|
|
Theatre Témoin
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 art is necessarily a reflexion of the
artist's experiences, it follows that in a society where only certain people have the resources to become filmmakers, actors,
writers, and producers, only certain kinds of stories will be told.
Curiosity
and empathy allows artists to extend their work
 beyond the personal sphere,
certainly. But as storytellers, it is impossible for us to tell
the stories that we don't know and are not aware of, and 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 expand
ourselves and constantly work to embrace new
people, views, stories, and experiences so that the theatre we create
speaks to the lives of many instead of few.
The act
of witnessing does not exist as a verb in French. One can
only "be a witness" passively--"être témoin." The active
verb, "témoigner," means to testify.
home
top
|
|