Blog Update March 2nd & 9th, 2008

March 9, 2008

Well. Anther busy week here in Majuro, and another week closer toward the play. I think that one of the things that I am most amazed by is how much support there continues to be from the local community. That - and the fact that we have an amazing group of kids this year and every week as both Jess and I get to know them better, it puts it all in perspective… why we are actually here.

The week’s highlights!

Fundraising continues to be moving really well. This week we raised $1150 with support from a private donations from two of the yachties, The American Ambassador, North Pacific Insurance, the National Telecom Authority.

Jess has been continues to be leading some great rehearsals. We have blocked up to Act III, Scene II now and the one of our students is off book and we are pushing for the others to be off book by up to this point in the play by next week.

We have branched out and are doing a number of initiatives to support the local community:
Yesterday we teamed up with a group of over 40 Japanese Volunteers (JOVC) and students from Delap Elementary to participate in an island clean-up and managed to collectively fill a full truck load of garbage and recycling! We followed this activity up with an hour long theater based workshop that looked at environmental issues, which the students really enjoyed.

Jess led an issues based drama workshop the week before with Youth to Youth in Health, an organization that uses theater for education about health issues. She led a forum theater based workshop which was incredibly well received!

Our next cast community event is planned for next Friday and we hope to be able to work with the Marshall Islands visitors authority on an airport trash clean-up and show do a movie screening afterwards. Mack and Jason, our two Assistant Directors are taking the lead on this project.

Media Team – Dan has finished off the first of the documentary films in the series! We will be screening it tomorrow for the cast. Loren is now coordinating the journalism team. We have been talking with the College of the Marshal Islands and one of their radio broadcast journalism classes may be working with V7AB, the local radio station to air stories on the project. The media team has been very busy this week doing a series of interview with cast members for the second documentary film we hope to release… stay tuned!

Photography workshop number II was a success. I took a small group of kids out on Saturday to train them in the basics of

Kristin’s went on tour with her rugby team and was able to secure a first place in the international tournament held in Guam!!

And the yacht team that I joined today won Meico Yacht Club monthly race today!

Please Consider a donation to support the project at http://ybglobal.org/donations.shtml

Vinny

March 2nd, 2008
Highlights of the past week:

Another good week in fundraising! This past week drew in just under $1500 in cash and in-kind donations. Supporters this week include: PII, RRE, US Ambassador Clyde Bishop, EZ Price, Deloitte and Touche, Monica’s Restaurant, and North Pacific Insurance
Special thanks to Alson who has been working very hard to get us the first half of the script translated into Marshallese. The kids have really enjoyed getting into the text and are making great progress now through to Act III.

Our Production interns are stepping into the limelight now and have really impressed us with their willingness to step up to the plate and assist in directing. Jess structured a wonderful devised theater piece and Jason, Dustin, and Martha eagerly took on leadership in choreographing the rescue on the ship wreck.

The media team got a little taste of a photography workshop I led a week ago – check out some great photos by Barelson, Jabenu, Jason, and Oscar below.
We’re excited to welcome Hemant on board to coordinate our music team!
The cast had a first go at some improv theater with a workshop I led last Thursday and had a great time hurling status insults and praises at each other
Later that evening I introduced them to a night of treachery, politics, and deception over a delightful game of mafia for our cast’s first social event
On Friday Jess led a fabulous murder mystery dinner party for some of the volunteer crew and folks who have been helping us out with the play
Kristin’s been working some magic on our budget and getting official approval for (fingers crossed) the new convention center as a performance venue. Let me tell you - I appreciate accountants more than ever before! She’s away for 2 weeks in Guam at a Rugby tournament so send a little virtual cheer her way!
And this past weekend, I managed to squeeze in a few lessons on sailing outrigger canoes and snag a wakeboarding session with the guys from the Indies Trader – big surf holiday cruiseship. There is something magical about being out on the water in the lagoon.

After putting together a plan for the media team, I was keen to look designing a basic training for the students on the media team, working in combination with Dan & Loren I offered a “Developing a photographic Eye” workshop – think a 101 in shooting still shots while Dan and Loren gave the kids a practical workshop becoming familiar with and using the video camera equipment.

Teaching Photography

Given that it was the first time I have ever designed a workshop for teaching photography it was an interesting challenge. Where do you start with a group of 14-18 year olds, some of whom have never touched a camera in their live before?
I decided that a logical place to start would be to look at elements that make up a good picture and began to piece together and lesson outline (see below – for those of you who are also photographers, I’d more than appreciate your comments on the outline). In order to discuss the different topics, I picked out a few example photos that I had taken on previous projects – the Youth Bridge Global project in Bosnia and in China. Part of the choice to use my own photos was so I could elaborate on the context of where these photos were being taken, but also because I could describe the process that I went through in taking certain photos. After illustrating an example or two of some of the technical vocabulary that I wanted them to become familiar with and begin to conceptually appreciate, I then had them describe to me what they saw in another sampling of photos.

Next came the practical application. First was a walk through in care and handling of the equipment – it’s not easy parting with your own personal camera, but after making very clear how expensive the equipment was and how to take care of it I had to accept that you can only be so protective if you really want someone to learn – at the end of the day, you have to trust them.

The next task was to give them an assignment. Working in pairs with a camera, I told them that they have to alternate photos after taking five shots and their task was to go and take at least 30 photos in three categories. The first was to take ten pictures of a landscape photos. This involved thinking about elements of composition, balance, light, etc. The second task was to take ten photos close-up (still-life shots at less than a meter away). The final task was to take ten portraits of people – by far the hardest challenge and probably the most fun for the kids too.
The amazing thing about digital photography is that kids can make no mistakes! The other thing is that once you give them the vocabulary (and the conceptual understanding) of what makes for a good photo, they just roll them off. I think the thing that I was most impressed by was a. the abstract eye that a couple of them had, and b. the willingness some of the kids had to go up to random strangers and ask to take their photo. In some ways, taking pictures of human subjects is one of the hardest challenges in photography and it was the tip of this ice-berg that I wanted to get the students into. “Walk up to someone. If they are older, then smile and ask them if you can photograph them,” I told them. “Get close though – I want you to be less than a meter away if you are taking a portrait.” For me, I have realized that one of the biggest fears that a photographer must overcome is the fear of rejection. And part of that is cultivating a sense of sensitivity when taking pictures of strangers, but also a sense of connection. Good pictures require a certain level of trust to be built first.

* All the photos on this posting were taken by students during the photography workshop

Vinny

Shakespeare for our time... not 'Marshallese time'

It's hard to believe that we are now in Week 5 of our multi-culutural, multi-lingual, multi-everything Shakespeare project. We spent a tiring few weeks trying to dissuade the kids from their 'Marshallese time' mentalites (Marshallese time, I think, runs precisely two hours behind usual time, and is the extent to which it is considered okay to be late- i.e. don't be surprised or annoyed if kids turn up to your 3pm rehearsal at 5, when you are just finishing up). However, we seem to have had some success with training them out of this, and we've now got our hard-core group of committed thespians who are bring the Bard to life in Majuro.

It is difficult to comprehend what a tough job they have ahead of them. Most children read very little English or Marshallese, there are few books on the Island and most text-books are shared between several students, many of which are very dated (Robert Reagan is the President of the USA according to some of the MIHS library books). We are not only expecting them to read a full length script, but to learn speeches in Shakespeare's language, and to jump between Marshallese and English as the script dictates. The exciting thing is that every single student has taken this in their stride and arrives at rehearsals excited about what lies ahead. Keeping people's attention is the next challenge of course, when computers, books and places to sleep after a hot day are all temptations offered by the school library, where we run rehearsals. But the further we get into the script, the easier the students find it to engage with the text and their characters. You can see the Dromios beginning to find their clown-like qualities, Antipholus becomes a little prouder and more haughty, and Adriana and Luciana find the sparks of their sisterly relationship. One by one the characters begin to emerge, and it is a joy to watch.

In contrast to the early rehearsals, when, more often than not, actors spoke upstage with backs to the audience, and a slight twitch was as much of a gesture as we could expect, the students are now bringing their own ideas to the floor. Physical comedy seems to jump out of the lines, the actors throw each other on the floor with abandon (something we need to work on!) and whole languages of expression have started to develop from the Marshallese-English hybrid of a script. We are almost half way through blocking the play, and a few of the kids have learnt some lines. Thankfully, those who haven't seem to notice how much easier it is to act when you're not attached to a ream of paper, and others now seem to be following suit!

We have a very long way to go. The blocking we have done so far is certainly tentative, and there are some characters who appear so late in the play that we haven't even met them yet. However, Spring Break next week will give us the chance to work full days with some of the actors, so it is time to knuckle down and get going! There is so much for everyone to learn here, myself included. Even having directed a good number of Shakespeare plays before, I feel like everyday there are brand new lessons learnt about culture, theatre and Shakespeare- simply having to look at the play from the outside, seeing how people in a different culture read contrasting messages into the story, gives me the chance to see the text in a new light. Let's just hope the audience thinks it's as interesting as we do! Until next time,

Jess x

Bawdiness, bardiness and bedsheets

We are now well into rehearsals and the Comedy of Errors is beginning to emerge, crab-like, from its Marshallese shell. As with any play, the first week or so of rehearsals is settling in time. The actors are beginning to get to know eachother, both as characters and as themselves, and we are discovering the many and varied talents of the Marshallese kids, from natural comic timing to a great sense of physicality- and an ability to laugh at pretty much anything!

Having spent the first week getting tangled up in bed sheets in our depiction of the shipwreck, we are now moving onto the 'play proper'. The shipwreck has emerged as a success, with rhythmic drumming, a physicalised sail ship and a seascape of sound replacing what threatened to be a laundryroom-like scene with actors stumbling around mummy-like in great swathes of cloth, whilst a cacophony of squawking pigeons threatened to descend overhead- we have now limited the sea bird sound effects to two of the actors to avoid the audience mistaking the setting for a zoo.

As the play focusses so heavily on mistaken identities, there is a great demand for comedy from our actors. Unusually there is little intense emotion in this play, as his first, perhaps the bard was building up to that, using this play as an exercise in how to entertain an audience. Reading it in English, at first I was disappointed by the lack of poetry in comparison to his later plays. Whilst there are moments of exception, generally the dialogue here either propels the story forward and plays on witty double entendres. This is great for an English speaking audience, but the confusion of a 'crow', the bird and a 'crow bar' just isn't funny in another language! However, the further we have got into rehearsals, the more I have realised that this is an ideal play for translation. With such a strong emphasis on visual comedy, onstage brawls and mistaken identity, it can't fail to go down well with an audience who loves to laugh. And boy, do the Marshallese love to laugh!

There are huge challenges for a play director here. We got the Marshallese script last week and had a read through... suddenly I felt as if my grip on the play had just been ripped away and I had no hold on it. How can you direct a play when you don't speak the language it is spoken in! Whilst I am trying hard to master Marshallese, I can just about manage to call a cab and say thank you for the lift, but a full length Shakespearean translation is another matter entirely.

However, as we take each scene, moment by moment, the process becomes workable. Line by line, we work on the meaning and emotion of the words, giving the character intentions so that each is clear of what he is trying to do with the line- what does he want? Why does he say this? How can his tone make that clear? It is certainly a fascinating process.

This week we are embarking on blocking (setting the characters in their positions on stage). This does, however, rely on full, on time attendance, which seems to be a stumbling block in the Marshalls. We have been bribing the actors with food and games, so hopefully we'll make some progress. Unless it rains, of course, when the entire island shuts down and everyone decides to stay at home. It's certainly different from life in the English theatre!

As for the other aspects of the play, Alisha and I are embarking on a new spin for one of the dances- as a contrast with the Fijian opening and closing dances, the festival dance half way through is going to be performed to Michael Jackson's 'Black and White'. The students are desperate to do something to this kind of music, and it provides an effective contrast with other music in the play- it'll certainly liven up the show. Plus, whilst the singer clearly didn't stick to his own views on the concept of skin colour being unimportant, we still think the song has a great message for this project- uniting different countries and cultures in one umbrella of bawdiness, bardiness and fun!

Let's just hope they start learning their lines!

Jess

Week 1: Auditions

Feb 17th Blog update:

7 things to get excited about after the first week:

1. Auditions went so well and there is a tremendous level of interest amongst the kids in being a part of this year’s play
2. We have successfully cast 33 speaking parts
3. The youth leadership program has been launched and we have a core team of interns that have been selected to work on the project

4. A local fundraising plan has been developed and we have a list of 100+ businesses and individuals to approach to solicit support from on the project
5. The documentary team – Dan Caccavano is our team coordinator, and a curriculum is being developed / planned
6. Jess has taken on the role of Artistic Director and led a fantastic first rehearsal on the shipwreck scene.
7. Kristin has taught me how to make damn good humus & I speared my first fish while swimming in the ocean.

A snapshot of the first week… Auditions. Location: the School Library

In another time and another context “Rolly polly” would be his name. 5 ft squashed version of a man into a pre-pubescent teenage boy. Coaxed on stage, about to begin an improvised scene in which he is acting as the imbecilic slave to a authoritative master. Opens his mouth to say a line. Immediately he bursts out laughing. The entire room is in hysterical fits of laughter. Rolly polly cannot contain himself and actually runs right out the door.

Enter Franklin. Enter Marshallese Steve Erkle. His pants hiked up so high you’d have to wonder how he managed to walk on stage. Now think big arms. Big gestures. Another round of ruckus laughter – a glance over at Jess (our Artistic Director) - a definite cast for Dr. Pinch

Allow us to now drift our attention to the chair behind. To some (perhaps rolly polly) a beast of man – to others, a romantic that would charm birds out of their winter nest - Barren, the senior who at the drop of his hat felt ever so at ease to pour his soul and heart into the lines

Antipholus of Syracuse : “Sing, Siren, for thyself I will dote.
Spread o’er the silver waves thy golden hairs
And as a bed I’ll take them and there lie
And in that glories supposition think
He gains by death that hath such means to die
Let Love, being light, be drowned if she sink”

(I take a quick look around and the girls are all awe-struck. I wonder if they are still breathing)

Her hand still resting on the curve of his arm. Time standing ever so still yet thoughts that brushed gently against a subconscious desire that taboo’s fingers beckoned ever so slightly. If temptation were the light of a candle a candle this would be the moment right before it was to blown out. Her hand slowly left his arm as she tilted her head ever so slightly – if eyes could have spoken, “try me” they would have coyly implored.

Julie as Luciana: What, are you made that you do reason so?

Now an excerpt from our casting discussion 3 hours later in the day:

“Barren. YES YES YES. Antipholus for sure”
“Yep.. yep”
2hrs and 20 roles later…
“Ah Jess… yes. I know. He’s rolly polly but he’s just so funny! Think about it… we need a few characters on our crew (well… ok, we’ve already got more than a few!) I vote for a small non-speaking role. He’s good energy!”
“Vinny, that’s all very well, but everytime he gets on stage all he will do is simply burst out laughing and he’ll completely distract all the other characters!”
“True… but he’s just so damn funny! I love the kid!”

You get the idea. Now imagine 60 or so kids wanting trying out of for acting parts – not an easy process wildling it down. Now add another 40 or so interested in being a part of one of the teams including music, dance, media (documentary film & journalism) so eager that one of the ninth grade kids even trails around us the entire afternoon until the innocent question finally comes out “how can I become a movie star??”…. “Well Vahid… you’re on the right track. Just come out to the play auditions”

And now a moment to reflect on the big picture – where is all came from.

We’re truly privileged to have Andrew, a long time friend and mentor of mine, Founder of both the Youth Bridge Global Program and the Dartmouth Volunteer Teaching Program here in the Marshall Islands joining us for the first 10days of the project. Consider it the passing of the torch. Andrew has lit the flame here in the Marshalls and the light is indeed being passed on to this year’s team. Been having some wonderful discussions about who to involve in the project, how to involve them, how to develop the leadership program, and how and when every piece of the puzzle fits together. Zooey, an Education Professor from Dartmouth who came over with Andrew to run various workshops at schools and the College of the Marshall Islands has also been wonderful support to the team and it we are all sad that they will be taking off on Wednesday.

Vinny

An Introduction: Youth Bridge Global 08 Marshall Islands

See the Project Trailer on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akHfCEu_iDg

Youth Bridge Global (YBG) http://www.ybglobal.org/ is a non-profit organization that facilitates youth theatre productions in domestic and international developing communities. The organization grew from the Dartmouth College volunteer teaching program, which has successfully supported the struggling public education system of the Marshall Islands since 2000. Starting in 2004 with "A Midsummer Night's Dream", YBG began by producing an annual Shakespeare production in the Marshall Islands, providing a cast of up to 30 with a powerful educational and cultural experience, while generating overwhelming acclaim from the local community due to the quality of the theatre. In 2006 and 2007 the organization repeated the Shakespeare model in the Balkans in order to promote reconciliation and mutual understanding across the dangerous ethnic and religious divides that threaten the fragile peace in the region. The first production in Mostar, featuring a Muslim Romeo and a Croat Juliet, forged a number of inter-ethnic friendships and generated immense communal support in a city divided by deep-seated nationalism.

Building on the successes of these past experiences, YBG is now returning to the Marshalls Islands to stage "A Comedy of Errors," and developing a youth leadership program that will accompany the theatre production. The ultimate goal of this new combined program is to nurture creative and theatrical skills, alongside building long-term leadership capacities among the young generation in the hopes that we are planting the seed for a sustainable youth-led creative arts movement.

The Statement of NeedThe Marshall Islands are made up of 34 islands and atolls in theWestern Pacific Ocean. From 1946 to 1958 a number of locations were used as nuclear testing sites by the US government, killing many islanders and forcing others to relocate due to unexpectedly high levels of nuclear fallout. Today, US aid accounts for over 60% of the country's GDP, making the Marshall Islands, per capita, the largest recipient of foreign aid in the world. The legacy of destruction and aid has rendered the country one of the poorest in Micronesia, with GDP growth fixed at only 1% over the last decade and unemployment continuing to worsen to an estimated 35%.

School leavers face little opportunity in the work place. This disaffection, alongside the decline in traditional values, has created problems of alcohol abuse, drug abuse and suicide among the population, but especially among individuals under 30 years of age. The vast dispersal of islands presents challenges for the delivery of health care and messages of good practice, causing high birth rates and childhood mortality. The greatest hope for the Marshallese lies with the next generation, to recapture their traditional identity while moving the Islands forward towards a self-reliant and prosperous future.

Activities1. An international team of volunteers will facilitate the production of Shakespeare's "A Comedy of Errors" with a cast of 30 high-school students aged between 14 and 20 over an intensive 10 week casting, rehearsal and training program starting in early February 2008. The script will be translated into the local language, leaving major speeches in English. The play will be adapted and will integrate aspects of traditional Marshallese oral histories, music, and dance. Rehearsals will be held on five evenings a week at the High School of the Marshall Islands for two hours per session. Further rehearsals will held on three weekends nearer the performance date. In addition the cast 20-30 students will be engaged as members of the support crewand assigned to a respective team. These include: fundraising, media, costumes, props, sets, and make-up. The production will culminate in a tour in the Majuro, opening with 4 shows in the capital, Majuro, followed and a show in Laura village.

2. During the 10 weeks, Vincent, Jessica & Kristin will develop a youth leadership program for high-school graduates who have been involved in the plays in past years and they will serve the role of Assistant Directors. The leadership program will be structured as an internship and will be a commitment of about 10-15hrs / wk. It will introduce students to concepts such as goal setting & attainment, leadership & values, group dynamics, team-work, and problem solving. A primary focus of the program will be on developing directing skills, but in addition, the interns will also take on leadership roles within the support teams.

3. Along with a local NGO, "Waan Aelon in Majel" (WAM) (Canoes of the Marshall Islands), the volunteers, cast and crew will construct a re-useable wooden stage for the final performance in Majuro. WAM runs vocational training programmes using traditional Marshallese skill such as canoe building, sailing, navigation, woodworking and weaving as a medium to transfer life skills and capacity building to local young people.

4. The Media team will produce a series of short 5-10min documentary films over the 10-week program promotional project video which will be distributed on utube and linked to the project website. These will include in-depth interviews with the cast, crew and wider community. In partnership with the Marshall Islands Journal, the journalism team will also be publishing a project blog which will include a weekly update from the directors of the project and student articles and reflections as the project evolves. These short films will be compiled into a final version DVD and will be disseminated (free of charge) to Pacific Island researchers and cultural institutions around the world, as well as to donors and embassies of the Marshall Islands.

Program Objectives

1. To stage a high quality Shakespeare production.

2. To build skills in literature and English language among the youth.
3. To nurture a network of youth leaders, role models and volunteers.
4. To develop the skills and desire among the cast and crew to develop their own sustainable creative arts movement.
5. To revive an interest among the young in traditional Marshallese culture.

6. To raise international awareness about the Marshall Islands.

7. To forge partnerships and cooperation among the existing NGOs and organisations in the Marshall Islands.

How You Can Help:

1. Donate:Our Fundraising Goal is US$15,000

$30 will support costumes & props for 1 member of the cast

$100 will support the costs of enabling 1 member of the cast to go on tour, food, travel, & insurance

$1,500 will support the construction of a stage

$3,000 will support the travel and living costs of an international Director involved in the project

Please visit this link to make a creditcard tax-deductable donation. For Patron Sponsorship click here.
2. Media attention: please spread the news about the project to any media links / connections you may have. We want to raise as much international coverage about the project as possible!