‘Gotta take the risks’: A Q&A with Wanda Whiteside of Live Garra Theatre
Live Garra Theatre is showcasing Dry Bones by Ivy Hawkins — its first manufacturing since the pandemic — in the midst of devasting ailments and ongoing fiscal and cultural difficulties. I asked Wanda Whiteside, founder and inventive director, two queries: How and why?
Wanda Whiteside: It’s significant to take the journey. We’re storytellers, and just after so substantially time absent, it was significant to get back in the mix, so I was able to pull together like-minded theater individuals who were also aching to get back again in the business acquired an brilliant forged of actors and designers, and a wonderful script.
Sounds like which is what will get you up and keeps you likely in these complicated situations. Some of us had problems just having out of mattress! What kept you likely?
[Laughing] Confident, I hear you, think me, I experienced people times also when I puzzled, how in the world are we genuinely heading to pull this off? But the tales intended so considerably to me, realizing that we experienced an possibility to share these tales with many others. The individuals who really lived the experiences didn’t stop despite the adversity, they retained likely so no make a difference what, I knew I experienced to get up and retain going way too.
Explain to us a very little about the script, Dry Bones. This will be just one of the to start with productions of this present by neighborhood playwright Ivy Hawkins. According to the system, the phrase is based mostly on scripture: “The Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life (Ezekiel 37:4).” Why did the play resonate so significantly for you to begin the period?
Basically, Dry Bones addresses the life of adult men who are learning to transition back into their communities from being incarcerated. It’s total of loved ones stories involving an ex-husband and a wife, an estranged father and a son, and two brothers who are fiercely bonded. The perform introduces a aid group of men who explain to their tales and support each other build far better lives for them selves.
Lots of theaters have been inching back with solo performers or duets — smallish casts to get the ball rolling. Did you say there are 14 persons in the solid? Not just people, but actual persons?! You confident do not get the easy road, do you?
Nope, by no means have! Gotta take the threats, appropriate?
Haha, for absolutely sure, but how had been you equipped to preserve almost everything transferring together?
Nicely, initially of all, we’re observing safe ailments of COVID protocol with anyone vaccinated forged and crew and the audience will have to have to present proof of vaccination and put on masks. We’re assuring harmless entrances, exits, and distances on phase so the actors have their house. They are at times seeking out into the audience sharing their stories, so the get in touch with is as minimized as in smaller casts.
And numerous cast users are “returning citizens” — is that a phrase for formerly incarcerated? It’s definitely much more inclusive and inviting. And converse about incorporating authenticity!
Sure, that’s some thing I’ve been exploring as portion of Theater for Social Improve. It is element of the style for my doctorate experiments, to exhibit how theater can foster daily life-altering ordeals, give those returning to society a voice to be heard, mirror their life on phase, and be element of a theater of services.
That is remarkable. It’s an fascinating and vibrant reflection of your mission: “Live Garra Theatre aspires to fill the void of culturally unique theater, preserving the distinctive legacy of the African American heritage and lead to the survival of Black Theater.”
Certainly. As we’ve observed in modern documentaries, the country’s insurance policies have manufactured it an “Incarceration Country.” I felt this could be a way to showcase real lives impacted to make these men and women authentic to our audience community.
Yes, we’ve been blessed and are in rotation with three other providers sharing this lovely room. We could not be happier.
We’re thrilled and happy for you also, and glance forward to this return with additional prepared for summertime 2022. Thanks a lot and maintain it up!
Many thanks, Debbie and DCMTA!
Dry Bones operates by means of Sunday, November 21, 2021, introduced by Stay Garra Theatre executing at Silver Spring Black Box Theatre, 8641 Colesville Street, Silver Spring, MD. Performances are Thursday to Saturday at 8:00 pm and on Saturday and Sunday at 3:00 pm. Tickets ($20) can be purchased on-line.
COVID Security: All patrons should use masks in the course of the performances and supply evidence of full vaccination.
Dry Bones
By Ivy Hawkins
Directed by Wanda Whiteside
Starring: Brock Brown, James Curtis Bowers, Autumn Butler, Judy Leak, Adiyb Muhammad, Cody Jones, Lajuan Martin
ABOUT Dwell GARRA THEATRE
Mission: Stay Garra Theatre, Inc., endeavors to utilize the cultural arts as a way to address common social-daily life issues to illuminate all aspects of a multicultural culture foster cross-cultural knowledge of the quite a few ethnic voices in the group reinforcing the price of variety, strengthening the social connections amid individuals. The phrase garra practically suggests claws — to keep on and to “live Garra” (Portuguese for prevail) usually means to go-the-distance and hardly ever give up.
As a resident enterprise of the Theatre Consortium of Silver Spring, the group operates out of the Silver Spring Black Box Theatre as a effectiveness education studio an incubator for a main repertory of skilled poets, playwrights, and artists, as nicely as delivering a “safe harbor” for the youth. Dwell Garra Theatre aspires to fill the void of culturally unique theater, preserving the special legacy of the African American heritage and contributing to the survival of Black Theater.
ABOUT THE Artistic DIRECTOR
Wanda Whiteside educated at the Boston Conservatory of Tunes, HB Actor’s Studio and Usdan Heart for the Creative and Accomplishing Arts in New York. She has done skillfully at the Olney Theatre Centre, the Arena Stage and the Spherical House Theatre. She was a judge for the NAACP Actso competitions for two a long time and presenter at the College of Maryland Black Theatre Symposium on the state of Black Theatre in The united states. Wanda attained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Arts from Howard University, a Master of Science in Organization Management, and will get her Doctor of Training in Management for Improve from Fielding Graduate University. She is a founding Board member of the Theatre Consortium of Silver Spring, Inc. and the Silver Spring Town Middle, Inc., of which she is now on the Advisory Board. Wanda was employed at Discovery Communications, Inc. for 15 a long time as a Director/Editor. Wanda and her partner, Arthur Seaman owned and operated the Bonifant Theatre Place in Silver Spring, MD.
