Neta Crawford, at a conference on abolishing war, emphasized the importance of the arts in establishing a lasting culture of peace. Peace, it was agreed, came from the "understanding of the dignity of every human being," and the performing arts--theatre, film, writing, dance, song--were essential, she said, because "...these are where the stories of people's lives are told."

But whose stories? And told to whom? We live in a world where it is increasingly becoming a luxury to consume art, and an even greater luxury to live as a working artist. As storytellers, it is impossible for us to tell the stories that we don't know and are not aware of, but often, these are the stories that most need to be heard. At Témoin, we feel that a piece of theatre is not born in a rehearsal room or on a sheet of blank paper or in our bedrooms while we meditate on our navels. Theatre begins with experiences, and experiences must be lived--on the streets, in parks, on highways, on farms, in churches, in rehab, in corporate lobbies and in adobe huts. Theatre is carried in every human being with a story to tell, and it is our responsibility and work as artists to listen for and recieve these stories every day and in every human interaction. Then and only then do we have the materials necessary to build a story.

Our mission is threefold:

1. To collaborate with a diverse range of people, companies, and communities in the creation of quality theatre which creates change because it is personal, not because it is didactic. We see the theatre as a space to share our questions, not to propound messages--we think performance should be engaging, moving, and fun.

2. To increase access to theatre as a means of self-expression, in areas and communities where it may not be readily available - through workshops, performances, and collaborations - and to document the work produced, if any, so that it can reach a greater audience.

3. To work continually to embrace new people, views, stories, and experiences so that the theatre we create reflects the world which creates us.

Témoin is composed of a core company of 9 artists from 5 countries, and we have brought our work to California, New York, Massachusetts, France, the U.K., and Rwanda.