Haiti Project: Feb-March 2011

I am in Haiti again!  This time as part of Bond Street Theatre.  I have been working on this project as the coordinator for a few months now, and finally we have been able to make it happen.  Three ensemble members, Christina Pinnell, Joshua Wynter and me, are joined by a Haitian artist, Morlon, to bring an entertaining and uplifting show to the camp communities, and to collaborate with KOFAVIV and FAVILEK, two women's groups working to combat gender-based violence.  

From February 16 through March 7, we will be in Port-au-Prince, as well as a few days in Jacmel.

Stay tuned for updates coming soon!

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Added: I figured I would post here our one-page overview that we wrote in anticipation of our project!  Fyi...

WHO WE ARE and WHAT WE DO:

Founded in 1976, Bond Street Theatre is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating theatre as a means to peace and mutual understanding.  The company creates innovative performances that cross cultural borders and initiates theatre-based projects for education, healing and empowerment in critical areas worldwide.  In the past, Bond Street Theatre has brought its programs to Bosnia, Kosovo, Colombia, Afghanistan, India, and Burma among other countries.

Bond Street Theatre’s work is physical, visual, musical, and frequently non-verbal, having trained in the physical and gestural arts of many traditions. The ensemble uses striking theatrical forms such as stilts, masks, comedy, acrobatics, mime, circus arts, puppetry, dance, and many types of music. 

 

HAITI PROJECT:

Bond Street Theatre will bring a three-week program of performances and workshops to the displaced families living in tent camps in Port-au-Prince, using theatre and theatre-based methods to heal, empower and improve life skills, and as a means to help the community recover its joy and hope.

Bond Street Theatre will focus on issues facing women and girls in the camps and combat the rising rate of sexual violence in the camps, some involving children as young as 3 years old! At the same time, we will be working toward constructive programs for the male population as well, The company will draw upon its vast experience of theatrical techniques to create a comprehensive and enriching program.  Exercises will be geared to participants’ needs and will address the following areas:

·  Developing positive group dynamics and trust

·  Addressing traumatic experiences, memories and hopes

·  Building self-esteem and conquering fears

·  Stimulating imagination and creative problem solving

·  Cultivating empowerment and leadership

The company is working with two local women’s groups, FAVILEK and KOFAVIV, to help give women a means to speak out about their lives. The project is the initial phase of a long-term commitment in Haiti. The company offers its uplifting and joyful performances while looking at long-range means to address the most pressing issues facing women and girls living in the camps.

WHY THEATRE? 

Theatre gives voice to the voiceless and provides them with a safe environment and the creative tools to address critical problems that can directly improve their community. Worldwide, theatre, through its use of imagery, humor and non-verbal language is recognized as an effective means to disseminate practical information about crucial topics such as health, safety, and community services.

   BOND STREET THEATRE’S THREE-PART MODEL PROGRAM:   

·    The company collaborates on a peer-to-peer basis with local theatre artists and arts organizations in each region in which we work.

·    The company designs theatre-based programs to suit the needs of each target group, from street-working children to rural women to refugee populations.

·    The company trains educators, community leaders, parents and other stakeholders to continue these theatre-based techniques after our departure to maximize sustainability and impact.  

Joanna Sherman, Artistic Director  ▪   Michael McGuigan, Managing Director  

Bond Street Theatre is a not-for-profit  501(c)(3) organization and an NGO in association with the United Nations DPI.