 |
|
 |
|
 |
 | | | The Leslie O. Fulton Fellowships provide two awards of $5,000. The Fellowships are directed toward theatre artists of high merit to sustain and enhance their creative process. These awards are made possible by a gift from Neil Fulton in honor of his late wife, Leslie O. Fulton. She was an active member of the Portland Civic Theatre Guild. Mrs. Fulton initiated the PCTG Endowment Fund through the Oregon Community Foundation and its fellowships as a way to continue the legacy of the Portland Civic Theatre. Fellowship applicants must be from the Portland metropolitan area (includes SW Washington) in terms of official residence or professional activity. They must be active on a regular basis in Portland Metropolitan area theatre and recognized as a professional by their peers. | | 2010 Leslie O. Fulton Fellowship
Tim Krause - May 10, 2011
In January 2011, I spent two weeks at the Santiago a Mil
international theatre festival in Santiago, Chile. This is the
premier theatre event of Chile, this year presenting 72
works of theatre, dance and music (32 from Chile, 41 from
all over the world, representing 22 countries, 4 continents)
during the height of the South American summer.
Thanks to connections I made with the festival in advance,
I was invited to participate in the festival’s International
Presenters Week. During this time, the festival introduced
visiting delegates to a curated selection of programs (often
3 to 4 shows per day) that showcased work available to
tour. This was especially advantageous because not only
did it facilitate seeing many more productions than
planned, but I was also able to interact more directly with
festival staff and to network with other international
presenters from countries including Canada, Argentina,
Spain and Sweden.
All told, I attended 20 productions representing a sampling
of work largely from Chile, but also Mexico, Bulgaria,
Peru, Colombia and Brazil. It was interesting to observe
both what was onstage as well as how the front of house
worked and who was in the audience – and how festivals in
general are presented and promoted. I also attended several
of the festival’s “Theatre Conversations” led by artistic
directors, administrators and artists from festivals in
Edinburgh, Buenos Aires, etc., and I took time to visit
other cultural sites, such as the National Museum of Fine
Art and the Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, as well as sites
of historical interest such as Plaza de Armas and Plaza de
Constitución.
This trip will undoubtedly yield a variety of opportunities
over time, but some immediate takeaways include …
I was invited to attend the international theater
festival in La Paz, Bolivia; although I was unable to
participate this year, it demonstrates how quickly
Miracle can become plugged into the international
network of Latino presenters
I have established contact with several theatre
companies whose work I admired in order to
discuss collaborations ranging from artist
exchange, presenting their show when touring the
U.S., or simply soliciting their script to produce
locally;
I have been in negotiations to present a work
locally in its English translation
Several other productions will serve as inspiration
for how to approach our own work, such as a
production of Till that is of the same pícaro genre
as Miracle’s upcoming production of Lazarillo
My Spanish continues to improve and this trip was
both a good workout and reassurance that my
command of the language is increasing, giving me
greater confidence for bilingual interaction at
Miracle
Although the trip itself did not offer as much time
for self-reflection as I envisioned, it did provide a
way to step out of the day-to-day and consider new
perspectives in both my professional and personal
lives; reflection will come over time
A few highlights …
Cuando el Río Suena — an intensely personal,
intimate one-on-one theatrical journey
Till — an amazing outdoor spectacle filled with
physicality (and in Portuguese!)
Los Hermanos Gondia… — a funny fast-paced
farce about corporate greed
Tratando de hacer una obra que cambie el mundo
— a group of young idealists try to create a play
that will change the world only to find the world
has changed without them, leaving them without a
sense of purpose
Santiago — a fascinating clash between the modern
and the traditional told in a highly charged,
ceremonial manner
A few reflections …
More than anything, this experience has underscored two
points.
The first is an affirmation of my appreciation for a Latin
American aesthetic. While the productions I witnessed
spanned a spectrum of styles, there was always an underlying
sense of presence, engagement. The theatre seems less on a
pedestal, less removed, less superficial; more passionate,
more a part of everyday life, more accessible. (“Teatro a Mil”
used to imply something like “theatre for a buck” or “theatre
on a dime”).
I didn’t see any realistic kitchen-sink dramas, but rather
“theatre that knows it’s theatre”. That’s not to say there aren’t
any kitchen-sink dramas, but that it’s interesting the festival
did not curate any. None of the plays I saw would have been
better as a movie, book or TV show.
The sense of the event felt different; here and now we strive
so much to have roots in the community, to be a community
center, to have all these ancillary programs to be socially
engaging; I didn’t observe that much, but I did see lots of
attendance; lots of young people; but not in a contrived way,
and not attending the theatre because they happened to be
there for another event.
The second significant observation is the reinforcement of the
diversity of the Latino experience. The overwhelming
majority of Latinos in Portland are Mexican, but the diversity
within the Spanish-speaking world is immense and the place
in the world of Chileans in Santiago is different than you
would think, hard to pinpoint. History and class issues are at
the forefront, and there is a complex sense of identity, not just
for Chile, but South America, which is a different state of
mind. Just as folkloric and indigenous traditions are
important for Mexicans, politics are for South America,
especially in Chile.
As I bring this back to my work here in Portland, I keep
coming back to the notion of just what defines Latino arts and
culture. Our community is predominantly Mexican, but the
Mexican experience is vastly different than the Chicano,
Caribbean, and South American, and especially depending
what class you come from. And it’s fascinating to see how
this is represented in the theatre.
Summary of Finances …
Airfare Transportation $1429
Ground Transportation $126
Hotel $1045
Food $525
Admissions/Activities $907
Incidentals/Miscellaneous $468
Unused funds $500*
Total award $5000
* I wish to return this unused portion so that PCTG may make these funds available to
another fellowship or scholarship recipient.
I am immensely grateful to the Portland Civic Theatre Guild for providing me with this
opportunity. I truly would not have been able to experience such a marvelous festival
without the assistance of the Leslie O. Fulton Fellowship. Now, having had the
experience, I know that this will not be my last trip to such a festival. It’s an opportunity
unlike anything else, and not only does it further my career, but it feeds my soul.
¡Mil gracias!
Tim Krause | | Portland Theatres and Actors Win Fellowships from Portland Civic Theatre Guild at Drammys
June 9, 2008
Victoria Parker Pohl and Jen Raynak received the Leslie O. Fulton Fellowship of $5000 each to further their development in writing, acting and technical theatre.
Jen Raynak contact:
jen@tinyninjaracer.com
Victoria Parker-Pohl contact:
www.parkerpohl.com
parpo2@comcast.net
| | The Portland Civic Theatre Award in Support of Theatre
The $1,500 Portland Civic Theatre Award in Support of Theatre is directed towards use for capital items or production expenses. Theatres must be located in the Portland Metropolitan (including SW Washington) area. The recipients are chosen by a selection panel comprised of theatre professionals and educators. Applicants are evaluated in a variety of areas including artistic excellence of proposal, feasibility of completion and contribution to artistic growth of the applicant. Full details are presented in the application packet. Updated applications will be available for the 2010 awards. | | June 2008 Drammy Awards: Stumptown Stage and Third Rail Theatre Company received a Portland Civic Theatre Guild Grant of $1500 each for new theatre equipment. |  | The Portland Civic Theatre Guild develops the Mary Brand Youth Theatre Scholarship Fund,
designed to assist talented theatre students in the Portland area by
providing two $250.00 scholarships annually. Students attending Northwest Academy, Northwest Children's Theatre and Oregon Children's Theatre are eligible
for the funds which are designed to aid with tuition fees.
Candidates are nominated by the staff of their school on the basis of need, merit and dedication among other criteria. Scholarship winners are selected by a panel of Civic Theatre Guild members and announced at the Drammy Award ceremony held every June.
On June 9, 2008 two wonderful young actors, Robert Calkins and Destiny Stegall, each received the Mary Brand Youth Theatre scholarships of $250 each to continue their studies at Oregon Children's Theatre.
|
|
|
|
|
|
