ACROSS OCEANS ARTS: PROJECTS
The Time for Action is Now
(2017-19-21 in progress)
PLAYERS who MOVE, MOVERS who RESPOND, MUSICIANS who SOUND, CITIZENS who CARE
Since 2016 Climate Change Theatre Action (CCTA) has commissioned 140 playwrights from around the world to write one-to-five-minute plays about an aspect of climate change.
These plays have been made available to producing collaborators for CCTA events from simple as readings in a classroom, to as elaborate as rehearsed presentations for an audience.
The series of actions were organized to coincide with the United Nations COP 23 meetings in 2017-2019-2021. CCTA is now a worldwide series of readings and performances.
Across Oceans' "Time for Action is Now" is facilitating Toronto platforms (2017-19-21)
2021
Not because we are good
Performed online Nov 26, 2021 in partnership with Changent Zero.
6 plays of Climate Change Theatre Actions’s 2021 international commissions. The program included the readings, musical interludes, an audience movement choir, and discussion.
All of us were born in a crisis by David Finnigan (Australia)
"This is a true story. 75,000 years ago the Toba volcano in Indonesia erupted…We crept across the face of the planet...and we forgot, as much as an animal forgets."
The Pageant by Paula Cizmar (USA)
That part is sooooo beautiful. When the tiny children wear their twinkly flowy robes…
The Penguin by Nicolas Bilon (Canada)
"Yet the right tone for the play is somewhere in the Actor’s combination of earnestness and despondency"
2076 by Camila Le-bert (Chile)
"It isn't wooo...We don’t want things back to normal”
The Ranger by Yvette Nolan (Algonquin-Canada)
“You gotta go, Niall. They’re plowing the roads in after you go”
Not Because We’re Good by Chris Thorpe (UK).
“We remembered the boats capsizing – that happened. But in the end, we didn't want to remember when it was us in them…and yeah it wasn't til the last possible moment that most of us signed on.”
Performed by Al Lauzon, Cavan Young, Lynann Outram, Leslie Tan, Liliane de Vries, Lynne Stewart, Michael Holt, Peter Smith, Rick Monaco, Shannon Kitchings, Sheri Dewling-Nolan, Tara Chrichton, Todd Porter
Designedand Facilitated by Tanya Porter, Casandra Bryant (Changent Zero), Maxine Heppner (Across Oceans Arts)
2019
Canaries Are Flying - Action Needed
WHAT WE DID IN THESE LONGEST NIGHTS - Dec 16-Dec 27, 2019 24/7
FROM THE COMFORT OF OUR OWN DEVICES IN OUR OWN TIME climate change theatre action
Join the Cry.
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Step 1: turn your device to sound recorder
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Step 2 : open this metronome url set it to 78bpm, press play
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Step 3 : open this TEXT url scroll to the first line highlighted in yellow (read my director's notes if you want to)
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Step 4 : press record on your sound recorder to record your first reading.
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Step 5 : read Hanna Cormick's text "Canary". Don't worry if you pause, slip over a word, cough, clear your throat, etc. this is part of your reading...and hearing. The text takes about 6-9 minutes to read. It's worth it. A shorter version url has a slightly different punch, takes about 1-2 minutes and also worth it. Do one or both.
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Step 6 : save the recording. name it < your name > and < action now acrossoceans.org >
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Step 7: immediately share your recording with us here and with 1, 2, as many people you want to, as a public post or personal message, through whatever way you share. If you want, invite them to join the action too by doing their own recording and adding to the canaries' cry.
"I am standing here for a body that cannot stand here...and the sunny flicker of the canary in its cage." Canaries are used in coal mines to warn miners of air contamination. Their tiny bodies feel the contamination first. When the canaries stop singing the miners know they must evacuate. In Hanna's text many canaries have managed to get free but...)
By the way, AOA does not believe in English hegemony. If you do not speak English, or prefer not to speak it, please read the text in the way you want. Your voice reading a language that isn't yours' is a huge message in itself. Still you will likely want to know what you are reading or you might want to read in your mother tongue so if online translation is not good, do ask for us to get a translation for you.
The Time for Action is Now (TTAN) is a part of Across Oceans Arts' 7 days of creation programs. TTAN is a response to The Arctic Cycles' Climate Change Theatre Action url
Some information on a few groups, networks, and organizations dedicated to Climate Action are here opportunities for arms-length (sign petitions, donate) and hands-on involvement (volunteer, share info, etc), and information on what to do personally, communally and globally. Every amount of involvement is invaluable.
2017
Transfering Rage to Creative outrage 2017
Collaborative SPONTANEOUS DEVISING JAM (live)
Riffing with voice, movement an music on plays chosen from 50 plays commisioned by Climate Change Theatre Action (CCTA) as catalysts for dialogue & engagement in climate change issues.
Images and thoughts like these....
from Maya Zbib's "sardines"
It’s foggy and cold. Someone calls my name, I turn and it’s a little girl, she looks just like me at that age. She stands still, staring at me with her big eyes. I open my mouth and fish come out, small sardines. They swim right past my face.
from Kendra Franconi's "Idea Moose"
You want a moose, so to start, you will have to find a mountain. Survey this place with it in mind. If you find a flatland where even hope is crushed, no matter! There are obstacles everywhere you look. If all else fails, here you stand: within your bones are limestone, hence, you are 10% mountain. Everything resembles everything else. And well done, if you have found a mountain, where a moment before there was none. You clearly have skills as a tracker. A moose cannot be beyond you.
from Anita Mjumdar's "we (don't) deserve nice things"
This way when the guests arrive, they’ll see the circle – even if they don’t know what a mandala is- they’ll know they’re a part of a cycle: creation, destruction and creation again.