisor
Community partner representative (Neighborhood House)
Al brings:
17 years experience as artistic director of Teatro del Pueblo, located on the West Side, including many projects that have connected with community in similar ways. He’s know to many West Siders as “that theater guy” J
Interest in developing the work, writing, capturing the voices of the community
Has had previous contact with Laurie Woolery from Cornerstone and is interested in connecting with her again, possibly bringing her here
Al’s roles in this project:
Playwright
Teatro may be interested in helping with fundraising
Harry brings:
Experience as an actor and director
Experience in Cornerstone community engaged theater model through Cornerstone Institute (2004), and participation in Guthrie’s Cornerstone project a (2006)
Has worked with many diverse groups, teaching acting across language barriers
Students! Teaches a class in community engaged theater – class of 25 students in spring 2009 can participate
Harry’s roles in this project:
Director
Student liaison
Scope
We have narrowed the community participation focus to the few blocks immediately surrounding Neighborhood House and participants in Neighborhood House itself.
We discussed considering this a “pilot” in order to get moving with trying it out and do something that can fit within whatever budget we come up with. This will allow us to learn more about how to do it, introduce it to the community, and build time and momentum for raising funds for a full production.
Questions: What then, is the scope of the pilot? Length of script? What are the forces involved?
SWOT/C
Strengths:
Strong leadership and advisory team
The artists and partners already gathered have wealth of relevant experience and knowledge
Artistic
Community-engagement
West Side
Addition support/guidance/mentoring available from Cornerstone
· West side has a strong identity about immigration and place
Weaknesses:
Opportunities:
· Food is a great incentive for engaging community participation
· Might want to share this idea with the program committee of the NH board
· Neighb is working to connect participant youth to college - connection with Macalester students might work well with this effort
· Neighb new President is expressed interest in “community engagement” in a local newspaper article
· We can also refer to past theatrical events on the WS we’ve been part of – Teatro productions from Al, Ten Thousand Things productions Becky helped bring to the WS several years ago.
Threats/Challenges:
Be clear to community about what they’re gonna get – avoid “art speak”
Economy – funding climate for participating organizations is tough. Fundraising for this project, too, may be a challenge.
Funding
Becky will check into the following suggestions that were made at the meeting:
Creative Capital (R & D)
Nathan Cumming Foundation (Social Justice Documentation)
We didn’t talk much about this – Becky will update group on what’s been done so far and ideas yet to do at next meeting.
Other ideas raised:
Documentation - How does this get documented so that the story stays alive? How do we document the process? What is the impact on the community?
Involve kids interviewing elders as one way to gather stories
Build “wow” events to engage the community – stepping stones to participation. Perhaps students can help build those “wow” events.
Recommendations that Becky check out Claire DeCoster “Riversedge Playback Theater” (http://www.riversedgeplayback.org/) and “Undesireable Elements” (http://www.undesirableelements.org/ ) I took a look at both – both very interesting! Thank you.
Agenda for 12/9/08
Decision-making process – proposed: consensus with some decisions assigned by role(s)
What’s missing from SWOC/T?
Timeline
FundingCircle back to Artistic Content/Aesthetic, Scope
Notes from meeting 12/2/08
Includes additional thoughts/questions from Becky
Present: Becky Dale, Harry Waters, Jr., Al Justiniano, Sandy Agustin, Ben Krywosz
Proposed agenda:
Artistic Content/Aesthetic
Roles
Scope
Timeline
SWOT/C (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats/Challenges)
Language Access
Fundraising
Artistic Content
What do we envision this piece to be? Will there be a single narrative with developed characters that change over the course of the piece? Or will it be a series of vignettes? What is our aesthetic? How do we reach consensus about that?
Background experience and Roles in this project
Becky brings:
Experience as Theater Composer (Nautilus, Ten Thousand Things, Macalester College Theater Dept, Playwright’s Center, Cornerstone Theater Company)
Experience with Community-Engaged Theater through Cornerstone Theater Institute 2008, also Nautilus/Ten Thousand Things project with Eric Ehn in 1999
Knowledge of West Side (18-year Resident, Coordinator of West Side Family Center 1996-2000)
Experience in Community building and Nonprofit Admin (Casa de Esperanza, Prevent Child Abuse MN associate director 2001-present)
Becky’s roles in this project:
Convener
Producer
Composer/Music Director
Ben brings
Extensive experience as Producer, Director, Dramaturge. Artistic Director Nautilus Music Theater
Teacher of integrated singer-actor-movement training
Composer-Librettist collaborative training
Developer of collaborative tools for theater artists
Ben’s roles in this project:
Advisor, Leader of a collaboration workshop to guide our process
Nautilus is serving as fiscal sponsor for the project
Sandy brings
Experience with community-engagement and arts (Intermedia Arts, Neighborhood House)
Knowledge of West Side and immediate area surrounding Neighborhood House
Experience as performer and creator (Dancer, Choreographer)
Sandy’s roles in this project:
Advisor
Community partner representative (Neighborhood House)
Al brings:
17 years experience as artistic director of Teatro del Pueblo, located on the West Side, including many projects that have connected with community in similar ways. He’s know to many West Siders as “that theater guy” J
Interest in developing the work, writing, capturing the voices of the community
Has had previous contact with Laurie Woolery from Cornerstone and is interested in connecting with her again, possibly bringing her here
Al’s roles in this project:
Playwright
Teatro may be interested in helping with fundraising
Harry brings:
Experience as an actor and director
Experience in Cornerstone community engaged theater model through Cornerstone Institute (2004), and participation in Guthrie’s Cornerstone project a (2006)
Has worked with many diverse groups, teaching acting across language barriers
Students! Teaches a class in community engaged theater – class of 25 students in spring 2009 can participate
Harry’s roles in this project:
Director
Student liaison
Scope
We have narrowed the community participation focus to the few blocks immediately surrounding Neighborhood House and participants in Neighborhood House itself.
We discussed considering this a “pilot” in order to get moving with trying it out and do something that can fit within whatever budget we come up with. This will allow us to learn more about how to do it, introduce it to the community, and build time and momentum for raising funds for a full production.
Questions: What then, is the scope of the pilot? Length of script? What are the forces involved?
SWOT/C
Strengths:
Strong leadership and advisory team
The artists and partners already gathered have wealth of relevant experience and knowledge
Artistic
Community-engagement
West Side
Addition support/guidance/mentoring available from Cornerstone
· West side has a strong identity about immigration and place
Weaknesses:
Opportunities:
· Food is a great incentive for engaging community participation
· Might want to share this idea with the program committee of the NH board
· Neighb is working to connect participant youth to college - connection with Macalester students might work well with this effort
· Neighb new President is expressed interest in “community engagement” in a local newspaper article
· We can also refer to past theatrical events on the WS we’ve been part of – Teatro productions from Al, Ten Thousand Things productions Becky helped bring to the WS several years ago.
Threats/Challenges:
Be clear to community about what they’re gonna get – avoid “art speak”
Economy – funding climate for participating organizations is tough. Fundraising for this project, too, may be a challenge.
Funding
Becky will check into the following suggestions that were made at the meeting:
Creative Capital (R & D)
Nathan Cumming Foundation (Social Justice Documentation)
We didn’t talk much about this – Becky will update group on what’s been done so far and ideas yet to do at next meeting.
Other ideas raised:
Documentation - How does this get documented so that the story stays alive? How do we document the process? What is the impact on the community?
Involve kids interviewing elders as one way to gather stories
Build “wow” events to engage the community – stepping stones to participation. Perhaps students can help build those “wow” events.
Recommendations that Becky check out Claire DeCoster “Riversedge Playback Theater” (http://www.riversedgeplayback.org/) and “Undesireable Elements” (http://www.undesirableelements.org/ ) I took a look at both – both very interesting! Thank you.
Agenda for 12/9/08
Decision-making process – proposed: consensus with some decisions assigned by role(s)
What’s missing from SWOC/T?
Timeline
FundingCircle back to Artistic Content/Aesthetic, Scope
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