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. 

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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.

Matrix in the community

Being involved and present in our community is part of the mission at Matrix Theatre Company. We recently came out to support our neighborhood and city at two fantastic events.

The first was the Martin Luther King Jr. Rally and March on Jan 18, we brought out three of our Giant Hero Puppets to help with the march. Dr. King was leading the charge with Ella Baker and Cesar Chavez not far behind. The three heroes marched along hundreds of Detroiters who stood in solidarity for jobs, peace and justice. Matrix offers an emphatic “Thank you” to Central United Methodist Church, all of the speakers and everyone who came to support and remember King’s legacy. It is an honor for Matrix to be involved in this annual tradition.

The second event was the Southwest Detroit Multicultural Multigenerational Celebration. The Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion has been working with the people of Southwest Detroit to bring about an ever stronger sense of community among the diverse cultures and generations.

Individuals representing the African American, Arab American, Caucasian, Hispanic and Native American were present to both listen and share.

Matrix Theatre Company presented a portion of Vanished, the new original work that will debut March 12, 2010, at the celebration. Directed by Laura Perez, the cast performed two scenes from the play that asks tough questions about immigration policy and how one local family faces the biggest struggle of their lives because of it.

The audience enjoyed different foods from the many cultures present and saw various other performances. “The goal of striving for cultural understanding is to build bridges across boundaries of race, culture, and geography and develop youth and adult leaders able to promote Southwest Detroit as a community for all.”