Detroit’s buried ghost waters revisited

Buried waterways still flow under the busy traffic grid of what is now downtown Detroit, and Matrix Theatre Company brings one back to the surface on June 25 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. as it presents the River Resurgence Pageant as part of the U.S. Social Forum. The pageant includes a parade with more than 100 participants who will follow the old Savoyard River’s path; and street theatre enactments help depict the past, present and future of Detroit’s rich ecosystem. To learn more about the project, or to find out how to participate in this exciting event, call the Theatre at 313-967-0999.

The pageant’s dancers, actors and puppets will stroll along the Detroit River’s waterfront carrying puppets representing fish, frogs and fowl unique to this region. Dancing and singing their way along the streets of Detroit, they will depict the ebb and flow of the River. A collaboratively-created monster dragon portraying the evils of pollution will join the group as it slithers its way along the route. Special performances will depict the coming of European settlers and the River’s eventual transformation into a sewer running below the city’s streets, where it remains today. The skits end on a high note showing a bright future for Detroit and its residents who live among the world’s most abundant fresh water supply.

The River Resurgence Pageant is part of Ghost Waters, a three-year project designed to re-imagine the rivers, marshes and ponds buried beneath downtown Detroit’s urban structures such as Cobo Hall, Comerica Park and Michigan Central Train Depot. Funded in part by The Erb Family Foundation, The Kresge Community Arts Foundation, and The Skillman Foundation, the project allows participants to learn about Detroit’s water history by engaging in specially-designed field trips, workshops and communal education activities. From these are created artistic stories, student showcases, workshops, street art and theatre pageants highlighting not only Detroit’s water history, but the importance of recycling, water-consciousness, water’s relevance to sustainability and the right of every human being to have access to clean running water.

Those interested in joining the near 100-person team that will make up the puppet river, its caretakers, inhabitants and buriers, contact Matrix Volunteer Coordinator Ken Srdjak at 313-967-0999, ksrdjak@matrixtheatre.org, or show up at Cobo Hall at 9:30 a.m. on June 25, 2010. Wear blue is you can! 

Matrix Theatre Company is a non-profit community-based theatre located in Southwest Detroit. Established in 1991, Matrix creates everything from scratch, from puppets of all sizes to over 90 original plays. Matrix Theatre Company uses the transformative power of theatre to change lives, build community and foster social justice. It creates opportunities for children, youth, adults and elders, especially those in isolated or challenged communities, to become creators, producers and audiences of original theatre. For further information or to follow Matrix on Facebook, Twitter and Blogger, go to matrixtheatre.org.

###

What: Event: River Resurgence Pageant
Synopsis: The Savoyard River rises again with a parade of more than 100 people. The event is part of GhostWaters and U.S. Social Forum.

Where: Address: Downtown Detroit
Begins in front of Cobo Hall at the River
Tickets: Free and open to the public

When: June 25, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Matrix Theatre Company announces 2010-2011 season

Take a seat at Matrix Theatre Company. Family dysfunction, backstage chaos and laugh-out loud wedding mishaps are all part of the company’s nineteenth professional theatre season.

The season opens with the American classic “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” by Tennessee Williams, followed by the popular annual productions of “Haunted Theatre” and “Puppet Scrooge.” This year’s spring show is an evening of hilarity with the presentation of two locally-written one-act plays: “Backstage Passes” by Roger Kerson and “Para Siempre” by Maria Serratos.

This season also marks the third year of the company’s Inclusive Theatre Initiative (ITI), a commitment to accessible theatre for all people. With help from the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan (CFSEM), American Sign Language (ASL) and audio description are available for select performances. Key components also included are: assistive listening, large print and braille programs, accessible parking, seating and restroom facilities. All tickets are general admission. Average ticket price is $15. Group rates and discounted admission for youth, student and seniors are available. For further information go to matrixtheatre.org, or call 313-967-0599.

October is a busy month for Matrix. The taut drama Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams sensitively portrays family dysfunction and explores alcoholism and homophobia in a wealthy southern family. The production runs Friday, October 15 through November 14. Another October highlight is the popular Halloween weekend production of Haunted Theatre written, produced and “gorified” by Matrix teens. It promises to be a bonafide scarefest.

Each year Matrix fans look forward to Puppet Scrooge. This family holiday tradition puts a special Southwest Detroit spin on the classic tale where Scrooge owns the local check-cashing store and has plenty of puppet visitors to teach her a holiday lesson. Puppet Scrooge runs December 3-19, 2010.

Spring’s offering promises lots of fun, laughter and hilarity as Matrix highlights two local playwrights. Written by long-time Matrix participant Maria Serratos, Para Siempre is an adaptation of a vignette from Plaza Suite by Neil Simon where a stressed-out couple encounters mishaps as they try to get their daughter to Southwest Detroit’s Holy Redeemer. Recently retired from the UAW communications office, Roger Kerson’s play, Backstage Passes, is the hysterically funny rendition of a local theatre group’s fiasco during a production.

Matrix Theatre Company is a non-profit community-based theatre located in Southwest Detroit. Established in 1991, Matrix creates everything from scratch, from puppets of all sizes to over 90 original plays. Matrix Theatre Company uses the transformative power of theatre to change lives, build community and foster social justice. It creates opportunities for children, youth, adults and elders, especially those in isolated or challenged communities, to become creators, producers and audiences of original theatre. For further information or to follow Matrix on Facebook, Twitter and Blogger, go to matrixtheatre.org.

The plays:

CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF - Oct 15 - Nov 14 - Tennessee Williams’ taut drama sensitively portrays family dysfunction in which alcoholism and homophobia ripple through a wealthy Southern family. 

HAUNTED THEATRE - Oct 28 - Oct 31 - Get ready to be scared silly as Matrix teens present Haunted Theatre, a wonderfully created production guaranteed to delight those who love to celebrate Halloween... a bonafide scarefest. 

PUPPET SCROOGE - Dec 3 - Dec 19 - This family holiday tradition puts a special Southwest Detroit spin on the classic tale in which Scrooge owns the local check-cashing store and has plenty of puppet visitors to teach her a holiday lesson. 

PARA SIEMPRE & BACKSTAGE PASSES - Apr 8 - May 1 - Two locally-written one-act plays promise an evening of laugh-out-loud hilarity as a couple tries to marry off their daughter and actors experience backstage mishaps in a show in which everything that could go wrong does. 

Plays will be performed at:
Matrix Theatre Company - 2730 Bagley Detroit, MI 48216

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof will be performed at:
Boll Family YMCA Theatre - 1401 Broadway Detroit, MI 48226

Tickets: Box office - 313-967-0599. $15 average ticket price. All tickets general admission.

(Matrix Theatre Company’s Inclusive Theatre Initiative insures that Matrix productions are accessible to all. Services includes: Accessible parking, seating and restroom facilities. Assistive Listening devices available at all shows.)

Bees and Trees at Belle Isle Zoo this Saturday

Remember Bees and Trees? The event mixes our original play about Bees with activities for youth. Come and see what the buzz is about.

From Detroitzoo.org:

Come one; come all to the Belle Isle Nature Zoo for a Bee-rific day of activities on June 5, 2010. As the Belle Isle Nature Zoo’s bee hive is producing the first honey of the season, we will celebrate all things bee. The Belle Isle Nature Zoo bee keeper will “bee” on hand to talk about the Belle Isle Nature Zoo’s bees and what it takes to create and maintain a healthy hive. Ever wonder exactly how bees fit into the ecosystem and what bees are up to during all the seasons in Michigan? All those questions and more will be answered during Matrix Theater Company’s original performance of Bees and Trees on June 5, at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. There will be a make-and-take activity and chances for one and all to “bee” a bee during the performance. It is sure to “bee” a lot a fun for the entire family, we hope to see you at the Belle Isle Nature Zoo.

Creativity fosters understanding of ADA - Matrix and community make giant puppet of Justin Dart

DETROIT - Matrix Theatre Company is bringing together local youth, community residents, disability leaders and volunteers to learn about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as they put the finishing touches on Matrix’s newest giant puppet, Justin Dart, a pioneer of the ADA. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the passage of the act, the puppet will take to the streets of Detroit for the U.S. Social Forum on June 22, 2010. It will then head to Chicago for the Seventh Annual Disability Pride Parade on July 24, 2010 to help raise awareness for the rights of people with disabilities.

One of only a handful of theatre arts organizations in the country to create giant puppets, Justin Dart will take its place among Matrix’s impressive collection of historically significant “hero” puppets, which include figures like Martin Luther King, Jr., Cesar Chavez, Mother Jones and Ella Baker.

The Matrix way of collaborative creation has been especially successful with this project. Calls went out to community members, college students and disability rights activists to help with the development of this historic work of art. “It was inspiring to watch as this diverse group of people worked together to bring the puppet to life,” said Matrix Executive Director Shaun Nethercott.

As the volunteers worked under the guidance of sculptor Carl Goines and Matrix Community Puppets Manager Megan Harris, curious youth wandered into the City of Detroit’s Roberto Clemente Recreation Center to see what was going on. Matrix partner and project co-organizer Janice Fialka explained the history of the ADA to the children who then shared their own stories about loved ones with disabilities. “My Uncle Sam is in a wheelchair, and he sometimes gets real mad because he can’t get though a door,” said Kyle.

“Interest is nationwide,” said Volunteer Coordinator Ken Srdjak. “Donations have come in from all over the country. We have even received money from Justin’s wife, family and friends. If this continues, I am confident that we can reach our fundraising goal which will allow us to tour the puppet throughout the country this summer.”

“It’s time that Justin Dart and his ideas become visible to all,” said Rich Feldman, Matrix partner and project co-organizer. “It’s time that disability is recognized as a natural and beautiful part of human diversity.”

“Sometimes it happens that an image or a piece of art can reconnect a community with a fallen soldier’s classic one liners that ‘lead us on’ to commit ourselves to ‘the revolution of empowerment.’ The Justin Puppet will be looming in streets shouting out the words, ‘I am with you, I love you, Lead on,’ for the ‘solidarity among all who love justice,” said Tom Olin, social documentarian and photojournalist for disability rights.

The Justin Dart puppet is funded, in part, by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), Michigan Disabilities Rights Coalition, the United Auto Workers (UAW), and many donors from across the country.

Matrix Theatre Company is a non-profit community-based theatre located in Southwest Detroit. Established in 1991, it creates everything from scratch, from puppets of all sizes to over 95 original plays. Matrix Theatre Company uses the transformative power of theatre to change lives, build community and foster social justice. It creates opportunities for children, youth, adults and elders, especially those in isolated or challenged communities, to become creators, producers and audiences of original theatre. For further information or to follow Matrix on Facebook, Twitter or Blogger, go to matrixtheatre.org.

For further information on the Justin Dart puppet or to schedule interviews, please call 313-967-0999.

Justin Dart Biography 

Often called the Martin Luther King of the disability civil rights movement, Justin Dart thought of himself in much more humble terms. Born August 29, 1930 into a wealthy and prominent family, he was a self-described “super loser.” Spoiled and difficult, he attended seven high schools, not graduating from any of them. After contracting polio in 1948, he used a wheelchair until his death in 2002. He went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science and history. After being denied a teaching certificate, because he used a wheelchair, Dart went into business in 1956 and in years later hired disabled people giving them a living wage within his companies. Working with President Ronald Reagan, he helped to draft a national policy calling for a national civil rights legislation to end the centuries old discrimination of people with disabilities. This legislation eventually became the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Although he received many awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton, he never wavered in his commitment to disability solidarity, insisting that all people with disabilities be protected by the law and included in the coalition to pass it. This included those with mental illness and people with HIV/AIDS. He often said, “I am a symbolic representative of thousands of ADA mothers and fathers.”

Dart never hesitated to emphasize the community of support that made his work possible. It was never about him, it was always about the community working together to advance human dignity for all. Justin had the highest regard for his wife of 33 years who has enthusiastically given her full support to have the giant puppet built as a creative way to educate, inspire, and empower all, especially youth to realize and use their own power; and lead on.

Matrix develops young actors & writers - Summer Camp starts in July

Matrix Theatre Company’s Summer Creativity Camp returns in July 2010. Theatre professionals from Matrix’s School of Theatre bring environmental education and the transformative power of theatre to local youths ages eight to 18. Located at 2730 Bagley in Southwest Detroit’s Mexicantown, Matrix’s summer camps stress creativity, collaboration and community. Sessions focus on acting, puppetry and playwrighting, and field trips are planned. Each camp concludes with a showcase performance, where family and friends are welcome to share in the realization of the original works created. 

Three Creativity Camps will run between July 6 and August 6, for three age groups. They are:

From the Ground Up, for ages eight to 11: As part of the Matrix “Ghostwaters” project, students will use theatre and puppetry to learn about the wildlife that inhabits the waters of Detroit. Young artists will explore acting on an introductory level with emphasis on stage presence and character work. They will also learn the basics of puppet construction as they build hand and rod puppets.

The Environment and Me, for ages 11 to 14: Young artists discover how personal choices and actions affect the environment. Through improvisational writing and performance exercises the class will create a script about preserving our natural resources one person at a time, one decision at a time.

Better World, Better Me, ages 14 to 18: Teen artists will have the opportunity to develop a new play based on a pressing environmental issue of their choice. With mentoring in workshops on acting, poetry, dance and music, students will develop and present an original theatrical work. This work will be professionally performed at Matrix Theatre. The students will also have the opportunity to learn the technical aspects of live theatre. A field trip to an outdoor high/low ropes course will help to encourage students to conquer fears and work together, while a creativity-intensive weekend camping trip will bring them into nature.

For information on Matrix Theatre’s Summer Camps, or to register, please call 313-967-0999.

Matrix Theatre Company is a non-profit community-based theatre located in Southwest Detroit. Established in 1991, Matrix creates everything from scratch, from puppets of all sizes to over 90 original plays. Matrix Theatre Company uses the transformative power of theatre to change lives, build community and foster

social justice. It creates opportunities for children, youth, adults and elders, especially those in isolated or challenged communities, to become creators, producers and audiences of original theatre. For further information or to follow Matrix on Facebook, Twitter and Blogger, go to matrixtheatre.org.

Information:

Camps: From the Ground Up - Ages 8-11
Dates: July 6-9 and 12-16 (Matrix will be closed on Monday July 5. This camp will begin July 6)
Camp Hours: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Cost: $150
As part of Matrix’s Ghostwaters project, students in this camp will use theatre and puppetry to learn about the animals that inhabit the waters of their city. These young artists will explore acting on an introductory level, with emphasis on stage presence and character work. Additionally, they will learn the basics of puppet construction as they build hand and rod puppets, and prepare a performance for their last day of camp.

The Environment and Me - Ages 11-14
Dates: August 2-6
Camp Hours: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Cost: $100
Young artists will discover how their own personal choices and actions affect our environment. Students will develop a script through improvisation exercises that deals with realizing everyone's personal contribution to preserving our resources. Their original play will be presented August 6. 

Better World, Better Me - Ages 14-18
Dates: July 19-23, 24-25 (camping trip at Lael in Lapeer), 27-30
Camp Hours: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Cost: $125
Teen artists will have the chance to develop a new play based on a pressing environmental issue of their choice. Over the course of two weeks, they will have workshops in acting, poetry, dance and music, all of which will be used to develop an original piece of theatre. A field trip to an outdoor high/low ropes course encourages students to conquer fears and work together, while an intensive weekend trip to a camp will bring them into nature as they prepare for their performance on July 30. Participants will also perform their new play at the Detroit Zoo in August.

All camps held at Matrix Theatre Company, 2730 Bagley, Detroit, MI 48216. Students need to bring a lunch each day. Healthy snacks will be provided by Matrix. Scholarships are available. Call 313-967-0999 for more information. Discounts are available for families with more than one student attending the same camp. Childcare is not available before or after camp hours.

One of your last chances to work on Justin Dart

As we get closer to the U.S. Social Forum and the debut of our giant Justin Dart puppet, there are less and less opportunities for community members to help in the collaborative creation of the puppet. But we want you to come out, no matter what your puppet-making experience is, and be a part of the process!

On Saturday May 22 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. we're inviting everyone to come out and paint the paper-mache head, work on the frame, sew his signature hat and boots, and make buttons to be distributed to crowds.

Come down to Matrix Theatre Company at 2730 Bagley in Detroit, MI 48216.

The puppet will not only be used at the Social Forum, July 26 marks the 20 year anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and we are gearing up to march around the country with the puppet that represents one of the key figures in making the ADA a reality.

Call 313-967-0999 for more information or send an email to Volunteer Coordinator Ken Srdjak at ksrdjak@matrixtheatre.org.

Whether you know a lot about Justin Dart's story or just a little, this is a great chance to come out and be a part of this art project that celebrates not only Justin Dart,

This may be one of the last chances for the community to work on the puppet, so please spread the word!

Ghost Waters: Matrix explores Detroit’s hidden waterways

Imagine downtown Detroit as a fertile paradise, as it existed long before industry came. Ghost Waters is Matrix Theatre Company’s three-year education, arts and awareness project which explores the ponds, marshes and rivers now hidden beneath downtown. Ghost Waters can be found where now sits Cobo Hall, Comerica Park and the Michigan Central Depot. What was lost in these places will be brought back to life through artistic stories, communal education activities, field trips, student showcases, workshops, street art and theatre pageants, all centered on water: its history, its present, and its role in the destiny of Detroit and Southeast Michigan. 

Ghost Waters’ next public event is the Water Fest, on Saturday, May 15, 2010 from 11am to 3pm outdoors at Matrix Theatre Company. Matrix is located at 2730 Bagley in Detroit’s Mexicantown. Performances, music, puppet workshops, food, and fun family activities will all focus on water consciousness. 

A ghost water is any body of water that was buried in the name of human progress. Many of Detroit’s waterways were used as sewers and eventually buried, but hidden rivers still flow beneath the city. The project examines Detroit’s water history, its current water problems and their impact on the future. Ghost Waters aims to serve as a vehicle to foster a renewed sense of place in Detroit’s ecosystems. The importance of recycling, water-consciousness, sustainability, and the right of every human being to have access to clean, running water are some of the topics Ghost Waters will connect to, artistically and through community engagement. 

Ghost Waters will bring the cause of water consciousness to the U.S. Social Forum, held in Detroit June 22-26, with a Procession of the Species Parade, art activities for youth, and the Savoyard Creek’s River Resurgence Pageant - where all are invited to participate in creating puppets that depict the hidden Savoyard Creek, still located below Congress Street. 

Thanks in part to funds received from The Erb Family Foundation, The Kresge Community Arts Foundation, and The Skillman Foundation, Ghost Waters continues through summer 2012. 

At its start in early 2010, Matrix School of Theatre students began incorporating recycled puppets, environmental themes and education about the forgotten waters into their work, which was featured in a showcase on World Water Day, March 22. An April field trip to Humbug Marsh gave participants a hands-on look at what Detroit’s ecosystems used to look like. 

“We are at a pivot point with young people in terms of envisioning a new future for the city. And without some deeper knowledge about what the city is beneath its mantel of industrialism we cannot make an appropriate choice. People see outdoors not as nature, but as a negative - as dirty and bad. This was once a hyper-rich and productive ecosystem, and now there are 40 square-miles of vacant land in the city, but people still have trouble seeing a future,” said Dr. Shaun Nethercott, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Matrix. 

Ghost Waters is a project that requires the creativity and commitment of the community to succeed. Anyone seeking to get involved in field trips, parades, puppet building projects or events should contact Matrix Theatre Company’s Volunteer Coordinator Ken Srdjak at ksrdjak@matrixtheatre.org or at 313-967-0999.

Matrix Theatre Company is a non-profit community-based theatre located in Southwest Detroit. Established in 1991, Matrix creates everything from scratch, from puppets of all sizes to over 90 original plays. Matrix Theatre Company uses the transformative power of theatre to change lives, build community and foster social justice. It creates opportunities for children, youth, adults and elders, especially those in isolated or challenged communities, to become creators, producers and audiences of original theatre. For further information or to follow Matrix on Facebook, Twitter and Blogger, go to matrixtheatre.org.

Learn from the past, Lead on into the future

Thirty-three years ago yesterday, on April 28, 1977, a hard earned victory was celebrated by the nearly 100 jubilant disabled activists who sat-in and took over the HEW federal building in San Francisco for almost a month. The event is still the longest sit-in of a federal building in America. These tenacious citizens and thousands of others with disabilities were demanding that Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act be enforced immediately. Section 504, modeled on the Civil Rights Act of 1964, prohibited discrimination against people with disabilities in federally funded programs. The Act had been passed in 1973, but 4 years later this section had not been implemented. The cry-out by the protesters was “ACCESSIBILITY NOW!”

Once enacted, colleges, universities, hospitals, federal courtrooms, airports, libraries, after school programs and others were required to be accessible for all people. Within a few years, we began to see ramps, bathrooms and entrances reachable for most people.

Many of us take these changes for granted, especially those of us called TBA’s: temporarily able body,” but the progress we have seen wasn’t always the case. Take for example the story of Justin Dart, who used a wheelchair as a result of polio. In 1951, while attending the University of Houston, he literally rolled his wheelchair to the bottom steps of the campus buildings waiting for students to accept his invitation to carry him up the steps to enter the buildings. A few years later, he was told that he could not earn a teaching degree because he used a wheelchair. He wasn’t alone - far from it. These barriers and deeply ingrained discriminations were ubiquitous for people with disabilities. Section 504 was critically important and began to open doors and minds. Though we have a long way to go, Section 504 was a huge leap forward, or perhaps I should say a huge ramp up in the right direction.

Section 504 also provides K-12 students with disabilities, who do not qualify for special education services under IDEA, the supports and services they need to learn and progress.

The activists who sat-in 33 years ago today demanding justice and the immediate implementation of Section 504 paved the way for the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act 13 years later. I am reminded of a famous photo of Justin and Yoshiko Dart and disabled activists gathered at a rally in front of a federal building. Behind the group is a large banner, blowing in the wind, holding the words of Martin Luther King Jr. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Think about the victories that disability rights activists are winning right now, and the ones they will win tomorrow. Lead on!

The creation of the Justin Dart puppet is being documented through this blog by Janice Fialka. Check back through June as she documents the birth of this giant puppet. If you want to come and help with the project, call Ken Srdjak at 313-967-0999.

Ghost Waters first field trip: Humbug Marsh! April 24 – Join Us!

Springtime has arrived in beautiful Southeast Michigan, and it’s time for the Ghost Waters field trips to start rolling! As you know, Ghost Waters is our new three-year-long project which will awaken water consciousness, eco-awareness and eco-education in the people of Detroit and involve the community in arts and nature projects which focus on Detroit’s water usage and environment preservation efforts.

Our first field trip for Ghost Waters will be to Humbug Marsh, located along the Detroit River, just off the intersection of West Jefferson and Vreeland out in Riverview. Humbug Marsh is a 410-acre marsh and upland habitat (which includes Humbug Island, just off the shoreline in the Detroit River), and is currently the only remaining natural coastline along the Detroit River in the United States. 

This exciting field trip will take place on Saturday, April 24, 2010, from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. If you’re interested in joining us for this great experience, please RSVP to Ken Srdjak at 313-967-0999 or ksrdjak@matrixtheatre.org. Everyone is welcome, but space is limited!

At the end of 2004, the marshland was sold and put under the protection of the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, which makes the marsh a protected habitat, preserved and maintained by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Since then, extensive protection efforts have been put into place to keep Humbug Marsh and Humbug Island natural and flourishing. 

Humbug Marsh is also the site of an important and well-loved ghost water - Monguagon Creek. The creek was mainlined into Detroit’s underground water pipe system. However, in December 2009, the city announced that Monguagon Creek had been daylighted and returned to its state as an open-air creek. Daylighting Monguagon Creek will allow the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge to reclaim and recreate six acres of wetlands. The renewed wetlands are believed to help with storm runoff too! The larger land area will help absorb more excess rain water, which will then filter more water toxins before it runs off into the Detroit River. Daylighting the creek is key to the Ghost Waters project; by daylighting this and other ghost waters, we can get back to a more natural setting and develop a deeper relationship with water and all life forms around us.

We hope to work with you, the community members, and learn collaboratively about water use and commercialization, and how daylighting the ghost waters of Detroit brings us closer to a green world and to one another.

In order to learn together, our trip to Humbug Marsh will include educational experiences: we’ll be learning about the marsh, creek and forest habitats in the nature preserve which interact with one another and bring together a beautiful community of animals and insects, from frogs to birds to fish! We’ll also be making flag fish and puppets, playing games and telling stories. 

We also hope to film some video and take some photos to add to the Internet-based metro Detroit greenmap, as well as discuss the future of Ghost Waters and ways we can continue to bring to life Detroit’s green future! 

We hope to see you there! Happy Spring!

Ken Srdjak, Matrix's volunteerator and puppetista, can be contacted at 313-967-0999 or ksrdjak@matrixtheatre.org.

Leaders aren't ever born that way

Let me reassure you that my lack of postings to this blog about Justin Dart has absolutely no relationship to what is happening in the small room in the Roberto Clemente Recreation Center where the giant puppet is being created.

I am totally dazzled by what the Matrix artists, Carl and Megan, and the many volunteers have sculpted over the past few weeks. Take a quick glance below to see the evolution in photos.

Like anything of real consequence, persistence is paying off - and having such talented artists helps a lot! Equally exciting to me are the conversations I’ve heard with the young people who come to help. Recently I spoke briefly with a group of high school students from Detroit who volunteer to work on the puppet, they are part of a national nonprofit organization called buildOn. 

Last Saturday, after painting the hands of the puppet, and doing highly intricate shaping of the facial cheek bones, we took a break to talk about Justin Dart and disability issues. Hands were washed and the teens created a circle around Carl as he worked on the clay face.

Justin always wanted the world to know that he was not born a leader of human rights - he was not given a clearly marked path of doing good. On the contrary, he wanted folks to understand that during his youth, many people did not like him, and he did not like himself. In fact he often referred to himself as a “spoiled kid.”

The volunteer teens in the room were surprised at my descriptions of this famous person, especially when I told them that Justin had gone to seven high schools and never graduated from any one of them. Justin also struggled with addiction and other challenges. A few of the teens shifted in their chairs. I can only guess that their image of a “hero” was being slightly disputed. Maybe they were considering that you don’t have to be perfect, just committed and willing to learn and reflect along the way. I explained how Justin searched for his truth and was highly changed after reading Gandhi’s book, My Experiments with Truth and reading the work of Martin Luther King Jr. as well as whole book of the Bible, in particular all what Jesus Christ had said.

When Justin’s wife, Yoshiko gave her full support to have a giant puppet of Justin Dart built, it was with the strict understanding that this project would be an opportunity for others, especially youth to learn about Justin's "whole life's journey" and to inspire them to discover and feel their own potential. Mr. Dart wanted every single person to feel and become empowered and unite with others who love justice to create a world where everyone’s civil and human rights were realized.

I think Justin would have enjoyed being with the young people from buildON on that Saturday afternoon. I could imagine him talking with them, lifting his gentle, yet firm voice to challenge them to stay involved. I can hear him asking each one of them questions about their lives and their dreams. I think he might have said something like, "I like that name of your group: buildOn. I think that is exactly what you have to do with your lives: build on to your dreams, keep building with others." 

And of course he would have added, "Lead On! You have the power."

The creation of the Justin Dart puppet is being documented through this blog by Janice Fialka. Check back through June as she documents the birth of this giant puppet. If you want to come and help with the project, call Ken Srdjak at 313-967-0999.

Spring semester starts today! It is not too late to sign up.

Spring semester classes run April 6 - May 15, 2010. Students will be continuing to engage in the Ghost Waters theme. It is not too late to sign up for classes. Call 313-967-0999 and as for Andrea. Check out our offerings below:

AGES 5-7

Performance 
Class: “Dance of The Water Cycle”
Instructor: Aisha Walker
Cost: $30*
Days/Times: Saturdays 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Location: Matrix Theatre Company
Our youngest actors will be preparing a dance performance for Matrix’s WaterFest on May 15. WaterFest will see all School of Theatre participants joining together to present a new play, and Now PLAYing students will expose young children to kinesthetic (movement) memory as they take part in this all-agency play.

Puppetry 
Class: “Water Banners”
Instructor: Megan Harris
Cost: $45*
Days/Times: Saturdays 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Location: Matrix Theatre Company
Young puppeteers will be creating banners and backdrops for the WaterFest play on May 15th. Students will have an opportunity to build on beginning construction skills, and their visual creations will bed featured on stage during WaterFest.

*Students who take both Dance of the Water Cycle and Water Banners classes are eligible for a reduced fee of $60.

AGES 8-11

Performance 
Class: “People and the Water”
Instructor: Aisha Walker
Cost: FRE (Thanks to a generous grant from the Youth Development Commission)
Days/Times: Tuesdays/Thursdays 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Location: Roberto Clemente Rec Center
Students in this class will be preparing an integral section of the play to be performed at May 15th’s WaterFest. Focus will be on stage presentation and scenework.

Puppetry
Class: “Water Animals”
Instructor: Megan Harris
Cost: $45
Days/Times: Saturdays 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Location: Matrix Theatre Company
Students will construct water animal puppets and learn to perform them in preparation for the May 15 WaterFest play.

AGES 11-14 

Mask-Making 
Class: “Water Sprite Masks”
Instructor: Jennifer Boyak
Cost: $45
Days/Times: Wednesdays 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Location: Matrix Theatre Company
Students will learn basic and intermediate skills in mask construction as they create masks for a Water Sprite dance to be performed at Matrix’s WaterFest.

Performance 
Class: “News From Waterville”
Instructor: Andrea Scobie
Cost: $60
Days/Times: Tuesdays/Thursdays 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Location: Matrix Theatre Company
Students in this class will be focusing on mastering acting skills for an encore performance of “News From Waterville,” which will be part of the all-agency play at WaterFest.

AGES 14-18

Performance, Mask-Making and Tech 
Class: “WaterFest Crew”
Instructor: Laura Perez
Cost: FREE (Thanks to a generous grant from the Skillman Foundation)
Days/Times: Fridays 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Location: Matrix Theatre Company
Teens will be doing some of everything as they form teams that will be integral to the production of the WaterFest play. They will learn performance, mask-making, and technical theatre skills, which will all be put to use in their role as actors and crew during WaterFest on May 15.

Ghost Waters project begins with World Water Day

Monday March 22, 2010, marked World Water Day, and an exceptional event put on by Matrix Theatre Company with support from the People’s Water Board and Detroit Evolution. Matrix and their allies brought World Water Day to life for the community of Southwest Detroit. The event served not only as the showcase for the Matrix School of Theatre's winter semester, but also the kickoff event of Ghost Waters, Matrix Theatre’s new three-year project about water consciousness and the hidden and buried rivers of Detroit.

The event was held at St. Anne’s Parish Hall, and brought together a diverse gathering of Southwest Detroit to rejoice in community building and the valuable resource that is our water.

Ghost Waters, which began in January 2010, is an eco-awareness and eco-education community arts program which will include field trips to various sites throughout the Detroit area, involvement in different social justice and community events, puppet-building and showcasing and street theatre performances. 

The event began with a showing of posters from the water awareness poster contest and an exceptionally delicious dinner provided Detroit Evolution's Corktown Community Kitchen, who help bring local, healthy food to the city of Detroit, Avalon Bread and the Matrix staff. The opening libations ceremony was performed by Charity Hicks of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, and set the uplifting and hopeful mood for the remainder of the evening. We had fantastic, beautiful performances from the Living on Stage and Playwriting Is… classes, as well as an excellent presentation and performance of the students’ new puppets, created for the Ghost Waters’ Water Stories performance. A water dance was then followed by a showcasing of the recycled puppets.

We also had a number of theatre performances, all focusing on water awareness and eco-education - a great beginning for Ghost Waters! Performances included Lesson Learned, The Water Cycle, and News from Waterville. In addition to these, Jen Boyak showcased the Spirit of the Water Masks, with performances of The Moon’s Power and Friends at the Beach written by Rosario De La Cruz-Martin.

Overall, the event was a fantastic success with amazing local food, beautiful art, exceptional performances. and a great hope for the state of water use and awareness in Detroit.

You can become involved with Ghost Waters by contacting Ken Srdjak at 313-967-0999 or ksrdjak@matrixtheatre.org. Come and be a part of the workshops, field trips and fetivals.

See more pictures of the event here.

This post was written by Jenn Vanaman, who is a student intern from University of Michigan School of Social Work.

Sculpting the visionary in all of us

I arrived on a quiet Tuesday afternoon to work on the puppet with my friend and colleague, Elizabeth, a professor at Schoolcraft College. No kids today, there was only the artist, Megan, leaning over the left hand of the giant clay puppet, immersed in its palm. She intently swished, slashed and smoothed the clay with her small sculpting tool. I was in awe of how confidently she removed chunks of clay around the thumb. “It looks like a real hand, Megan. How do you do that?” I pondered as I stared at the unfinished right hand awaiting me and Elizabeth on the other table.

I missed the kids’ energy and chattering. And yet it’s lovely to have an uninterrupted conversation with Elizabeth and Megan. We covered many topics, especially the need for children and adults to rediscovery their imagination, to just have the opportunity to dig into the clay without restrictions!

We asked for Megan’s guidance as we tried to sculpt the clay hand to resemble a real hand like the left one she’s completed.

With self-assurance, Megan instructed us to use our own hand as a model. She told us to hold up our right hand in front of the clay one and really see the twists, creases and open spaces. She reminded us not to rush. Then Megan told us to transfer what we see in our hand to what needs to be done to the puppet hand. I squinted, hoping to focus better.

She pointed to the space between the puppet’s thumb and pointer finger, “See, there is too much clay here. You’ve got to swipe away globs of clay around the thumb. Open it up.” We both gasped as she chunked out a huge piece of clay. She was right, all of a sudden a defined thumb appears. Slowly, with her encouragement, we timidly cut out a tiny bit of clay, and then more and more. And a more precise hand suddenly appears.

Later, while cleaning up, we comment that Megan has done with us what all great leaders do: she encouraged us to take risks and to envision a new possibility. That’s what visionary leaders, like Justin Dart, do - envision a new possibility. I thought of his famous greeting, “Lead On!” came from his deep understanding and sense that everyone can be an artist. Everyone deserves a sense of their own empowerment to create. Justin Dart wanted a new world that worked for all, and he was wasn’t afraid to dig his hands and heart into the clay to create it.

The creation of the Justin Dart puppet is being documented through this blog by Janice Fialka. Check back through June as she documents the birth of this giant puppet. If you want to come and help with the project, call Ken Srdjak at 313-967-0999.

We’re all in this (puppet) together

A lot can happen in a week, especially when you're watching materials become a piece of art. The kids loved slapping more gooey-clay onto the puppet’s head and hands. We adults can learn a lot from kids at play. They lose themselves in their amusement, it’s their meditation. Nothing else exists at the moment, just sheer fun.

Several kids wanted their photos taken with the puppet’s head and hands to show their families of their fine work as artists. Tony asked, “So, will we be famous because we’re making the giant puppet?”

This led to a conversation about Justin Dart and the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990. I realized I never really explained the ADA to children. Learning to make it relevant was a good test of my creativity. I wondered, “How do I talk about it with kids?”

I immediately thought about curb cuts. “Pretty soon, you’ll be riding your bikes, right?” Several kids started telling me about their bikes. I continued, “You know when you come to the end of a sidewalk and there is no curb, and you ride your bike without having to bounce down the curb?” They were listening.

“The curb was cut that way so that people who use wheelchairs can roll easily onto the street and not get stuck, or have to bump down the curb.” Kyle shouted, “My uncle Sam is in a wheelchair, and he sometimes gets real mad because he can't get through a door.”

The conversation took off from the kids talking about people getting mad, and ended up being about how sometimes you have to fight hard to get laws passed to get your rights. Ana, as if reading her fourth grade book report, shared, “Martin Luther King had to fight to get civil rights for African Americans.”

It was the perfect lead in “Yes, that’s what Justin Dart and many, many other people had to do. They worked hard, talked to a lot of people, had marches and protests, and eventually got the ADA passed. It’s like the civil rights law for people with disabilities.” Not a lot was said at that moment. It was like the idea of civil rights for all people was sinking in to their minds, like their fingers were sinking into the clay.

Enough talk for now. Enough puppet making for today. Hands got washed. Aprons were hung up. The clay head and hands were covered in plastic bags to keep them moist.

Next week, our artists, Carl and Megan and the kids will smooth and carve away the unnecessary clay. Then it will be time to paper maiche the puppet. Maybe there will be time for a few more talks about standing up for our rights and making a world where everyone belongs. Maybe these are lofty wishes on my part, but then again so were women’s suffrage, civil rights and the ADA.

The creation of the Justin Dart puppet is being documented through this blog by Janice Fialka. Check back as she shares her insights and documents the birth of this community project.

Justin Dart flyer: Spread the word

In case you want to come help out with the building of our Justin Dart puppet, or if you want to let other people know, check out this flyer:

Feel free to print, distribute, share!

'Vanished': A play on immigration rooted in real stories

Photo by David P. Anderson

Clockwise from top: Actors Tim Seneca, Megan Smith and Benito Cruz, depict a home invasion where an I.C.E. officer tries to detain an undocumented father working and living in Detroit.

DETROIT MARCH 3, 2010 - Based on the experiences of friends and family, the Matrix Young Playwrights will premiere “Vanished,” a poignant and personal look at how our country’s immigration policy has impacted people’s lives, on March 12 running weekends through March 28 at the Matrix Theatre, located at 2730 Bagley in Detroit’s Mexicantown. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $10 for students and seniors, and $8 for children 10 - 16 years of age. Call 313-967-0599, or go to matrixtheatre.org for further information.

“Vanished” is directed by 19-year-old Laura Perez who also led the collective writing of the production. The writers spent a year gathering stories from residents, immigration officers, school officials and more. The idea for the play is based on the experience of Perez’s close friend whose father, the family’s provider, was deported as an undocumented immigrant, while his mother was left to fend for herself and their three children. Unable to find work, she was forced to move back to Mexico. Unwilling to give up his education as an honor student at Cass Technical High School, Perez’s young friend was forced to support himself while finishing his senior year. Despite his hardships, he graduated with honors and was awarded a scholarship to the College for Creative Studies. He had to turn it down because of his undocumented status. Today he lives alone and struggles to support himself with low-paying jobs, while attending Henry Ford Community College part time.

“Vanished” includes other personal experiences shared by the cast and playwrights: dignity-stripping home invasions; a parent desperately struggling to find someone to care for his children when his wife is suddenly deported; married couples deported without their children ever being notified. Residents live in constant fear of deportation each time they see U.S. Customs and Border Protection vehicles on their street.

“This play is the voice of a lot of people in this neighborhood,” said Perez. “You can start your day as a family, and that afternoon your parents are gone and you’re forced to fend for yourself.” Perez began working with Matrix at the age of 10. This deeply felt original work is her professional directing debut, and it draws upon her experience as a child of immigrant parents growing up in Southwest Detroit.

Matrix Theatre Company is a non-profit community-based theatre located in Southwest Detroit. Established in 1991, Matrix creates everything from scratch, from puppets of all sizes to over 90 original plays. Matrix Theatre Company uses the transformative power of original theatre to change lives, build community and foster social justice. It creates opportunities for children, youth, adults and elders, especially those in isolated or challenged communities, to become creators, producers and audiences of original theatre. For further information or to follow Matrix on Facebook, Twitter and Blogger, go to matrixtheatre.org.

“Vanished” is the newest play by the Matrix Young Playwrights. Last year’s work “Caution: This Is How Its Caught” was a play about HIV/AIDS awareness. “Vanished” continues to ask hard questions that the Playwrights are known for, and brings the issue of immigration reform to the forefront.

Photo by Francisco Ruiz 

Jose Varela, Laura Perez and Matt Dooley were three of the main writers for “Vanished,” although many were involved in the collective playwriting process. 

###

Matrix Theatre Company presents ‘Vanished’ 

FACT SHEET 

What: 

Event: World Premiere of “Vanished”
Synopsis: The story of a family in Detroit literally torn apart by immigration laws and enforcement policies.

Where: 

Address: Matrix Theatre Company
2730 Bagley Detroit, MI 48216
Tickets: Box office - 313-967-0599. $15 general admission. $10 students with ID. $10 seniors 65 and older. $8 children 10-16.

Who: 

Director: Laura Perez
Playwright: Matrix Young Playwrights
Lighting /Scenic/Stage Manager: Kevin Barron
Costume Designer: Stella Woitulewicz
Cast: Megan Smith - Gabriella Gerardo; Justino Solis - Jesus Gerardo; Maria Ayala - Carina Gerardo; Benito Cruz - Hector Gerardo; Jose Varela - Erick, Victor and Pablo; Alyssa Bunton - Rachel and Angelina; Sarah Cline - Stacy; Tim Seneca - Boss and I.C.E Officer; Francisco Ruiz - Assistant Manager; Nicholas Infante - Assistant Manager and I.C.E. Officer.

When: 

March 12 - Friday - 8 p.m.
March 13 - Saturday - 4 p.m.
March 14 - Sunday - 4 p.m. (Spanish Translation) (Talk-back)
March 19 - Friday - 8 p.m. (Spanish Translation)
March 20 - Saturday - 4 p.m.
March 20 - Saturday - 8 p.m.
March 21 - Sunday - 4 p.m. (Touch Tours - 3:30 p.m.) (Audio Description) (Talk-back) March 26 - Friday - 8 p.m. (Touch Tours - 7 p.m.) (Audio Description)
March 27 - Saturday - 4 p.m. (Spanish Translation)
March 27 - Saturday - 8 p.m. (ASL Interpretation)
March 28 - Sunday - 4 p.m. (ASL Interpretation)

(Matrix Theatre Company’s Inclusive Theatre Initiative insures that Matrix Productions are available to all theatre lovers. Services include: Accessible parking, seating and restroom facilities. Assistive Listening devices available at all shows.)

The Makings of a Giant Justin Dart Puppet, Pts. 1 and 2

Pt. 1 - When a good dream comes true you want to shout it out to the world, so here goes.

After two years of planning, Matrix Theatre Company and friends began the building of a giant puppet of Justin Dart to be used in upcoming social justice events. Justin is known as the “father of the Americans with Disabilities Act,” which was signed into law 20 years ago on July 26, 1990. Most people know of the ADA, but few know Justin Dart.

We’re about to change this.

The puppet of Justin Dart will soon join the distinguished group of Matrix puppets honoring such activists as: Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Jones, Ella Baker, Cesar Chavez and others. These beautiful puppets have a powerful presence at any event and immediately draw the attention of people of all ages. This curiosity with the puppet lends itself to sharing more about the real person the puppet is based on and their social justice activism.

We carried art supplies and the molds of the head and hands for the Justin puppet from Matrix Theatre Company, across the street, to the Roberto Clemente Recreation Center in Southwest Detroit. We set up the small room, put photos of Justin Dart and his beloved wife Yoshiko on the sign-in table, and encouraged staff, families and youth to get involved. Over time we will watch the giant puppet of Justin Dart come to life. As we build it, more will come to have fun and learn about Justin and the disability movement.

Over the next few weeks, visit us to learn more about Justin Dart and to watch the puppet being built by artists Carl Goines, Megan Harris and folks like you.

Consider joining us for an hour, an afternoon or more. No experience necessary. Individuals are welcome Tuesdays 1:30 - 3:30 p.m., Thursdays 5 - 8 p.m. and Saturdays 12 - 3 p.m. Groups should call ahead to let the artists know they are coming, call Ken Srdjak 313-967-0999 or e-mail him at ksrdjak@matrixtheatre.org.

It always feels good to begin the day with a dream come true!

Pt. 2 - I walked into to the puppet making art room to the squeals of laughter of a few young children and the sound of ripping tape. The artist, Carl, with his soft voice and attentive eyes was instructing the kids to “keep the tape tight as you wrap it around the hands and heads of the puppet.”

Balancing the large puppet hand in her own tiny six-year-old hand, Ana looked up to Carl for reassurance, “Like this? Am I doing it right?”

“Perfect,” he said as he handed the scissors to another young boy who was eager to help shape the puppet’s face.

Another young boy, covered in a paint-splotched apron, was helping to recycle the pieces of previously-used hard clay by adding water and massaging the pieces. There was no hesitation about getting his hands dirty.

I arrived at the perfect time. The head and hands of the puppet had been wrapped with miles of tape, and only a bit more was needed. I learned from Carl that the tape kept the inside newspaper from getting wet from the clay that would soon be smeared over the tape. My son Micah jumped right into the final phase of the taping. Micah was relieved that he could tape.

After about an hour Carl announced that “The head has enough tape - it’s time to smear the clay over the tape.” The kids cheered and leaped over each other to be the first one to put their hands into the clay, or as Carl called it “terra cotta.” When I referred to the clay as mud, Ana was baffled, because playing in mud had never been an approved form of play for her. To reconcile this contradiction, she announced, “But this is clean mud, so I can play in it!” And did she ever. 

There was something comforting to me when I heard one of the boys ask Carl, “Is this where Justin Dart’s ear goes?” Before this day, Justin Dart was not a name he knew. Now Justin Dart and the Americans with Disabilities Act are familiar to him. In our puppet making we have fun with the clay and we also talk about creating a world where all people belong, where buildings and buses are accessible, and where we realize that fairness for all is possible.

The creation of the Justin Dart puppet is being documented through this blog by Janice Fialka. Check back now through June as she documents the birth of this giant puppet.

Inclusion: Past, present and future

The Inclusive Theatre Initiative’s purpose is to create “opportunities for people with disabilities to be theatre professionals, creators, performers and audience members.”

Matrix accomplished this throughout 2009 in many ways. Some performances offered  American Sign Language interpretation. Audio Description, which allows people who are blind to follow along with the action of the play, and Touch Tours, which allow people who are blind to explore the set and meet the actors pre-show, were offered at several performances. Matrix also offered Braille, large print and CD recordings of the programs.

The biggest accomplishment was the completion of a three-year project funded by The Jewish Fund. It began with storytelling circles called Jambalayas, to meet people and gather stories. Matrix used various mediums such as sound, movement, visual art, and verbal story telling to connect people so they could share their stories.

This led to a writer’s circle of community members who wrote Decide Tonight. The group was diverse, and really enjoyed going through the writing process with each other.

In March 2009, Matrix premiered the culminating work Decide Tonight. There were a number of people with disabilities involved in the production, some of them from the writer’s group. It also drew a large number of audience members with disabilities, and even offered chances to involve the audience if they chose to join in.

For 2010, Matrix wants to continue building the audience base and getting the information out to people with disabilities, so that they know what Matrix is doing. Matrix's School of Theatre is also working on making its arts education classes inclusive.

Matrix will be going to “QuestFest,” in Washington, D.C. this March to learn about visual theatre to reach out to the hard-of-hearing and Deaf communities through theatre. This will also work in creating opportunities for other theatres to learn about and use audio description through Matrix’s resources. In addition, researching captioning is a goal for the coming year, so that Matrix will be able to better serve people who are hard of hearing as members of the audience. Matrix also hopes to create a clearing house of information on activities in the arts for people with disabilities through IAN, Inclusive Arts Network, with VSA Arts of Michigan.

For more information about ITI at Matrix, please contact Jen Boyak at jboyak@matrixtheatre.org.

Matrix shows off projects, thanks Matrix-family at annual meeting

Matrix’s 2010 Annual Meeting was a great opportunity to give thanks to all of the people who helped make Matrix possible in the 2008-2009 season. At the meeting the Matrix community came together to discuss where Matrix is now, and how far it has come.

The theatre was packed beyond capacity with funders, donors, partners, members of the Board of Directors, Matrix’s young artists, their families and the Matrix staff.

Once all the guests had arrived and mingled, the night began with a focus on the students and their accomplishments. Andrea Scobie’s Teatro de la Vida students started off with their original work, The Stronger They Are, The Badder They Rise, a performance piece that arose from the youth’s insights into songs by Michael Jackson and Kanye West.

Matrix’s Young Playwrights went next with a staged reading of two scenes from their upcoming world premiere of Vanished. Vanished will run weekends March 12^th through March 28^th at Matrix and deals with the issue of immigration in our border city. Check out the event on Facebook.

Matrix’s young artist Marisa de la Cruz Martin performed her imaginative and animated puppetry. Marisa received the Promising Puppeteer Award, which not only recognizes Marisa’s growth and talent with her puppets, but also acts as a full scholarship for Marisa to attend as many Matrix classes as she wants over the next year. It was the inaugural award in a scholarship program created for Matrix’s School of Theatre. The program’s goal is to provide support for families in need so that any child can attend the school’s performance, puppetry and mask-making classes. The initial award was made possible through a donation by Richard P. Baks, who was thanked from the stage by Shaun Nethercott, Matrix’s Co-Founder and Executive Director.

There was also special recognition of Board Member Jeanne Vogt, who will be retiring from the Board after six years. Jeanne was honored for the transformative leadership she has provided during her long commitment to Matrix.

The 2010-2011 season was also announced. The opening Heritage Play is Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams, followed by the annual holiday play Puppet Scrooge. For the Spring 2011 production two one-act plays are grouped together for “Comedy Tonight:” Para Siempre by Maria Serratos, an adaptation from Neil Simon’s Plaxa Suite, which is paired with Backstage Passes by local playwright Roger Kerson. The festival production in May 2011 is Ghost Waters: In Our Life, the second stage of Matrix’ three-year Ghost Waters project, funded by the Erb Family Foundation.

Shaun shared key details from the annual report, which showed growth across the board at Matrix. Since 1991 Matrix has staged 122 productions and created 90 original scripts. Its plays have been seen by 68,000 people. More than 13,000 people have worked with Matrix since its founding.

Service has seen dramatic increases this year. The School of Theatre held 957 sessions compared to last year’s 617, with 708 participants versus 432 in 2007-2008. In-school arts education programs reached 550 school students, more than double the 239 served the year before. Contact hours totaled 2243, up from 1576, and there were 535 youth sessions, compared to 351 last year. Matrix’s young artists performed for more than 2,000 at 25 locations.

The audience for Matrix Theatre’s productions was over 8,500, an increase of over 200 from the previous year.

Huge thanks are extended to Majestic Cafe and the Zaineas, Nethercott Enterprises, Saint Bonaventure Monastery, and On the Rise Bakery- The Capuchin Soup Kitchen for their wonderful donations.