Reflections from UPON THE FRAGILE SHORE in Albuquerque
A talk back with the audience followed the reading event of Upon the Fragile Shore by Caridad Svich, Saturday, November 22 at the Wells Fargo Theatre at National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, NM. The No PassPort reading scheme was sponsored by Colectivo Teatral Nuevo Mexico, by the action of Camino Real Productions for NHCC Siembra Latino Festival. The cast was Elias Gallegos, Michelle Otero, Diane Villegas and Mónica Sánchez, directed by Valli Marie Rivera.
The audience profile included one family with children, students from UNM University and the Peace and Justice Organization, and others.
Talk back:
A powerful engaging reading!
General comment of audience: All the stories -scenes are poignant and powerful and evoke the emotions that Svich provokes. The audience was attentive and absorbed, some reacting with strong emotions.
Some Audience was looking for a common thread among the scenes that made them more than the sum of their parts.
Four things people brought up as possibilities for that common thread:
One was the idea of connectivity- Despite the fact that these stories seemed like isolated incidents, in fact, we are all connected to these individuals, being directly or indirectly. These human made tragedies don’t just happen to the people who are immediately affected but happen to a much broader group of people because we share the space in this world. As Svich signifies us humans share this fragile earth with its water, its air, and its fire which can restore or destroy. It was recognized as Svich brought this out in some scenes.
The second idea audience brought up was the underline historical causes of all these problems which affect our life and furfure lives in this fragile earth. Affect our environment. One of those was the increasing population growth which puts pressure on every system the planet has including the social systems and seems to engender violence in people in very strange ways.
And third an actor clearly stated that Human greed is the seed of the human-made tragedies. A dynamic conversation followed about the platform of greed for power over others, which include political, cultural, and religious.
Finishing with the commonality in people to share and give love. How love lifts us and supports us in these fragile times.
One powerful comment form an audience member: Let us visualize the ocean without garbage. Everyone reacted with hope!
Then … WE should visualize the earth without pollution. We should visualize the air clean and crisp.
We should visualize people sharing the land, expressing their belief and culture with respect and without violence.
As you keep visualizing consciousness is in your mind and in the mind of the collective. Consciousness drives action.
The invitation is to keep visualizing provoking action in sustaining a fragile earth and its people and living things.
It was an honor to be part of this reading event and reflect upon the stories and their significance
Thank you!