Ashley Wheater on Othello

by Karen Krolak

As I mentioned in the post on Peter Carpenter, Chicago is chock full of tempting dance concerts this month. I was especially intrigued by the Joffrey Ballet's production of Lar Lubovitch's Othello as I will be Assistant Directing Othello in March for Actors' Shakespeare Project in Boston.

Fortunately, Eric Eatherly, one of my first dance students from the National High School Institute at Northwestern University now works for the Silverman Group who manage public relations for the Joffrey Ballet. Thanks to Eric and Farrah Malik at the Silverman Group, I was able to email a few quick questions out to the Joffrey's Artistic Director Ashley Wheater who graciously found time to answer them for us.


karen Krolak: Presenting the Midwest premiere of Othello is an enormous project involving 42 dancers, sets by George Tsypin, costumes by Ann Hould-Ward, recreated projections by Wendall K. Harrington, and a score by Academy Award® winner Elliot Goldenthal. What drew you to this piece and why did lanch your season of Legends with it?

Ashley Wheater: For me it is a profound piece of dance. There are very few contemporary full length ballets at this same level in terms of technique, choreographic content and such creative collaborations. I worked with Lar Lubovitch from the birth of this work with the joint venture between American Ballet Theater (ABT) and San Francisco Ballet (SFB). I looked after it at SFB through various seasons and was very involved with televising of the work on PBS. I wanted to bring this to the Joffrey, but knew that I would wait a few years to do it. I wanted the dancers to really have an understanding the movement and why this full length should be seen in and should, of course, be presented by The Joffrey Ballet.

kK: How have you liked working with Lar Lubovitch?

AW: I have of course enjoyed it very much! Lar and I have a great understanding and respect for each other’s creativity. He has trusted me with his work many times. I feel we have a fantastic working relationship. Both Lar and I have the same high expectations.

kK: What have you enjoyed as you have watched your company rehearse with him?

AW: For me it was watching the full company work with Lar and let everyone take in his vast knowledge of dance and his connection with this story. Experiencing the dancers learn about themselves and really challenge themselves was most exciting. I feel they have exceeded even their own expectations, which as an artistic director is what one can only hope for.



kK: That's wonderful. Now, what are some of the challenges from your end when you re-created this massive production?

AW: The challenges are mostly on a technical level - especially with Othello using back projection video. It was also important that the Joffrey did not try to recreate what ABT or San Francisco Ballet did with Othello, but instead makes it unique to the Joffrey without losing the integrity of the piece. We had to recreate the back projection for the stage that we dance on, which of course was a huge undertaking, but I can always overcome a challenge and here we are!

kK: So, I have never heard anyone talk about why a company chooses to present an existing work instead of commissioning a new piece. Can you explain that process?

AW: This is a good question for many reasons, some of which I have explained above. As an Artistic Director I am of course very interested in new works. I have brought many new works to the Joffrey over the past two years, will be doing so again in the spring, and will continue to in the company's future! The risk involved in staging new work is that it can be very, very expensive so if you are going to do a new work you must be sure that you are able to deliver the highest artistic qualities and that it will be a success. I have sat through many new works and have been disappointed and wonder how a company recuperates from that. In this day and age, we should not shy away from new work, but need to understand the risk involved and be ready to take it on. As I mentioned above, we are bring two world premiere works to Chicago in the Spring, one by Jessica Lang and the other by James Kudelka, which I am thrilled about. This will be our only mixed repertory performance of the season and is sure to be just as captivating as our production of Othello.

THE JOFFREY BALLET OPENS ITS 2009-2010 SEASON OF LEGENDS

WITH THE MIDWEST PREMIERE OF LAR LUBOVITCH’S

OTHELLO

WITH MUSIC BY ACADEMY AWARD® WINNER ELLIOT GOLDENTHAL

& DRAMATIC, CONTEMPORARY COMPUTER PROJECTIONS

AT THE AUDITORIUM THEATRE, OCTOBER 14-25

Single tickets, priced from $25 to $145, are available for purchase at The Joffrey Ballet’s official Box Office, located in the lobby of 10 E. Randolph Street, as well as the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University box office, all Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, by telephone at (800) 982-2787 or online at www.ticketmaster.com.

Getting to Know Jeff Shade

Jeff Shade is a staple in the Steps on Broadway faculty. His tap and theatre dance classes are filled with his high energy and positive attitude. Jeff's dedication to the dance and his classes has generated quite a student following of all ages, styles and levels. His resume is filled not just with teaching but performing and choreographing across the country. Gaby Mervis, who spent the summer in New York City on an internship took his class and fell in love. She was once again kind enough to chat with Jeff about his work and to share some of her conversation.

GM: How and/or why did you start choreographing?
JS: CHOREOGRAPHY was always part of my family! I am the youngest of six - - and I have four older sisters, who are all dance teachers. It just seemed like we were always "making up dances." I started choreographing professionally, as I started to perform less - - and when opportunities came up - - I happily said YES!!!

GM: Do you prefer performing or choreographing?
JS: When I was younger - - I loved performing much better -- for sure. Now - - I love having "something to say" - - and creating dance to say it!

GM: What was it like working with Bob Fosse?
JS: Working with Bob Fosse was a DREAM COME TRUE! As a youngster growing up in Pittsburgh - - I was fascinated by the sound of this name, his movies, and any touring company that came through the city. His work resonated with me - - and I appreciated his attention to detail and theatricality. Mr. Fosse was a father figure to me - - for sure. His approval was important - - and his support of my love of the dance remains with me today.

GM: Do you prefer to choreograph tap pieces or theater pieces and why?
JS: I love choreographing the wide-spectrum of dance pieces. Sometimes, a story or feeling is best told with the percussive sounds of tap shoes - - and other times - - well - - it's bare feet for a concert/contemporary feel or jazz or character shoes for a more traditional jazz or musical theater dance feel!

GM: When is your birthday?
JS: My birthday is June 29th! The best gift I ever received..............THE DANCE!

GM: Where did you grow up?
JS: Pittsburgh, PA - - in the inner city!

GM: Besides working with Fosse, what was your early training like?
JS: I was lucky that my four older sisters were dance teachers - - by the time I was born. They taught me all I know about tap dancing - - and certainly instilled the LOVE OF THE DANCE!!!!! I learned to twirl the baton and to acrobatics, too! Please check out "twirling me" at www.jeffshadedance.com. You will have a good smile!!!!

GM: What were the pros and cons of going to college for dance?
JS: I think there are many ways to explore the art of dance. I think each person needs to evaluate his/her interests and where he/she will blossom best - - in the dance. Of course - - many people have interests that go beyond dance. I, for one -- LOVE SCHOOL - - and never majored in dance. I have a BS in business from Duquesne University, an MBA is marketing from Columbia University, and an MA in dance therapy from Lesley University! School is cool!

GM: How has your tap background influenced your theater dance and vice versa?
JS: Tap certainly has given me a rhythmic appreciation for music. Theater dance has given me a great appreciation for dance-based story telling. Combine them - - and LIFE IS GOOD!

GM: How do you record your choreography?
JS: If there is time - - I video the choreography. With some productions - - I am only permitted to video tape a rehearsal - - with no music - - and only counts. Those are the rules of several unions.

GM: In general, do you show your work to people while you are developing it?
JS: It is impossible not to show work "in progress" when working with a director, musical arranger, and producers. It is part of the collaborative process. When it comes to concert or "all dance" work -- some times I do - - and some times I don't. When I do - - it's usually to give the dancers the feeling of performance – that "Oh - - someone will be watching this!"

GM: Can you tell us about "Cagney?"
JS: CAGNEY is a new musical based on the life of James Cagney! It was conceived by Bobby Creighton -- who is currently in THE LITTLE MERMAID on Broadway! I had a great time working with director, Bill Castellino, to create the many dances for CAGNEY! The styles of the dances ranged from vaudeville-esque type dances to full out hoofin tap dances! I think the show is great! It is a wonderful story of a son of an immigrant family making good in tough times -- and there are three scoops of red, white, and blue!!!! YANKEE DOODLE!

GM: Of all the projects you have worked on, which was the most enjoyable for you?
JS: The show that I wrote, directed, and choreographed, called PLAYGROUND: THE ADVENTURES OF A RESTLESS SPIRIT is certainly the most valued. The process was rich, and the product is one that is provocative - - taking people on the journey of a person on the verge of ending his life - - but presented with "options" for making life rich and creative.

GM: What classes do you teach at Steps on Broadway?
JS: I love teaching - - or as I call it, SHARING THE DANCE! I teach theater dance at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels - - and I teach all levels of tap (mostly Broadway styles).

GM: Do you prefer choreographing short exercises for your students in class or full-length dances for the stage?
JS: Both! I think the "practice" of choreographing short combinations in class helps hone my creativity muscle for creating a full-length piece. Teaching also helps me to be a better communicator! I love SHARING THE DANCE!

GM: What exactly does a dance therapist do?
JS: DANCE THERAPY uses dance and other art forms to foster the process of psychotherapy. Allowing the embodying of a process is the final frontier in growing towards full personal fruition. Dance therapy has influenced my teaching style and my choreographic approach greatly!

GM: How do you think dance builds self-esteem?
JS: If dance is delivered in a loving and accepting environment -- one that reflects back to the dancer a sense of I AM HAPPY YOU ARE HERE, YOUR SPIRIT IS BEAUTIFUL, AND YOU ARE A UNIQUE ENTITY IN THIS WORLD - - that will build self-esteem - - how a person feels about him or herself in general. BEING A GOOD DANCER or SUCCESSFUL may be useful in building self-confidence in the "category" called dance or profession! SELF-ESTEEM is the much richer sense of a healthy I AM.

GM: What was your most memorable moment as a dance therapist?
JS: Oh! There are so many, and it has been a humbling privilege to be a collaborator with people in the mix of making their lives better. ...and, if not a collaborator, a true honor to witness someone grow through what are often very rough times.

GM: Can you tell us about "House of the Roses"?
JS: "House of the Roses" is very cool volunteer dance company that does outreach to VERY ENERGETIC YOUTH! Sometimes the youth are part of a community center, or in homeless shelter, or have a mom or dad in prison. Dance volunteers go ON LOCATION to some really life affirming dance and drumming with these amazing young people! The goals are to build self-esteem and self-confidence, foster a sense of community, and give opportunity for positive labels (I am a dancer, I am creative, I am a performer, I am a team player, I AM HERE!). "House of the Roses" is inspired by the simplicity of Saint Therses the Little Flower -- who invites us all to "do the ordinary with extraordinary love." That is quite an invitation! YES! I started the program several years ago -- but left when I went home to Pittsburgh to be the primary caregiver for my mother. The organization goes on today - - and the WORK continues to be done!

GM: Who are some of your favorite choreographers?
JS: Mmmmmmmmmm Bob Fosse, Michael Bennett, Jerome Robbins, and Ohad Naharin.

Remembering Pina

by Karen Krolak

Tuesdays suddenly seem to be a popular day to celebrate the legacy of Pina Bausch. Too bad, I didn't realize this trend before I started teaching jazz classes on Tuesday nights at Impulse Dance Center.

Last night, for instance, while I was leading battements, the Goethe-Institut New York, in collaboration with Dance Films Association, screened Anne Linsel’s documentary, Pina Bausch. If you also missed the NYC event, however, you can catch a short clip of the film here.

Then on November 3rd, the Goethe-Institut Boston, will present A Tribute to Pina Bausch featuring Ella Baff, Executive Director, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and "A Breath with Pina Bausch" directed by Huseyin Karabey. Admission is free but you do want to RSVP to (617) 262-6050 or info@boston.goethe.org.

Oh, and please let me know of any other events honoring Pina this fall...especially if they don't occur on a Tuesday.

A Tribute to Pina BauschTuesday * November 3, 2009, 7:00 pm

Goethe-Institut Boston, 170 Beacon Street, Boston
in English
Admission free with RSVP
Info/RSVP: +1 (617) 262-6050 or
info@boston.goethe.org

Program: A Tribute to Pina Bausch and her legacy

"A Breath with Pina Bausch"
Directed by Huseyin Karabey
Documentary, 2004, 45 minutes
In Turkish with English subtitles

"A Personal Tribute to Pina"
Ella Baff, Executive Director, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival

A filming of one of Pina Bausch's work TBD

Reception

Quick Q&A with Autumn Mist Belk

by Karen Krolak

Having taught at Impulse Dance Center in Natick, MA for the last 13 years, I am always delighted to discover how my former students find ways to weave dance into their lives after high school. Some of them, like Monkeyhouse's Nicole Harris, Amanda Page, and Kelly Long have pursued professional dance paths. However, many others build careers in other fields and still seek out regular technique classes. For example, Catherine Buell, who made her professional debut in Monkeyhouse's Ahem. Aha! Hmmm. in 2004, is somehow able to suss out performing opportunities while working towards her PhD in Mathematics at NC State. Frankly, I am in awe of her in general and this feat in particular.

When Catherine was home this summer, she raved about Autumn Mist Belk's classes and choreography. After her descriptions I dearly wish that I could see Autumn's newest creation, Indulge, especially since Catherine will be appearing in it as a guest artist. Alas, I won't be able to scoot down to Durham this week but I would love to hear from anyone who does see it. In the meantime, though, I was able to interview Autumn through Facebook to find out more about her creative process.

karen Krolak: I am so glad to see that Catherine has found some time while working on her PhD in Mathematics to perform again. Have you enjoyed working with her?

Autumn Mist Belk: Catherine has been wonderful to have around, both in the summer program at NC State and now in just Code f.a.d. rehearsals. She is such a conscientious person and approaches dance very intellectually, which I really appreciate. While some dancers rely solely on muscle memory, I feel Catherine is a dancer that ties into her brain to make sense and process the movement also as she works.

kK: So I noticed that you have worked with Joe Goode, who is one of my favorite living choreographers. Can you tell me how he has influenced your work?

AMB: Joe Goode has been a huge influence in my work, really because I am so amazed by his work and how he incorporates so many elements so seamlessly into the performances. It is my goal to one day get brave enough to pull singing in, but my company needs lessons first (myself included)! More than his creative work, Joe is a wonderful person to work with, and I always felt I was important to him and to his work, even if performing what seemed to be such a minor role. (I was the back surface of a human bench at one point, but it never really felt like an insignificant part.) Particularly in Indulge, since we have 6 "core dancers" and then additional chorus members, I hope I am able to make those dancers in the chorus roles understand how important they are to the success of the piece as well as Joe always did.

kK: Wow, that is not an easy undertaking but it is a fabulous attitude to inherit from another choreographer. So can you briefly describe Indulge for us?

AMB: We have 6 "core" dancers, who each personify a particular indulgence (or group of indulgences), for example all food and drink are rolled into one indulgence, all technological elements are rolled into another. Then we have 4 "chorus" dancers who serve as the audience link into the work. The chorus members observe the work from within it and respond often in "real people" mannerisms. The chorus members also join in with core dancers to be a part of the dancing community in sections of the work. We hope to tour the work starting next season to universities, arts high schools, and other places where we can have residencies and bring dancers from those communities into these chorus roles, and the work is set up to accommodate between 4 and 12 chorus members in each show.

kK: What prompted you to create this piece?

AMB: Shopping! I am slightly addicted to fashion (clothes, shoes, purses). While researching the authenticity of a Louis Vuitton handbag I was hoping to purchase on ebay, I stumbled upon other purse-addicts on "The Purse Forum" and started thinking about when indulgences turn into addictions. I was also very inspired by a piece of music by G. Todd Buker (aka Proxy) called "The Art of Leisure," and I felt this music indicated a fashion runway show, so from there the piece developed. Todd composed the rest of the music in the piece also, and our filmmaker, Colby Hoke, was a strong influence in the other, darker indulgences, such as greed and power.

kK: Goodness, sounds as though you have an number of elements to juggle during your tech week. Thanks for taking time out to talk. Just one last question: how did you know when the piece was finished?

AMB: I'm not sure the piece is finished. Maybe that is true of every piece I've ever made, though. I always like to go back to them and rethink things. How Indulge would end; however, came very early in the process, so it really was about finding an arc to that end. The work is really about living with these characters, rather than a story or narrative, so actually the piece could keep going indefinitely. The characters keep living, we could just see them in new context. So maybe Indulge should be a dance mini-series - I suppose we'll see where the future takes things.

Code f.a.d. Company
presents Indulge
October 14 & 15, 2009 @8PM
Reynolds Industries Theater
Duke University (in the Bryan Center)
Durham, NC
created and choreographed by Autumn Mist Belk
Including original video by Colby Hoke and Stephen Aubuchon, set to music by G. Todd Buker, Indulge pulls the audience into a world filled with high fashion, powerful business, gourmet food, cutting-edge technology and eternal love.
Join the company for a Q&A following the performance!

2K Kickoff Challenge - Make your donation count twice as much!

WOO HOO!! One of Monkeyhouse's long time donors wants to kickoff our fall fundraising efforts by matching the first $2000 in donations. That's right even if you can only give a few dollars, your gift will be worth twice as much.

Did you know this blog has attracted visitors from over 57 countries on 5 continents in the last year? That's right, folks from as far away as Qatar and Chile have been checking in for our interviews with innovative choreographers. Please help us expand our Conversing with Choreographers project as we head into 2010.

Of course, Monkeyhouse is more than just a blog of tantalizing tidbits from the dance world. Our award winning nonprofit connects communities to the art of choreography. Founded in 2000 and voted "Best Dance Company in Boston" for 2006 & 2007 by the Boston Phoenix Readers' Poll, Monkeyhouse regularly performs at the Multicultural Arts Center in Cambridge, MA and First Night Boston.

We have premiered over 30 pieces and 6 evening length works and presented work by emerging choreographers in New York, NY, Chicago, IL, Woodstock, VT, Minneapolis, MN, Philadelphia, PA, San Francisco, CA, Rochester NH, Woodstock VT, and Winnipeg, MB. These works have been featured in Dance Magazine, Philadelphia Magazine, Boston Magazine, SF Arts Monthly, and Time Out New York and received rave reviews in the Village Voice, The Chicago Reader, Boston Herald, Boston Globe, and San Francisco Chronicle.

Through our programs:

What’s the Big Idea?

Investigating the choreographic process in an interactive children’s performance.

Dream to Dance At Any Age

Motivating adults to move with meaning.

Princess Pamplemousse

Illuminating choreographic concepts through a charismatic character

Conversing with Choreographers

Promoting artistic insight through panels, blog posts and other opportunities.

Developing Dance Literacy

Collaborating with libraries to increase dance archives.

Wicked Awesome Wikipedia Choreographers’ Campaign

Improving visibility for choreographers on the internet.

and

Bernie Wightman’s Dance Building Fund

Encouraging choreographic innovation and experimentation,

we have interacted with thousands of audience members, who are often new to the world of dance.

Oh, and even if you can't afford to donate right now, feel free to let us know how you found us, who you would like to have interviewed, or why you love Monkeyhouse. Thanks for being a part of our online community.

Catching Up with Peter Carpenter (part 2: the interview)

by Karen Krolak

Ok, as promised today will feature an email interview with Peter Carpenter, one of my favorite choreographers. His creations are infused with a potent personal storytelling and somehow build an almost combustible level of tension. Peter graduated from Northwestern University a year ahead of me and his bold artistic voice encouraged me to enroll in Lynne Blom's choreography classes. 

While at a pig roast in Kentucky on an October evening 17 years ago, Peter listened patiently as I rambled on about my dilemma about whether to pursue a graduate degree in Linguistics or to risk becoming a professional choreographer. Even though I had been driving Peter insane during his dance rehearsals for a production of The Tempest, he bolstered my confidence and told me to trust my instincts. A little more than a year later cancer cut short Lynne Blom's life.  And,  then tragically, our other mentor, Tim O"Slynne  passed away from AIDS.  It was often Peter who generously guided me along and taught me how to write grants and produce shows. In this highly competitive field, Peter is an exceptionally nuturing artist and I am deeply indebted to his kindness and inspiration. His dedication and resilience leave me speechless. Congratulations Peter on your position at Columbia College and all your recent success.

kK: So, how are you enjoying being back in Chicago and teaching at Columbia College?

PC: Love it. The dance community in Chicago, though small, is really thriving these days. And, in an era of shrinking enrollments nationwide, the Dance Center’s enrollment is higher than ever. The faculty here is fantastic and, unlike the infighting that goes on in many institutions, we all actually like each other. Go figure.

kK: How did your current project My Fellow Americans begin?

PC: Wow, way back in 1994 when Reagan was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. I remember talking with Lee Anne Schmitt about it in our apartment on Summerdale. It was such a crazy time, so much death from AIDS. I remember Tim O'Slynne being completely crazy the last time I saw him, and I just thought it made such perfect sense that Reagan was going to lose his mind too. It seemed like poetic justice given the fact that he did next to nothing to stop the disease at its beginning stages.

Then in grad school I did an ethnography on a gay country western bar in Los Angeles and started thinking about cowboys and “American-ness” and Reagan in terms of manifest destiny and all that weirdly codified movement that signals masculinity in the U.S. I worked with that in a piece called Bareback Into the Sunset, but left Reagan out of it. The first time I addressed Reagan directly was in a solo titled “Cowboy Down” that I made in May 2006 on a split bill with Kristen Smiarowski (Los Angeles-based choreographer) for an evening titled Rehearsing the Body Politic at Links Hall.

I revised that solo for The Other Dance Festival in the Fall of 2007 and then started researching grant opportunities for a larger scale project. This research resulted in the Chicago Dancemakers Forum Grant, a Columbia College Faculty Development Grant and a Space Grant from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. I also have used the yearly inclusion of a slot at The Other Dance Festival (also at Hamlin) to develop the work.


kK: How did your grant from the Chicago Dancemakers Forum influence this project?

PC: I could pay the dancers something closer to what they’re worth. Not what they’re worth, mind you, but a tiny bit closer. Tiny bit. Tiny. Bit. I also visited the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley California for research. I’m not sure how that influenced the project, but it was really weird. Images and video EVERYWHERE. Written text, nowhere. So Reagan. So teflon.

kK: What has been the biggest challenge for you during the creation of this piece?

PC: Where to begin. We were originally slotted for a two-weekend run at Links Hall in May, but then I got really sick with pneumonia and complications in the recovery, so we had to cancel. I think you know me well enough to see how hard that was. Though the piece has certainly been steeped in a recognition of that human frailty and vulnerability that illness brings about. Breath, or the struggle for breath is omnipresent in the work. Let me thank the cast here for their loyalty to the project and their willingness to be on standby over the summer as I slowly regained my health.

kK: I have never heard of the Hamlin Park Studio Theater. Is this a new space?

PC: I think its going on 10 years now. It’s run by Nana Shineflug/The Chicago Moving Company. CMC is an Arts Partner with the Chicago Park District in Residence at Hamlin Park.

kK: Was there a reason why you choose it for this particular piece?

PC: It started as a necessity because we lost the space at Links due to my illness. It’s turned into a blessing and it feels especially appropriate since I’ve developed almost half of the work for performances of The Other Dance Festival over the past several years. It's also one of the nicest dance floors in town.

kK: I was startled a few years ago when I was discussing the impact of AIDS on the dance community for an article for The Boston Globe. The writer had never realized how many dancers and choreographers had struggled with AIDS. Can you explain more about why this is such an important topic in your work?

PC: Gosh, I really wish I could articulate this better. I guess I just never understood why it was, and is, okay for some people to die and not okay for others. In the 80s it was gays and junkies, they were expendable. Why? What was it? What kind of belief system believes in punishment. I really don’t get it. A recent aspect of my research has been attending a very queer-friendly Presbyterian Church (Lakeview Presbyterian in Boystown). It’s been so healing to look at Christianity from a different viewpoint—a viewpoint of ethical responsibility to care for those we’d rather forget. So, yes, at heart I’m a little farm kid who didn’t understand why the people with the power to save lives ignored those who needed saving. I think I’m genetically wired to call out hypocrisy. Gets me in trouble in relationships, but ah well....

kK: While at Jacob's Pillow this summer, I heard Rachel Maddow give an impassioned plea to support the arts in the US. She asserted that "A country without the capacity to nurture artistic greatness is not being a great country." How do you feel about this statement?

PC: Oh I couldn’t agree more. Artistic cultivation is crucial for the development of a healthy democracy. Artists voice the unspeakable and speak truth to power on a daily basis. It is our modus operandi. Though I would say that the artists are often doing a good job of shooting themselves in the foot. Let us please stop feeling sorry for ourselves and make our own opportunities. You know very well (because you were there) that the only reason I have the relative success I have now is because I made my own opportunities. I produced my own work and waited tables to support my dancing habit and that was just how it was. My work now is absolutely shaped by that position of relative exile. Now I am fortunate enough to be in a tenure-track position, but the work ethic is still the same. I think we need to keep fighting complacency and bitterness as artists—and we need to demand a place at the table in civic discourse. We need to recognize that it is the most profound privilege to dream and play with the most potent media imaginable, human bodies.

kK: Anything else that you would like to add?

PC: Nah, I think I twisted my ankle on the way off the soapbox.

kK: Thanks Peter. I really wish that I could be there to see it. You have no idea how much I miss your artistry.

PC: Miss you and yours.

###

My Fellow Americans

Thursday & Friday performances: October 8, 9, 15, & 16 at 7:30pm 

Hamlin Park Studio Theater

3035 N. Hoyne, Chicago, IL 60618 (map)

$15 general admission/$10 student or low income

Buy Tickets online directly at brownpapertickets.com

Choreography: Peter Carpenter
Performers: Peter Carpenter, Lisa Gonzales, Suzy Grant, Atalee Judy and Donnell Williams.