Howdy! What a wonderful summer of reflection and recovery. I am back on track with a renewed sense of purpose and focus. I’ll send out these Three Acts every six weeks for the foreseeable future. A chance to catch up with me and my work while considering your life approach. Thank you for engaging with my words. The response has been gratifying. You can check out past letters at this link if you want to take a trip down memory lane.
Act One, An Act of Ambition
In 2016, New Hampshire Theatre Project commissioned me to interview millennial voters in the run-up to the presumed election of America’s first female President. Unwittingly, those interviews uncovered vitriol towards female candidates. Even though some remarks espoused pragmatic gender solidarity, many women privately vilified females considering throwing their “bonnet” into the ring. The resulting play, She Will Lead, premiered during the 2016 election. The approach has always centered on avoiding partisan politics in favor of interrogating gender equality within our democracy. An account of that work, produced by NHPR, can be heard here.
In 2020 and again in 2022 during more elections amid the global pandemic, I returned to the source material at the behest of Atlanta-based Director Lauren Morris. During two virtual collaborative development processes focused on creating text, Good Lazy Woman emerged as a full-length script that utilizes the original interviews, historical transcripts, and the experiences of the newly formed ensemble.
Rather like the Dickensian yuletide tale, Claire is visited by three (dead) female presidential candidates from American history. They try, along with their modern-day counterparts, to convince Claire that the world men made may be against her, but she can still succeed because they did.
That’s a rather long introduction to an audacious act of ambition, and I’m calling on you to join me!
Between now and November 5, 2024, I’m working to have these groundbreaking women’s words read aloud across all 50 states – in theaters, libraries, classrooms, and homes. More than honoring their legacy, we recognize the power of ambition, the weight of resistance, and the hope for a future where gender equality isn’t just a dream – it’s a reality.
Readings are already planned for Washington, Georgia, Missouri, and New Hampshire! Get involved by hosting a reading, studying their speeches, or simply spreading the word. You can learn more at www.goodlazywoman.com.
Act Two, An Act of Defying Definition
I recently had much fun speaking with Laura Harper Lake and Sarah Wrightsman of the Creative Guts Podcast. As an avid show listener, I was honored to be invited into their studio to talk about my creative practice. And these ladies are kick-ass - I don’t know anyone else playing a more critical role in promoting what it takes to make art, be an artist, and bring art into your life with a specific focus on New Hampshire. You can listen to us chat and giggle here!
In that episode, I described myself in a few ways, and specifically, I’ve been using this phrase in recent blurbs for applications and proposals.
My creative practice has predominantly found a home in the theatre and film; however, I define myself as an Artist—capital A—who sees that the definition of the art form can limit the imagination.
To that end, I took action on a goal of mine and jumped into a class with the New Hampshire Art Association to find new platforms, avenues, and practices for my writing. You can see that outcome at the NHAA Gallery in Portsmouth between October 3rd and 27th.
Here’s a little description of the show - No Longer Brushed Aside is an exhibition highlighting artists' transformative work in a comprehensive 8-week Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Belonging workshop. Led by Richard Haynes, Amanda Kidd-Kestler, Mandela Pruett, and Greg Hankinson, the workshop centered on understanding race and racism in the United States with more nuance.
Does this mean I am a visual artist? Honestly, I don’t care about the label or the definition. The art is what matters.
Act Three, Ac Act of Community
In my previous letter, I described that I would join 13 other teaching artists and movement practitioners in Jacob’s Pillow’s Curriculum in Motion Institute, a ten-month program that, in their words, is a…
“…career development opportunity for emerging, mid-career, and seasoned choreographers to keep your artistry alive and growing. Each year, we welcome a new cohort of Artist Educators–from diverse dance backgrounds who want to
strengthen their choreographic voice with a community-building focus.”
I leave on Thursday morning to head to the Berkshires. Although the program has not started, I have been forming a sense of what I want to create while on this professional development journey. As stated in my recent application to the Public Art Learning Fund and the New England Dance Fund at the New England Foundation for the Arts, here's my ambition!
I am seeking funding to support the development of Social Dance in Public Spaces. This choreographic and participatory project aims to bring more opportunities for social dance to public spaces in New Hampshire.
As an immigrant from Scotland, I find social dance central to my life, particularly Scottish Country Dancing. In the US, I’ve felt the absence of dance in public spaces and want to reintroduce this communal activity into my community. This project explores the cultural, aesthetic, historical, and political aspects of dancing together across N’dakinna, specifically the state now called New Hampshire.
This vision feels entirely out of reach, but until we say what we want or need out loud, we are not on the path to turning something imagined into something tangible. So, I guess it’s real now that I told you!
What ambitions do you have? Reply to this email to tell me; together, we make them real too!
