Whew!!

Today, was a biggie. I sent the kids off on a nyc scavenger hunt. Washington Square Park, Union Square Park, Drama Bookshop, Central Park, and The Dakota were all destination points. At 4:00 we at the Broadway United Church of Christ to hand out sandwiches. Travis Winkler, a USF alum is an associate pastor there, so it was a rich experience to meet with him and share in his ministry.

Afterwards, the group along with Travis went to a local diner to catch up. I am continuous humbled by current and past USF students. The conversation about were we see faith at USF was - simply - a gift. I love to listen to my students as they figure out where they are in their faith walk. They are real. They are inspiring.

Today, I had an epiphany. I need to give a shout out to Adam Seiff. I realized tonight that it was a conversation that I had with Adam after an Introduction to Theatre class that encouraged me to make the mission of the Communication Studies and Theatre Program of Social Change. By focusing on difficult topics such as sexual harassment, domestic abuse, political injustice, racial and gender stereotype and religious hypocrisy we use the stage to ask the hard questions. Also, our focus on children's theatre introduces youth to the power of theatre at an early age...this, too, is theatre of social change.

As a group we headed up to Lincoln Center to check out Asphalt Orchestra. It is a modpodge marching band that plays music of such avant guard musicians as Bjork and Frank Zappa.

After a stroll to Rockefeller Center to watch the skaters, we headed back to The Village. We were all exhausted. Poor Anne Wentworth is trying to get to us, but was held up in Chicago tonight. I can't wait to have her here to join us as we discover the city and ourselves.

One other inclusion....I attended a joint venture by SITI Company (Anne Bogart) and the Martha Graham Company entitled, American Documents at the Public Theatre. Of course, as a Bogart disciple, the movement was inspiring. It is a product in process. I am totally stealing the lighting design for W@rn. I learned a lot and was inspired even more.

Favorite Quotes of the Day:

Artist Director of the Martha Graham Studio: "For the last couple of years, we have been polling our audiences as to what they want. The result: A deeper, richer experience in a shorter amount of time." Ah, yes....McTheatre!

Bogart, "The problem with American Theatre is that we feel like we have to produce a product. The process is where the real drama lies."