First Staged Reading of My Body-My Space
A big, big mahalos to everyone who came out yesterday to the reading of My Body-My Space !!! I appreciated the friendly and supportive audience. And the investment of time and energy the actors and director have put in to making this the best script it can be.
It was the first experience for me as an emerging writer to hear my words read out loud by actors. It was both humbling and exciting to see a childhood dream come alive and to sit with all of it. It was moving to sit with others-bearing witness to me and a creative entity unfolding. Admittedly, at times I wanted to hide last night and to crawl into the nearest warm embrace. And at other points, I was so touched that something in the piece articulated and resonated for individuals.
This is the a power which comes with story telling. Last night reminded me how we all need mirrors and windows to reflect the light and shadow of our experiences. The story of the silence and pain between generations of grandmothers, mothers, and daughters is not new. The story of how best to support a young girl deal with her emerging sexuality admist potential risks and threats is not new, either.
Yet, how this story carries with multilayers in this place, within the generations of a local/immigrant Filipino family in Hawaii--this story, I would venture to say, has yet to be deeply explored and told in theater/performance form.
As women and Pinays, we crucify ourselves and each other at times on unreachable and unfair standards. And at the same time we long for our most intimate reflections-our female relations-- to say finally, I see you and accept you for all of who you are. I may not like it. I may not understand it. But with me- anak(child), you are safe. And you are whole.
Sometimes, we are able give each other this gift and this is the blossoming moment, I hope to better reflect between the characters in the play. To be publically in process with this work and to document it makes me more vulnerable. But I see no other way out, but through this.
Last night, helped me see that not only do our young women need this affirmation, but our elders need acknowledgement for the path they paved and the bridge to experiences authored by a new generation.
Lots of revising ahead. Lots of quiet time, too.
I head to Denver to be with family on Friday. And then, Sunday, I'm off to the storyfield conference at the Shambala Conferene Center. Look forward to gathering family stories and being in the mountains. Also, look forward to being with amazing thinkers and artists vested in creating new stories and new performances...
There will be lots to dive into. What a blessed adventure this all is...
It was the first experience for me as an emerging writer to hear my words read out loud by actors. It was both humbling and exciting to see a childhood dream come alive and to sit with all of it. It was moving to sit with others-bearing witness to me and a creative entity unfolding. Admittedly, at times I wanted to hide last night and to crawl into the nearest warm embrace. And at other points, I was so touched that something in the piece articulated and resonated for individuals.
This is the a power which comes with story telling. Last night reminded me how we all need mirrors and windows to reflect the light and shadow of our experiences. The story of the silence and pain between generations of grandmothers, mothers, and daughters is not new. The story of how best to support a young girl deal with her emerging sexuality admist potential risks and threats is not new, either.
Yet, how this story carries with multilayers in this place, within the generations of a local/immigrant Filipino family in Hawaii--this story, I would venture to say, has yet to be deeply explored and told in theater/performance form.
As women and Pinays, we crucify ourselves and each other at times on unreachable and unfair standards. And at the same time we long for our most intimate reflections-our female relations-- to say finally, I see you and accept you for all of who you are. I may not like it. I may not understand it. But with me- anak(child), you are safe. And you are whole.
Sometimes, we are able give each other this gift and this is the blossoming moment, I hope to better reflect between the characters in the play. To be publically in process with this work and to document it makes me more vulnerable. But I see no other way out, but through this.
Last night, helped me see that not only do our young women need this affirmation, but our elders need acknowledgement for the path they paved and the bridge to experiences authored by a new generation.
Lots of revising ahead. Lots of quiet time, too.
I head to Denver to be with family on Friday. And then, Sunday, I'm off to the storyfield conference at the Shambala Conferene Center. Look forward to gathering family stories and being in the mountains. Also, look forward to being with amazing thinkers and artists vested in creating new stories and new performances...
There will be lots to dive into. What a blessed adventure this all is...
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