I am excited to use this as part of our process! Thanks again Adriene.

Over the last couple weeks have been asking a lot of questions. Aiming to locate the specific questions we want to ask. What do we want the audience to walk away with? Identifying the core thesis of this work. Are we starting where we left off? What are we using, drawing, and developing from previous creations – including work in five2ten.

We have discussed using a classic story or myth structure to build from. Or maybe each of the four characters has their own story or myth as their underlying super-objective. 

Rather than developing invented characters we’ve discussed creating from the cast’s own resources, life journey, stories, etc. Also, possibly including wider points of view drawn from our community engagement workshops and interviews. More on that later.

The planet earth is a fifth character in the work. It’s presence and forces can be expressed through the music, movement, and video elements. We’ve also discussed the possibility of an actual voice. As part of the earth, the gyre is like a cancer calling for attention to its body and it is through our own healing that we contribute to creating balance.

Design: The gyre is not always present. As a metaphorical gyre the space can become any time and any place and constantly shift in a multitude of ways. Also exploration of sterile spaces, a science laboratory, large spaces like an airport, places of someone’s past. The gyre’s presence can be all through the video, eliminating actual trash on the stage. One possibility. 

Possible configuration:
A semi-circle thrust with four video surfaces – SR & SL behind audiences, US and the floor. 

Some questions:
What propels the work, breaking the meditation of previous work? Shifting and landing in situations, scenes. Humor.
Words: Taken, thrown, isolated, scattered, propelled, revolving, repeated spiral/circle pattern that changes. cycles, orbits, fluid, navigate, negotiate. Scientific.

Break from previous work where they all arrive and never leave. Maybe one person is already there. Another always passing through. or taking places of each other. or becoming people in someone’s past. more questions.

By way of what impetus does change occur? Conscious change through awareness. Unconscious change propelled by forces beyond us. Adaptation. Change by way of catastrophic occurrences or just a tap on the forehead? Do ideas of change live in the future, and hence always remain there? Action of change lives in the now.

Wholeness of being. Body, Mind, Spirit. What is the mind part of the earth? The intelligence of nature, perfect through imperfection. Instinct of animals. 

Healing means to make whole, bring into balance.
The symptom or altercation won’t “go away” but will no longer be needed if things are brought into balance. 

Fashion something new with the darkness. 

Transformation. Evolution. Continuum. Participating in creating balance.