is there any interest in performing public political theatre like SDS or Bread and Puppet?

[abram spritzler]

Hello All!  Is there any interests in putting together a public theatre group?  We could do a tea-party where we dump Inequality, Capitalism, Militarism, Monopolized Media, Oppression, Wars for Profit and Social Control, Education for Complacency, all sorts of things.  if this idea doesn't light your fire, by all means, consider a sign that you are needed for this initiative!  

Thank you

-Abe

[cc2...@verizon.net]

Hi Abe

Long time.... attached here is  a little skit I wrote about Monsanto and their impact on poor 3rd world farmers. It was intended for anti Bio convention actions this week, but never got put on. Seems like a shame to waste such a magnificent piece of stage-craft.

 

Not too tuff to put on, I think. I have another one that is a parody of the Old Roudndup commercial with dandelions being shot down by Gunfighter Roundup. Between the 2 of them you have ,,,20 min..? of rivetting theatre....

 

Tell me what you think...

 

Joe Cugini

[R. Wayne Clark]

Friends,

 

You'll note the changes in the subject.

 

The reason that I added "permanent" is because, if we really want to be like SDS (which I don't know) and B&P, then we need to be together for a long time.  A long enough time to gather the infrastructure necessary to put on sophisticated productions.  Also, long enough such that the "audience" you are performing before, can get to know and  trust what you do and bring to you ideas for what they need theater on.

 

The reason that I added "troupe" is because that is what these theater groups are.  People who work together to prepare the production, travel from place to place to perform it, and can respond on short notice to the needs of the community.  We would be a community of performers, so to speak.

 

I was actually part of such a troupe in Austin, Texas in the 70's; the Berthold Brecht Memorial Guerrilla Theater Troupe, who did exactly what I describe above.  Although it only lasted 10 years, it did have a big impact on the political culture of Austin.

 

I would love to be in such a troupe again.  But, as usual, I don't have a lot of time.  So, I can't really create this troupe myself, but I could provide my experience to others and help when I have time to create such a troupe in Boston.  If there is reasonable interest then I would give it a shot.

 

Now, the thought occurs to me, especially on the weekend of the US Federation of Worker Co-ops National Conference (a great event, by the way) that a "permanent" "troupe" could be organized as a worker co-op, which fits well with my other co-op work.  So, if there is any interest in actually creating a worker co-op to do political theater, then I'm very interested!  The co-op might also be some type of hybrid where some members are more "audience" and than "cast" – "sustainers" maybe – but they participate in whatever way they can.  There could be more "members" behind the scenes than in front of the camera.  But, all roles are required to sustain a troupe or "community of performers for political education and entertainment".

 

However, we don't have to jump to this conclusion right now.  We can start slow, prepare & perform a production or two, get to know each other and see if we could put this together.  We can start the discussion and gauge the interest.  If there is support there and we can work out the structural details, then we have a chance for "permanence".  I'd certainly attend a meeting to start the discussion, if anyone else is interested in attending.

 

But, I really don't have any time until after the Mass Bay Co-op Faire on Saturday, July 7, 2912, 10 AM to 2 PM, Essex St. parking lot adjoining Harvest Co-op Market, Central Square, Cambridge, MA.  We could continue to discuss it via email and hold a meeting in 2 weeks?  If people really want to meet and get something moving sooner, maybe I can find time?  If not, I'll get involved later.

 

As to the ideas presented so far, they all sound interesting.  I had also written a script about Fix News that never got performed.  So, I might be able to make a contribution beyond organization and structure.  I hope we could put something together.

 

Co-operatively, Wayne.