Hurricane Matthew devastates Haiti - October 2016

Pictures from THE ATLANTIC, October 2016

Lest we forget, the location in our story refers to a very real place; Haiti, an island located next to the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola.  In October of 2016 Haiti was -once again- devastated by a Hurricane, this time it was Matthew, a category 4 storm that gathered strength in the warm Caribbean waters before slamming into Haiti and Cuba.  

We see these pictures and hear the stories on the news, but fail to become emotionally involved because it's happening in a place that feels so far away, so remote, so different from our way of life, that it may as well be on a different planet.  But it's not really that far; not really that remote.  Haiti is as close to us as Salt Lake City, Utah and these pictures remind us that the Haitian people go to work, go to school, go to church just like our neighbors and families.

Perhaps these pictures can inform the line "We are dancing just to stay alive"

Welcome

Hi Everyone,

In this very unique rehearsal process, we spend more time away from each other than with one another.  In order to keep in touch, I thought a blog might be a good way to stay connected.  You'll soon find out that I love the research element of doing shows, and I always enjoy sharing what I discover with the actors, designers, and technicians.  Hopefully you'll find some of this information useful.

The first little bit I'd like to share is the original NY Times review of ...Island, by one of the toughest (and smartest) critics around - Frank Rich.  Note his comparison of "We Dance" to "Magic To Do" from Pippin and his use of the term "storytelling style".

From the mood-setting first number, titled ''We Dance'' and reminiscent in spirit of Bob Fosse's ''Magic to Do'' in ''Pippin,'' the audience is drawn into the evening's once-upon-a-time storytelling style and fantastical atmosphere.

The New York Times
May 7, 1990
Frank Rich

It's no accident that my conceptual statements about OOTI included the term "storytelling".  This means that actors can switch roles, suddenly play inanimate objects, and at times directly address the audience.  Apparently this style made an impression on Frank Rich, and will likewise engage our audiences.

Next, notice his description of the ending - "a catharsis".  THAT'S what we need to be playing for.  Not a nice package wrapped up in a bow, but a real catharsis, which is defined by Webster as: The process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions.

''Once on This Island'' has the integrity of genuine fairy tales, in that it doesn't lead to a saccharine ending but to a catharsis, a transcendent acceptance of the dust-to-dust continuity of life and death. ''Why We Tell the Story'' is the concluding song for the evening's storytellers, and one of those reasons is that ''our lives become the stories that we weave.'' As the story and its tellers at last come full circle in ''Once on This Island,'' the audience feels the otherworldly thrill of discovering the fabric of its own lives in an enchanted tapestry from a distant shore.

The New York Times
May 7, 1990
Frank Rich

So, are we agreed?  Let's work to make sure our ending is cathartic, not just pleasant.  The stakes of this play are nothing short of life and death.

Look for more stuff as we move through the process.  Also, if you come across anything interesting in your own research that you'd like to share with the cast, crew, and designers, let me know and we'll put it on the blog.

I'm looking forward to creating this with you!

Kevin