Interview #1 Sandra and Masks!

I have been taking this class at C4 Atlanta 

and one of the assignments was to interview 10 people you consider to be part of your target market.  I loved the idea so much that I decide to extend the interview subjects to people who create new theatrical works as well as a way of sparking additional ideas (making the show more marketable!!!). SO, over the next month or so, I will be reporting about my 10 interview adventure! 

Sandra holding the triple goddess mask carved of wood 

Back in the day, when I was a majoring in theatre I took a workshop on working with masks and was very intrigued by the whole process.   It was a whole new way of taking on a character.  And the idea of completely embodying an archetype via the mask struck me as a very spiritual experience.  I knew if I took on the study seriously it would mean going places I had never been- exciting and scary at the same time.  But, the school I went to didn't have mask classes so I didn't pursue any further training and my creative life went in a different direction.

A couple weeks ago, fellow thespian Sandra Hughes (of Gateway Productions), whom I have had the pleasure of crossing paths with over the last year or so, sent out an email.  It read, in part:

Gateway Productions recently accepted an invitation from Synchronicity Theatre in Atlanta, GA to participate in the creation of the production of a new play based on the novel "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" by Grace Lin. The adaptation for the stage of this 2010 Newbery Honors book is a “fantasy crossed with Chinese folklore” that's certain to be enjoyed by families, youth and the young at heart of all ages.
The artistic process I've experienced as part of the creative team for this beautiful production has been outstanding. The show opens in Atlanta the evening of Valentine's Day through March 9th. Click here for tickets and more information.

I was immediately intrigued by the new play process and also the fact that Sandra's specialty is mask theatre and mime.  It all of the sudden occurred to me that it would be really awesome to incorporate masks into parts of Goddesspell during certain goddess vignettes.   I immediately emailed her to see if she would let me interview her on both subjects: new play process and mask theatre.  I also made plans to see the show before meeting with her.

In a nutshell, both the play and the interview were delightful and inspiring to me (go see it if you are in the area!!!).  You will have to wait to see the results of the interview but just know there WILL be masks in Goddesspell and it will be REALLY cool!!!  More will be revealed as we take this creation journey.  For now, I'm signed up to do a mask making workshop myself. . just to get warmed up a bit!!!

Let your imagination go!!!

The Crone

The Invitation

My Goddess of Passion!  Photo by Jill Hendrix

So here it is, like I promised in my last post. .. .

The Invitation 

by Oriah

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.

I want to know what you ache for, and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.  I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive.

I t doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon.  I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow, if you have been opened by life’s betrayals or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain.  I want to know if you can sit with pain, mine or your own, without moving to hide it or fade it or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, mine or your own, if you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes without cautioning us to be careful, to be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true.  I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself; if you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul; if you can be faithless and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty, even when it’s not pretty, every day, and if you can source your own life from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, yours and mine, and still stand on the edge of the lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, “YES!”.

It doesn’t interest me to know where you live or how much money you have.  I want to know if you can get up, after the night of grief and despair, weary and bruised to the bone, and do what needs to be done to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know or how you came to be here.  I want to know if you will stand in the center of fire with me and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom you have studied.  I want to know what sustains you, from the inside, when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.

Another Successful Goddess Gathering!

Goddess of Love/Passion Marquetta Dupree taken by Jill Hendrix

The Goddesspell ensemble is producing and participating in goddess workshop/retreats as one of the beginning steps of creation.  This experience gives us an opportunity to play with goddess archetypes helping us to personally discover and embody aspects of our divine feminine, to deepen our relationships and ability to collaborate, and to spark ideas for show material!  We invite ALL women to come play with us (thanks to our beautiful participants- Sarah, Wendy, Sara, Lin and Juliana)!!!

Yesterday we held our Goddess of Love (A Workshop For Women Who Want to Ignite Their Passion).  The above picture is of Goddesspell ensemble member, Marquetta, who participated in personally embodying her goddess of passion (as we all did!) while Jill, who facilitated half of the workshop, took pictures.  We had such a great time dressing up, adorning ourselves (and helping each other) with scarves, hats, temporary tattoos, glitter, makeup etc. . .laughing lots!!  The Goddess of Love and Passion was definitely in the room!!!  And we DANCED!

I facilitated the more contemplative first half of the workshop using the first four sections of Oriah's declaration "The Invitation" as inspiration (which I will write out in a separate post for you to check out- it's so powerful and inspiring!).  We discussed each section and then I led some guided meditations appropriate to each section we were dealing with.  Some of the meditations involved writing in our journals and one had us up and moving.

The day was sooooo absolutely delightful and insightful!  I wished we could have gone on for a couple more hours actually.  There were a  few tears, lots of laughter, and BIG hugs. . ..can't wait for the next Goddess Gathering in March!!!  This next time we will focus on the Goddess of Compassion archetype as personified in Quan Yin, White Tara and. . .well, we'll see what comes up as we sit with with this archetype!!!  Hope some of you can join us!