Download Play Guide - Seattle Rep

by lisa kron
directed by braden a
braham
1
Education programs at Seattle Repertory Theatre are generously supported by:
The Chisholm Foundation | Washington State Arts Commission | Nordstrom | Kenneth and Rosemary Willman
U.S. Bank Foundation | Horizons Foundation | Loeb Family Charitable Foundation | Macy’s
Moccasin Lake Foundation | Muckleshoot Charitable Contributions | Theatre Forward
Tulalip Tribes Charitable Fund | KeyBank
2
Note from OUR EDUCATION DIRECTOR
Dear Theatregoer,
Well is a particularly timely play. Its discussion about the health of neighborhoods,
interracial relationships within communities, and the impact of community
organizing couldn’t be more relevant today. Fortunately, it explores all of these
political themes with humor and wit, making it a funny and thoroughly
entertaining show.
This guide uses the personal/individual exploration of illness as an entry point to the wider issues
presented in the play. The lens on the personal zooms all the way out to also explore the play as
a communication device. This play's use of metatheatricality allows the audience to see first-hand
what the efforts toward integration might look like when some of the components seem to rebel
against the process. In the words of Lisa Kron:
“This is what integration means. It means weaving into the whole even the parts that are
uncomfortable or don’t seem to fit. Even the parts that are complicated and painful.
What is more worthy of our time and our love than that?”
We hope this play will encourage you to think critically about the relevance of the production's themes
today. We also hope it will expand the possibilities of how theatre as an art form can operate. We hope
you are inspired to break the rules of your own chosen art form, whatever that may be.
Enjoy the show,
P.S. Teachers, look out for links
between each section of this guide
with EALR & Common Core standards!
Arlene Martínez-Vázquez
Education Director
Seattle Repertory Theatre
History
Literacy
Social
Studies
civics
Arts
3
EALR Social
Studies 5.2
& 5.3
CCSS RL
9-10.4
Invisible Illness:
The Personal and Social Scourge
Every human being has been sick at least once in their lives, right? And naturally,
no one enjoys being sick, but fortunately, the misery experienced by those who
are ill can be eased by the good intentions of others. Friends and family may
make soup, take out the trash, do laundry, or any number of tasks to increase the
comfort and alleviate the burdens of those who are ailing. Even when it’s a stranger,
people typically tend to hold the door for the person in the wheelchair, give their bus
seat to the senior citizen with a walker, or help a person on crutches up the stairs. Whether
they feel obliged, want to feel useful, or just don’t want to feel ashamed, most able-bodied
humans will come to the aid of others who are visibly disabled.
However, our culture of helpfulness is limited in giving the same deference and consideration to people who suffer from invisible disabilities as
we give to those with visible disabilities. We are in ways ignorant of the
notion that one’s true health may not be revealed through outward appearance. If people look healthy, but express a physical limitation, some may
respond with a putdown. “Stop being so dramatic” or “stop being a baby.”
These kinds of insensitive remarks add psychological distress on top of
the physical pain people are already experiencing, visible or not. Part of
our response to invisible illnesses is due to ignorance. After learning what
invisible disability is and how it impairs some peoples’ daily lives, we can
examine how to cultivate a more sensitive and inclusive attitude.
What are Invisible Disabilities?
Invisible Disability is an umbrella term that captures a whole spectrum
of hidden disabilities or challenges that are primarily neurological in
nature. According to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA),
an individual with a disability is a person who has a physical or mental
impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. If a
medical condition does not impair normal activities, then it is not considered a disability. Disability is characterized by chronic pain, chronic
fatigue, mental illness, or chronic dizziness.
The quality of life for people living with an invisible disability is varied.
Many people are still able to be active in their hobbies, sports, and work.
On the other hand, some struggle just to get through the day and some
cannot work at all.
Common Invisible Illnesses
1. Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep deprivation, memory
4
quick facts
10%
•
of people in the U.S.
have a medical condition that
can be considered a type of
invisible disability.
96%
•
of people with chronic
medical conditions live with an
illness that is invisible.
90%
•
of seniors have at least
one chronic disease and
have two or more chronic diseases.
77%
• The divorce rate among the
chronically ill is over
75%
22%
•
of adults in the U.S.
have some type of disability.
400 billion
• Disability costs
dollars per year in health care
expenditures in the U.S.
1 in 3
•
unemployed adults
who are able to work reported
a disability.
half
• Nearly
of those with
an annual household income of
less than $15,000 reported a
disability.
loss, and mood issues. Symptoms sometimes begin after a physical trauma, surgery, infection, or
significant psychological stress.
2. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that can't be explained
by any underlying medical condition. The fatigue may
worsen with physical or mental activity, but doesn't
improve with rest.
3. Depression is a mood disorder that causes a
persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. It
affects how you feel, think, and behave and can lead
to a variety of emotional and physical problems.
Now What?
You know the story: someone pulls into a parking space reserved for the disabled, “jumps” out and “scurries” into a building. They don’t appear to be disabled and you fume at the immorality of the impostor, as
you are left to circle the parking lot looking for a spot.
Typically, we don’t stop to consider the possibility that the “impostor” who parked in the spot could actually
be disabled. So what can be done about the general tendency to assume that what is perceived from the
appearance of a person is what is "true" about them? How does one maintain an awareness of the fact that
there could be information about a person that is not immediately visible to the eye?
The only answer is to heighten our sense of awareness around the topic. We must normalize disability in
our minds. If we're wondering about the intensity of someone’s condition, the next thought should be a
realization that there may be more that we’re not aware of. Pausing before passing judgement is the best
act we can do for those who suffer from an invisible illness.
YOUTUBE IT
Watch the video “I'm not your inspiration, thank you very much | Stella Young” posted by TED:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K9Gg164Bsw
Write a 500-word essay comparing the different reactions society generally has toward visible
and invisible disability. What are three tangible ways in which society can normalize the lives of
the visibly disabled and make allowances for those with invisible disability?
Sources:
www.disabled-world.com/disability/types/invisible/
www.psychologytoday.com/blog/healing-possibility/201008/hidden-disabilities
www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/fibromyalgia/basics/definition/con-20019243
www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/chronic-fatigue-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20022009
www.disabled-world.com/disability/statistics/cdc-stats.php
5
Civics 1.2
&1.4
EALR
History
4.4
CCSS W
9-10.2
Community Organizing:
Origins to Today
In a nation as large as the United States, many people feel powerless
to enact change. In the most recent presidential election, only 55% of
voting-age citizens cast a ballot. This means that nearly half of eligible
voters decided to not participate in the most foundational aspect of one
of the oldest existing democracies. Democracy is rooted in the principle
that the power lies with the people. But this is only true if the people
participate. While voter turnout is high in most middle/upper class
neighborhoods, turnout is perpetually low in low-income communities. The frustration and helplessness these communities feel is real as
they rarely see how government programs result in positive change in their neighborhoods and schools.
Their past experiences prove in their eyes that the singular act of casting a vote is symbolic at best, and
obsolete at worst. The socialization of the American public in a media-driven society reinforces the need
for a single savior or hero to advocate on their behalf. Community organizing seeks to inspire community
members to recognize and own their collective agency and ability to enact change.
Founder of Modern Community Organizing
Saul Alinsky, born in 1909 in the Chicago slums, is commonly referred to
as the founder of modern community organizing. He was a proud Chicagoan, and bore witness to the neglect with which the American government
treated the urban, low-income neighborhoods on Chicago’s South and West
sides. He was a young man inspired by the achievements of the labor movement during the 1930s. He believed that by banding together for a common
cause, a community could enact real social change in neighborhoods in much
the same manner that the labor movement did for the workplace.
Saul Alinsky.
The Alinsky Method
Alinsky was truly a revolutionary leader. Although his charisma and penchant for confrontation were noteworthy, his ability to redefine the ordinary concepts of “power” and “self-interest” was the true determining factor in making the community organizing effort a viable and widespread strategy. Real and lasting
progress was impossible unless these twin concepts were embraced at the grassroots level. The negative
view that many people had toward power was misplaced in Alinsky’s view. In his book, Rules for Radicals,
Alinsky wrote "When we talk about a person's lifting himself by his own bootstraps, we are talking about
power… To know power and not fear it is essential to its constructive use and control." He refused to buy
into to the widespread view that power walks hand-in-hand with corruption. Alinsky's message to ordinary
people was that the privileged class had not only fully embraced their power, but were forceful in using
it. He firmly believed that if ordinary people ever wanted to take control of their lives, they would have to
learn to be comfortable with using power as well.
6
Similarly, Alinsky believed that community organizing had to be grounded in the self-interest(s) of the
collective. Self-interest, he said, “is not the same thing as selfishness.” Any broad social movement could
only be sustained through aligning self-interest with public interest—the idea that “what is good for me
is good for all.” His view was that organizations will eventually fail if they ask people to make “sacrifices”
for the greater good. People have to feel like the cause for which they are fighting for will directly benefit
them and improve their lives. If people feel like their self-interest is secondary to the broader movement,
they are essentially being asked to manage an internal conflict. Over time, their resolve for the movement
would erode. When self-interest is aligned with organizational interest, it becomes a relational concept,
and makes organizations and campaigns significantly more sustainable.
It is important to note that Alinsky never viewed himself as a“savior.” He was a Jewish man who felt called
to work with the disenfranchised communities of Chicago, which oftentimes meant that he was working in
and with communities of color. Alinsky strove to develop leaders within the communities themselves as he
felt that was the only way that the momentum for a particular cause could be sustained. His most enduring
legacy is his founding of the Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) in 1941—a network of community organizations dedicated to providing low-income, urban communities with resources for training community leaders
as well as helping to strategize political action plans with organizations all across the U.S. The IAF’s impact
can be felt today as many people of color lead community organizations all across America. A few of note are:
• Luis Fernando Ramirez, Executive Director, Entre Hermanos, Seattle WA www.entrehermanos.org
• Will Allen, Executive Director, Growing Power Community Food Center, Milwaukee, WI www.GrowingPower.org
• Joyce Johnson Co-Director, Beloved Community Center of Greensboro, Inc., Greensboro, NC
www.BelovedCommunityCenter.org
• Ricardo Martinez Co-Founder/Co-Director, Padres Unidos, Denver, CO www.padresunidos.org
• Richard Moore Executive Director, Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice,
Albuquerque, NM www.Sneej.org
• Ai-jen Poo Special Projects Director, CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities, New York, NY www.CAAAV.org
Strategies and Tactics
Community organizing provides a way to merge various strategies for neighborhood empowerment. Organizing can only operate under the following beliefs:
1. The problems facing inner-city communities do not result from a lack of effective solutions, but from a
lack of power to implement these solutions.
2. The only way for communities to build long-term power is by organizing people and the money [they
raise] around a common vision.
3. That a viable organization can only be achieved if a broadly based indigenous leadership—and not one or two
charismatic leaders—can merge the diverse interests of their local institutions and “grassroots” people.
Community organizing groups use many different strategies and tactics to pressure public officials, entities,
and private corporations. A few of note are:
ion makers
tional decis
u
it
st
in
h
it
w
g
in
at
ti
o
neg
voter education
boycotts
get-out-the-vote efforts
public shaming
7
Community Organizing Groups Today
Fundamentally, the methods of community organizing have not changed much since the Alinsky era. The
major difference is in the approach. Some community organizing groups organize people within institutions,
and others organize them as individuals. The IAF operates under the notion that the only way to create
sustainable community organizing groups is to draw on the power of pre-existing relationships. People have
natural communities—their churches, schools, or neighborhood associations—and it is most effective to
coalesce these smaller communities around a large organizing campaign. Only institutions are allowed to
become members of local IAF groups; individuals cannot join the groups on their own.
Major Community Organizing Networks Today
gamaliel foundation
pacific institute for community organization (PICO)
direct action research and training center (dart)
Together with the IAF, these "institution-based community organizing networks" have over 130 active local
groups, made up of 4,000 member institutions, reaching between 1 and 3 million people nationwide.
There are also organizations that bring together professionals from various fields of study. The National
Education Association (NEA) is the nation’s largest professional employee organization. They are committed to advancing the cause of public education and is comprised of 3 million individuals who work at all
levels of education. The NEA Department of Minority Community Organizing and Partnerships (MCOP) is
dedicated solely to raising the voices of NEA members and communities of color to ensure children of
color have access to quality public education.
Organizing Individuals
The problem with organizing institutions is that the poorest, most disaffected people are usually not meaningfully connected to institutions, leaving their voices and issues of concern out of the organizing effort. To
activate social change in the nation’s poorest communities, organizations like the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) recruit individuals to form coalitions, rather than institutions.
The difficulties with organizing door-to-door are fairly obvious: it’s more unstable and
less efficient than organizing
institutions. However, it allows
for the voices of the most
disenfranchised people to be
included in any organizing effort. ACORN now involves over
150,000 families in over 450
neighborhood groups in 60
cities across the country.
Members of the Dallas Area Interfaith Organization (DAI) meet to support
expanding Medicaid in Texas.
8
While community organizing groups provide a way for low-income communities to engage in politics
and help to bring about social change, it’s important to note that they are not social service providers
or activist groups. They are cooperatives of people who are capable of taking action as a group. Community organizing is about restoring local democracy and accountability to communities—and about
building leadership and empowering the disenfranchised in the process. The key to any organizing
effort is to hone in on small successes. If organizations focus on immediate, specific, and winnable
issues, they can subsequently address more serious problems. Small successes beget larger successes
because they help to convince skeptics on the sidelines to get involved. When more people participate, more people power is built and larger, more embedded issues can be addressed.
io
Group Survival Scenar
In small groups, have the class complete the following Group Survival Scenario:
You are sailing on a yacht in the Caribbean. A fire has suddenly destroyed much of the yacht and
its contents. Because the fire also destroyed navigational equipment on board, you can only estimate that you are approximately 1,000 miles from the nearest land. 14 items remained intact and
undamaged. You also have a life raft with oars that can carry everyone aboard the yacht and the 14
items listed here. Your task is to rank these 14 items in terms of their importance to your survival,
with 1 as most important and 14 as least important:
Items:
• Small transistor radio • Shaving mirror • Shark repellent • 5 gallon can of water • 20 sq.ft. of
opaque plastic • Mosquito netting • 1 case of food rations • Maps of the area • Seat cushion
(flotation device) • 2 gallon can of oil/gas mixture • 1 quart of 160 proof rum • 15 ft. of nylon
rope • 2 boxes of chocolate bars • Fishing kit
The only other materials you have available are the contents of survivors’ pockets: several books
of matches, five one-dollar bills, and four sticks of chewing gum.
After each group has ranked their priorities, ask them to journal about the experience. What were
the difficult aspects of coming to consensus? What were they willing to compromise on? What were
they unwilling to compromise on? How did their individual interest relate to the group interest?
Sources:
www.alternet.org/story/145924/20_principles_for_successful_community_organizing
www.prrac.org/full_text.php?text_id=964&item_id=8814&newsletter_id=0&header=comm
billmoyers.com/content/who-is-saul-alinsky/
www.dissentmagazine.org/article/alinsky-for-the-left-the-politics-of-community-organizing
debatewise.org/debates/2154-democracy-is-the-best-form-of-government/
9
EALR Social
Studies 5.1,
5.2 &5.3
CCSS RI
9-10.8
Halloween and
Cultural
Appropriation
Cultural Appropriation is the adoption of icons, rituals, aesthetic
standards, and behavior from one culture or subculture by another. It most prominently occurs when the subject culture is a
minority culture. More often than not, this appropriation occurs
without any real understanding of why the original culture values
certain activities or the meanings behind their iconography.
Whether we are aware of it or not, cultural appropriation has
permeated American culture. We see examples of appropriation
of other cultures’ dance, dress, music, language, folklore, cuisine, and iconography, to name a few.
It has become so ubiquitous that it is often hard to distinguish whether culture is being appropriated
or appreciated. This delicate relationship between appreciation and appropriation is to some extent
manifested in the tradition of Halloween. It’s one of the few holidays that people of most ethnicities and faiths celebrate and exists simply for the fun of dressing up. Most people do not put much
thought into their Halloween costume. They go to a store, pick out something that looks fun, wear it
for the day, and then bury it in the back of their closet or pack it away never to be seen again. You’ve
seen some examples of these costumes: "Indian Warrior," “Kung Fu Artist,” or "Buddhist Monk". These
costumes are offensive as they demean the sacred traditions of minority cultures.
"we see examples of appropriation of other
cultures' dance, dress, music, language, folklore,
cuisine, and iconography, to name a few."
Another issue with cultural appropriation is how it blatantly highlights the privilege of the “ruling culture” (in this case white) over minorities. Most minorities go through a process of “white-washing” in
an effort to be accepted. White-washing is when minorities “hide” or “let go” of their cultural identifiers in order to more easily conform to white society. For example, Hispanics stop speaking Spanish
and almost all minorities stop wearing their traditional dress. When whites—the same class that has
forced them to let go of their cultures—adopt these identifiers just for “fun,” it is a reminder of the
privilege they hold over minorities. These choices are offensive at best, and at worst blatantly racist.
10
In many instances, people are ignorant of the racist implications of their costume choice. They
oftentimes dismiss any calls for taking personal responsibility as an overreaction to their “celebration of a holiday.” Regardless of whether your costume selection was made with innocent intentions
or not, your costume can still perpetuate harmful stereotypes and stigmas, which then encourages
more aggressive racist attitudes. That is to say that even if you don’t think you’re racist, you can
still perpetuate racism.
Fundamentally, cultural appropriation reinforces the notion that whiteness is “normal” and other cultures are foreign, or somehow “less.” By wearing the traditional clothing of cultures that aren’t theirs as
a costume, people are implying that a culture, ethnicity, or race is something that can be easily taken off
or copied—thus devaluing that culture, ethnicity, and/or race. It’s a fact that racism and discrimination
exist, so by engaging in even the smallest act of cultural appropriation, people contribute to a divisive
social climate that legitimizes stereotypes and diminishes the experiences of other people.
debate IT
Cultural appropriation has sunk its teeth into many aspects of society. In addition to dress, art,
and customs, culture is being appropriated with sports teams’ mascots. Many professional sports
teams use Native American figures as their mascot (i.e: Washington Redskins, Atlanta Braves,
Cleveland Indians). Many Native Americans find this offensive and want to see these teams
change their names. Team officials and some members of the fan base argue that changing the name
is unnecessary and detracts from the tradition and pride established in their respective cities. They
argue that the names are celebrations of culture and not appropriation.
Break off into small groups and debate the merits and pitfalls of both sides of this debate.
Does maintenance of tradition override any objections of the offended group?
Sources:
racerelations.about.com/od/diversitymatters/fl/What-Is-Cultural-Appropriation-and-Why-Is-It-Wrong.htm
www.huffingtonpost.com/news/cultural-appropriation/
www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/10/the-dos-and-donts-of-cultural-appropriation/411292/
everydayfeminism.com/2013/10/is-your-halloween-costume-racist/
socialwork.utah.edu/tag/offensive-halloween-costumes/
unsettlingamerica.wordpress.com/2011/09/16/cultural-appreciation-or-cultural-appropriation/
u.osu.edu/gordon.3/files/2012/06/Annahita-Ball.pdf
11
EALR
Theatre
1.1, 3.1,3.2,
& 3.3
Metatheatre—
A contemporary Aesthetic
When patrons make the decision to attend a theatre production, they
may arrive with certain expectations: there will be ushers, the show
will begin promptly, and there will likely be an intermission. To be
sure, theatre is a flexible and diverse artistic enterprise. The different theatre venues (arenas, amphitheatres, blackboxes) and forms
(comedy, drama, tragedy, melodrama) relate to each other in specific ways to produce varied experiences
for the audience. Of all the assumptions and expectations we take into the theatre irrespective of venue or
form, one of the most universal is that the audience serves as voyeur; that is, the audience merely bears
witness to a story, and does not in any way become a part of it.
Metatheatre completely subverts this expectation. It is a self-reflective theatrical model that aims to
highlight the dramatic nature of life by drawing attention to the artificial contrivance of the “dramatic
form” itself. In short, it is the breaking of the proverbial “4th wall.” The 4th wall is the invisible barrier
between the audience and performers. Metatheatre manifests itself in myriad ways, most prominently in
direct address, in which the actor speaks to the audience:
Soliloquy: speech in which the character is alone on stage and speaks to the audience or him/herself.
• Aside: a comment by an actor not heard by others on the stage and intended only for the audience.
• Prologue: an introductory speech that calls attention to the themes of the play.
• Epilogue: a speech delivered by an actor after the conclusion of a play.
•
Other metatheatrical elements include an expression of awareness of the audience by the actors (not necessarily through speech), an acknowledgement that the people performing are “actors” (not characters), or
where the actors perform a “play-within-the-play.” Film has also incorporated metatheatrical elements to
suit its medium. For example, in the popular Netflix series "House of Cards," actor Kevin Spacey will often
speak directly to the camera (audience) in the middle of a scene. If taken linguistically, metatheatre combines the word “theatre” with the Greek prefix “meta”—which means “a level beyond.”
Metatheatre also gave rise to the creation of new theatrical forms. Epic Theatre was most famously
mastered by Bertolt Brecht and incorporated many elements of metatheatre. In addition to breaking
the 4th wall, Brecht would have actors move set pieces in between scenes, play multiple characters,
and he flooded the theatre with bright lights (including the audience)—effectively blurring the architectural divide between performers and audience. Performing effectively in Epic Theatre necessitates
that actors play characters believably without convincing either the audience or themselves that they
have "become" the characters.
12
Devised Theatre is a form of theatre where the script originates from a collaborative work by a group of
people (usually, but not necessarily, the performers). It is a contemporary phenomenon that has been
popularized in America by theatremaker Anne Bogart. There is no set method for creating devised theatre.
Since there is no script, collaborators have the freedom to use everything from concepts, texts, images, objects, or any number of ideas. The creative process usually depends upon the various talents and interests
of the collaborators themselves.
Devised Theatre is distinguishable from Improvisational Theatre ("improv") in that the creation process
itself is improvised, but the public presentation usually takes a fixed form that rarely, if ever, changes. The
format of Improvisational Theatre is such that both the creative process and public presentation are one
and the same. Improvisational theatre often asks the audience to suggest a theme, narrative, or “rule” that
the performers must obey at all times. The actors will then incorporate these conditions into the performance. Usually these improvised shows are never performed exactly the same again, as each performance
depends on the audiences’ suggestions. Most major cities have an improv troupe, including Seattle, where
we boast talented improv companies like Blood Squad, Unexpected Productions, and Jet City Improv.
Street Theatre is a common and commonly dismissed form of
theatre. It’s performed in outdoor public spaces and is not usually
produced with the expectation of a paying audience. Street theatre
often carries a reputation as “inferior” art because many people
harbor the belief that the show has been rejected by mainstream
venues. Oftentimes, street theatre has a political and/or social issue
that the performer wants to give the public exposure to.
Solo performance is often cited as the epitome of metatheatricality. The only hard and fast rule of a solo show is that there can only
be one performer. Some performers portray multiple characters and some play a single character. They
are usually humorous and performed by comedians, though this isn’t always the case. Some solo shows
are one-person adaptations of classical plays, such as Jose Watanabe’s adaptation of Antigone, produced
by Peruvian theatre group Yuyachkani. Others are “theatre explorations” of the kind you see depicted in
Well. Many people think it not only asks for, but requires the active participation of the audience. That’s
not to say that all solo shows are metatheatrical. Many solo shows are performed without the breaking of
the 4th wall, but these are usually an exception, rather than the norm.
How “Meta” Can You Be?
Create a devised theatre piece about devised theatre. This can be a parody, celebration, homage to, or critique of devised theatre.
Sources:
theatreprojects.com/files/pdf/Resources_IdeasInfo_typesandformsoftheatre.pdf
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metatheatre
howlround.com/the-paradox-of-devised-theater-on-the-twenty-first-century-stage
parabasis.typepad.com/blog/2011/01/wtf-is-devised-work-anyway.html
www.dictionary.com/browse/prologue?s=t
www.dictionary.com/browse/epilogue?s=t
13