Anna's Pre-Trip Thoughts

So it's Monday evening and I am struggling to find the right words to describe the anticipation I feel about my upcoming experience in the Dominican. I am both thrilled to the tips of my toes with excitement, but I can also feel the nerves setting in. I have never before created a piece of theatre from nothing -- not even a script, not even a concept. This experience will be completely new to me, and that idea frightens me. I am wishing, hoping, that the lessons I've learned from previous productions, especially heartskin, will help prepare me for this challenge. I want to show these girls (who are all about my age) that art has a place in their lives, that theatre and dance can serve as a venue for them to express themselves and escape from the pressures they feel. I also want them to see art, and consequently, theatre, as an agent of social commentary, and ultimately, change.

I hope that the work we do down there will not only inspire the community and the group of girls, but us too. I want to be inspired again. I eagerly await this inspiration. Maybe it will come from a story one of the girls will tell, a song, a dance, a brief moment -- whatever it is, I'll write about it.

Unfortunately, with heartskin, we did not document our process, nor did we make it interactive. That's all going to change. Our moments of inspiration, frustration, desperation, and exhilaration will all be recorded here, and we want as much feedback as possible. For all you reading this entry, please visit as much as you can and let us know what your thoughts are on our process.

To conclude (because you may be extremely bored) ... this trip/project should be an eye-opening, exhilarating experience. It's a journey on which I cannot wait to embark.

!!!!!!!!!!! (there are no appropriate words here) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Anna