Fall Projects
Back row: Stacy Perez, Chiara Liberatore, Joseph Jackson, Momo Duale, Hassan Hassan, Dominick Morrison, and Tyler Jackson
Front row: Noah Bragg, David Bruin (Celebration Barn Executive Director), Amanda Huotari (Creative Ensemble Facilitator), and Bashir Matan
At Celebration Barn in early September, MIO’s Creative Ensemble performed “Broken Clock” for an intimate audience. Before the show about incarceration, gun violence, grief, family, trust, and time, we brought the audience on stage with the cast to play theater games. Following the performance, we held a dialogue between cast and audience members, which brought up discussion about how unfair our social systems can be, and how vastly different life can be for different people in the same community. Audience members resonated with scenes about motherhood, and about peer influence. We then circled together on the stage for final reflections. Audience members felt sadness, moved, and “arrested” as if time had stopped.
When Maine Inside Out groups create original theater, they confront complex and challenging problems that have personal and community impact. The process of creating a play supports the group to play with these issues - literally and figuratively - by using theatrical tools of personal expression and group connection: movement, dance, music, poetry, improvisation, and more. Our performances are a way for groups to share their experiences and vision and to invite the community into deeper dialogue.
We are kicking off our Fall season of play creation, performances, community events, and open mics. We know that difficult experiences and questions will emerge and we are excited to use art and theater to be in deeper dialogue and relationship in the midst of challenge and crisis. Here is what we are up to:
The Creative Ensemble: The Creative Ensemble is a professional ensemble of staff and experienced Lewiston community artists facilitated by Amanda Huotari - are continuing to tour and develop “Broken Clock” including a residency and performance last month at Celebration Barn. Stay tuned for information about upcoming performances.
The Landing Pad: The Landing Pad is a statewide, peer support network of system-impacted young adults. The group meets regularly for community lunches to learn from mentors and create original poetry and music. The Landing Pad will host our next Open Mic at L/A Arts in Lewiston on October 22 led by members from the Lewiston community. The Lewiston group has also been attending the community conversations about ongoing gun violence in the community. Shout out to Generational Noor and Tree Street Youth for facilitating these conversations and to everyone who has participated.
Youth Theater Projects: MIO is facilitating two youth theater projects this Fall. In Lewiston, we are collaborating with Sustainable Livelihoods Relief Organization and Maine Immigrant & Refugee Services to create original theater with Lewiston teens after school. In Portland, we are partnering with King Middle School to create original theater with two groups of 8th graders. Both of these projects will culminate with public performances in December.
Theater for Social Change Training: MIO’s team of theater facilitators are continuing to offer workshops across the state in our methods for creating original theater. Training is available for groups of all ages: youth, young adults, and adults. In September, we led a workshop at the Common Ground Fair in Unity, Maine. To learn more about this training visit: https://www.maineinsideout.org/book-workshop
A compilation of photos from MIO’s residency & performance at Celebration Barn, workshop at the Common Ground Fair, after school project with Lewiston teens, and staff team gathering in August.
