The House of Ash

Last week marked another production of GirlPower. Check out some pictures below and on my photo blog. We also found out that GirlPower was accepted into the annual NYC Fringe Festival (yaye!). I have been working on the paperwork to get all of that in order. I'm looking forward to being part of FringeNYC, as I have enjoyed so many productions in the past. This will be a wonderful opportunity for all of the girls involved, too. Can't wait to get the ball rolling on this...

Other than that, my high school is having its 25th anniversary of the visual and performing arts academy on May 29th, 2009. Check out an article about it here: http://www.app.com/article/20090512/GETPUBLISHED/905110313/-1/OPINION05 . Looking forward to attending it and catching up with people that I haven't seen in years! Lots of people are doing great things, so it will be fun to hear all about it.

Speaking of catching up, I had a wonderful time with students, faculty and alumni from the Pace sociology/anthropology department last night. Below is a terribly pixilatd picture from the dinner. Roger is one of my mentors and favorite people in the world. Aseel, who is my other mentor and favorite person in the world, doesn't like her picture flaunted everywhere. I talk about them both A LOT... though I think this is one of the first times they've been mentioned on this blog. Sometimes I just say "My mentor ... " but usually when I say that, I'm referring to one of them.

Roger and me

Today, I signed up for University Settlement's "Health and Wellness Challenge" in which I have pledged (to myself) to loose 10 pounds. I have been adjusting many habits and cutting out sweets (including diet coke which makes me crave sweets). Living in NJ has had a good impact on this, as most everyone in my family is fit (they are at the gym every morning at 5am for 3 hours... no joke). I haven't committed to that *yet* but I should start. To reiterate, University Settlement is where I co-facilitate an after school Arts and Leadership program (a.k.a. job #1).

I have a new job at Battery Park Conservancy. It's great! I've been learning a ton about the environment, conservation and New York City's efforts in creating environmentally friendly parks and recreation spaces. We facilitate great events (that are FREE!) for the community. If you are in the area, you should come by and enjoy it. Not only are the parks gorgeous and right on the water, with the most perfect view of the Statue of Liberty (http://www.bpcparks.org/bpcp/home/index.php). I caught a striped bass at a fishing event last week. I've never caught a fish before. It was small, so I let it go.

Ashley's Striped Bass

One of the coolest things about starting a career in theatre (I think!) is the opportunity to work many different "money jobs" (as they are called in this business). Most people probably don't embrace this as enthusiastically as I do, but I've had some pretty fun (and ridiculous) jobs including:

- Dressing up as a giant Rubix cube in Times Square to promote "The Awesome 80's Prom"
- Jumping out of grounded airplanes to test safety equipment for the FAA (weird, scary, fun)
- Acting as a "Newsie" to promote the Broadway show "Gray Gardens!" (Extra! Extra! Read all about it...)
- Wrapping and shipping props in a prop shop to/from Martha Stewart's tv show set

Right now, I'm just so happy to have jobs and be saving money in this economy. For anyone in need of a money job, playbill.com is a great resource. Craigslist and Idealist are also helpful. However, often the best resource (and the reason I got the new job at Battery Park) is a referral from friends. Ask around and network.

Aside from the commute (which, surprisingly has not been that bad) I would highly recommend living outside of Manhattan. Not only is it cheaper, but it has given me space to decompress and breathe, therefore, I've been getting a lot of reading, writing and editing done. I have also been saving LOTS of money. Most everything is cheaper outside of Manhattan (no more $9 cereal boxes from Gristedes). I have committed myself to no longer eating out at restaurants and spending needless money on food. I know this sounds obvious from both health and money saving perspectives, but ordering out was always the best option for my busy schedule. The habits I'm forming now must stay with me when I move again, which will probably be before the Lab beings.

I will be doing the GRE before the Lincoln Center Directors Lab. I have to. I will not be able to focus (on either) if I don't. I won't lie... I'm not looking forward to the GRE, in fact, I'm dreading it. I did a preliminary verbal GRE and did okay. I do not expect to do well on the quantitative section, as I have not done math since high school. I will not be posting much more on this topic, as it will only lead to me complaining about the ridiculousness of it and how one standardized test reflects nothing about my ability as an anthropologist etc. Kaplan says, "Complaining about the GRE doesn't make your score go up". They are right. It's unnecessary to put bad energy out there.

I've been thinking about changing the title of this blog to "The Director's Life"... but that's a little rigid since I do more than direct. I have also thought about "The Actor's Life", "The Anthropologist's Life", "They Playwright's Life", "The Artivist's Life"... but they are all a little rigid as well. I guess there is no need to box myself. For now, it remains "They Artist's Life".

This statement about the death of Augusto Boal was released by the Center for the Theater of the Oppressed in Rio de Janeiro. It was written by Bárbara Santos on behalf of the CTO-Rio. I have copied it from Robby's blog... http://reconsider59.tumblr.com/ .

**

Brothers and sisters in arms, companions in the struggle. Our beloved comrade Augusto Boal, that tireless sower of seeds, whotravelled the four corners of the earth scattering the seed of theTheatre of the Oppressed, is on yet another journey. He set off in the early hours of the second of May. He spent the First of May, May Day, in a vigil of solidarity with the workers fighting for a fairer and happier world, a world of solidarity. He set off on this special journey, for which reason he was not able to be physcially present at any event. But, as was his habit, he lived, loved and worked to the last drop of his energy, leaving ready (for publication) the new version of his book, The Aesthetics of theOppressed. He also left express instructions that no event should be cancelled because of his absence. “Isnt that the very point of Multiplication?”

Yesterday, on the third of May, we held a farewell ceremony. The cremation of his body marked the start of a new phase of the Theatre of theOppressed, in the physical absence of the Master himself. We wept, we talked, we sang. Celse Frateschi recited, beautifully, a passage from*Arena Conta Zumbi*. We sang a song written by Nuno Arcanjo. And CeciliaBoal, with all her strength and vitality, told the world that her husband should be remembered as the warrior that he always was. We dried our tears and affirmed Boal’s leaving.His body has gone, but not his presence! This Saturday, the 9th of May,from 5 pm to 8 pm (Brazilian time), we will pay homage to him and his presence at the Centre of the Theatre of the Oppressed with music, poems, performances and videos. At 7 pm we stop for a moment of tribute in Boal’s honor. We will celebrate the life, the struggle, the productivity, the work of Augusto Boal and the continuity of that work. We ask that everybody do same as us, and pay homage to him this Saturday. It will not be easy to follow our Master, Partner, Friend and Comrade in the Struggle. But what has ever been easy in the trajectory of the Theatre of the Oppressed? Ethics and Solidarity will be our foundations and our guides. Multiplication will be our strategy. And our goal will remain the same: to create concrete social actions to transform oppressive situations into realities of peace and justice.Viva Augusto Boal!

Barbara Santos, 4 May 2009 Centre of the Theatre of the Oppressed, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

We pray for the dreamers of this life, O God,
for those persons who imagine new possibilities,
who long for what others cannot perceive,
who spin dreams of wonder and majesty in their minds.
Defend them from ridicule and harsh criticism,
from self-doubt and lack of faith in their dreams,
and from abandonment of this call to make things new.
Grant that from their dreams
may come forth blessings for humankind
to enrich the quality of life
and the wonderment of us all.
Amen.

- Vienna Cobb Anderson

Theatre of the Oppressed Founder Augusto Boal Dies at 78

Legendary political theater practitioner, director, and teacher Augusto Boal died on May 1, from complications arising from a long-term health condition, according to the The Theater of the Oppressed Laboratory in New York City. He was 78.

Boal is best known for founding the Theatre of the Oppressed, an international movement and system for creating theater that seeks to examine forms of discrimination and oppression, with the goal of possible transformation. He conducted workshops throughout the world, and his techniques have been widely inspirational and influential.

Boal authored several books, including Theatre of the Oppressed, Games for Actors and Non-Actors, The Rainbow of Desire, and Legislative Theatre. He served as a Member of Parliament for Rio de Janeiro in the 1990s and was formerly the President of the Centre of Theatre of the Oppressed in Rio de Janeiro and Paris.

Clearly, I like quotes...

"You can go a month without food, you can live three days without water, but you can't go more then sixty seconds without HOPE." -Sean Swarner

"Optimism is a strategy for making a better future. Because unless you believe that the future can be better, it’s unlikely you will step up and take responsibility for making it so. If you assume that there’s no hope, you guarantee that there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, there are opportunities to change things, there’s a chance you may contribute to making a better world. The choice is yours." - Noam Chomsky