Claudia Alick

characters of color

2012-02-09T22:37:00.004-05:00

Watching Fringe episode 11 season 4
Making Angels
full of doppelgangers
alternate universes
strange tech
time travel
math
and an Asain-American antagonist
and his ethnicity wasn't a plot point!
There were no visits to China Town
foreign language exchanges
sub-titles
noodle soup
Just a man with a twin who
(spoiler alert!)
could tell the future
His mom was Asian-american
The actress had a slight accent
not one put on to make her seem more "authentic"
His home had a lamp with chinese characters
but it wasn't vital to the story
Other episodes have had set dressing
the suburban furnishings with glass top coffee tables
or the dirty apartment with cigarette burned chairs
decoration not plot point
Often the Asain-american or black character only gets a story line
if the TV show wants to take a trip to the exotic
a one time lark until they get back to their main characters
Caucasian protagonists that we are supposed to buy as the norm
This episode was somehow about identity but race was not in it
The african american FBI agent isn't playing blues music or battling racism
but she is wondering who she is in comparison to who she could have been
in a different universe
sci-fi weirdness
It felt refreshingly contemporary
I'm sure this is a part of a trend I am only now just noticing
where the characters of color are part of the story
not just story color
maybe it's cause we have a African-american president
or maybe it's cause
we are now the type of country that can have a African-american president
I finish the episode thinking
its about time
good work Fringe

Cat vs Alligator

2012-02-09T00:29:00.005-05:00

So I get back from this quick turn around business travel
Shakespeare and academia awesomeness at Arizona State University
I’m back home all stiff and sore and gimpy
Watching this youtube video
a friend posts on facebook
I am reminded of myself
LOL

The whole trip
I’m feeling my strength
My capability
I’m wheeling my own bag
Walking through the body scanner
Grimacing as I lift my arms up over my head
Panting and Sweating before I get on the first flight
Trying not to use a wheelchair
Trying to put my suitcase in the overhead compartment by myself
Yes it’s stupid
I’m slow and clumsy
It’s obviously a lot of effort
I’m clearly struggling in pain
But I’m doing it
And I feel like a superwoman!

In this video this cat
Obviously desperate starving
Is staring down an alligator
Over some chicken
Actually batting a paw at it’s huge jaw
There are these voices in the background
Making alternately amused and astonished commentary
First reaction
Monsters!
Who are these assholes who’d let an itty bitty cat fight an alligator?

In the airport
On the plane
Most ignore me
willfully
Some folks offer to help
Some help without my permission
Some are actually thoughtful
But most help because it’s a nice feeling to be a nice person
Because it’s actually easy for them
Because my struggling is annoying and in the way
And doing something for me is simply more convenient

You can see the cats ribs
Through it’s patchy coat
This aint no house cat
This aint no pet
The person who tries to help this cat will get scratched for their troubles
Are they supposed to risk their lives to save a wild animal?
Who asked that crazy cat to fight an alligator?
Are they evil people for being amused at the audacity?
For deciding not to try and save the cat from its own stupid risk

I fight alligators every day
I’m attempting things that are impossible
I’m hurting myself sometimes
But I don’t want a hero to intervene
Sure if you want to pay all my medical bills
Or invest in my one person show
I won't argue
I don't argue when someone grabs my bag for me
But I’m not a cat
I ask when I want help
The struggle is ridiculous
But sometimes I win
and Claudia needs her metaphorical chicken

The cat get’s his meal
The alligator backs down
Perhaps those folks giggling in the background are jerks
or maybe their just humans
honest in their own self serving observation
all I know is that I will continue
to fight metaphorical alligators
cause I’m starving for mobility
for freedom
to be self sufficient

comment if you want to help pay my medical bills :)

chopping wood

2012-01-29T14:00:00.005-05:00

On a saturday morning afternoon
2 friends of mine chop wood
in thick gloves on a cool winter day
in high waisted mom jeans
in the sweet sticky sun
they both grunt with effort and smile
half-way across the world
the satisfaction of beating down the inevitable
nature will only replace what they have trimmed
this control is a succorous illusion
my friend in winter she laughs at random potatoes
the survivors of the neglect in the kitchen,
the single eye in the compost heap
transformation into a small yellow tuber in the pea patch
my friend on the island
takes a grim satisfaction in her own strength and consistency
she thwarts the men who want to burn gas
tromp through her neat house with dirty boots
and clean her yard for her
they don't know her
they assume
presume
they don't get it
what these two women have in common
beside me
is their craftiness, their making of a building into a home,
the noodles from scratch, the sewing room, the study
the activity
the care
they both are as pleased as we should be to spend hours of labor
tearing down raspberry bushes
breaking branches into pieces
to place in greenery recycle bins
because their personal beauty has to be good for the environment
they makes sawing branches into women's work

In Memory of Yuri Rasovsky: 1944–2012

2012-01-20T18:36:00.003-05:00

Andrew Patner says it better than I could "Genius, visionary, curmudgeon, friend, Yuri Rasovsky was working to the very end. A native South Sider who made Los Angeles his home and base for the last 25 years or so, died of esophageal cancer yesterday at 67. His "The Chicago Language Tape" was a WFMT classic, but was just the tip of the iceberg of El Fiendo's creations, chiefly in radio drama. RIP, if that's possible for you, Yuri."

I only had the opportunity to work on "Hamlet" and "Measure for Measure" with him. The man was a huge talent and the industry has lost one of the greatest audio dramatists of our time. He taught me a lot and I will miss the hell out of him. Below is Blackstone Audio CEO's tribute.

In Memory of Yuri Rasovsky: 1944–2012

Claudia goes blackout

2012-01-17T22:06:00.005-05:00

Ok I know this page is a personal space
A small place
Not many footprints are left here
But still I fear for the greater digital landscape
Folks want to build walls
Censor where we can go
Control what we can see
Control what we think?

So I will try to go blackout
Dissapear for 24 hours
That'll show em

Cause aren't we the ones who tend this garden?
Spread the seeds
Walk the paths
Aren't we the point
Well, iif they want this girl
To continue creating free content
Re- post links
And stare at advertisements

Well they better not try and censor us
I might just start talking to people in person exclusively

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

http://sopastrike.com/
Tonight, over 7000 websites will go black to protest censorship by the US government. The SOPA and PIPA bills in Congress if passed would challenge our access to information in order to allow certain industries to continue to profit within their present paradigm. Reddit and Wikipedia are among the websites participating in the action.

Martin Luther King jr day Celebration

2012-01-17T01:40:00.007-05:00

Exhausted but heart full. It's always a huge complicated event organizing hundreds of people. People say good job and all I can think is that it's others who do all the amazing work. I just find them and help provide space and resources for them to do the awesomeness they do.

That said I get more and more ambitious each year. It's a matter of what I say yes to, what I ask for, what I encourage, what i cultivate. I always want more. This year we had The Rogue Valley Gospel group because we have to have authentic gospel music.

The Latino Student Union doing the "I have a Dream" speech in Spanish and actress DeLanna Studi sharing the words of Techumsa and the show has to be sign interpreted and accessible to wheelchairs because we have to have maximum diversity.

Hip-hop routine with gymnastic choreography from Aisha Wand's Danceworks, and an original rap from Ben Baden and DJ Omari because we have to have both hip-hop dance and music.

We had Mary Farrel from the Maslow Project, a keynote who's doing inspirational work locally for homeless teens because the occupy movement is making a noise and we need to make sure we feature folks making a difference.

Pre-show entertainment and clown work and a dance routine with Martin Luther King's face projected onto the flags from Crater renaissance flag team in a collaboration with the Teen Theater because the show has to begin before the show begins.

A march after the show led with signs and chants and a choir singing and the "I have a Dream speech" played in it's entirety because the show has to keep on going even after we've left the building.

The show taped and sent to a live steaming space and then played on public TV all year because we can't stop celebrating these important ideals. 400 pounds of food collected because we have to make a difference.

The Kirby Shaw mega-choir made from choirs from all over the valley becuase the bigger the reach, the size the touch the better. But this 80 person choir wasn't big enough. I want it all to be larger!

I'm trying to reach the whole valley. Get thousands involved not just hundreds. Already I am writing up the report for the communities we failed to reach and yet we are already operating beyond physical capacity. I long for something bigger but I know myself. Even if I was producing an event for the whole state celebration I'd want to do something nationwide. I will never be satisfied because this world is unsatisfactory. But I shall continue to produce my little variety shows in the hope that our actions are viral. People will get ideas, get inspired, do the good work that needs to be done throughout the year, inspire others. We are the change we long to create.

CBS News Story

reach out to your friends

2012-01-08T01:22:00.000-05:00

I'm doing rewrites on an old play "6 Hits" and the voice of a ghost echos in my head. This amazing singer and performer passed away earlier this month. I feel regret for not having kept in touch except for the random Facebook pass. I have the problem of dropping out, getting wrapped up in some project I'm working on, not communicating for weeks, months, years. Please trust while I don't keep in touch, I keep you in my heart. She originated the role when it was at The Hip-hop Theater Festival at PS 122 in NYC. RIP Anisa Fujah. You will be missed.

Killing Time

2012-01-06T22:52:00.002-05:00

Listening to DJ Shadow while answering emails in the office
Taking a break to blog
I just did a mitzvah
and I'm full of sweet potato french fries
and I’m going to watch aerial dancer in a bar in about an hour
and I need to create a Spanish and English language mash-up of the “I Have Dream” speech
and I need to update the contact sheet
and I need to build the script for the MC
and I need to schedule the sound check
and I don’t wanna

I found someone’s cell phone and investigated, discovered the identity of the owner and put it in a safe place after leaving them a message on their home phone and at work
I did something good so that means I can be lazy now right?
But I see myself in the future
It’s Sunday and I’m wearing black work-out pants and a Bubba Hotep t-shirt
I’m thanking myself for doing this shit now
Because it would suck to have to leave my warm toasty apartment
To have to go to the office on a Saturday
I’ll be working from home but it’s all listening to demos and talking to artists
In my pajamas
Ok lets get some stuff done

The American Reactor

2012-01-05T13:50:00.000-05:00

What I love about the theater community is that we care deeply about not only who we are, but how we are, and why we are. We create work that sparks the conversations that bring up the hard questions. The shit we HAVE to work out. Recently politician Santorum said in Iowa "if we celebrate diversity we create conflict". This foolish statement actually hits upon a truth without realizing it. When we celebrate and embrace our diversity we REVEAL the conflict that is there. You can't ignore the wounds and disfunction of our society. Diversity is a given. We live in a place with many different people with many different beliefs. How do we live together? How do we stop hurting each other? Why do we keep shooting ourselves in the leg? You have to recognize our history and where it'a brought us and then WORK IT OUT.

Theater is a place for us to bring up these important issues and do that work. The theater community cares so deeply that a simple blog about whiteness in theater audiences ignites a national response. These debates push us further and fuel healthy growth and change. We are one of the major resources of society. We power the healing process. We power change. We power the people.

Here's the thing. I'm tired of reacting to racism, reacting to narrow thinking, reacting to foolishness. We need to become proactive. We need to embrace inclusion and equal man rights. We need to tell all of our stories. We need to hire people from all of our communities to positions of leadership. We need to do the work. It's not going anywhere and when we don't deal it piles up and things blow up. Let's do the work. Join me

The Year in Claudia Alick 2011

2012-01-01T04:08:00.001-05:00

At the end of the year I do this ritual where I go back over the year and list some of the stuff I did that I feel good about.
The great thing about this is that it's the gift that keeps on giving.
If I feel down , or like I haven't done anything with my life, or I'm not on the right path
I just look at at these lists

so here goes
as always incomplete

the year in claudia 2011

rode a bike!
got my body in shape enough to start socializing and getting out in the world :)
@ OSF- produced- 120 green shows, 15 midnight projects, theater of war, MLK Celebration, Juneteenth Celebration, flash mob, loves labors show, produced and hosted 4 hip-hop open mics, built a float for 4th of July with Ben Cobb and Amigo Club, helped develop several hip-hop plays, co-hosted fundraiser for La Clinica, and audio-play of Hamlet nominated for a grammy!

directed reading of Amina Henry Play in Midnight Project
spoken word gig- opened for Regie Cabico at Inspired Word in NYC
wrote and performed one person multi-media play "fill n the Blank" in OSF Midnight Project and Califest in Riverside
directed reading of "Countdown to the Happy Day" in Ashland New Play Festival
poetry feature at Candlewick in Ashland
did Twin Towers performance art piece in NYC for 9-11 10th year anniversary.
did street-poem for Harry Potter final movie
recorded "Tiny Sunbirds Far Away" audio book for Blackstone Audio
wrote and performed rap and sang with gospel group for World Aids day

spoke on panel at California Presenters
did Pechakucha presentation at TCG Conference
Catalyst Speaker at Network of Ensemble Theater Conference Microfest
speech published on Howlround

got my learners permit

Black Pete

2011-12-25T23:20:00.026-05:00

This story is loosely based on the figure of Zwarte Piet a figure from the Netherlands but my iPad keeps respelling his name so we'll just call him Black Pete. This is an early draft but gives the outline of the story. Had to bang it out so I could publish it before Christmas was over but you'll be reading this later than that I imagine.

BLACK PETE

Once upon a time there was a boy called Black Pete.

He lived in the white white land. Black Pete could remember nothing but the fun-fun-fun times he had always grinning, and being with the big white man. Most of the time Black Pete frolicked with his friends who all looked like him. Was it strange that they were all the same? Black Pete never asked. He was too busy having fun. They were always working but it was fun-fun-fun. They built things, ran around, chased each other, and generally caused a ruckus. The big white man stepped in to survey the mess with a stern but loving look on his face. Black Piete and his friends cowered in the corners and looked at the floor. For a second he was scared he might be punished but then remembered how generous and understanding the big white man was.

The big white man laughed in a jolly indulgent way and clapped his hands to get their attention. Black Pete relaxed now and knew exactly what to do. He straightened to attention and gave a mock salute. He was always being silly that way because it amused the big white man. What more fun fun fun thing to do? he jumped and did a flip and made hooting noises with his friends who clowned and cavorted. "Today is the special day!" announced the big white man in a booming voice. "Hooray!" they all responded throwing confetti into the air.

On the special day they all got to break into peoples houses and feast, and deliver packages or cause mischief. Black Pete didn't know why some got packages and others got bad luck. He did not bother with trivial things like that. He was in it for the cookies and the booming laughter of the big white man.

"Ready, Master!" cried Black Pete.
"Oh no, no, no," sighed the Big White Man, "I'm not your master. I'm your friend."
"Yes, Master. you're my best friend!"
The big white man chuckled and sighed. "OK, my Black Pete. It is time for fun-fun-fun tonight, yes?"
Black Pete nodded eagerly.
"And you are going to behave yourself and do exactly as I say?"
Black Pete nodded again solemnly.
"Then stop calling me Master and grab that sack!" the big white man laughed.
Black Pete laughed too although he never got the joke.

Black Pete grabbed the sack and almost fell over from the weight. It was very heavy because it held the possibility for everything and anything inside. This was it's special magic. The big white man had magic for everything.

Outside Black Pete and all his friends clambered aboard clumsy with red sacks full of infinite possibility. The velvet of the seats was soft and furry and warm to the touch. The sky full of stars. The cold wind whipped Black Pete'a face as the big white man cracked his whip in the air.

The big white man dropped Black Pete and his friends onto different homes throughout the world and they begin their work. Black Pete had a great time, breaking into houses, eating cookies, making mischief, and leaving mysterious wrapped packages under indoor trees.

At his final house of the night Black Pete did what he always did. He looked for a chimney, but there were rarely chimneys anymore. He jimmied the lock on the front door and was about to blow his magic dust around when he saw a little boy with big poofy hair. The boy open his mouth to cry out but Black Pete blew some magic dust that sparkled in the air and that surprised the boy out of screaming for help.

"Who are you?" asked the little boy
"I'm Black Pete here to bring tricks or treats!" and black Pete sang a song and did a dance illustrating this point.
The little boy clapped his hands in delight. "how did you make the air sparkle like that?"
"Oh that, just some magic dust to freeze time and make sure we don't get caught."
"Wow! My name is Huey." Why is your skin so black?"
"From climbing down chimneys obviously."
The boy just looked confused.
"They're full of soot which makes me dirty, duh."
"Um...why isn't your outfit stained then?"
This took Black Pete a second to answer because he'd never considered that.
"Must be my suit is magic. The big white man has all kinds of magic."
"Can I help you wash your face and hands?"
"You do ask lots of questions. If you give me some treats I'll think about it"

Huey ran to the kitchen and came out with a box of square cookies.
Black Pete sniffed. "What are these then? Don't look like sugar or gingerbread or any proper kind of treat for the season."
"They are fig newtons. Figs are very popular in the middle east so I think Jesus must have eaten them."
"Don't know what that guy has to do with it but i'll give em a try." Black Pete licked one suspiciously and then smiled and gobbled down the lot.
Huey laughed. "come to the bathroom and we'll get you washed up."
"I can't go to no room without orders." Black Pete snorted in derision.
"why not?"
"don't know. Magic. I can only open the bag, take out the packages and maybe get instructions to make some mischief."
"instructions?"
black Pete rolled his eyes. This boy was slow he thought. "I reach into the bag and instead of a package there's a voice that tells me what to do like unplugging the refrigerator so then I get to go to the kitchen or if I wanted to go the bathroom i'd need an instruction to do something horrible in there."
"But that's mean!"
"That's life. Naughty or nice. I don't make the rules"
"No, that you can't go anywhere you want. That's not fair."

Black Pete laughed at the boy. He thought he was very silly.
"I know what to do!" cried Huey and he ran and got a baby wipe from the bathroom. He swiped at Black Pete's face. It was brown underneath!
"You'r black!"
"Course I am. Black Pete's my name"
"No you're a black person. You're a brother!" Huey held his fist up in a black power sign.
Black Pete liked that. "Brother!" he said and flipped and hooted.

The little boy ran and got him a book on black history.
"what's this? Asked Black Pete.
"I got you a present."
"Black Pete couldn't figure out what all the scribbles meant.
"You can't read?"
"don't remember."
"I wish you could read so you could appreciate my gift."
The air sparkled and the red bag said with a booming voice "Educate yourself!" Suddenly Black Pete could read! They read every book on Huey's shelf.
Black Pete laughed the most at "The Night Before Christmas".
"One man deliver all those presents? Ha ha! That's why he's got friends to help. We build em and bring em.
"What do you get in exchange?" asked Huey
Black Pete was silent.

Near dawn, on the way back to the white land, Pete was still and quiet.
"Something on your mind?" asked the big white man with a chuckle.
For the first time that he could remember Pete nodded.
"I'm thinking bout da night before Christmas wondering what sugarplums be."
the big white man let out a booming laugh and cracked his whip.
"No one knows our true story because I keep it in my big book. It has everyones story in it and that's how I know what to give people. where'd you hear about sugarplums?"
"A little boy introduced me to the story. I sprinkle forget dust on him after we met."
"Good boy. Now get to sleep. We have lots of work to begin so we can do this again!"
everyone in the sleigh let out a cheer and Pete sighed.

After they landed the others went sleepily to bed but Pete snuck into the big white mans room and found the book. He wasn't sure why he was being so secretive or why he lied to the big suite man about putting forget dust on Huey. Huey was his brother so he had broken the rules and allowed him to remember their night together.

The book was huge and had a quill attached to the side by a chain. Pete took it to his bed and looked himself up. He wasn't sure why he was interested in his part of the story because he'd never been before. The pages told of how he was friends with the big white man and showed how beloved he was. He turned the pages back to his origins but many sections were blacked out, and written over. was he black or was he white? He began to feel very uncomfortable and then a hot feeling entered his heart. He didn't have a name for it but it burned.

He ran to his friends and tried to show them the book but none of them could read so he made a very big wish. All the red sacks opened at once and began to sing. Suddenly they all looked at each other and put their fists in the air. "Brothers!" Black ink flies into the air and they see their story was rewritten and they remember now. How they came to be in the land of white, how they came to work so hard, how they forgot as their story was changed. The perversity of their fun fun fun. They bend down and wash their faces in the snow.

Black Pete picks up the quill that was used by the the big white man and begins to write a new story. A story of revolution and an end to grinning. A story of freedom and resistance. A story blood red on the snow.

THE END

DO YOU

2011-12-22T03:48:00.005-05:00

Do you!
I give this advice to kids and adults alike in my workshops
these 2 little words contain a lot
Let's break it down

Do you- figure out what is unique, social, wonderful about you and concentrate on perfecting that. You geeky? Don't fight it. Lean into it and figure out how to become the coolest most successful geek around. Become so awesome that other people start wanting to become geeks too. Do you.

Do you- pay attention to yourself. Stop rubbernecking other peoples possessions, what they might be doing wrong, trying to read thier minds or tell thier futures. Figure out where you own feet need to be taking you, tend you own garden, put on your oxygen mask first. Do you.

Do you- when something bad happens get revenge by doing something great for yourself. Try to figure out how you can grow change become better. The person who done you wrong? Get em out of your life and then make sure they stay gone. Fill your life with people who appreciate the awesomeness that you possess and want to invest in it. Do you!

What other ways can you...do you? Think about it and comment if you have some good ones to share!

Cutting the fat

2011-12-18T00:29:00.001-05:00

As an organization it's good to trim the fat and make sure you're not larding it up with top heavy folks, filling their bellies at the expense of the folks actually doing the work. You don't want to become anorexic however. Many organizations become super skinny in times of stress They cut positions, furlough workers, cut programs. But just cause you skinny don't mean you look or feel, or function good! In fact you might just be gaunt, unattractive (to investors) and weak. There's only much fat you can cut until you are sacrificing muscle and bone. So shape up businesses and government! Find that healthy middle ground. You can get lean and mean without killing yourself.

Best friend Break Up CD

2011-12-11T23:54:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Best-Friend Break-up CD!

*Featuring everything your best girlfriend can provide when you break-up with your man.

*Buy now and delivery comes with free pints of Ben and Jerry's!

*Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Bonnie Raitt, Beyonce, Patty Loveless, and Cee Lo.

*Also big ups to my sisters in struggle. you are strong, beautiful, and free!

Best friend Break Up

abundance and attainably

2011-12-04T21:22:00.007-05:00

So I'm feeling full of ideas again

I'm not only regaining the ability to walk

I am regaining my prolific creativity
I have been feeling mad stunted
But even as I begin starting projects
staying up late writing
I also am remembering to pace myself
disability gave me this gift

so here's my unsolicited advice

Y'all, treat life like

Thanksgiving Dinner

Theres a lot there

Life is abundant
a variety of deliciousness
try a little of everything
don't stuff yourself till you're sick
pace yourself
leave enough for others
don't just drink alcohol
and then act drunk and cranky the rest of the evening
don't spend the whole meal comparing it to your ideal recipe
appreciate what is provided and be grateful for it!

World Aids Day Performance

2011-12-02T15:05:00.003-05:00

My friend Shawn roped me into a great rendition of "Lean on Me" with a spoken word rap section from yours truly. Last year I was barely able to sit through the show and felt proud that I sat upright in a chair in the evening for several hours. This time I performed on stage. Progress! I am grateful that he put the performance togteherr and invited me to participate. Thanks to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for loaning sound equipment. Big up's to my fellow singers who "sing the harmony" Mary Ann Dye and Lisa Yriarte. These ladies got pipes. Also props to William Coyne for producing this important event. All the folks who perofrmed (I won't remember all since there was no program but know that you are all appreciated) Rogue Valley Gay Men's Chorus, Women with Wings, Teen Theater, and of course Shawn Traub and friends. We must find a cure!

NBC News covered the event

thanksgiving factoids

2011-11-25T02:53:00.003-05:00

I saw in the Daily Show that Thanksgiving was actually started by Lincoln and replaced Founder's Day. This made sense to me because the Civil War was about national discord among whites especially and Thanksgiving is a holiday that makes all the white folks feel like they are on the same team and somehow living in generous harmony with brown people despite a history of violence and oppression. founder's Day celebrates revolting and winning which I think is the opposite of what Lincoln would have wanted to promote. but what do I know? I get all my news and apparently my history from TV comedy shows. below are some factoids from the wikipedia. Cause if it's there ya know it's true!

On founder day...
"Founder's Day originated from a proclamation by the United States Continental Congress on October 11, 1782, in response to Great Britain's expected military defeat in the American Revolutionary War. The war did not formally end until Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris on January 14, 1784. The purpose of the proclamation was essentially to thank God for America's good fortune in the Revolutionary War. This did not form the basis for Thanksgiving Day as it is known presently in the United States. Congressional and presidential declarations named several days of thanks each year throughout the Revolutionary War period and after. This particular day of thanks falls on November 28."

On Thanksgiving in the U.S... (they also celebrate it in Canada which I do not get.Someone Canadian please explain it to me)
Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has officially been an annual tradition since 1863, when during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday, November 26.[1] As a federal and popular holiday in the U.S., Thanksgiving is one of the major holidays of the year. Together with Christmas and the New Year, Thanksgiving is a part of the broader holiday season.

Thanksgiving in Grenada-- where my fam is from! i'll ask my Dad about this one tomorrow...
"In the West Indian island of Grenada, there is a national holiday known as Thanksgiving Day which is celebrated on October 25. Even though it bears the same name, and is celebrated at roughly the same time as the American and Canadian versions of Thanksgiving, this holiday is unrelated to either of those celebrations. Instead the holiday marks the anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of the island in 1983, in response to the deposition and execution of Grenadian Prime Minister Maurice Bishop."

Occupying my blog

2011-11-18T16:38:00.003-05:00

I wish I could be in New York.
I'd be on the streets capturing the poetry of an historic movement.
instead I am in a recording studio capturing an adaptation on last season production
of a play by Shakespeare
It's an iteration on an iteration of an antient story being played out in the streets today
Greed, corruption, the unethical and hypocritical use of power and in the end freedom through protest
it's not exactly a happy ending even if does have weddings.
During my lunch break I eat left over pizza from the Martin Luther King jr Day Celebration Comittee meeting I had on Momday.
even with an income in the highest percentile in my field I have to be frugal.
Just $100 bucks in bank till payday.
Debt collectors calling leaving messages on the flip phone I am grateful to have.
It's my own fault for borrowing that money
For the education
That inables me to have the job
And the income to just get by
First world problems.
If I lived in New York could I even take the time off work to protest?
Thank goodness this is being played out in the media
Perhaps change will come
I hope

Ideas on Innovation

2011-11-16T18:49:00.007-05:00

Life is constantly changing. We must have strong frames, but they have to be modular, able to shift and swap according to circumstance. These frames must be full of space so what's happening within them have space to be flexible and grow.

Growth does not necessarily mean getting bigger. It refreshing, losing old leaves, making new fruit. Possibly it requires trimming like the bonsai in order to shift into the right shape.

This not change for change sake. It's change because change is inevitable. everything is moving all the time even if it looks like it's standing still.

Love it ok to be smart

2011-11-11T02:58:00.000-05:00

This is an awesome blog where interesting science facts are shared
It's ok to be smart
I'm not necessarily smart
But I am curious about the nature of the universe

Http://www.nature.com/news/quantum-theorem-shakes-foundations-1.9392

Happy Guy Fawkes Day!!

2011-11-05T02:31:00.002-04:00

So I've been loving this holiday

ever since I heard about it

it's macabre

and our theater is transferring Equivocation

which has the gunpowder rebellion as a major plot-point

and I love V for Vendetta and recently loaned to my friend

cause Alan Moore is a comic genius

and cause this dystopic English movie reminded me of it

so Guy Fawkes is on my brain

but hmmmm

Oh...you don't speak Spanish?

I just don't wanna lose my content!

I love all that random stuff I wrote and posted

and the conversations I had via comments and messages

and other peoples links and all the happy birthdays

even thought getting a happy birthday post on your wall

is the equivalent of getting a Valentine's Day card in grade school

Oh man, why did I place so much content on somebody else's platform?

it reminds me of that feeling I get after I break up with someone

and then we're not friends anymore

Even this blog is somebody else's platform

If somebody decided to blow up blogger I'd lose ALL OF THIS

not that it's that deep or important

but it's the stuff that came from my brain

and I like the stuff that comes from my brain

why do I give it away?

oh well. Maybe I'll recommit to Friendster...

America stop tripping!

2011-11-03T02:30:00.001-04:00

Tear gas? Really?

Oakland police

Y'all be tripping!

That was not necessary

that's just straight up

WRONG

I'm no pollyanna

I get it

we live in an unjust system

this aint news

Class warfare?

That battle was lost before I was born

We just trying to survive now

don't dream of riches

opulence

The life

I don't dream about what I want

I dream about what I need

The bare minimum

I'm working to make it to zero

We're debt slaves

and that's deal

Gen-X was seen as apathetic

nostalgic

wonder why?

I used to have juice

and I always felt the squeeze

but now I'm dry and all that comes is blood

folks are on the streets cause a line has been crossed

folks finally stole enough

hurt us enough

that we decided to go outside and say

hey! This is unreasonable

and were gonna keep standing here and yelling about it

until we are heard

kind like when Black people finally were like

hey, this oppression thing

we'd like it to stop some please

Hey! That's what the tear gas reminds me of!

hmmmm

touch me

2011-11-02T02:09:00.000-04:00

So I go in for the hug

and it well...awkward

the other person doesn't know where to put their arms

I'm kind of stiff and self-conscious

I'm all out of practice

used to be

no one could touch me

without hurting me

it took years to teach others

to get out of the habit

of the shoulder squeeze

the back rub

the warm embrace

the crush

I work in the theater

we like to touch each other

just naturally

it's not sexual

for us kissing is like handshakes

hugging is like waving goodbye

touching is saying hello

I appreciate your existence

now I am trying to get back into it

but it's harder than I remember

when do you do it

when is it appropriate

who should you hug

strangers

friends

coworkers

acquaintances

I'm not getting the timing right

I have the moment of recognition

but then I pause

I think about it

just for a second

and then I go in for the hug

and it takes folks by surprise

it suddenly means something

cause it's new

different

I almost wonder should I go back to nodding

hand waving

but it's not in my nature

not hugging feels weird

rude

so I persevere

keep practicing

hugging randomly

I'll get the hang

cause I want to be touched

I want folk to feel me

I CHING HALLOWEEN

2011-10-31T21:57:00.001-04:00

So I always say

Holidays are for amateurs

My life is a celebration

my job is lets make pretend 24/7

so Halloween I take the night off!

I'm cleaning my apartment

going through old unpacked boxes

My belongings fall i ching style

I find an artical on leadership

that answers the big questions

I have been struggling with lately

What is the Path

What is the Way

How do we do this with grace and joy

make things better?

I still think art is essentially social justice work

it is holding the mirror up to nature

I embue the old receipts, broken pens, garbage

I embue this detritus with the negative energy

I've been holding onto

time to let that go

I find this poem

written on a random scrap of paper

that will soon be recycled

IN THIS HEART

WHAT OPENNESS

WHAT ELEGANCE

IN THIS FORM/FUNCTION

IN THIS NECESSITY

FOR GENEROSITY

WHAT CONCERN

CONNECTED TO CONTROL

WHAT COMMUNICATION

IN THIS AWARENESS

WHAT SENSE

IN THIS

HEART

thanks Claudia from 3 years ago

I'll meditate upon that

Submarinos, Dystopia, and 99%

2011-10-28T03:16:00.006-04:00

Today I bought a package of Submarinos

the mexican equivalent of Twinkies

I LOVE Twinkies

but don't actually enjoy eating them.

It's like they're my favorite naughty snack

but only in my imagination

only in anticipation

I get all excited taking off the plastic wrapping

but the second it enters my mouth

my brian says

this is not cake

this is not whipped cream

This is a chemical equivalent

and I'm not having it!

I was just watching the films

The Day After

and the British equivalent Threads.

It made me think of being a kid

When the end comes there will be nothing left

but cockroaches and Submarinos and Twinkies

and no one to tell the cultural difference.

As a child I loved watching dystopian movies,

reading books about survivors scrapping by on canned goods

and trying not to devolve into their baser natures.

I think I didn't believe in the future of having it better than my parents

I didn't believe that people wouldn't rape, pillage, and do awful things when given the chance.

Maybe it's because I'm black.

My friend says I look at the debt crisis emotionally

Loaning money is entering into a relationship of trust

If you made the mistake of trusting someone

who couldn't fufill thier end of the deal

you shouldn't be able to pawn it off on someone else

and if you loaned money KNOWING the person couldn't pay you back

and that somehow backfires on you

well suck it banks!

My friend says that it's the fault of people

borrowing what they couldn't afford

living beyond their means

but it's like me and Submarinos

I know that I don't like Twinkies

and this looks like a Twinkie

but it's in different packaging

and Shiny and Pink!

So I buy it and it stinks.

Will I NEVER learn?

Will we never learn?

Human nature will always take the deal

even if it seems too good to be true.

So who should we be regulating?

The 99% getting Submarinoed

or the 1% profiting off our hunger?

Occupy Wallstreet is us kids saying

stop blowing up the world

we just want our just desserts

Happy Diwali

2011-10-26T17:31:00.003-04:00

Obama is So Classy!

Diwali (also spelled Devali in certain regions) or Deepavali[note 1], popularly known as the "festival of lights," is a festival celebrated between mid-October and mid-November for different reasons.[1] For Hindus, Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the year and is celebrated in families by performing traditional activities together in their homes. For Jains, Diwali marks the attainment of moksha or nirvana by Mahavira in 527 BC.[2][3]

Diwali is an official holiday in India,[4] Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore,[5] and Fiji.[6]

The name "Diwali" is a contraction of "Deepavali" (Sanskrit: दीपावली Dīpāvalī), which translates into "row of lamps".[7] Diwali involves the lighting of small clay lamps (diyas or dīpas) in Sanskrit: दीप) filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil.[8] These lamps are kept on during the night and one's house is cleaned, both done in order to make the goddess Lakshmi feel welcome.[9] Firecrackers are burst in order to drive away evil spirits.[10][11][12] During Diwali, all the celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks with family members and friends.

The festival starts with Dhanteras on which most Indian business communities begin their financial year. The second day of the festival, Naraka Chaturdasi, marks the vanquishing of the demon Naraka by Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama. Amavasya, the third day of Diwali, marks the worship of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth in her most benevolent mood, fulfilling the wishes of her devotees. Amavasya also tells the story of Lord Vishnu, who in his dwarf incarnation vanquished the Bali, and banished him to Patala. It is on the fourth day of Diwali, Kartika Shudda Padyami, that Bali went to patala and took the reins of his new kingdom in there. The fifth day is referred to as Yama Dvitiya (also called Bhai Dooj), and on this day sisters invite their brothers to their homes. (thanks wikipedia!)

We are the Universe

2011-10-23T03:25:00.003-04:00

"It is not that we are better than the Universe. We are a Part of the Universe"

Neil deGrasse Tyson

Scientists can record the sound of Stars. The technique is called "stellar seismology"

play this video while listening to Physicist Lawrence Krauss

“Every atom in your body came from a star that exploded. And, the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand. It really is the most poetic thing i know about physics: you are all stardust. You couldn’t be here if stars hadn’t exploded, because the elements - the carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, iron, all the things that matter for evolution and for life - weren’t created at the beginning of time. They were created in the nuclear furnaces of stars, and the only way for them to get into your body is if those stars were kind enough to explode. So, forget Jesus. The stars died so that you could be here today.”
Physicist Lawrence Krauss

thank you for being a friend

2011-10-19T02:01:00.004-04:00

This is for all of you!

The advice

The support

The laughter

I love y'all!

in gratitude

trying really hard to resist my irony impulses

this is sincere

if a bit hipster-iffic

claudia went on a bender!

2011-10-17T03:22:00.000-04:00

I'm like a drug addict with Life

I have benders of social interaction

physical exertion

creative output

i just don't know when to stop

cause it feels so good!

yesterday i rode my bike!

2nd time

several rest breaks

not that far

but STILL

i had breakfast with artists

i saw an avant garde emotionally powerful play

i went to a block party where I danced a little

ate a brot on a pretzle roll

hung out with a live painter

connected a jazz band to my Green Show

had a conversation with an artist I'd like to mentor

posted on my blog

worked on my play

felt frickin alive

every day should be like that day

except I am now paying for it

the vibrant colors of that warm indian summer

have faded to cold grays under the shadow of pain

falling cause i did more than I should

struggling to maintain

but i will rest recover

and then climb the heights agin

do awesome things

do regular things

just do

with people

cause being active and alive is a pretty awesome thing

and I can't get enough of it!

Full on Oprah

2011-10-16T23:06:00.006-04:00

So I'm on this panel for a visiting

high-school Black Student Union group.

(that's not their logo but it's pretty awesome right?!)

These are the kind of kids I like.

Joiners but not around what they do,

it's about who they are.

Future leaders

the percent who will most likely do some shit

We all talk about what we do and how we got where we are.

I'm feeling quippy so I say

I am a producer

basically I work with people and resources

and facilitate awesomeness

I am flippant but being real

I'm tired and also don't want to talk down to them

I'm just talking across

talking straight

the actress on my left gets super inspired by the kids

so inspired she starts giving them

LIFE ADVICE

She's gone FULL OPRAH

and it's great

it's a little lady centric

just advice for the young black women

cause she's a black woman

but the men fill in gaps

because others on the panel start to go Oprah as well

revealing their past traumas

getting personal

getting real

the kids are getting a very special interaction

some are so inspired they have to speak

you can tell the kids who speak

they are the alpha ladies of the bunch

strong

opinionated

it's the stoic silent types I'm most interested

the shy ones

the ones who hang back

I want to grab them an shake them and say

step forward

claim your Inner Awesomeness

YOU ARE AMAZING

I want to take a time machine and go back

give lil claudia the advice she needs

it's what this actress was doing

speaking to youth like she was speaking into her past

so here it is

advice that will serve you very well in the future kids

hope you're reading!

(apologies for the swearing)

this will change YOUR LIFE

it's the most important stuff ever

like this is the secret

if you want to be successful and mostly happy here's the top 5 things to remember

1. FLOSS- seriously, you wouldn't believe my dental bills, plus teeth are in your head so when they hurt it's hard to ignore, also good teeth are a sign of attractiveness

2. DONT STOP BECAUSE YOU SUCK- it takes practice! you weren't born running, you had to work up to it. whatever it is you want to get good at- choose now, practice, and keep going through the suck. trust me. on the other side of suck is excellence

3. PACK A LUNCH- you wouldn't believe the amount of money this is going to save you over the years. learn to eat light when you go out, learn to be happy with just one drink, don't over indulge, be thrifty. keep the habit over the years.

4. ummm. ok give me more time people! this is advice that is supposed to CHANGE LIVES! I AM TRYING TO GO FULL OPRAH. I'm still pretty young. I'm still learning-- perhaps this one should be KEEP LEARNING and don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

5. What do you think #5 should be?

SMILE MOFO!

2011-10-14T19:41:00.008-04:00

Optimist?

Pessimist?

Pragmatist?

Don't know what to call me

i know I'm a turna frown

upside down kinda gal

and a lemons out of lemonade

woman

oh hell yeah

hard core

smile mo fo smile

SMILE

MOFO

SMILE

cause see when you activate certain

zygomatic muscles

these be muscles in your face

you brain is signaled to release endorphins

your brain thinks cause your smiling you must be happy

so it give you a little happy juice

not so your singing and dancing

just enough to get by, get over, get through to a moment of sincere happiness

so smile muthafucker!

and turn them lemons into lemonade

cause life is FULL OF lemons

Everyday you will be confronted with Lemons

so learn how to squeeze a mofo till all the juice come out

an you might need to get yourself a knife

so learn to get yourself a knife

and cut into a mofo

slice her up and squeeze hard

work the pulp

avoid the seeds

and now add some water and sugar

to make it go down good

cause you not only got to learn

HOW to make lemonade

you gots to learn to

LIKE LEMONADE

Cause life if full of lemons

learn to love lemonade and life will make you happy

learn to sell lemonade and life is gonna fill yo pockets

probably with more lemons

cause life is full of lemons!

gospel music in green show

2011-09-18T21:01:00.002-04:00

I LOVE Gospel Music. Here's the awesome Rogue Valley Gospel Group in the Green Show. I can take a tiny bit of credit for this group exsisting. I have to put together a new "gosel" group for our annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration every year and it's always a close approximation. Plus it's an insane amount of work. I was complaining to my friend Shawn Traub who was helping me do it once again last January and he took the challange and ran with it. This community now has a multi-denomination Gospel Music group. I really hope they keep it up. i aint christian and don't believe in a diety you can pin down with a name but I like that this song has "awesome" in it :) Also they broke out some sweet Kirk Franklin arangements in thier set. he's my jam!

Mexician Independance Day!

2011-09-16T20:33:00.002-04:00

So the beauty of my job is I get to work with amazing artists and celebrate cool stuff. To celebrate Mexician Independance Day, Ballet Folklorico Ritmo Alegre collaborated with Las Colibi for a Green Show. Taco Truck El Gallo served delcious food all day long. I got myself a buritto that day but my fav thing they serve is a mango on a stick with chili. YUM. Later that night I produced a spanish language midnight project called, Trece Veinte, 13:20, A theatrical collaborative creation by Gerardo Dávalos, Ana Karenina Fernández, Sergio Lopez, Carmelita Maldonado, Juan C. Parada. With Music by Mary Alfaro and Vanessa Calderon and Directed by Juan C. Parada. Som of the actors were in the company and some were visiting Jaun. here's his description of the project.

Time is an elusive construct that has managed to ingrain itself deep into the human
psyche. There is an obsession to find a tangible explanation, perhaps a solution to how time functions. With the knowledge of how time functions one day we may be able to slow it down, turn it back or even stop it. Carmen, Karen, Sergio, Gerardo and I began 13:20 with the idea of researching a universal concept. We wanted to search for something most people could identify with across cultures. And we wanted to return to our traditional process of Creacion Colectiva, collective ensemble creation.

In 13:20 we follow an unlikely man and woman who, voluntarily, sign up to be the
subjects of a scientific experiment. Throughout the experiment they endure long
moments of solitude and torturous silence. They live and relive important, dark, and
beautiful moments of their lives. The audience, along with the Man and Woman, travels
from the present to the past to the future and back to the past and then back to the
present which is already the past.

In this theatrical experiment we tell a beautiful love story through live music, a poetic text, and a combination of Zapateada (a traditional Mexican dance), ritual, corporal movement, clown and gesture work. Elements of Theatre of the Absurd are juxtaposed by traditional forms of acting. The style of Trece Veinte, 13:20 brings to life the fight between science and art. Nurture versus nature. Mythical versus factual. Love versus indifference.

It's not easy being Green...but it sure is fun!

2011-09-14T20:24:00.001-04:00

Jesse Balwin presents "The Bein Green" Green Show
Green Show with Oregon Shakespeare Festival company members performing childrens songs with environmenal themes. This was such a fun show! I got to see a friend from our marketing and communications office play the guitar which was pretty awesome. The music was promoting a great message. Vazena Calderon was fab as usual. Plus there were sevreral environmental groups at our info table.

Twin Towers: 9

2011-09-12T23:49:00.001-04:00

Twin Towers: 9
By the people on the way to the Ground Zero Memorial
9/12/11
Edited By Claudia Alick

From "Dada & Surrealist Art," by William S. Rubin, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York 1968
Among Surrealist techniques exploiting the mystique of accident was a kind of collective collage of words or images called the cadavre exquis (exquisite corpse). Based on an old parlor game, it was played by several people, each of whom would write a phrase on a sheet of paper, fold the paper to conceal part of it, and pass it on to the next player for his contribution. The technique got its name from results obtained in initial playing, "Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau" (The exquisite corpse will drink the young wine). Other examples are: "The dormitory of friable little girls puts the odious box right" and "The Senegal oyster will eat the tricolor bread." These poetic fragments were felt to reveal what Nicolas Calas characterized as the "unconscious reality in the personality of the group" resulting from a process of what Ernst called "mental contagion." At the same time, they represented the transposition of Lautrééamont's classic verbal collage to a collective level, in effect fulfilling his injunction-- frequently cited in Surrealist texts--that "poetry must be made by all and not by one."

Editors note: This poem was collected on the way to the Ground Zero Memorial from the Wall Street Subway stop, past construction sites, near Port Authority, through a tunnel, up stairs, down walk-way overpasses, through the observation deck inside the World Financial Centers. People flow over glossy marble floors, grand staircases, steel high-lights, past expensive stores, and offices of finance. Outside and inside is a mix of construction workers, police, people in fatigues standing at attention, people in suits hurriedly leaving the office, tourists and locals come to see the memorial, most looking lost. I chat and get to know the diverse people surging, standing, and watching, and waiting. Most of them didn’t get their tickets online, there are no clear signs. Bad news is there aren’t any openings until Thanksgiving. The only place they can go is the gift shop. The gift shop has “I Heart NY” shirts in a WTC blue, informational videos, a glass case with a burnt wallet and melted ID, another case with a dust covered Fireman’s helmet. Folks in line laughing, or obviously holding back tears. The gift shop claustrophobic, stuffed full, too small, and I suddenly feel sick and have to rush outside. Outside people sit on the concrete police barricades, smoke cigarettes, and sun themselves. A woman outside seems to read my mind. “It’s too soon” she says and I nod. My friend calls because I am late for dinner and I say I have stay until it is done. Then I look down and read what the last woman has written and realize- It’s time to go. Moving on is never easy.

Participants of the poem wrote one line viewing only the previous line. Handwriting was deciphered as clearly as possible. Line breaks added for clarity. Spelling was corrected except where necessary for meaning. Foreign language will be translated and added as possible. Editor’s notes in brackets.

Taking picture of new building to prove I was here in [???]
Two empty wells, yet filled with many souls
[Hebrew line]
Hebrew line [roughly translates as the earth that the place takes is big but the way to recover is bigger]
[Albanian]
[Albanian line]
[German line]
I hope memorial will be for free and for everyone,
No matter what Nationality or religion,
People didn't have sunlight for years then unfortunately they had
Now that they're building up again sunlight fades
Steel and concrete at the exterior of the interior
I'm on my way to catch a train at Grand Central
Our faith will carry our fear, sorrows, and sadness
Seeing the sorrow and solemness,
my heart bleeds
[Spanish line]
[Spanish line]
They eat, sleep, work, and live as they did before,
yet broken now
Live, love, laugh :)
Very sad to see
You'll always be in our hearts
Forever
The love we feel will be eternal
And so will the pain
Moving on is never easy

Twin Towers: 8

2011-09-12T21:55:00.002-04:00

Twin Towers: 8
By the people on Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights
9/11/11
Edited By Claudia Alick
(photo from photoblog of Paul Takeuchi, a writer & photographer living in Brooklyn, NY

From "Dada & Surrealist Art," by William S. Rubin, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York 1968
Among Surrealist techniques exploiting the mystique of accident was a kind of collective collage of words or images called the cadavre exquis (exquisite corpse). Based on an old parlor game, it was played by several people, each of whom would write a phrase on a sheet of paper, fold the paper to conceal part of it, and pass it on to the next player for his contribution. The technique got its name from results obtained in initial playing, "Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau" (The exquisite corpse will drink the young wine). Other examples are: "The dormitory of friable little girls puts the odious box right" and "The Senegal oyster will eat the tricolor bread." These poetic fragments were felt to reveal what Nicolas Calas characterized as the "unconscious reality in the personality of the group" resulting from a process of what Ernst called "mental contagion." At the same time, they represented the transposition of Lautrééamont's classic verbal collage to a collective level, in effect fulfilling his injunction-- frequently cited in Surrealist texts--that "poetry must be made by all and not by one."

Editors note: This poem was collected in Crown Heights, Brooklyn! Actually it was written on the side of the street they have recently rebranded “Prospect Heights”. I primarily collected the poem on the corner where a shooting killed an innocent bystander a few weeks earlier, in front of the fancy new Latin Fusion restaurant, inside the barbershop, inside a great African hair braiding salon, next to the laundry mat, near the Brooklyn Coffee Shop, and in front of the 2/3 4/5 subway. I’d just returned from a morning of collecting poetry at the opening ceremonies of the Twin Towers memorial to have brunch with my friend/photographer, my brother, and his boyfriend. The weather was cold as we waited from our seats to open up. I met a gentleman opening up a new pizza joint and his family; A woman traveling from Europe; 2 really charming African American gentleman who seemed to be coming to or from Church; scruffy looking artists types with self-consciously sloppy style, a sweet girl in a heart covered dress, one of those really cool barbers; a singer poet with dreadlocks on a bicycle; and young folks who looked at me like I was crazy. Everyone seems to be enjoying the cool day hoping it wouldn’t rain. The streets bustled with old school denizens and hipster homesteaders. I remember I was part of the first wave ten years back. No one seems effected by the fact it is 9/11 at first but it comes up in conversation like one mentions the revolution on the 4th of July. Brooklyn, at least on Franklin Avenue between Eastern Avenue and Park place is removed. Time heals all wounds.

Participants of the poem wrote one line viewing only the previous line. Handwriting was deciphered as clearly as possible. Line breaks added for clarity. Spelling was corrected except where necessary for meaning. Editor’s notes in brackets.

Brooklyn
Sad sunshine
I like this
Tran boys are hot
Allergies got me stuffed
And places and spaces chance again and again
But some things remain-
a number,
a feeling,
a shadow
A look,
a love
But don't stop reminding yourself 2 look
I love the diversity in Brooklyn
I love the re-born of Brooklyn
Hungry. starving.
Looking for good food in Brooklyn
Yet you can be hungry and not ever feel fed
The real good is knowing how to connect!
Pure beauty is what giving love will reflect
Yo young blood respect

Twin Towers: 7

2011-09-11T11:50:00.001-04:00

Twin Towers: 7
By the people outside of the Red Cross building
9/11/11
Edited By Claudia Alick

From "Dada & Surrealist Art," by William S. Rubin, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York 1968
Among Surrealist techniques exploiting the mystique of accident was a kind of collective collage of words or images called the cadavre exquis (exquisite corpse). Based on an old parlor game, it was played by several people, each of whom would write a phrase on a sheet of paper, fold the paper to conceal part of it, and pass it on to the next player for his contribution.
The technique got its name from results obtained in initial playing, "Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau" (The exquisite corpse will drink the young wine). Other examples are: "The dormitory of friable little girls puts the odious box right" and "The Senegal oyster will eat the tricolor bread." These poetic fragments were felt to reveal what Nicolas Calas characterized as the "unconscious reality in the personality of the group" resulting from a process of what Ernst called "mental contagion."
At the same time, they represented the transposition of Lautrééamont's classic verbal collage to a collective level, in effect fulfilling his injunction-- frequently cited in Surrealist texts--that "poetry must be made by all and not by one."

Editors note: This poem was written on between the Chambers Street Station and the 9/11 Memorial from 9:00 something a.m. and 1:00 something pm 67th. In the strange calm of morning, accompanied by a black woman recording events, taking notes, giving support. She fades into the background like I try to. I am the other black woman, less subtle in a bright orange dress, red walker, orange and red flower in my hair. I carry around a folder that said “I HEART NY” and ask people passing by if they would like to write a line in the poem. I sometimes explain that I did this same project 10 years ago when volunteering for the Red Cross and now I am recreating or revisiting it.. For every Yes, there are twenty No’s. One woman asks me if it costs money, more ask me why I am doing this. A man thanks me deeply from his heart, another person rushes by with NY impersonal brusqueness saying “no thank you” with aggressive politeness. Some people do not want to speak. I want to be sensitive. I am raw, tingly, exposed myself. This is a memorial ceremony. Emotions are high. I try to avoid those broken by the moment. I don’t recognize it in a lot of people until I read their lines. The single word “SAD” in shaky lettering almost takes me to the ground. People are generous with their emotions, personal experience, and their time. Most seem genuinely happy to be creating something in collaboration with the other people there. Most are here for the same reason. Some to sell things, some to spread messages, some to grieve, some to honor, some to remember, some to see for themselves, some because they live or work here. I meet visitors from all over the world, all over the country, police, fireman, servicemen, 9/11 conspiracy proselytizers, Christian proselytizers, those of Muslim faith, those of Jewish faith, people who have lost their faith, people with signs that celebrate Osama’s death, others with signs that denounce war, children, husbands, wives, friends, an organization that connects the disabled, an organization for Iraq War vets, a car with the twin Towers airbrushed on the hood and the names of the fallen engraved inside and 2 people who participated in one of my poems a decade ago, I’m slower than I was back then and rather than walking with the flow of traffic I often find a location with lots of people streaming past and sit in my walker. It’s a great way to capture all the people at the event. I plan to make my way inside the crowd at some point but there are so many people. I can’t keep up. At a certain point we realize everyone is going in circles. The only ones making it to the center are family members and the barricades don’t open till 1:00. I could watch the ceremony on the big video screens on buildings but the poem is done. Time to go back to Brooklyn.

Participants of the poem wrote one line viewing only the previous line. Handwriting was deciphered as clearly as possible. Case and punctuation were retained for most part. No punctuation added. Spelling was corrected except where necessary for meaning. Editor’s notes in brackets.

0. 9/11/11
1. Walking towards ground zero
2. Un pensiero a tutte le persone cue a anno perso vita aonni fa [Italian to be translated]
3. Siamo qui... Proprio per non dimenticare! Italian to be translated]
4. 9/11 never forget! Never forget Jesus
5. My condolences to all families of the tragedy of 9/11
6. And for Frank who'd climb anything
7. And for those who never got to see their children grow up...
8. This is the tenth anniversary I have worked
9. Absolutely fantastic so many people come ten years later
10. Honoring those that sacrificed ... remembering
11. Hope, courage, peace
12. Without fear there would be no courage
13. Be brave, have hope, and always believe
14. I came here to not forget what happened. Love
15. I was flying while people were dying
16. Will others decide to look the other way
17. And will we decide to live in love and community
18. My heart will always bleed blue for my fallen brothers
19. Today I see lotsa press trying hard to get in
20. At 9:46am, she dropped the pen I use to write this sentence
21. My uncle has been terribly injured thanks to the 9/11 attacks. We need the truth!
22. Sad
23. May God bless all effected on this day
24. And may they all be in our memories forever
25. God bless America-
26. And all the people in it
27. I will never forget! From Japan!
28. The truth will set us free- Jersey
29. Looking around- only smoke, smoke, smoke
30. From abroad we looked on with great sadness
31. Look past the turmoil and madness
32. I see people crying everywhere
33. I see people looking for peace and happiness
34. To help one person is like helping all of humanity
35. Your dreams are my dreams and I will carry them for you
36. And your sacrifice didn't go in vain
37. Empire State Building is closed for today!!!
38. But people will come and do as they may
39. To celebrate the lives that were lost 10 years ago today
40. We will never forget you [ drawn heart]
41. 10 years later...10 years of sorrow
42. 10 years ago I saw my best friend die
43. Unforgettable loss
44. Here from England heart in NYC
45. Hamilton Ontario Love NYC God Bless
46. A long awaited visit to Hallowed Ground
47. I think that Osama bin Laden is super mean
48. New York is soooo busy!
49. The mid-west mourns- life is precious
50. Life is precious, live it to the fullest LOVE fully
51. Physically gone, but never forgotten
52. We came to commemorate, be thankful, and pray in his name
53. We stand still, strong, forever in remembrance, - always in grace
54. We will overcome one day
55. Darkness came but the light always prevails
56. Neither sleet, rain, pain, pressure or hail
57. [Japanese characters] one for all all for one
58. L'union fait la forie [French Canadian] union is our strength
59. Of many diverse people we are all Americans
60. We live free and die hard in the land where dreams come true
61. And it took Obama to get Osama
62. Iraqichronicals.com to show an arm and psalm
63. God bless America
64. God bless American men and women of the next generations
65. Para siempre [Italian to be translated]
66. A chance for closure
67. Have a great day
68. So many emotions with love to everyone with American devotion
69. We found ourselves as we lost what we once had
70. Swirling through the mess; straightening the crisscrossed path
71. Running from ourselves, running towards each other
72. Sprintin for my Sistaz & Brothers, this world of wonders
73. Stop the violence that goes on in this world
74. We are all one nation and must stick together
75. From this tragedy we will recover for the better
76. So sorry for everyone who died
77. And your destiny shall twine amongst mine
78. Our brothers and sisters are not too far, Look up
79. Above each one is a "star"
80. Per non dimenticare [Italian to be translated]
81. So weird!
82. So many different nationalities coming together
83. Killing Osama solved nothing v.m.
84. Bodie Lien, love to you all. [drawn heart, Bodie Lien is the name of a woman form Norway]
85. always remember, NY forever
86. We love you all! In our hearts forever and ever!
87. America inspires me. we'll be tall again
88. I am happy to remember and experience this moment
89. Life can never be, exactly like we want it to be

Twin Towers: 5

2011-09-10T18:55:00.000-04:00

Twin Towers: 5
By the people in the Broadway Brunch Club
9/16/01
Edited By Claudia Alick

From "Dada & Surrealist Art," by William S. Rubin, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York 1968
Among Surrealist techniques exploiting the mystique of accident was a kind of collective collage of words or images called the cadavre exquis (exquisite corpse). Based on an old parlor game, it was played by several people, each of whom would write a phrase on a sheet of paper, fold the paper to conceal part of it, and pass it on to the next player for his contribution.
The technique got its name from results obtained in initial playing, "Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau" (The exquisite corpse will drink the young wine). Other examples are: "The dormitory of friable little girls puts the odious box right" and "The Senegal oyster will eat the tricolor bread." These poetic fragments were felt to reveal what Nicolas Calas characterized as the "unconscious reality in the personality of the group" resulting from a process of what Ernst called "mental contagion." At the same time, they represented the transposition of Lautrééamont's classic verbal collage to a collective level, in effect fulfilling his injunction-- frequently cited in Surrealist texts--that "poetry must be made by all and not by one."

Editors note: This poem was written by the members of The Broadway Brunch club between 12:30 and 1:30 pm in a privet room at a restaurant in a hotel on 10th Avenue and 50th Street. Once a month theatre professionals and hopefuls meet for a few hours to network, gossip and on this occasion to try and process the tragic events from September 11th. To the left was a table with orange juice, coffee, eggs, bacon, French toast, chicken with capers, fruit salad, mini-muffins and other savories. Each artist introduced him/herself and shared what they were doing artistically, how they were feeling emotionally, what they needed and what they could give. A playwright needed someone who spoke Gaelic. A producer needed a stage manager. A stage manager needed a job. A performance artists was looking for an apartment. Someone offered up his research of places to donate money and goods. A singer wanted to help somehow and thought maybe she could sing at shelters. An actress got a big part in an independent film. A comedian shared her experiences of triage work at the Towers. Tears were shed, connections were made, bacon and eggs were eaten. Dramatic times, dramatic people. Through the wall drifted the music of the church choir next door as plans were made for the next meeting. Life goes on.

Participants of the poem wrote one line viewing only the previous line. Handwriting was deciphered as clearly as possible. Case and punctuation were retained for most part. No punctuation added. Spelling was corrected except where necessary for meaning. Editor’s notes in brackets.

1. we in the theatre community
2. strive to hold on to our beliefs
3. Even if we’re not sure what they are now
4. We know evil can only be fought with goodness and strength
5. Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love, Love,
6. It’s the reason, the only reason to rise above
7. No matter what happens she will rise again
8. But how high will she fly?
9. The sky can not contain her for she lives in the hearts of Men
10. And the rift in our hearts at present will without a doubt mend
11. As we march forward, heads up, unwilling to bow to them in the name of terrorism
12. may we also send love and light and the ability for them to see their wrong
13. May we act in ways toward each other that make us strong
14. and may the light in the fog bring feeling back to the numbness in our souls
15. and commit our hearts and souls to the grandest possible expression.

Twin Towers: 4

2011-09-10T18:44:00.000-04:00

Twin Towers: 4
By the people on the street on 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell and Frederick Douglass Avenue.
9/14/01
Edited By Claudia Alick

From "Dada & Surrealist Art," by William S. Rubin, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York 1968
Among Surrealist techniques exploiting the mystique of accident was a kind of collective collage of words or images called the cadavre exquis (exquisite corpse). Based on an old parlor game, it was played by several people, each of whom would write a phrase on a sheet of paper, fold the paper to conceal part of it, and pass it on to the next player for his contribution. The technique got its name from results obtained in initial playing, "Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau" (The exquisite corpse will drink the young wine). Other examples are: "The dormitory of friable little girls puts the odious box right" and "The Senegal oyster will eat the tricolor bread." These poetic fragments were felt to reveal what Nicolas Calas characterized as the "unconscious reality in the personality of the group" resulting from a process of what Ernst called "mental contagion." At the same time, they represented the transposition of Lautrééamont's classic verbal collage to a collective level, in effect fulfilling his injunction-- frequently cited in Surrealist texts--that "poetry must be made by all and not by one."

Editors note: This poem was written on 125th Street between 6:30p.m.and 8:00p.m. The heart of Harlem. A busy business district filled with shops hawking jewelry, electronic goods, clothing, toys, food. A mix of neighborhood owned places and corporations. The McDonalds sits on the same block next as the Jamaican joint and Mama’s favorite Soul Food. Sprinkled along the block are tables full of young men selling designer imposter perfumes, black romance novels and black empowerment tomes, incense and earrings. Beneath the Apollo Theater marquee Black Islams sell Muhammad Speaks newspapers. The Blockbuster is across the street from the store selling gospel videos and hip-hop music. A crazy combination of music pumping from all these different spaces creates a rhythm felt beneath the soles of the variety of pedestrians; Harlemites, Africans, Caribbeans, Bronx bred, Brooklyn born, but not black people all; Asians, whites, and Latinos as well. The people who participated in this poem were folks waiting at bus stops, African women outside of a hair braiding salon, wise looking older men pontificating on stoops, business owners, shoppers, cocky attractive black men, teenagers, some recent arrivals to America and a few little kids.

Participants of the poem wrote one line viewing only the previous line. Handwriting was deciphered as clearly as possible. Case and punctuation were retained for most part. No punctuation added. Spelling was corrected except where necessary for meaning. Editor’s notes in brackets.

1. evening approaches
2. sun begins to set
3. there is never an ending to life
4. When you think it’s over it is really beginning
5. Beginning’s are good A flower begins to go grow What?!
6. What a life that we living in
7. Life is worth living
8. As long as you do something positive with it.
9. You will receive something positive in return.
10. As long as the bridges don’t burn
11. We will all be united as one people
12. Get rid of Bush, America will be united
13. Until then out problems will continue.
14. If we open our eyes we can see all
15. I’d hate to be in Pakistan right now.
16. I’ll be glad when it’s all said and done
17. So I can feel safe and put away my gun
18. I don’t know if I’m getting a check next week
19. Because prosperity to me I’m just being allowed to peek
20. J’etais tres triste a frofros de ce pui c’est fresser L’autre pur.
21. But it’s just a reflection of the world today
22. I wish a have a lots of friend
23. I wish I can get rich
24. I wish get a good wife
25. I wish I can fly.
26. To achieve my dreams.
27. I will feel my life is complete
28. for succeeding my dreams
29. I would have to give it my all.
30. Do the best I can
31. Every chance I get.
32. I live every day to the fullest!

Twin Towers: 3

2011-09-10T18:33:00.001-04:00

Twin Towers: 3
By the people on the street of 7th Avenue South below 14th Street
9/14/01
Edited By Claudia Alick

From "Dada & Surrealist Art," by William S. Rubin, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York 1968
Among Surrealist techniques exploiting the mystique of accident was a kind of collective collage of words or images called the cadavre exquis (exquisite corpse). Based on an old parlor game, it was played by several people, each of whom would write a phrase on a sheet of paper, fold the paper to conceal part of it, and pass it on to the next player for his contribution. The technique got its name from results obtained in initial playing, "Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau" (The exquisite corpse will drink the young wine). Other examples are: "The dormitory of friable little girls puts the odious box right" and "The Senegal oyster will eat the tricolor bread." These poetic fragments were felt to reveal what Nicolas Calas characterized as the "unconscious reality in the personality of the group" resulting from a process of what Ernst called "mental contagion." At the same time, they represented the transposition of Lautrééamont's classic verbal collage to a collective level, in effect fulfilling his injunction-- frequently cited in Surrealist texts--that "poetry must be made by all and not by one."

Editors note: This poem was written on 7th Avenue South below 14th street between 3:00p.m. and 4:30p.m. close to the World Trade center. The night before the skies opened and wept. The lightening was so strong some people thought it was a second attack. The day was dark somber and wet, but by 3p.m. the rain stopped and the sun came out. It was quite beautiful. The poem started outside St. Vincent’s Hospital the main hospital for casualties and injuries from the event. The poem then moved to the missing person’s wall. It was hard to tell the difference between the tourists, curiosity seekers, journalists and mourners. Every one stopped and read the names of the people who had been in the Twin Towers and now could not be located; a picture of a Caucasian man of 54 with his son and daughter, a picture of 25 year old Asian woman smiling at her lover, a picture of a 6 year -old black girl on her birthday. Some people were taking photographs of the pictures. Further down the street a few businesses were open; a clothing boutique, a convenience store, a frame shop. Outside of an Indian food restaurant exotic smells wafted and mixed with the scent of burning. Some people were in a hurry, on their way home from work or in between errands. Others were slowing approaching the wreckage site to witness; a high-school teacher, a doctor, a model, owners of a sports gear shop, a mother, a father. People walking north. People walking south.

Participants of the poem wrote one line viewing only the previous line. Handwriting was deciphered as clearly as possible. Case and punctuation were retained for most part. No punctuation added. Spelling was corrected except where necessary for meaning. Editor’s notes in brackets.

1. Earlier today it was raining
2. A NY Police officer weeping in the St. Vincent’s Chapel
3. It’s funny before all this there was a color barrier, but now every woman man child unites just to help out others
4. I was trying to resume my “regular” life today, but returning from work was
5. stopped short by the beautiful faces of missing New Yorkers posted at St. Vincent’s.
6. more tears and reflection… an endless cycle.
7. maybe more appreciation for human life now
8. and hard lessons learned for the future…
9. even thunder at night makes me feel uneasy now…
10. But soon the laughter of my baby girl makes me smile
11. Méme si je ne suis pas Americaine je compatie et est sure Que la situation aux USA va se retablir nous avens la une ville forte
12. We must transcend all temporal and superficial human things.
13. God bless the people all around America
14. God bless the people all around the world
15. Power to the people
16. Work, work, work,…and sex?!
17. this is truly a disaster and I’m so saddened!
18. I have a 2 year old who’s classmate just lost her Mom. Sad isn’t the word.
19. Quelle tristesse… quell dommage…mais oui va- t’on? Quond ala s’eneteroi
20. Hope these terrorists are caught and punished
21. As long as we do it right
22. What can you say
23. Not much
24. That’s too bad
25. It is
26. Only temporary
27. Maybe
28. Peace
29. We all deserve it, are born with it and should embrace it.
30. Awake up, understand with love.

Twin Towers: 2

2011-09-10T18:22:00.004-04:00

Twin Towers: 2
By the people outside of the Red Cross building
9/13/01
Edited By Claudia Alick

From "Dada & Surrealist Art," by William S. Rubin, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York 1968
Among Surrealist techniques exploiting the mystique of accident was a kind of collective collage of words or images called the cadavre exquis (exquisite corpse). Based on an old parlor game, it was played by several people, each of whom would write a phrase on a sheet of paper, fold the paper to conceal part of it, and pass it on to the next player for his contribution. The technique got its name from results obtained in initial playing, "Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau" (The exquisite corpse will drink the young wine). Other examples are: "The dormitory of friable little girls puts the odious box right" and "The Senegal oyster will eat the tricolor bread." These poetic fragments were felt to reveal what Nicolas Calas characterized as the "unconscious reality in the personality of the group" resulting from a process of what Ernst called "mental contagion." At the same time, they represented the transposition of Lautrééamont's classic verbal collage to a collective level, in effect fulfilling his injunction-- frequently cited in Surrealist texts--that "poetry must be made by all and not by one."

Editors note: This poem was written on the concrete porch and steps of the Red Cross building between 8:16p.m. and 9:30p.m. at 67th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. In the strange calm of evening the tables for processing volunteers were being broken down. A group of students gathered by a wall quietly speaking and recording events on a digital camera. They came to volunteer, but came too late to sign up. People exited the building physically and emotionally exhausted after a long day of hard work. A beautiful artist who spent the whole day feeding people. A mother from Indiana who drove all the way to New York just to help. A gruff articulate Red Cross employee. Some were met by friends who just got off of their day jobs. Life in New York getting back to it’s normal routine. Across the street there was a shrine built for the dead at the Fire Station. Pictures of the lost and wreaths and mourners could be seen in the dark of night. Behind light shone through the windows of The Red Cross. Inside activity was still high, however outside a cool breeze blew the paper of the signs that read volunteers come back tomorrow.

Participants of the poem wrote one line viewing only the previous line. Handwriting was deciphered as clearly as possible. Case and punctuation were retained for most part. No punctuation added. Spelling was corrected except where necessary for meaning. Editor’s notes in brackets.

1. Survival
2. Serenity with combined compassion
3. Beauty and unity of the masses
4. wipe the tears away under the glasses
5. signs of strength, visions of lost passions
6. Whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger
7. R.I.P. to all our fallen soldiers.
8. We are all gonna be okay. The worst is gone
9. Sept. 11, 2001 will never be forgotten. We hope for better days.
10. I pray the Lord to give us the strength
11. To fight the evil that tried to take our hope
12. Strength and patience united we stand to help each other
13. Through destruction and chaos, new relationships are forged
14. And old relationships are forgone but not forgotten
15. Once again we meet as friends although our tasks are grim
16. I want to come back so I can help
17. I like how we all came together and helped one another
18. Fixing the faultlines lets not create more borderlines
19. Open spaces and let in the races
20. Missing pieces and unattained places.

Twin Towers: #1

2011-09-10T18:11:00.003-04:00

Twin Towers: #1
By Red Cross Volunteers
9/12/01
Edited By Claudia Alick

From "Dada & Surrealist Art," by William S. Rubin, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York 1968
Among Surrealist techniques exploiting the mystique of accident was a kind of collective collage of words or images called the cadavre exquis (exquisite corpse). Based on an old parlor game, it was played by several people, each of whom would write a phrase on a sheet of paper, fold the paper to conceal part of it, and pass it on to the next player for his contribution. The technique got its name from results obtained in initial playing, "Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau" (The exquisite corpse will drink the young wine). Other examples are: "The dormitory of friable little girls puts the odious box right" and "The Senegal oyster will eat the tricolor bread." These poetic fragments were felt to reveal what Nicolas Calas characterized as the "unconscious reality in the personality of the group" resulting from a process of what Ernst called "mental contagion."
At the same time, they represented the transposition of Lautrééamont's classic verbal collage to a collective level, in effect fulfilling his injunction-- frequently cited in Surrealist texts--that "poetry must be made by all and not by one."

Editors note: This poem was written at the Red Cross building on 67th and Amsterdam between 6:00pm and 10:30pm. The day after the Twin Towers fell I went to give blood and ended up volunteering at The Red Cross. The large clean building was filled with busy distracted workers. They all seemed intent and sleep-deprived and stressed but full of hope. I entered a small auditorium with a number of freshly arrived volunteers. Some of us were on the verge of tears, some of us were just confused, all of us were full of good intentions. We waited a while and a large powerful looking man in a red shirt came out and quickly dispelled our heroic visions of going out to the site and clearing rubble. Turns out the Red Cross doesn’t do that. It also turns out volunteering for the Red Cross takes time and patience. It also takes training. Just as they were about to send most of us home building five fell. I lucked into a six hour stint doing one of the few jobs that required no training; sorting volunteer application forms. It was quiet work. The sound of distant vital conversations drifted in from other rooms. Inside our room, the sound of paper sifting, the sound of getting to know you talk and laughter, the sound of the local news. It was a boring job, but it was necessary. Somebody needed to do it. Turns out that’s what the Red Cross is all about.

A grade school teacher, an architect, a guy who makes music for commercials. Volunteers for the Red cross These people contributed one line each viewing only the previous line. Handwriting was deciphered as clearly as possible. Case and punctuation were retained for most part. No punctuation added. Spelling was corrected except where necessary for meaning. Editors notes in brackets.

Recipe: Start with surrealist form of poetry. Flip it. Take a disaster. Mix with the New York spirit of determination. Add one black woman with a pen and a notepad and an idea. Serve with creativity, good nature and patience.

1. This is a poem of hope
2. I hope we can all be
3. And I hope to make a difference today...
4. People have become much friendlier
5. As each person commits his/herself to the moment.
6. The world seems so complicated but we feel Gods presence
7. or God’s absence, the absence of so many, and so much
8. obliteration comes so easily
9. life’s fragility perpetually recognized
10. causes me to never feel that I’m less than marginalized
11. but am inspired by the comradery
12. human connection, in times like these- spirits above
13. Disconnection- no times like these- Ghosts above
14. I’m weak in the knees
15. But my spirit is strong
16. the templates rumbled, the platelets spilled; steel and tears fell.
17. The ebb and flow of emotions filled the entire room.
18. Joy of creating: The greatest joy there is is creating
19. but the greatest skill is crafting
20. when it’s everlasting

twin towers revisited post 1

2011-09-09T17:57:00.001-04:00

So I'm in NYC, Brooklyn, chilling at my bro's apt
my old neighborhood
the entire area got mad gentrified
ten years feels so long
it's all coffee shops, organic bodegas, and hipster bars
all pencil jeans, ironic chunky glasses, and white lesbians
this area alway had black lesbians
my hair salons assitou is still there thank god
cause regardless of whatever the terrists do I'ma get my hair did!
but for real I'm nervous
and this aint just performance anxiety
I'm here to revisit, restage, re-do an impossiple project
ten years back around sept 11 I collected poems
written by the people at the red cross, downtown, uptown
I'll be posting a few to remind myself of what was
tomorrow I return to ground zero and find out what people have to say
ten years later
and it'll be hard cause this was a project that had a lot of walking in it
so I'm taking my walker
and it's gonna take a lot of time
I had more time when i was in my twenties
It was mad inconvientent leaving my home in Orgeon
I was prducing a reading of Medea, and a Flamenco Dance Show,
and a reading of a play being produced at the local university,
and an aeriel dance show
I got a life yo
but there are certain projects that can only be done
in a certain time
a certain space
so here I am actually nervous becuase
if I was inspired by this aniversary
who else was?
here hoping that the only things repeated
are art

Wikihistory by DESMOND WARZEL iz LOL genius

2011-08-29T22:02:00.000-04:00

Ok! This is hilarious! V.v. Lol
A story told through the comments page of some type of time travel forum
This is a quick read and. Thought provoking laugh.
My fave bit is AsianAvengers reflections on race and subsequent actions

Wikihistory by DESMOND WARZEL
Thanks tor.com!

The girl who found herself or quantum forking

2011-08-20T03:22:00.000-04:00

A story about blogging and time travel

Once upon a time a girl
Found a blog online
It was all about her
But she did not write it
Is it an elaborate practical joke?
Is it a fan- fic of mammoth proportions
Did she write it in a fugue state and then forget?
As she reads she starts to find entries that seem to be talking about things that will happen to her in the future.
They come true
She is freaked out until she does research and finds a man in Edinburgh who has A website that describes a way to send messages to the past using a website and quantum forking.
He has a dry senses of humor and tells puns about forks and tea
His website looks like this
On it she reads correspondence with him on his website
He claims to have found the writings through an accidental Linux coding which enables him to discover time-travel
The writing is from her blog
She goes to blog and searches for him and finds only one post that says she get on a plane and visits him
The story ends with her researching prices for tickets

Speech for Network of Ensemble Theater's Micro-Fest USA Call to Action

2011-08-15T00:01:00.003-04:00

Thank you for inviting me to speak here at this USA call to action
This network of ensemble theaters
I am deeply honored
To try and synthesize my experience over these past few days
I don't know what this will be, but join me
If the spirit moves add rhythm, add music, add your piece
This speech is a collaboration with the future of American theater.
Our genesis is in the desire for exchange, with art at the center.
WE
We embody, enact the national aesthetic.
an aesthetic of diversity, collaboration, contradiction.
A celebration of difference.
A variety of voices.
We want to visit each other.
We're from all over.
We are ready to move.
WE
We are the big dreamers, deep thinkers, boundary breakers.
Our performance exceeds possibility.
Our daily practice, like breathing, is a necessary function.
WE
We do the work.
We want to help each other.
We are experimenting audaciously.
Digging into our roles as artists
Crowd sourcing our intelligence and inspiration.
Change comes first in the ensemble. then the community.
One counter narrative at a time.
One song at a time.
One dance.
One story.
Many stories.
WE
We strengthen the cultural commons.
All that we make and do.
We bring recognition, revelation, resurrection.
We are healers releasing nutrients into communities to strengthen their immune system through performance.
Shifting the way we all look at the arts.
With empathy we aid civic leaders.
We are civic leaders.
There is a responsibility and an opportunity for empowerment when ensembles create and define new terms around genre.
WE
We need to think critically and expansively about how we define new play development processes
for our audience, our funders, and ourselves.
WE
We are doing this together, right now.
We honor our ancestors.
We argue with our parents.
We go deep.
We get raw.
Work it out.
We are struggling, thriving, seeking.
We tell our stories, on paper, online, on stage.
Keeping the social in social networking.
We crave connectivity.
Partnerships, friendships
WE
We live in the third room.
Where we don't know what we are talking about.
Unprepared for an audience full of people waiting for answers.
Having the hard conversations.
We lean into the wonkiness to find clarity.
Breath it in. Now let it go.
WE
We are making art man, that's what it's called.
trying to explain it to others is silly.
We must own it.
WE
We have to know ourselves better than others know us,
both strengths and vulnerabilities.
People lose trust in you when you do not trust yourself.
Leadership is authentic self-expression that creates
WE
We are leaders.
We are leading the national aesthetic.
Where are we leading?
WE
Ensembles can create a cross-cultural roadmap to elevate and deepen dialogue toward racial healing.
WE
ensembles and audience tend to conflate the distinctions of race and culture and how each influences aesthetics, process, genre.
WE
race is
race is not
it exists
we made it up
that’s what we do
We take a series of things
we see or hear or feel
and we name them
Like magic
they become
they exist
WE
we interact with them
make choices
make everything
we do or seem or mean
based on things we can’t help
the way we look, or see, or feel
like Genre
race kind of exists
We made it up
the difference between
race and racism
is is
Racism is
An action or active inaction
a behavior
Performance
a thing we do
WE
Race is
We pretend it is
Believe it is
local
geographic
or global human populations
distinguished or defined
as more or less distinct
groups
grouped by genetically
transmitted physical characteristics
Biologically meaningless
gradients of differentiation.
Not discrete units
or more or less distinct
biological boundaries.
Between any human divisions
groups,
populations,
nationalities
there is nothing
But empty space
we feel we must fill
with meaning
We love meaning
WE
Race is largely circumstantial
Dependent on traits chosen
for emphasis
Group differences is
not encoded in the human genome
Adenine
Thymine
Cytosine
Guanine
Evolutionary
patterns of divergence
particular random
mixes of genes
make everything
we do or mean
or seem
WE
WE
we make our choices
reactions to
related to
genetics
but not genetic
A Performance
things that are not
but might as well be
race is not
Genre is
Culture is
Our process is
Like Schroegender's Cat
Race is not
race is
Culture is
Our national aesthetic is
WE
We
We
Where are we leading?
We are the future.
We are ready to move.
SO GO THERE

Disney

2011-08-03T01:52:00.006-04:00

Wrote this in 2006. Just found it. I'm gonna perform tomorrow night at Candlewick, a new poetry series, at Tabu begun by my new friend in poetry Pistachio and musician Phoenix. It's a celebration of the power of performance and uses NO ELECTRICITY. Because I am me, I will be performing "The TV Set". Poems inspired by television and mediated reflections on reality. This is a first draft so feel free to leave tons of comments. I look forward to doing some heavy rewrites on most of the work I am presenting tomorrow night. It's all pretty fresh.

And inside me

what is this lack?

I need to be high concept

I have no arc

Where are my clean modern lines?

My old fashioned values

Without artifice

Accomplishing the dream

Without effort

A natural girl

In a musical world

Full of human curiosity

Trilling between the trees

Pirouette and glissandoing

Down meadow streams

Making up the tune as I go along

Where is my break away pop hit song?

Grand orchestral backup

Inspired by my magnificent honesty

Passion in pastel

The ability to walk barefoot anywhere

Where are my talking animals?

Who know me by name

Who rhyme my secret pain

Their only mission to see me safe

Paired off with the perfect lover

Attached legally and forever

Where are my costumed psychotics

With bumbling sidekicks

Ethnic Savant idiots

Enemies who destroy themselves

Because I’m the prettiest

Annoyingly innocent

A problem in need of solvent

Dip to wipe away the stain

Where is my mother?

She’d understand

The only other woman in the world who could

A virgin like me

Beautiful

Her voice glittering magic until

The furniture danced

Her body broken by chance

Bringing me into the world

The effort was too real

Contractions fallen on the cutting room floor

And I was left orphaned

looking for someone to watch over me

And where’s my father?

Dead or I had to leave him

Loving doting but ultimately done in by the

feminine mystique

Taken in by an antique bitch

Who only wanted to see me gone

So now I’m

Searching for a tenor

A hero

A savior

An answer

Always

Over and over again

Until happily ever after

But never the end

Because I’m perfect

Missing something vital

Inside me

What is this lack?

WHICH IS BETTER?

Harry Potter streetpoem

2011-07-14T00:11:00.004-04:00

Final Adventure
By the people outside Tinseltown at the Harry Potter film
Edited By Claudia Alick
July 14, 2011

From "Dada & Surrealist Art," by William S. Rubin, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York 1968
Among Surrealist techniques exploiting the mystique of accident was a kind of collective collage of words or images called the cadavre exquis (exquisite corpse). Based on an old parlor game, it was played by several people, each of whom would write a phrase on a sheet of paper, fold the paper to conceal part of it, and pass it on to the next player for his contribution. The technique got its name from results obtained in initial playing, "Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau" (The exquisite corpse will drink the young wine). Other examples are: "The dormitory of friable little girls puts the odious box right" and "The Senegal oyster will eat the tricolor bread." These poetic fragments were felt to reveal what Nicolas Calas characterized as the "unconscious reality in the personality of the group" resulting from a process of what Ernst called "mental contagion." At the same time, they represented the transposition of Lautrééamont's classic verbal collage to a collective level, in effect fulfilling his injunction-- frequently cited in Surrealist texts--that "poetry must be made by all and not by one."

Editor’s note: This poem was written outside the Tinseltown movie theater in Medford Oregon as people waited in line for the premier of, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2”, the last installment of an 8 movie saga based on the mega popular books of JK Rowling. So popular that hundreds queued, (not to buy a ticket but for a good seat to see the movie!), some arriving the previous day, signing releases saying they wouldn't sue the theater if anything happened to them while camping out on the bricks. These brave few…hundred…keeping themselves entertained, saving spots for their friends who had to go to work, The bricks still warm from a hot summer day, surrounded by the huge windows of the Coldstone Creamery, Everyday Fitness, and Starbucks stores, the full moon above, the TV news anchors from competing channels with pretty groomed women trying desperately to look objective and non judgmental. The huge Hagrid who apologizes for his poor handwriting, an eight year old boy fully dressed as young harry with a branch from a tree between his legs, a north Medford high-school teacher who has a closet full of brooms for her quiditch team, 4 years of students and their siblings, an ironic group dressed as cowboys speaking in elaborate drawls, Southern Oregon University students majoring in English, drama, and psychology, 2 young girls dressed as the nimbus three thousand, friends from Grants Pass, Ashland, Talent gathering on vacation from colleges and universities around the country, a British husband who isn't into Potter but his wife is, the kid with the video camera who can sing lyrics from the harry Potter musical, fathers reading from I pads, a group of sexy lesbians with hairstyles like Tonks( not homage just coincidence), high school graduation robes double as magicians robes, lightning bolts scrawled on the foreheads in pen, 2 young men who rebelliously brag about hating to read, nearby a grandmother calmly reading a book, gossipy conversations from ladies who look like they’re waiting to get into a club, a wildly random celebratory air where a passing garbage collector illicit cheers, almost everyone says yes, security guards and theatre officials herd controlled groups through the doors, every 20 minutes a new surge, good nature, a deep willingness, a connection through pop culture, a moment that will never be repeated because this is the last movie, the last time to get to see it first, spoiler alert, this poem names names that cannot be named, because how could it not, we are what we love and we love many things but tonight most especially this film...in 3d

Participants of the poem wrote one line viewing only the previous line. Handwriting was deciphered as clearly as possible. Case and punctuation were retained for most part. This poem would have been longer but I went in to see the movie!

Here we stand
A united wizard world
Full of interesting people
People who pay to play
Hagrid is here, so is Harry
There's yummy ice cream and berries
Of all flavors and colors
They all come together in the end
But then something magical happened
A unicorn named Ray appeared
And he had beautiful golden hair
But bugs everywhere
In the evenings summer sky
Harry potter soars high
So high like a kite in the sky
The last hooray of my childhood
Down with gum thieves
Brooms and wands galore
Crazy people everywhere!!
Crazy people be crazy!
Shaking their fists at flying bus
Weeding the willing while blaming them all A little spider crawled up the wall And a birdie pooped on the sidewalk Had a hard day at work Won a hand of gin, the card game Love me some Ron Weasley I haven't really been here all night "I'm not going home, not really"
My purple blanket leads me to the right
The light of my mother’s lamp
Shining with an ember which warms my heart And glistens like diamond, an everlasting shimmer The cake, so delicious and moist Ahead of us slowly approaching Excitement permeates the air Because of the chosen one The thunder cats had to run Little fish, big pond Yu-gi-oh, for the win The answer to life, the universe, and everything is...42 However, he was born in 1989 With coin in hand and a grin on his face Every size is the right size!
In fact, the bigger, the better
So we need to buy the large ones
But in the process I got hurt
Roses are red violets are blue
Love your family as you
Love you so much!! Marry me
Hufflepuff rules suck it
I came for dobby, wait, he's...?
Yup...
And then...
Hedwig died
And the dog pooped
Kaelyn has to go to the bathroom
Her urethra is exploding! my
Urethra is fine, I swear
Crazy pregnant woman with no brain
She is so moody and mean
As she wonders what she has just seen
Her heart wavers like the sea
With wishes of what she may be
My wand sticks out of my...
Harry potter rocks
All I learned about fatherhood
Never prepared me for this! Whew!
But I am excited
For the beginning of the end
Never gone from our hearts
We've been with you from the start
And all the way until the finish
Through the tumultuous tale of heroism
He strode across the broken stones
Thinking about his aching bones
Down deep in the marrow of his soul
And he knows he must continue on, even if The lights of the lives of his friends are out She stood as they all fell down The time had come to end it all Harry potter was going to fail...
Then Remus helped him be awesome
So that the result would be clear
Should we wait too long,
We'll surely explode!
Would there were more time
In this line so this line were longer
Clap
Screaming!!! Why?
Does the whomping willow cry?
Does he not feel, like any other being?
Is it because dobby died?
Hagrid gives a gait belch
Hufflepuffs are particularly good finders
And raven claws never lose their binders
Whilst Slytherins are great spell binders
Griffindores loyalties will unbind them all
The good wizards will triumph and never fall
It is too loud!
I'm afeard of the crowd
I am alone as a cowboy
In a thousand years will we still know Harry?
We're making history here on the
streets,
Our grandchildren will beg to hear our
stories
They eagerly wait for us to begin
This night charade of lights and sounds
I howl in the wind like a grew hand
Yearning for my green chewy bone
Screaming at the sky
Wishing I could fly
Wishing I was a quid itch star
Drinking butter beer at hogshead bar
Thinking about the armored centaur
I knew there must be a chink to find
And Voldemorts soul is broken
Search for shattered treasures
Upon the foreign seas
My robe is black and flowing long
My magic flows into my song
My song echoes with the beauteous chaos around Fun faces make me happy cause I'm in love With the midnight broomsticks The pursued felons felt their way around corners in the sky
As the moonlight shadows continue growing

And a shadow drifts across the moon

Uncovered

2011-07-14T00:01:00.000-04:00

After my show there was a very interesting piece fro Rickerby hinds called uncovered where actors and dancers performed tableu vivant style in front of these backdrops of classic hip-hop albums minus the people.

The music from the albums played and they danced and performed and posed in front of them giving the feeling of the album cover and the album. It was really fun. there was a lot of moving around the gallery space and the songs were great. Hinds wanted us to get into the spirit and dance but the audience mostly just watched and took pictures.

Demon Hunters

2011-07-11T21:23:00.000-04:00

Demon Hunters
by Claudia Alick
from "The TV Set"

this poem was inspired by "Supernatural"
(note: this poem is best read aloud in a gravelly voice with steel guitar in the background. don't know why, but it is)

Demon hunters travel America
Mostly Texas and the midwest
They always put to the test
Gotta truck with death
Watch gods get murdered
Got big dicks
Feel like burnt rubber on a dusty highway
drink from a teat of gasoline and whisky
They make deals with the devil
To save their father
To save their brother
But They womens always die
Demon hunters get confused
Get tortured
Get revenge
They try to do the right thing
To save the world
Leave a trail of destruction in their wake
Demon hunters Work hard everyday
Listen to rock on the radio
Crack wise
Make the dumb ass move
Sometimes they cry
Got friends
Who mostly die
Sometimes they gotta hide
Fall back
Run away
Find out somethin won't let em change
Demon hunters Taste of denim, leather, and blood
Love nothing better than a cold beer and a cold kill
And the feel of the wheel between they hands
Smell like stale bedsheets from a roadside motel
Speak with spirits
Set spells
Demon hunters Fight angels
Fondle guns
Fuck
Go to heaven
Go to hell
Demon hunters die
And they always come back
Demon hunters die
And they always come back
Demon hunters die
And they always come back
Demon hunters die
And they always come back

Demon hunters die

Awesome high-school Marachi band in Green Show

2011-06-29T20:52:00.001-04:00

Tango and hip-hop with Momo Smitt

2011-06-27T20:57:00.003-04:00

Rapping and tango. An awesome combination from Momo Smitt. I got eclectic taste and I gets to book the coolness i likes :)

FILL IN THE BLANK UC Riverside

2011-06-11T21:50:00.006-04:00

I performed my play FILL IN THE BLANK in University of California Riverside's Hip-hop Theater series CaliFest. It was in a huge gallery space called The Culver Center and the audience was lovely. A mix of patrons there for the medical content, those there for the hip-hop, and those there because they needed to watch it for a class. The piece is a multi-media exploration of my body over the past 2 years through documentation, poetry, dance, and music. I wrote it like performance art. Originally I could only do parts of the piece and then I'd have to take breaks and have guest artists.

As I rehearsed for this gig I found myself healing so quickly that portions where the text was simply "Claudia's body does what it does for 1 minute" were no longer interesting. I Had to add more content, flesh out narrative. My body was no longer the play. I had to write it. The play became 2 hours with an intermission. The reception was great! Audience members stayed with it and demanded a talk back afterward. My only disappointment was they didn't really interact with the set by writing on it as i requested. They did touch stuff and the medical instrument jam was super fun.

The dance section and guest beatboxer worked out well too.

Big Thanks to Rickerby Hinds for booking me. Ben Cobb for his technical and creative support and director Kathy Simpson. I also have to thank the folks who helped me workshop the piece at OSF. Big up's to Myles froDe, Luci B, and Peter Macon for preforming with me with music, poetry, and beatboxing. Also thanks to my friend Shawn, and all the audience members who rolled out and gave me feedback.

claudia's cali adventures: UC Riverside

2011-06-05T01:49:00.011-04:00

Dream Come True! About 4 years back I imagined I'd produce cool hip-hop theater at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and somehow collect the intelligence and passion and knowledge of the artists we're working with and connecting it to education on a national level. (I tend to dream big) But check it- 3 years later -bam!

I'mlecturing 100 students in prof. Rickerby Hinds hip-hop theater class. They watch a preview of our documentary on nexthetics at OSF. They clapped afterwards and had great comments. We'll be sharing it with the public in about a month. Then we worked Shakespeare's 7 ages of man speech. They turned this out in less than 20 minutes. Check how they use the four element to explore meaning, flip text, and transform language into movement or music.

Invitation to the party

2011-06-03T01:25:00.001-04:00

Fun times at The California Presenters Conference. Here I am with members of the board, a Blues presenter and artist, and Donna Walker-Kuhn . I have been invited to the party!

claudia's adventures in california

2011-05-30T00:56:00.000-04:00

I will be posting a series called "Claudia's adventures in California" for the next couple of weeks. I'm traveling to the Inland Empire to lecture at UC Riverside, audition some acting students, then fly to Carmel by the Sea near Monterey to sit on a panel at the California Presenters Conference, then back to Riverside to perform in the annual hip-hop theater festival CaliFest. After a week back in Oregon I zip L.A. for the TCG conference. Boo Ya! Travel baby. Here it come.

TSA does stupid stuff, seriously

2011-05-28T23:43:00.003-04:00

Today in a play development session for a very cool hip-hop musical piece one of the creators was telling me he had a full body scan and was asked to read off his tattoos. Like if they said something critical of the United States he wouldn't be able to get on the plane? I wanna fly safe but seriously folks?! TSA be TRIPPING y'all. Also they often aren't even protecting us. Check out this video I made last year.

16 Bit time travel

2011-05-25T00:39:00.002-04:00

16 Bit Music and Graphic art
Is nostalgia about for classic tech
It's the like baby steam punk

Enjoy This 2010 Version of Dr Who

Thanks Doctoroctoroc!

Claudia's animated short

2011-05-17T22:26:00.004-04:00

Check it out! Claudia's first animated short. This will be the most prolific week EVER! I'll try and keep you updated as I progress though. Yesterday, on my day off I had an 8:30 am doctors appointment, worked for 4 hours and had a 3 hour rehearsal...and then wondered why I passed out on the couch. Classic. Today I worked only 8 hours and made this video and now I'm gonna work a little more and then go home and work on my play which I am obsessivlly rewriting as the date of the performance looms nearer. Thank god I'm good at distracting myself! Watch this video and please add a comment on youtube and here!

Open mic fun at Oregon Shakespeare Festival

2011-05-03T01:06:00.001-04:00

Fun times at osf open mic
First we got the coolest new sign
Ever!
Open mic is big ole fat letters
Like an old school burner with
New school flavor
I love this sign so hard
I hugged the artist
And secretly promised to write a poem
about the awesomeness that is him and his art
Me fully loaded up with burrito from taco truck
And star bucks latte
Nothing can stop me
I hit the stage
Poets are prolific
Feature is fierce
Connection is what's up
I read a poem that has a line about bin laden
I gots decade old poetry
Folks still kinds dig it too
Cause ah snap...we still at war
After sweet words of wisdom
Silly jokes
And a Shakespeare reference
I vamp on the mic with a piece dedicated to the taco trunk
Less an ode
Cuase it doesn't follow form
More of a really silly song to the tune of
Maria from west side story

El gallo
I just met a truck named el gallo
And suddenly I've found
More tacos than I can swallow
El gallo
Say it once and it's almost eating
They have the awesomest burritos
I'm just saying
El gallo
Osf loves you
Ashland loves you
I need you
El gallo

Then my cool intern came on stage and gave me a mango on a stick
The mango was covered in salt, lime, and chiles
Sweet!

I spit a new piece inspired
By the sexy diversity of our audience
We are the change we seek
For reals, yo!

What is this magic space
This exchange
Where blasphemy is prayer
Where difference
Is what we have in common
Where dissent is how
we agree
To communicate
Where is is actually
all good
Uncensored
Unadulterated
Lovers of what words do
Bring
What is this magic space
Where we don't stand on ceremony
We sit in a ritual
Of connection
Listening
Honoring the unique
What is this space
Where we can speak
The ugliness of the past
The hope of the future
The trivia of the present
Where is this magic so space
It is here

Open mics are the most awesome
I get to share haikus written by strangers
People sing their secrets
Tell other peoples stories
Sample
Remix
Speak their own truths
Not everyone agrees but it's all part of the same
Accidental conversation we call life
Captured in a 2 hour bubble
Where we get to do us
Embrace our own awesomeness
The evening ends outside with a freestyle circle
After I help break up a drunk fight between transients
A perfect evening

Theater of War

2011-04-25T18:16:00.001-04:00

THEATER OF WAR: The Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Theater of War Productions will present readings of two ancient Greek tragedies by Sophocles, "Ajax" and "Philoctetes," at 12:30 and 7 p.m. Monday, April 25, in the New Theatre on the OSF campus. The 12:30 p.m. performance features actors Ako, Chris White, Dee Maaske, DeLanna Studi, Jack Willis, Kimberly Scott, Ted Deasy and Vilma Silva. Kathy Simpson directs. The 7 p.m. performance features Alejandra Escalante, Brian Demar Jones, Danforth Comins, Frankie J. Alvarez, Miriam A. Laube and Richard Elmore. Jerry Ruiz directs. Theater of War presents the readings to military communities across the United States. The plays timelessly depict the psychological and physical wounds inflicted upon soldiers by war. The events are aimed at removing the stigma of psychological injury and opening dialogue about the challenges faced by service members, veterans, their caregivers and families. The readings will be followed by a panel of military community members and a town hall-style discussion.
NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

Shaking pennies on easter

2011-04-24T02:02:00.000-04:00

Easter Sunday
Frozen dinner
Filling pill bottles with pennies
For performance art
Sequencing and resequencing
My story
Tonight I meditate on
Money
Health insurance
And the anti-epileptic I take
Pregabalin
Or Lyrica
A much prettier name
I'm thinking about
What it buys me
What I have to give up
A devils bargain
For mobility
Main side effects
Wanting to kill yourself
Seriously
It's the first warning
And fills half the page
Also blurred vision
Which I have
But my doctor thinks it's ok
But seeing gives me a headache
Life contains a lot of seeing
Swelling
Weight gain
Also mutated babies
But only in guys
But don't take it if your pregnant
Anxiety
Sleepiness
Trouble concentrating
Dry mouth
Muscle problems, muscle pain, soreness, or weaknes
Which is a troubling side effect
Since that's why I take it
And it works
Less pain
Less muscle spasms
But it's dangerous
A risk
I'd like kids
And I like being able to concentrate
But I also like walking
I pay $45 a bottle
And just $20 to see the doctor
And only between $2000 and $5000 on insurance
Possibly $55,000 over the last 18 years of employment
And in exchange I get to pay around $900 a year
To walk
I am doing the math
Trying to think like an actuary
Balance the options
Find a way
To a life
Without pregabalin

Ok. Now back to shaking pennies

FLASH MOB Report

2011-04-23T18:13:00.001-04:00

April 24, 2011 By SAM WHEELER
Mail Tribune
A flash-mob performance of Shakespearian prose Saturday helped some Ashland theatergoers celebrate the Bard of Avon's birthday.

Delivered by about 30 insiders of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, a spontaneous recital of the poet-playwright's famous monologue "Seven Ages of Man," rang through the brick courtyard in front of the Angus Bowmer Theater at noon.

"I have no idea who is going to show up," said organizer Claudia Alick, an hour before the scheduled, but semi-secretive, gathering. "We were just thinking that we should do something for his birthday, and I thought, well, let's just send out this little seed of an idea, and see what happens."

Alick, an OSF producer, sent out an internal email to all of the festival employees, with directions for the flash mob, and a copy of the script; leaving the rest up to word of mouth.

"It's a bit of an experiment for us," she said. "We wanted to come up with something that everybody could participate in, and that was attached to Shakespeare ... something silly and fun."

People were still hurrying across the street, with folded scripts in hand when Alick broke into the first line of the monologue, her voice blaring through hidden speakers.

After jumbling the first few lines, the mob, scattered around the courtyard, quickly found its breath following Alick's lead.

"That was so much fun," said Cathy Carrier of Ashland. "I thought it was a great way to celebrate and share Shakespeare's birthday with one another."

About 25 passersby saw the performance, but most of them weren't caught off guard; many were waiting for it to begin.

"I think we should do more of these for his birthday," said OSF actress Caroline Shaffer, who was part of the flash mob. "We could just spontaneously show up at places downtown, running around singing or reciting a sonnet ... or whatever."

For something essentially unrehearsed, everything turned out pretty well, Alick said after the monologue ended. "It looks like everybody enjoyed it."

Natalie and John Tyler, of Ashland, heard about the flash mob through an email from a friend at OSF.

"My husband woke up this morning and memorized it all," said Natalie Tyler, who thought the plan was "exciting" when she first heard about it.

"I just love secrets, and I love theater and, of course, I love Shakespeare ... Ashland has a very wonderful spirit. I hope they will do it again, because here is the only place it would happen."

Reach reporter Sam Wheeler at samuelcwheeler@gmail.com.

Back to her old ways

2011-04-12T23:52:00.002-04:00

So I got caught up in actually completing tasks at work
and now it's 9 pm
and the sick part is that I am happy.
Listening to the music from a group we are considering commissioning,
communicating to artists,
balancing budgets,
doing demographic breakdowns.
Eating left over lunch for dinner at my desk.
This is how I used to roll.
Totally unhealthy working this late
but oh so satisfying
to actually get shit done.
I hope I don't have to pay for this tomorrow.
I will pay for this tomorrow.
I end this night with a bit of indulgence.
This whisper into the electronic universe.
This secret public space I mark
like tagging a wall with my name.
Do you read?
Are you actually engaged?
When I am gone what will be left behind?
Unpaid bills, random poetic observations,
and a lot of gorgeous excel spreadsheets no one will care about?
I am producing brilliance.
I will continue.
My footprints will disappear like writing in the sand before the tide.
This does not matter however.
i act as the moons gravitational forces.
The waves come and slowly change the face of the earth.

The graceful solution

2011-04-07T00:55:00.000-04:00

Embedded in every ask is a yes
Sometimes it is yes, but
Yes but not right now
Yes, but yes to what you're really asking for
Yes, but yes to something equivalent
Life is a series of small compromises
Integrity is built out of the yes we honor
In a world made of instant movement
In a universe whose only constant is change
No is never an option
No disappears when you find the graceful solution
Where both partners bend
And everyone gets their ends

Poet on the Loose

2011-04-03T00:54:00.002-04:00

I walked the streets of Ashland with guest poet, Angela Kariotis, and the organization Poets on the Loose. To celebrate National Poetry Month we read original poems, as well as famous poems by others...to strangers!...on the street! Here a a couple videos I took.

More video and details are available on my OSF Nexthetics Blog.

The best and worst time travel movies

2011-03-20T03:42:00.003-04:00

This is a great list of flicks that use time travel as a narrative device
I don't agree with some of the rankings
But that's a matter of taste
Metacritic takes many opinions
And averages them down to a fine slurry
The comments

http://www.metacritic.com/feature/the-best-and-worst-time-travel-movies

Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2012 season

2011-03-12T19:36:00.000-05:00

Oregon Shakespeare Festival Artistic Director Bill Rauch announced the 2012 season at a member event this afternoon in the New Theatre.

In discussing the season, Rauch noted, “This season celebrates the adventurous spirit of our company and our audience. In a nod toward my fifth year as artistic director, we have a record-breaking five new works: simultaneous looks at the 1960s in two American Revolutions world premieres, two wildly different adaptations of our namesake playwright’s works, as well as a breathtaking new version of a global classic from one of our country’s leading innovators. Two plays give us Shakespeare’s own contradictory views on the nature of war and will play alongside his most exquisite tragedy and one of his most delightful comedies. Add into the mix a sublime new adaptation of a classic from our artistic director emerita and an outrageous vaudeville musical, and we have a season that we trust will leave you breathless with its daring variety.”

The two works that will be produced as part of the series of commissions for American Revolutions: the United States History Cycle are Robert Schenkkan’s ALL THE WAY, directed by BILL RAUCH, and PARTY PEOPLE, written by Universes, a national/international ensemble of multi-disciplined writers and performers who fuse poetry, theater, jazz, hip-hop and politics, and directed by LIESL TOMMY (Ruined, 2010).

In ALL THE WAY, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Schenkkan (Handler, By the Waters of Babylon) turns his gaze to Lyndon Baines Johnson from his ascendancy to the presidency through the passage of the Civil Rights Act and his victory in the 1964 presidential election. ALL THE WAY brings together Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr., Hubert Humphrey, Fannie Lou Hamer, J. Edgar Hoover, George Wallace and others, telling the story of a time of moral courage, political mastery and profound change on a sweeping, Shakespearean scale. The play will run in the Angus Bowmer Theatre from July 23 through November 3.

PARTY PEOPLE, opening in the New Theatre on July 4 and running through the end of the season, explores the Black Panthers and Young Lords movements, taking inspiration from interviews, public history and reminiscences, and will be performed by Universes’ four artists alongside members of OSF’s acting company.

Also premiering in the Angus Bowmer Theatre is THE WHITE SNAKE, adapted and directed by Tony Award-winning theatrical visionary MARY ZIMMERMAN, making her OSF debut. The play is based on the classic Chinese fable in which a young scholar falls in love with a beautiful woman, unaware that she is a white snake who has taken on human form. This world premiere is part of OSF’s ongoing commitment to classic stories from around the world.

The season features four plays by William Shakespeare, with themes of love, loyalty, revenge and war. Opening in February in the Angus Bowmer Theatre, OSF veteran LAIRD WILLIAMSON (Cyrano de Bergerac, Coriolanus, Don Quixote) will direct Shakespeare’s tragic masterpiece ROMEO AND JULIET. Last produced in 2007, OSF is delighted to stage this beloved play for the entire season in a sumptuous 19th-century setting. In the New Theatre and running from March through the end of the season is TROILUS AND CRESSIDA, directed by ROB MELROSE. New to OSF, Melrose is co-founder and artistic director of San Francisco’s The Cutting Ball Theater, known for its “thrilling theatrical experiences.” (theaterdogs.com) TROILUS will be produced in association with New York’s The Public Theater and will be set against the backdrop of conflict with American forces in a contemporary Middle Eastern country.

On the Elizabethan Stage, OSF will stage the final play in the three-part journey of Prince Hal as he takes the throne as HENRY V. This highly popular history play, filled with heroic battles and noble speeches will be directed by JOSEPH HAJ, also new to OSF this season and the producing artistic director at Playmakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill, NC. AS YOU LIKE IT returns to the outdoor stage and will be directed by JESSICA THEBUS, who last directed Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter at OSF. The final show to open outside is a new adaptation, THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, IOWA by OSF Director of American Revolutions Alison Carey. Carey uses her razor-sharp wit to translate Shakespeare’s characters to a contemporary setting that includes a failed presidential candidate, gay marriage, and the Iowa State Fair, all to be staged by CHRISTOPHER LIAM MOORE (August: Osage County, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Dead Man’s Cell Phone).

Opening in February in the Angus Bowmer Theatre along with ROMEO AND JULIET and THE WHITE SNAKE is George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind’s zany musical comedy ANIMAL CRACKERS. The play opened in New York in 1928 with the four Marx brothers and was quickly made into one of their most popular films in 1930. OSF’s production, running all season, will be directed by ALLISON NARVER, who is one of Seattle’s leading directors and recently helmed Seattle Repertory Theatre’s Three Tall Women by Edward Albee.

And also in February, OSF artistic director emerita Libby Appel’s adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s SEAGULL will open, directed by APPEL. Commissioned by OSF, the world premiere production was staged at Marin Theatre Company (Jan.27-Feb.27, 2011) and received rave reviews, among them: "Who knew Chekhov could be so sexy?" (San Francisco Chronicle), and "Appel's adaptation feels contemporary without straining and allows some of the emotional subtext to brim over into passionate language." (Theaterdogs.com)

The fourth show to enter the repertory in the Angus Bowmer Theatre will be a new version of MEDEA/MACBETH/CINDERELLA, co-adapted and co-directed by RAUCH and TRACY YOUNG. First created by Rauch as a college student, then mounted professionally in 1998 by Cornerstone Theater Company and The Actors' Gang and remounted in 2002 at Yale Repertory Theatre, M/M/C represents the weaving together of three title-character studies in royal ambition. Referred to as a “long bridge through Western culture,” Euripides', Shakespeare's, and Rodgers and Hammerstein's classics of populist theater are performed on one stage simultaneously, three-ring circus-style. In Rauch’s self-described “lifelong passion project,” full productions of all three plays are intercut and played together, creating surprising moments of synchronicity and revelation. In addition, OSF is proud to announce that MEDEA/MACBETH/CINDERELLA will tour to the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Next Wave Festival after it closes in Ashland.

The 2012 season will begin previews on February 17 and open the weekend of February 24-26. The previews for performances on the Elizabethan Stage will begin June 5 and opening weekend is June 15-17. The season will run through November 4.

2012 SEASON
ANGUS BOWMER THEATRE
ROMEO AND JULIET by William Shakespeare (February 17 – November 4)
Director: Laird Williamson

ANIMAL CRACKERS Book by George S. Kaufman & Morrie Ryskin, Music & lyrics by Bert Kalmar & Harry Ruby, Adapted by Henry Wishcamper (February 18 – November 4)
Director: Allison Narver

THE WHITE SNAKE by Mary Zimmerman based on the classic Chinese fable World Premiere (February 18 – July 8)
Director: Mary Zimmerman

MEDEA/MACBETH/CINDERELLA adapted by Bill Rauch and Tracy Young from Euripides, Shakespeare and Rodgers & Hammerstein (April 18 – November 3)
Co-directors: Bill Rauch and Tracy Young

ALL THE WAY by Robert Schenkkan World Premiere (July 25 – November 3)
Director: Bill Rauch

NEW THEATRE
SEAGULL adapted by Libby Appel, literal translation by Allison Horsley (February 23 – June 22)
Director: Libby Appel

TROILUS AND CRESSIDA by William Shakespeare in association with The Public Theater (March 21 – November 4)
Director: Rob Melrose

PARTY PEOPLE Universes (Steven Sapp, Mildred Ruiz-Sapp, Gamal Abdel Chasten, William Ruiz, a.k.a. Ninja) World Premiere (July 4 – November 4)
Director: Liesl Tommy

ELIZABETHAN STAGE/ALLEN PAVILION
HENRY V by William Shakespeare (June 5 – October 12)
Director: Joseph Haj

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, IOWA by Alison Carey, adapted from William Shakespeare World Premiere (June 6 – October 13)
Director: Christopher Liam Moore

AS YOU LIKE IT by William Shakespeare (June 7 – October 14)
Director: Jessica Thebus

OSF Hip-hop Open Mic March 7

2011-03-08T00:58:00.002-05:00

Visit the Oregon Shakespeare Festival blog to see pictures and become a part of the conversation!

We kicked off the 2011 season of Nexthetics at OSF on Monday March 7th with a hugely successful open mic in the Black Swan Theatre. The event featured the talents of our special guest, the hilarious and moving Hasidic Jewish poet and author, Matthue Roth. Our local community welcomed him with open arms. We are so grateful to Rabbi Marc and the members of Temple Emek Shalom for helping to host Matthue. The afternoon before the main event, Matthue led an hour-long workshop intensive that resulted in some inspired writing.

The evening started with a bang with original music by Shawn Beasley. Shawn is featured on our posters and attended our first ever open mic in 2007. Matthue rocked his feature and shared the stage with an impressive range of local rappers, poets, and singer-songwriters. Big kudos go to engineer Ben Cobb for hooking up a sound system that featured loop pedals, guitars, backing tracks and a turntable. To the kids who brought thier own turntables…you rock!

Thanks so much to everyone, audience and performers alike, for coming out and making our first Nexthetics event a perfect mix of talent, risk, and collaboration. We were blown away by the level of participation and the totally packed house in the Swan Theatre. We had to add seats throughout the evening so big thanks to our volunteers as well as Freda Cassilas and Sunshine Lampitoc from audience devolopment. Congrats to the winner of the free tickets to OSF drawing. It was the mother of a woman in the open mic who attended because her daughter needed her to bring her guitar. We’re glad we could reward her good deed so quickly. It was so great to celebrate language with poet Matthue and we can’t wait till the next open mic on April 4th with guest artist Angela Kariotis—so be sure to come back for more, spread the word, and let us know what you think!!

Deborah Raell is my brothers FAVORITE voice-over artist

2011-03-01T17:34:00.001-05:00

Deborah Raell is my brother's FAVORITE voice-over artist. I can see why. Check out this great review! (this is not the brother that just got married, this is my other brother who is a faithful christian)

HAPPY PRINCESS

Stephanie Perry Moore, Read by Deborah Raell • Unabridged • FEBRUARY 2011
ChristianAudio • Trade Ed.

HAPPY PRINCESS is the fifth book in a Christian coming-of-age series about an African-American preteen named Carmen. Deborah Raell vividly portrays the characters as she relates the story from the young teen s perspective. This particular book is focused on the changes happening to young Carmen s body and emotions as she grows into womanhood and discovers that God has a purpose for her. The author shares true-to-life lessons that are sure to hit home with many young ladies. This audiobook is an excellent resource for parents seeking to connect with their daughters during a difficult time of maturation. T.D. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Idiot illness

2011-02-24T02:08:00.001-05:00

I am an idiot
Continuing to be shocked and surprised
at the frailty of the human body
Like this is news
Like I don't know I have a compromised immune system
Like I'm not constantly reminded of my own limitations
But I keep forgetting
I'm not the woman I used to be
Used to be I could work 11 hour days
6 days a week
No problem
Now I am more reasonable
Just give me 8 hours
But I catch a frigging cold
And i'm knocked on my ass for a week
It's lame
I'm lame
Literally
Struggling to send out a few emails
Make few phone calls
See a friggin play
My life is so easy
So why can't I do it?
Today I made 4 phone calls
Voice horse and coughing
Typed emails through blurry vision
Triaging the bulk of the messages
So many people with unanswered questions
I feel inadequate but can only do so much
I drink chicken soup, tea and orange juice
Dizzily chopping garlic and Ginger
Wielding a butcher knife dangerously
Trying to force the health and vitality
Back into my body
I Sort paperwork while the room spins
My friend says i'm a work-a-holic
I say I have a job
It needs to get done
There's no one else to do it
I'd rather not get fired
Or fail
I don't get paid to sit around and heal
Also I think the work is important
I'm not even aiming for excellence this week
Just competence
One of my co-workers is a paraplegic
And he's not late for meetings
Laying around in bed
Lost in a mentholated haze
I am not depressed
But I am feeling repressed
Like I'm a hurricane trapped in a cage
A cage made of mundane illness
I got the sniffles
I need to get over it

The sicky gig

2011-02-18T00:37:00.003-05:00

So trying to recapture a moment
Impossible
Last time I featured at one and one
Inspired Word
My first time in over a year
With my new body
Still twitching all over the place
I had so many friends in the audience
They carried me and my walker down the stairs
I read new material and it killed
This time
6 months later
Opening for regie cabico
Whom my iPad transforms into reggae calico
One good friend in the audience
She's fabulous editor of magazine
Me feverish
Trying not to cough
Voice like sandpaper
I perform
I pull it off
But then I have to bolt
To go back to my friends and pack
Feel bad for not staying the whole set
But soooooooo sick
I don't remember anything except for this
Picture I can't figure out how to post from my iPad

African Hair Braiding

2011-02-17T00:28:00.000-05:00

So I'm at Amy Sato salon
Typical African hair braiding joint
Kinda empty warehouse vibe
photos of hairstyles cut from magazines
Peeling from the wall
2 hugely pregnant women
Speaking in French
Fixing our hair
I'm getting kinky twists
chatting with the other
Woman getting her hair twisted
Into tiny buns all over her head
The pregnant woman who speaks English
Wears a Kinte cloth wrap
Burns fake hair with a candle
Twisting the ends into hard knobs
creating tiny pony tails
Poking them into the buns
Giving her client a flowing mane
She suddenly starts screaming
I'm on fire, I'm on fire!
Her caftan in flames
Running around the salon slapping her back
The other pregnant woman sprays her
With the hose from the hair washing station
She strips it off and her jeans underneath
Are untouched
She's like
No problem
And goes back to melting fake hair

No peace

2011-02-14T18:16:00.001-05:00

Here is a video about the wedding for context!

Aint gonna hold my peace
By Claudia Alick
A gift for Jesse's wedding

Hook- sung by band
Speak now or forever hold your peace
No justice no peace No justice no peace
Speak now or forever hold your peace
No justice no justice no justice no

Sung by Claudia while band plays beat underneath
Ain't gonna hold my peace no more
Gotta speak my peace; gotta take the floor
Ain't gonna hold my peace no more
Gotta speak my peace; gotta take the floor and protest!

Spoken by Claudia while band plays beat underneath
The lady protests too much y'all might think
But this lady's the grooms sister so i gots to speak
Plus I sense this point of view is less than unique
Marriage as an institution has gotten pretty weak

It's a little like communism Works in theory
but in Practice People get greedy or bored
Or just want something more
Or are being exploited and so they get divorced

The concept of two people collaborating
To perpetuate the human race Is nothing new
Working in partnership makes you stronger, Its true
Shared resources, companionship,
maybe a little breeding or child rearing

But we've tarted it up with all this extra shit
The concept of love and the sacrament
Debeers and holy institutions must be making a mint
Selling that marriage is a thing that lasts forever

And of course it's great to get tax breaks
But it's also put you in a higher tax bracket
And god forbid you happen to get sued
Cause what's hers is his and his is hers

Because this contract is binding
If not in body or in soul
In combination of debt and loss of control

Has anyone really thought about it?
Guess they must
What with all those dang prenups

And So many treat marriage like it's something it's not
blocking folks access to what they need and want
People can come up with many arguments for why
Gay marriage ruins it for others
But the truth will see the light
That's what's folks is fighting for
Equal legal rights

Its Not like a man and a woman have to be religious to tie the knot
Or go to a church
Just need a license and some other person licensed to officiate
And give that permission to holy folks which is great
Why keep that right only for the judges let everyone gave access
Even to sexy black performance artists

Way do some religious folks want to block folks being a team
Must be fear of obvious
Cause If these 2 can so easily get hitched
What the heck does it all mean

But You can't argue marriage
ain't good for the economy
It encourages people to invest
And then makes it hard for them to divest

So really think about it
You're combining your assists and deficits
With the hope that you'll do better if your in it together

And I don't really get what this whole weddings about
The liminality of sexuality
Exposing yourself in public to eliminate doubt
An Excuse to throw an awesome party

So I want to challenge you
When you say I do
Make that shit true

Fuck the religion
Concept of love made up by troubadours
In the 17th century
Religious institutions took over
When folks started getting married naturally

And isn't it interesting a black man and woman
Would participant
Want to participate
In a ceremony steeped in slavery

Bur you two decided to jump the broom
In front friends and fam in the room
So in 6 months I challenge you to renew your vows
We paid for our tickets
This wasn't free
So com mitt
Make this marriage a guarantee

Watch her work

2011-02-14T16:54:00.004-05:00

click here for more info
Sitting in lobby of public theater
Watching Suzan Lori parks
Write on a red typewriter behind a velevet rope
Were all at tables surrounding
Working on our own writing
I'm writing my protest/toast for jesses wedding
Well actually I'm taking a break to write about this
The oddness of it
Watching someone write is actualy
Quite boring
But that's not what we are doing
We are quietly all writing
Near each other
Trying not to inturrupt
The ceremony of it
Do we hope her brilliance or creativity will rub off on us or something
Are they here for the free wi fi
A warm place with flat tables and quiet
I tried something like this last year
With my pen house Mondays
but they always devolved into drinking wine and talking

A red timer just went off!
Now they have said stop working
Now we get to ask her questions
And people are watching online
Live!
And folks are twittering questions to her
About process
Guess I should stop typing
But I want to go back to my poem
It's almost done!

Sending pain to Palin

2011-02-09T13:52:00.000-05:00

Feb 9

When it gets really bad
I take my pain and let it diffuse
Mist almost out of my body
But I feel guilty
Spreading that kind of negativity
All over the world
So I pack it into a small
Decorative box
Tie a bow on it
And blow it gently
Through the sky
Into the far distance
To Alaska
To Sarah Palin's home
So many invisible boxes
Stacked high around her
Like pandora bombs
Full of everything I am
Is it cruel
She s a humans
Why do I send her poison
Is it because I think that's what she does
Such a loud large voice
Spreading fear and insanity
Encouraging narrow minded insecurity
Beautiful on the outside
Like a well wrapped box
That looks like gift
But has horror inside
I am grateful to her
For taking what's inside me
That her home is where
all that badness belongs
Man I really am a bad person
Not just sending her all my negativity
But feeling justified in it
I must meditate on forgiveness
Understanding
Acceptance
Even with nasty minded unprofessional media hounds
I long to be a better person

Honestly feeling shitty

2011-02-04T14:16:00.002-05:00

Honestly feeling shitty
I'm really happy most of the time
But today sucked
Stated off nice
Got up early
Ate cream of wheat
Took medicine
Stretched
Smoked a cigarette
Bad I know
Then I started
Doing what I love
Making connections
Helping people make great art
Made business phone calls
Answered emails
Sorted paperwork
Got dressed
Fell down the stairs
Took moment assessed
No panic
Not the first time this has happened
Kinda caught myself on the down
But then I was stuck
And about to be late for a meeting
So I call a friend to come get me
She's awesome and is over in 15 min
In the meantime i'm slowly breathing
Relaxing
Twisting myself
So my weight will carry me
close enough to the rail
I swing my arm
Hurts like a bitch
Call the office to let them know i'll be late
Don't say why
It's a reason sure
And reasons just another
Name for excuse
Why complain
Not looking for pity
Or praise
Use my cane for leverage
Scoot myself to sitting
Slide down stair by stair
Dragging my little back-pack
At the bottom
I give myself a pep talk
Slow my heart rate
Test my body
Everything working
Just bruised skin and ego
And i'm upset
Angry
Pissed
Frustrated
Annoyed
Don't like being late
I was prepared
Paced myself
Careful
Active
Functional
Now i'm barely able to sit up
And about to cry
So I breath
Suck it up
Get outside to the stairs by the driveway and sit
Notice I left the door open
Can't go back
Smoked another cigarette
Try to find the humor
In the absurdity of it
Try to think that it's not a big deal
But I find being on time important
I think our work is important
Heard the car coming up behind me
Smashed my butt with the end of my cane
Giving it an extra grind
Grinding out my bad vibes
Turned and smiled as my friend
Called me courageous
I Deflect her compliments
Tried to make it through the day
Pretending
I hadn't just fallen down
A stupid fucking flight of stairs
I actually got some great work done
Several meetings
Phone negotiations
Artist bookings
Connecting to the local synagog
All while trying not to scream
Pulled it off for the most part
But there were a lot of grimaces
Body clenching
Rubbing my bruised knee
Laying my head on my desk
My office is not that private
Who cares if I was wildly productive
Appearance counts
And I was obviously fucked up
Reasonably so
I fell down a flight of stairs
But why do I live in a second floor apartment!
I feel like someone with beach front property
Who's surprised when a hurricane destroys it
I feel like I don't have enough time or money to make a change
Like this sucks
But would I ever find a place less sucky for the same or less
And even if such a place exists
When would I
But this is not working
So I go to bed early
And believe tomorrow will be a better day
But worry my days are beginning to be shaped
Much like my apartment
Summits to climb
Lengths to fall

OSF OPENS 2011 SEASON

2011-02-02T14:58:00.001-05:00

News Release

OSF Media Contacts:
Amy Richard amyr@osfashland.org
(541) 482-6811
February 2, 2011

OSF OPENS 2011 SEASON

Season dedicated to Emeritus Executive Director William Patton

ASHLAND, ORE.—The Tony Award–winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s 2011 preview performances begin February 18, opening a season dedicated to and celebrating the life of Emeritus Executive Director William Patton, who died January 13, 2011.

Patton came to OSF in 1948 as a lighting designer and jack of all trades and was appointed General Manager in 1953, Executive Director in 1981, and retired in 1995. He never lost his passion and dedication to OSF, remaining active at the Festival, meeting with donors and rarely missing a play’s opening in the 15 years after his retirement. Patton remained a fervent advocate for the arts throughout Oregon and the nation.

The 2011 season is a fitting celebration of Patton’s advocacy, commitment, and his fervent belief that the arts are essential to humanity and our civilization. In 2011 OSF Artistic Director Bill Rauch has pulled together a dynamic season of plays, “a gallery of living and breathing portraits that illuminate the richness of the human experience,” he writes in the season brochure, and “we’re aiming to inspire you, challenge you, uplift you and just maybe, leave you changed.

“These opening four productions are deliciously different from one another,” Rauch added, “and I can't wait to share them with audiences. We have worked hard to honor Bill Patton's incredible legacy with these highly theatrical and moving plays.”

The 2011 season opens at 8:00 p.m. Friday, February 25, in the Angus Bowmer Theatre with William Shakespeare’s darkly comic Measure for Measure, directed by Rauch. On Saturday, February 26 at 1:30 p.m. in the Angus Bowmer Theatre, theatergoers will experience the stage adaptation of Harper Lee’s timeless novel To Kill a Mockingbird, directed by Marion McClinton. At 8:00 p.m. that evening, audiences will be treated to an adaptation by Oded Gross and Tracy Young of Moliere’s The Imaginary Invalid, directed by Young. The final opening of the weekend is Julia Cho’s refreshingly poignant and funny new play, The Language Archive at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, February 27 in the New Theatre, directed by Laurie Woolery.

Shakespeare offerings opening later this season include Julius Caesar in the New Theatre, directed by Amanda Dehnert. On the outdoor Elizabethan Stage, OSF continues the saga of Prince Hal and Falstaff in Henry IV, Part Two, directed by Lisa Peterson and Love’s Labor’s Lost, directed by Shana Cooper. Also on the Elizabethan will be Gilbert and Sullivan’s comic operetta The Pirates of Penzance, directed by Rauch, the first time a fully-staged musical will be produced outdoors.

The fourth show to open in the Bowmer Theatre will be Tracy Letts’ highly acclaimed 2008 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning family drama, August: Osage County, staged by Christopher Liam Moore, and the final show to open is Carlyle Brown’s The African Company Present Richard III directed by Seret Scott.

Also playing in the New Theatre is the world premiere of Ghost Light, conceived and developed by Jonathan Moscone and Tony Taccone. Written by Taccone, the play is an intimate memoir about a son’s love for and loss of his celebrated father, George Moscone, who was assassinated in 1978. A co-production with Berkeley Repertory Theatre, the play is directed by Moscone, Artistic Director of California Shakespeare Theater. Ghost Light is the second play to be produced in the series of commissions for American Revolutions: the United States History Cycle, announced in June 2008.

And last, but not least, for the first time in its history, OSF will present a site specific theatre experience for audiences from August 7 through October 9 for matinees only. WillFul, devised by writer/director Michael Rohd and designer Shannon Scrofano with the OSF acting company, is a one of a kind theatrical experience.

Biographies of directors, designers and actors for the 2011 season can all be found here.

OSF’s 2011 season runs from February 18 through November 6, offering 789 performances (824 including WillFul) of 11 productions. The season is sponsored by U.S. Bank.

Measure for Measure (February 18 – November 6) by William Shakespeare
Lead Sponsor: Harry & David; Production Sponsors: Sandy and Katie Farewell and TheChautauqua Guild

This don’t-miss production is directed by Bill Rauch, who has said this is one of his personal favorites by Shakespeare—one that is deeply relevant, funny and full of wit and bite, all while examining issues of morality, hypocrisy and forgiveness. Rauch has set this production in 1970s urban America, and by choosing Latino actors for a number of roles and a trio of female mariachi musicians, Las Colibrí, issues of race and ethnicity factor into the play as well.

The tale begins with the Duke of Vienna who has left the city in the hands of his puritanical deputy, Angelo. The Duke hopes Angelo will enforce the laws of the city more strictly, but worried that the power might corrupt even Angelo, he disguises himself as a friar and keeps watch. Angelo immediately issues proclamations against prostitution and premarital sex, and sentences to death, a young man, Claudio, who has gotten his beloved wife-to-be pregnant. Claudio urges his sister, Isabela, who is about to take her vows as a nun, to plead on his behalf. Isabela goes before Angelo to plead for her brother, and Angelo is smitten with her beauty and eloquence. He offers Isabela a deal—her virginity for her brother’s life. She is outraged and refuses to comply, and it is only through the machinations of the Duke that Claudio is saved and Isabela’s virginity remains intact.

The cast of Measure for Measure features 18 actors and the three musicians, Susie Garcia, Mary M. Alfaro and Vaneza Mari Calderón, who are also part of the acting ensemble. Anthony Heald plays the Duke of Vienna, René Millán is Angelo, Stephanie Beatriz is Isabela, Isabel Monk O’Connor is Escalus, Frankie J. Alvarez is Claudio, Kenajuan Bentley is Lucio and Cristofer Jean is Mistress Overdone. A complete cast list is located here in the Artist section.

Scenic design is by Clint Ramos; costumes by ESosa, lighting by David Weiner; projections and video by Shawn Sagady, and music direction by Michael Keck. Barry Kraft and Martine Kei Green are dramaturgs; Rebecca Clark Carey is voice & text director; and Jerry Ruiz is assistant director.

To Kill a Mockingbird adapted by Christopher Sergel from the novel by Harper Lee
(February 19 – July 3)
Lead Sponsor: Peter and Helen Bing; Production Partners: Avista, Anonymous Applegate Donors

It’s a rare soul that hasn’t read Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel or seen the movie based on the book. This stage adaptation, directed by theatre artist Marion McClinton, brings Lee’s memorable characters, the Finch household—Atticus, Jean Louise (Scout), Jem and Calpurnia—and residents of Maycomb, Alabama to life. Fifty years after its publication, the tale still prods our national moral conscience.

The cast features Mark Murphey as Atticus Finch, Dee Maaske as Jean Louise, Peter Macon as Tom Robinson, Howie Seago as Bob Ewell, Susannah as Mayella Ewell, Isabell Monk O’Connor as Calpurnia, and playing the children are Kaya Van Dyke as Scout, Braden Day as Jem and Leo Pierotti as Dill. A complete cast list of this production is located at this link in the artists section.

Scenic design is by David Gallo; costumes are by Deborah M. Dryden; lighting by Dawn Chiang; shadow projections by Lynn Jeffries; music and sound by Michael Bodeen and Rob Milburn; Martine Kei Green is dramaturg; Evamarii Johnson is voice & text director; and Patricia McGregor is associate director.

The Imaginary Invalid (February 20 – November 6) by Molière and adapted by Oded Gross and Tracy Young
Lead Sponsor: U.S. Bank; Production Partners: Mrs. Donald Hare, Amy and Mort Friedkin in memory of Peter D. Thomas

The same team that re-imagined OSF’s highly popular 2009 production of The Servant of Two Masters has taken Molière’s 17th century comedy about the hypochondriac Argan and his household and injected it with 1960s French pop culture and original songs. Sure to be another hit with audiences, this production features satirical bite and requisite bawdiness.

The cast features David Kelly as Argan, K.T. Vogt as Toinette, Kimbre Lancaster as Angelique, Terri McMahon as Beline, Jeffrey King as Beralde and Christopher Livingston as Cleante. A complete cast list is located at this link in the artists section.

Scenic and costume design are by OSF Associate Artistic Director Christopher Acebo; lighting by Lap-Chi Chu; music by Paul James Prendergast; and choreography by Ken Roht. Lydia G. Garcia is dramaturg on the project; David Carey is voice & text director; and Corey Atkins is assistant director.

The Language Archive (February 24-June 17) by Julia Cho
Production Partner: Hitz Foundation

Julia Cho’s new play is a delightful tale about life’s contradictions. George is a brilliant linguist who captures the world’s vanishing languages, but is unable to communicate with his wife, who keeps leaving him cryptic messages in an effort to let him know he’s about to lose her. At work, George’s assistant is mute with adoration for him. And the last two speakers of the Ellowan language won’t record for George because they’re in the midst of a huge argument, and for harsh words, they speak only English. A beautifully written prize-winning story, The Language Archive explores the force and failings of words.

Directed by Laurie Woolery, the cast features Rex Young as George, Kate Mulligan as Mary, his wife, Susannah Flood as Emma, George’s assistant, and Richard Elmore and Judith Delgado as Resten and Alta, the Ellowans.

Associate Artistic Director and scenic designer Christopher Acebo has created the set. Costumes are by Christal Weatherly; lighting design by Geoff Korf and music by Todd Barton. Lue Morgan Douthit is dramaturg and David Carey is voice & text director. Jeffrey Lo is assistant director.

Previews, Openings and Tickets

Tickets remain available to previews and most opening performances. Patrons can save 40 percent on preview tickets. With the exception of To Kill a Mockingbird, tickets remain, and we invite you to check ticket availability online or call the Box Office at (541) 482-4331 or (800) 219-8161. Once again this season all “C” tickets are $20 for all performances. Preview and opening times and dates are as follows:

Measure for Measure Friday, Feb. 18, 8 p.m. (preview)
Measure for Measure Tuesday, Feb. 22, 8 p.m. (preview)
Measure for Measure Friday, Feb. 25, 8 p.m. (opening)

To Kill a Mockingbird Saturday, Feb. 19, 8 p.m. (preview)
To Kill a Mockingbird Wednesday, Feb. 23, 8 p.m. (preview)
To Kill a Mockingbird Saturday, Feb. 26, 1:30 p.m. (opening)

The Imaginary Invalid Sunday, Feb. 20, 8 p.m. (preview)
The Imaginary Invalid Thursday, Feb. 24, 8 p.m. (preview)
The Imaginary Invalid Saturday, Feb. 26, 8 p.m. (opening)

The Language Archive Thursday, Feb. 24, 8 p.m. (preview)
The Language Archive Friday, Feb. 25, 8 p.m. (preview)
The Language Archive Sunday, Feb. 27, 1:30 p.m. (opening)

An Important Note about Matinees, Parking and Access
New this year, matinees will begin at 1:30 p.m. through the entire season EXCEPT for August: Osage County which will begin at 1:00 p.m. April 20 through May 31 and August 11 through November 5. The city-owned parking facility next to the New Theatre is available for parking. Cost of parking is $1.00 during the day and $3.00 at night. For a map of the campus and directions, please visit our website.

Guarding

2011-02-02T01:55:00.003-05:00

A well meaning collegue
Advises me not to gaurd
Not to let my body get into the habit
Of being bent and unbalanced
But if I want fo make it through the day
I have to favor my good side
Which switches since it's not an injury
But a muscle disorder
I try to make my body move the way
Bodies are supposed to
So later I take the stairs without fear
I don't guard when i'm alone
Cause when I fall on my face
There's no one to see
Just me and my physical comedy
flat on my face immobile
like an upended turtle
Rolling to get a grip on the railing
to pull myself up
Dangerously
Precariously
Successfully
Luckily
But I think
This behavior is not logical
We guard to protect ourselves
I don't want to get hurt
I'm already in pain
So why add to it
But I continue to
In the blind hope that acting courageously
Pretending it's all all right
Will somehow make it that way
Magical thinking
He says it's not advice
Just concern
And observation
It's been two years
I'm not getting normal fast enough
If I don't hurry up and heal
This will be the new normal
And that's unexceptable
So I will try to be less guarded
Or at least look less so
Until I am
My

Need a Job?!

2011-02-01T16:04:00.000-05:00

Artistic and Production Administrative Assistant
Full time, year-round position

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is seeking an individual with superior administrative skills to provide clerical, administrative and artistic support to both the Associate Artistic Director and the Production Manager. This position is being reposted; the qualifications and requirements have changed. Each year, OSF presents an eight-and-a-half-month season of eleven plays in three theatres plus extensive educational offerings to students, teachers and all playgoers.

Duties include but are not limited to managing correspondence, calendar and appointments; managing travel schedules and arrangements for guest artists; maintaining calendars; providing logistic support and informational packets to guest artists throughout the production process; tracking expenses; maintaining distribution lists; typing and proofing contracts; and researching and providing research materials for production designs . For a complete job description, visit www.osfashland.org/about/work.

Four year college degree required. Three years of professional administrative experience are required. Experience in theatre or a college degree in theatre is useful but not mandatory. The desire and ability to learn the protocols and practices of theatre will be vital for this position. The successful candidate will have proficient computer skills (knowledge of Microsoft Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook are necessary, experience with Mac Systems, knowledge of AutoCAD, Vectorworks and Photoshop are a plus), and excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills. A current driver’s license and good driving record are a must. The successful applicant will also have the ability to work a variable schedule, including working some evening and weekend hours occasionally.

At OSF we believe that diverse ideas, cultures and traditions reflect the broad diversity of the nation and enrich our insights into the work we present on stage. We are committed to diversity in all areas of our work, including play selection, casting, marketing and public relation efforts, education programs, strategic recruitment of staff and volunteers, and the composition of the Board of Directors. Women and people of color are encouraged to apply.
This full-time position begins in February to March, 2011. Weekly salary range for this position begins at approximately $500. However, final offer will be determined based on experience and a variety of other factors. Some benefits include medical, dental and vision insurance. Relocation expenses will not be provided. To apply please send in a single email a) cover letter addressing your qualifications for the position, and b) résumé by February 11, 2011 to humanresources@osfashland.org. All documents must be in Word format or PDF; only complete applications will be considered. No phone calls please.
In order to avoid spam and scams, we request that you type in the subject line of your email the following information. Artistic and Production Administrative Assistant: Your Last Name, Your First Name (Source from which you learned about this position). Example: Artistic and Production Administrative Assistant: Capulet, Juliet (OSF website)

Eric Buenrostro Azúa
Human Resources Associate
Oregon Shakespeare Festival
(541) 482 2111 ext. 297
ericbu@osfashland.org
Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.

Celebrating the dream

2011-01-26T16:36:00.000-05:00

In a celebratory moment
At the Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration
Debrief meeting
I wave enthusiastically
greeting at a fellow committee member
full of pride and joy
At what our little multicultural group put together
My hands sometimes curl into fists involuntarily
She thought I wanted to give dap
A black thing
So I awkwardly punched her wedding ring
With my spastic arm
Grateful I didn't accidentally clock her
That would be something
Black girl attacks white woman
At diversity gathering
It was pretty hilarious
These meetings are always fun
The group is really amazing
Volunteering their time energy
resources
money
Just to help the community say
we don't hate each other
We got folks of different
genders
sexual preferences
Political affiliations
Income brackets
Ethnicities
religions
Races
Folks from all different places
From all over the valley
Working hard to make it happen
It's rather amazing
It's pretty special
At at the end of all the sacrifice
Passion
Creativity
Ingenuity
Perseverance
Communication
Education
Exhaustion
We get together to identify
How to make it better next year
So while we're celebrating
Bringing in more donations than last year
Someone complains
Black folks had been disrespected
Black voices hadn't being heard
A woman complained her voice wasn't heard
Her story of being a white woman
who had actually met Dr. King
So I start tap dancing
I've been cheerleading all this time anyway
I've got a sensitivity for energy
I'd hoped if I hurried us through the agenda
focused on our successes
We'd be happy
I like my meetings happy
Is it a weakness
Wanting to skate over the hard stuff
When challenges were brought up
We recognized Them
Brain stormed solutions
tried to honor
The members who felt
Left out
Or let down
didn't scold anyone for screwing up
Dropping the ball
Being rude
Being uncommunicative
Being self absorbed
For wanting the celebration to be only about them
Their experiences
Why would I admonish them
It's a volunteer job
We're a group of good people
Trying to do something good
It's hard to mess that up
Even if the show is terrible
And the thing starts late
With everyone in the dark
We just spent months
gathering hundreds of people to say
We don't hate each other
It's a simple goal
Mission accomplished
Of course i'm a kick ass producer
So the show kicked ass
Started on time
Online Live stream operational
Second venue occupied
About a thousand folks
Laughing
Crying
Being moved
Thinking about
A better world
Being better people
The money shot at the end
Rousing song
Tears
Embraces
And a march to the plaza
To hear the I have a dream speech
Gorgeous
But folks gotta complain
Not organized enough
Too much bureaucracy
Not enough talent
Too many acts
We need sub committees
Sub committees are a bad idea
Things should be done. My way
Things should be done my way
Things should be done my way
I want to say
Respectfully
Recognize your own weaknesses
Get humble
Listen to others
Appreciate their voices
Embrace the point
The reason we're doing this
Of course we think our story is important
Our point of view
The way we see things
We're all a little bit right
All a little bit wrong
Fumbling along
Trying our best
To just get along
But it won't work
Can't work
Unless we trust
That we are all in this together
Assume good will
And Chill

The Urgency of NOW

2011-01-19T20:10:00.002-05:00

"We are now faced with the fact, my friends, that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as being too late. Procrastination is still the thief of time. Life often leaves us standing bare, naked, and dejected with a lost opportunity. The tide in the affairs of men does not remain at flood -- it ebbs. We may cry out desperately for time to pause in her passage, but time is adamant to every plea and rushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbled residues of numerous civilizations are written the pathetic words, 'Too late.'"
-- Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., April 4, 1967

from you've cott mail :)

"We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never give up hope." Martin Luther King

"Civility is a tree with deep roots, and without the roots, it can't last." David Brooks SPT 01.16.11

"One can only face in others what one can face in oneself." James Baldwin

"We have only begun to know the power that is in us if we would join our solitudes in the
communion of struggle." Denise Levertov

"The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail."
Nelson Mandela

"All of us- we should do everything we can to make sure this country lives up to our children's
expectations." President Obama in his speech at University of Arizona 01.12.11

"It is a mitzvah to be joyful, even in the midst of hell." Rabbi Nachman of Breslav

"Plant goodness, harvest the fruit of loyalty, plow the new ground of knowledge." Hosea 10:12

"The highest compliment in prison is, 'he knows how to do his time'. How few of us do."
Bo Lozoff, in We're All Doing Time 1985

"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. Nonviolence takes a very long time." The Dalai Lama

from my firend cathy

The 23nd Annual Ashland Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Celebration

2011-01-06T14:59:00.001-05:00

News Release
Thursday, January 6, 2011

The 23nd Annual Ashland Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Celebration
to be held Monday, January 18, Noon to 1:30 pm

Ashland, Ore.— The 23nd annual Ashland Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration is scheduled for 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. Monday, January 18 at the Historic Ashland Armory in downtown Ashland. The event is free and open to the public. People are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to ACCESS food banks.
The observance of the slain civil rights leader's birthday is produced by a group of community volunteers and is sponsored by the Ashland School District, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the City of Ashland, Jefferson Public Radio, Ashland TV, and Southern Oregon University.
In his Letter from Birmingham Jail, Dr. King wrote, “We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality,” Continuing to take inspiration from Dr. King’s life and work, this year’s theme is Civil Rights and Civil Discourse.
Dr. King’s leadership inspired a transformation in society toward greater dignity, compassion and justice for all. Considering our world today, we have an opportunity to be a part of further transformation, fulfilling Dr. King’s dream for the world.
This year’s keynote speaker is social justice leader Magdaleno Rose-Avila, Executive Director of the Social Justice Fund in Seattle, Washington.
Keeping with the tradition of the community celebration this year's event offers a variety of speakers, music, dance and poetry, from David and Gabe Young, Las Colibri (female Mariachi trio featured in the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s production of Measure for Measure http://colibrient.com/) Liquid Fire Mantra, Natalie Tyler, and students from the Ashland School District and Southern Oregon University
D.L. Richardson from Southern Oregon University's Communication Department will emcee the event. For overflow attendees there will be, with the support of Ashland TV, a live-streaming simulcast held at CultureWorks located nearby at 310 Oak St. Overflow Audience will be greeted by the Peace Choir in this warm inviting space. Following the event, there is a march to the Plaza led by the Lotus Rising Teen Theater. At the Plaza, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech will be played in its entirety.
Come celebrate as a community! Seating is always limited and available on a first come basis, and each year the event is standing room only. The doors will open at 11:30 a.m. All ages are welcome and parents are urged to stay with their children during the event.
A live webcast will also be available for this year's MLK celebration at: http://www.ashlandhome.us/

Produced by a group of community volunteers and sponsored by the Ashland School District, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the City of Ashland, Jefferson Public Radio and Southern Oregon University, the event is free and open to the public. Sign language interpreters will be provided.

Keynote Speaker Bio: The son of immigrant parents and one of 12 children, Magdaleno Rose-Avila began his working life in the onion fields of southeast Colorado at the early age of 11. By 13, he was traveling the migrant stream picking fruits and vegetables. Today, he serves as Executive Director of the Social Justice Fund in Seattle, Washington.
The difficult work of thinning onions as a child provided the background and impetus needed to advocate for workers rights at a very young age. After spending several years organizing workers in Colorado, Rose Avila took on the position of lead organizer and spokesperson for the efforts of Cesar Chavez’s United Farm workers Union in the state of Colorado. He was a leading voice and figure in the Chicano Movement of the 1960′s and ’70′s and ran for public office for La Raza Unida Party.
Throughout his career, Rose-Avila has been a United States Peace Corps Country Director in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Paraguay and Micronesia. He has run congressional campaigns and worked for the Democratic National Committee, worked for Colorado Legal Services and The Colorado Migrant Council, taught theatre and sociology at the University of Colorado, and sociology at Colorado College. Between 1985 and 1993 he worked in a variety of administrative and leadership positions for the Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights organization Amnesty International USA. He was the Western Director for Amnesty International’s Campaign to Abolish the Death Penalty and served as the inaugural Executive Director for the Cesar E Chavez Foundation.
A gifted public speaker, he has inspired thousands throughout his career speaking at high schools, colleges, universities, meetings, conferences, and various public events.
With Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ, author of Dead Man Walking he founded The Moratorium Campaign. He also co-founded The Ahora newspaper and bookstore in Colorado, and is the founder of Homies Unidos, a gang intervention program with offices in San Salvador and Los Angeles.
He holds a degree in communications from University of Colorado in Boulder.

What: Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Celebration
When: Noon to 1:30 p.m. Monday, Jan 18
Where: Historic Ashland Armory, 208 Oak St., Ashland
Second Space!: For overflow attendees, there will be a live-streaming simulcast held at CultureWorks, 310 Oak St. Ashland, OR
Show is also available online during event http://www.ashlandhome.us/
Admission: Free, People are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to ACCESS food banks. Arrive early, seating is limited.

Ashland Martin Luther King Jr Holiday Celebration

2011-01-06T14:35:00.002-05:00

Ashland Martin Luther King Jr Holiday Celebration facebook page

So I'm trying to promote this event but can't seem to find the url for the facebook page. I think this is it.

The year in Claudia 2010

2010-12-30T23:36:00.001-05:00

(written in 2011)
Ok. No good excuse for not doing this in 2010
I'd regained the ability to type
I was obsessed with regaining the ability to walk on my own
I had moved from using a scooter to a walker
I spent most of my time stretching my body's ability
Taking myself over the edge
Recovering and doing it again
Actually much like this year!
I also worked at OSF a lot attempting to exceed the accomplishments of the year before
I think I was very tunnel vision
I had spent the previous year living in the moment
Immediate physical concerns will do that to you
This year by Novemeber I had regained the ability to think about the future
But there was mostly body and work
This time I ended the year in Hawaii with friends as close as family
Not as warm ocean as Grenada but still a tropical isle and lots of flat ground and an eliptical
As well as the not to be underestimated hot meals prepared with love

Here's what I remember...

-stopped using the scooter
-went to NYC for APAP Conference
-Performed poetry feature in New York
- Went to Spain to see performances at Fira Tarraga Festival with TCG
- Went to TCG Conference in Chicago and saw show at Chicago Neofuturists
-performed in hip-hop number in Daedalus, sang in choir
-recorded 6 audiobooks as voice talent
-presented workshop on Disabled Performers at ArtsNW
-Swam with a dolphin!! Thank you Cynthia Charles for helping this dream come true

Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2010 Season
--Hamlet by William Shakespeare, dir. Bill Rauch – Hip-Hop Dramaturg
--Ruined by Lynn Nottage, dir. Liesle Tommy – Line Producer
--Henry IV, Part One by William Shakespeare, dir. Penny Metropulos – Line Producer
-Produced 118 Green Shows with 57 separate acts
--Midnight Projects – Produced 14 company-member collaborations of original works, first staged script readings, play development projects, spoken word, musicals, and short plays involving 124 actors, performers, musicians, puppeteers, authors, sound, light, costumes, set technicians, dramaturges, and directors over 20 performances in 6 venues.
--Mixing Texts- Week long convening exploring the intersection of classical theater and nexthetics (hip-hop aesthetics) with 9 national hip-hop theater expert practitioners and classical theater makers: script development, community workshops, company development, and public performance.
-created 4 videos on with Denizens TV
- producer on Hamlet Audio Book with Blackstone Audio and Hollywood Theater of the Ear
-Southern Oregon Pride Band-shell Invocation and entertainment
-Southern Oregon Pride Kick-Off Celebration and Drag Show
-Daedalus Celebration variety show
-Juneteenth Celebration variety show and BBQ
-Open House on the Courtyard Stage variety show
-Martin Luther King Day Celebration variety show, march, live streaming,

Bucket list

2010-12-30T01:23:00.001-05:00

End of every year ya gotta make the list
You aren't going anywhere
(hopefully!)
But 2010 is going bye-bye
Most definitely
A bucket list is all the things you mean to do before you
Proverbially kick the bucket
So whatcha ya gonna do before
You put the nail in 2010?
This year I've got 3 more days to
Clean put all my email boxes and archive messages from 2009
Buy a piece of exercise equipment for my home
Learn to purl
Write the year in Claudia
Finish
Come to peace with the fact I will never finish my 2010 to do lists
Start a to do list for 2011!

Pain and water

2010-12-27T03:51:00.001-05:00

Pain and water

Used to be I was IN pain
Like submerged
In endless ocean
Like the little mermaid
But instead of Calypso crabs and singing fish
Singeing flesh and horrible
horrible monsters
Under the sea
Then I came up for air
Just enough to get hit with waves of it
Taste the salt of it
The stabbing, burning
Breathtaking specificity of it
The pace was incredible
So the I got used to the inevitability of it
got used to the rocking motion
Found comfort where I could
Learned how when to close my eyes
Got so I could swim
Then it was like I found a boat
Still hit with crest after crest
Of overwhelming pain
Moved uncontrollably
Lost at sea without a paddle
Then came more progress
Hard to tell with no compass
Eventually after ages of drifting
Starving
Lips cracked with the irony of thirst
I hit on something
Just a sandbar
Being worn away as the tide came in
I'd scramble for shore
The land disappearing
Beneath my feet
Rinse repeat
Rinse repeat
Rinse repeat
Until I got down with the life aquatic
My personal swamp
My wetland
I'm thriving like rice
Like the lotus flower
Like cranberries
Today I walk on beaches
Chop though damp jungle
Machete in hand
Sneakers on feet
Chopping my own path
Running on the elliptical until
My muscles scream
I still get drenched in the occasional rainstorm
But I've come to appreciate this water
Listen as it speaks to me
To know when to drink
I tip my head up
Open my mouth
get hydrated
After exercise I'm drenched in sweat
This pain is different
This pain is the same
And I embrace it
Means I'm healing
My body is mostly h2O
And so is this world

Claudia Swam with a dolphin

2010-12-23T23:50:00.000-05:00

NUff said! but I always gotta prattle. man, when ya got a dream chase it! Sure it was in a very controlled setting and I couldn't help but worry about the animal. Seemed happy with all the fish it could eat but it's skin was covered in sores. Powerful animal though. And one more thing I can cross off the Claudia Alick Life to do list.

Botticelli Beautiful

2010-12-23T03:52:00.001-05:00

Oh dear. There s a reason I don't have a scale at home. Weighed myself on my friends scale while on vacation and have been hit with disturbing truth. All this non-mobility and drug therapies have resulted in 40 pounds of extra weight. I wear it well but frankly it's tripping me out more than a little bit. Below is poetry that contains truth as well something I shall have to remind myself of as I slowly regain my abilities.

My body today
Is bodacious
Botticelli beautiful
Curvy
Voluptuous
Dead sexy
Like old school
Like fuck able
Nothing go take a picture of but
Something you want to take hold of
I now get why they call them love handles
My big fat dirt pillows
Make ya think of feeding babies
Breeding
I'm all hippy
And soft
Healthy looking
I'm learning to like it
Others already seem to

On walking 2

2010-12-16T04:06:00.002-05:00

On walking 2

So I discovered through my slow walking
The place where I would break
Was inbetween steps
Transition from standing here to standing there
This is when I would fall

Sudden onset
Hit me like so hard
The ground fell out
The earth beneath my feet
Displaced replaced by sheer cliff face
And me hang in on by fingernails
And I reached for any hand to pull me up
Caught a doctor
Who tested me
Like banging against the wall
Like wrenching
Needles and blood
Wires and drugs
And fingers slipped
No diagnose
Tests inconclusive
And I reached for a hand
Caught a doctor
Asked to hang there for awhile
So they could find a time for me to come in
So an actuary could approve the treatment the doctor ordered
Wait a few days in pain
Hands raw
Hanging on for dear life
Watching the precipice slide further and further from sight
Slipping, reaching, grasping, wrenching, repeating, repeating, repeating
Getting more exhausted, more depleted, more defeated
This is the worst part
The in-between place
We must acknowledge that lots of folks just drop from this treatment
Slipping, reaching, wrenching, getting blocked by barrier after barrier
Most folks bang up against barriers enough they stop banging
Which is why there are barriers
These barriers stop a lot of people from getting what they need to survive
And help some other folks make more money
Don't matter that in the long run it ends up costing us all more
Not just the people who die from not getting dental care
Or the right medicine, or have go make the decision
Do I spend money just to have somebody say can't find anything wrong
And trust when you hear
Can't find anything wrong
It sounds like
There's nothing wrong with you
Hypochondriac
Get over it
This process is tortuous
Banging up against cliff face
Arms screaming
Fighting for survival
Slipping, reaching, wrenching, getting blocked by barrier after barrier
Paperwork, money, approvals, appointments, and in between
Just trying to survive and have a life
Took me a year and 20 thou of debt to give up
Funny thing the doctors said
Stress was bad, avoid stress and get rest
So I'm working full time, second jobs, calling doctors,
insurance agents, medical advocates, killing myself in order to get better
So I stopped
Oh I kept on
Kept taking the medicines
Kept doing research
Kept trying different therapies
But no longer reaching for answers
No longer needing a doctor to say the magic words
This is exactly what is wrong with you
And this is how to fix it
This is when I recognized that we are all falling
The world turns and we are falling with it
And i wasn't on a cliff face
I was flat on my back
Flat on my back staring at the sun
Ok, flat on my back with a boot against my throat
But I wasn't falling any more than anyone else
Stability is an illusion
And that's when I flipped onto my belly
And started to crawl

Early adopter

2010-12-14T15:58:00.001-05:00

Early adopter

I am an early adopter
Downloader
Social networker
Self learner
Voracious reader
Entertainment consumer
I want to be in the know
Know where we want to go
Be down with the zeitgeist
Up with people
Connected
Constantly corrected
Understand the facts
How and why we act
I love to unpack
Nit pick
Find what's right with systems
Inspire groups
Identify personal passions
Poke the bear
Befriend the bear
Become the bear

Ameliorating Queer

2010-12-11T10:16:00.000-05:00

Man I love my life! Involved in interesting discussion with community group about terms and definitions used in the LGTBQO community. That alphabet soup is getting to be a mouthful but you don't want to use terms that make folks feel excluded or even worse discriminated against. Right? Reclaiming a painful term and ameliorating it can be a powerful tool but as Audre Lorde said (and I'm gonna butcher this quote) you can't use the masters tools against them. (Although truly I don't get that cause you could totally kill a master with his own pick ax right?!) Anyways here are a couple of resources I shared with the group to aid in the discussion.

LGBT topics
The meaning of queer: Moving beyond our resistance to language
By André P. Grace, PhD
Department of Educational Policy Studies, University of Alberta
http://www.womensweb.ca/lgbt/queer.php

The Word "Queer"
Is "Queer" a Derogatory Word?
By Ramon Johnson, About.com Guide
http://gaylife.about.com/cs/gaylifeglossary/a/queer.htm

“Queer: Used as an umbrella identity term encompassing lesbian, questioning people, gay men, bisexuals, non-labeling people, transgender folks, and anyone else who does not strictly identify as heterosexual. “Queer” originated as a derogatory word. Currently, it is being reclaimed by some people and used as a statement of empowerment. Some people identify as “queer” to distance themselves from the rigid categorization of “straight” and “gay”. Some transgender, lesbian, gay, questioning, non-labeling, and bisexual people, however, reject the use of this term due to its connotations of deviance and its tendency to gloss over and sometimes deny the differences between these groups.”
http://internationalspectrum.umich.edu/life/definitions

random thoughts on theater culture and hiring

2010-12-10T15:47:00.002-05:00

Recently I've been visiting friends blogs so much fancier than mine. They have clear articles and special branded banners. That's not what this is. For me this Blog is essentially an online journal and repository of random creativeness as well as links to cool material I check out. It's a little window into my brain that I use to write stuff. I figure can't really take next steps till you put it out there. I believe in developing work on it's feet so to speak. Of course the writing on here slowed significantly when I lost the ability to type. I've almost got it back fully now. Get set for more random jots and thoughts on my current obsessions. I hope to have a more robust output in the coming months.

On theater culture and hiring

So I belong to this cohort of theatre artists working on diversity in the theater field. I also work at an awesome theater that has been doing a lot of hiring lately. It's got me thinking about the tension between young folks with degrees and older folks with experience. Both of these populations feel in competition with each other. Are they? Folks who have a BA or no degree and have been working in the field for a decade say they have trouble being considered for jobs because they don't have graduate degrees. Younger folks say it's tough to be considered for jobs because they don't have authority or experience. How much experience does a leadership position require? Most of the folks I've spoken to have pretty diverse backgrounds in terms of the types of jobs they've held. Is this an asset or do they seem inexperienced at a bunch of different stuff?

Longevity is also a strange character in this. Some theaters care deeply about how long the person will work for them once hired. No one wants to invest in someone, get them all trained up and have them bounce in a few years. But isn't this what we've trained the current generation to do? Young people don't trust longevity anymore, they don't trust that investing time and passion in an organization will actually lead to job security. I think we all feel pretty insecure right now.

Also in terms of diversity don't you need a healthy mix of people who learned in the field as well as young blood with a fresh perspective? I'm not even going to get into what young means or is but I can say this. I'm in my 30's and am considered young. I am also assumed to be inexperienced although I started my first theater company at the age of 16. How much does over 15 years of experience in a field count for today? What if I didn't have my Masters degree? Would I be where I am today?

Ultimately it's about who can do the job well and I'll say it again. A smart company has employees who have taken multiple paths to knowledge. You need different types of learners to make sure your organizations is robust. These two groups should not be in competition. They need to be in collaboration.

Reverse Racebending: ‘Mysterious Skin’”

2010-12-09T17:08:00.001-05:00

another awesome link to a blog talking about my past and current obsession the represention of race.

http://youoffendmeyouoffendmyfamily.com/reverse-racebending-mysterious-skin/

On walking 1

2010-12-08T04:03:00.000-05:00

On walking 1

So I'm teaching myself to walk again
Walking slow motion to figure where it's not working
Just like in my college undergrad class
Where spent approximately 25 cents a step
Frustrated not because we were spending
Entire class periods walking back and forth
But because i saw it as an exercise in futility
If you want to craft a perfect walk
It takes months, years not hours
And obviously the class wasn't teaching us how to be perfect
It was teaching us how to teach ourselves to perfect
Expensively
And of course I wanted to the perfect walk
But I didn't have time to practice walking for months, years
I was too busy getting places I wanted to go
Hustling
moving and shaking
Cut to me a decade later
Spending months, years perfecting my walk
Cause how you gonna run shit
If you can not walk

Love me some Jean Grae

2010-12-07T20:48:00.003-05:00

Head bumpin at work via Pandora. Just entered all the female rappers from this list http://www.buzzle.com/articles/best-female-rappers.html

Colbert on White Reperations hee hee

2010-12-03T18:44:00.001-05:00

Why is my blog dominated by White Male voices talking cogently about race? GOtta diversify but dang that Colbert is funny! Click this link to check out the mad humor. http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/367132/december-02-2010/the-word---the-great-white-wail

still true, nuff said

2010-12-01T18:19:00.000-05:00

There are those among the white race and those among the black race who assert, with a good deal of earnestness, that there is no difference between the white man and the black man in this country. This sounds very pleasant and tickles the fancy; but, when the test of hard, cold logic is applied to it, it must be acknowledged that there is a difference,—not an inherent one, not a racial one, but a difference growing out of unequal opportunities in the past.

- Booker T. Washington - 1899

Another useless rant about traveling disabled

2010-11-29T13:54:00.005-05:00

Another useless rant about airlines and traveling disabled
I'm sorry
It's already extra energy just to get dressed
To pack
To walk
To think while in pain
So you want me to take off my shoes for you
To lift my bags by myself
Empty them out
Give up my cane
Give up my walker
Let you pat me down
Fine
But you seat me in the back of the plane
Your too busy to check my ticket
Your too busy because you've sold more seats than you have
And your scrambling
And the desk was built for 2
You can tell there are supposed to be 2 people helping
But there's only one and she's scrambling
Trying to find someone to be cool with
The fact that you sold them a ride you can't give
And I'm asking for help
And I'm being ignored
I finally yell when they begin boarding the plane
Disabled people go first
They say sorry
Like a verbal apology really helps
Like a distracted half-hearted apology
Will stop the pain I will be in from standing behind other passengers
In a line I'm legally supposed to be at the front of
I get on the plane with no help
Why would flight attendants help with bags
I'm told that's not their Job
They are there to give safety announcements
To tell us how to put on our safety belt
Like it's that complicated
I ask about my wheelchair
But they won't give me 2 helpers
They want me to carry my bags and my walker on my lap
The flight attendants can't help
They can only advise from on board
And sell me snack packs
Transitioning between planes
Is nones responsibility
Apparently
Gotta work it out on my own
Oh boy time to fly
While they deice I sit
Dismissed
Physically distressed
Feeling disrespected
Now time to let it go
Turn off my electronic device
And rest up for the next leg
In my uncomfortable seat
Cause it's always the same
Who's gonna change

(this was written on the plane to salt lake where I was to change planes and be home in an hour but because they places me in the back of the plane I was just late enough to not be allowed to board and am now waiting in the airport until 9:30. I need to lie down and was told my options were the floor and the floor. I'm exhausted from getting up at 6:30 to get driven all over Montana just to wait a full day and evening in the airport. Spoke to my sister and am less upset but this is physically badness and will cripple me for tomorrow. On a good not the young man who pushed me in my wheelchair was actually great. He had a good attitude and pushed me smoothly while pushing my walker at the same time. Only problem was he talked to the gate folks for me so I was not part of the conversations about my flight. People in wheelchairs don't like it when you talk about them over their head like they are not there or they are a child.

Looking for love

2010-11-28T22:35:00.000-05:00

My married friend recalls when we were teenagers
I asked her how she dated so much
I wanted to date
I knew I was attractive
But no one asked me out
She asked me who I liked and I named one guy
She liked like fourteen
She said this was the secret
I was too picky
I needed to learn to like more people
But I just couldn't make myself
Attraction has to come naturally
Today she is settled with 2 children and a
A life style much as she pictured it
Teaching grade school
Having fun the same way we did in high school
Playing board games with friends
Finding pleasure in those she loves
We were little visionaries
Today I'm single with a great career in theater
Not famous but doing well
I've dated a millionaire but he wasn't attractive enough
Plus he was dot-com and now broke
I dated a medical student now a doctor
Selfish and self absorbed
A Private investigator
An impatient painter
Poets and actors and writers
Boys and girls
Several models with great abs and sexy hair
Several men who worked with wood
A couple of scientists
a few dead beat nerds
Finally I decided to settle for an attractive musician with a career in television producing
But we were not compatible not matter how much I tried to change myself or him
Now I live in a place where there is no one to date
My friend argues that that is statistically impossible
I don't have time to get to know people long enough to see if I like them
Or I worry about the ramifications of dating someone I work with
I've always depended on fate to bring people into my life
I'm was the queen of the cute meet, the set-up, the random hook up
But now the only thing I rule is the dry spell
So I have decided to simply try to make more friends
Do more social activities thAt put me out there
And actually try and find other human beings attractive
Interesting
Beautiful
Cause I know they are
If I can not love others
How can I love myself?