For Mexico´s performances in La Constancia:
director´s notes in ingles:
Many of the more political scenes we showed in the usa we find most mexicans are deeply understanding of. we don´t need passports here. when we imagined bringing the UNEARTHING to our sister home and resetting it, we imagined being in a space, that in itself, was an installation. gone would be the crazy amount of props and art, lights. gone the installations created out of discarded materials. those are so easy to be found in the usa. not so easy in mexico, however…that is changing here… we have boiled it down to the more raw heart of our work and taken on a new layer of understanding as the history of la constancia has woven into the piece, with textile workers instead of coal miners, and the river xololtongo actually being the setting of the scene dirty water, with the stories of barrio xananentla´s past a deep, if somewhat secret, undercurrent of the work.
the valleys we will all travel through together, traveling through our own internal landscape as if a herd of blue deer has chosen us, to show us our own stories, so we can have a new yet wise awareness of the world we are part of, part of creating. our 3 themes are here, in different ways; borders/exchange, energy and unearthing the past. we encourage you to allow these themes to create questions you can chew on in the next little while. but mostly we invite you to share our community. it is a deep one, with many tributaries feeding it. in the usa and mexico we have worked with countless small and large organizations dedicated passionately to changing the world in a positive way through their particular lens. small businesses and individual folks have all made this possible… and even though our crew went from 22 to 13, everyone of us has added something necessary to the whole. what an honor to be part of a truly collaborative effort. it is a gift i will always cherish, to have been part of this amazing sharing. i will also feel indebted to it, in the best of ways, constantly stretching and challenging my own status quo to do more, to be aware more, to learn more, to share more, to live more. i invite you to do the same. Perhaps all of our lives depend upon it.
this is dedicated to the rivers: river xololtongo which at 100 years ago was fresh enough to swim in and the river Atoyak that now runs in a covert under xananentla and cinco de mayo calle. may they be free and clean in our lifetime.
artistic director
zap mcconnell (mexico Spring 2012)
THE INCREDIBLE HUGE LIST OF AWESOME FOLKS TO THANK COMING SOON!!!!
Charlottesville, Virginia Winter 2012
Director’s Notes
Thanks
to my brother’s for my path
to my mom for unconditional love,
to my dad for the time in the mountains with grandma.
When I was little, one of my most treasured places, treasured time, was with my brothers at Grandma McConnell’s mountain house. We would weeble down the mountainsides, walk the creeks, dank and magical, crawl into rodedendron tangles, drink sassafrass root tea. I could sip water from the ripples in the creeks. I loved Black Mountain. I can smell the moss and black earth, moist with wet leaves. I love mountains.
I can actually love people too… not as readily. But, once you’re in my heart, you’re in. I love culture, music, dance and the tiny pink dots covering the spine of an alebrije. One of the place I feel most at home is in Mexico. The air is different. People see with eyes that are aware. The warm-hearted way that people greet each other and say goodnight. The spicy, the bright, the sudden parade… with dried flower petals, scattered, tubas off key, and fire crackers… in the middle of the day. Día de los Muertos. I miss it now.
And the people who have gathered here, to make this work, to be with each other, to share… such generosity and raw talent… to look and hear and feel. This includes you. Together. It simply takes my breath away. Such open hearts.
We want to take you on a journey. And at the end… or in the middle… if you are confused or need more, we want you to speak to that. We have a few answers, mixed in with the questing. Now let’s start the Conference of the Birds.
Zap McConnell
Please note: We ask that you do not take photographs or video while at The UNEARTHING. We appreciate your cooperation!
The UNEARTHING
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Produced by
The Living Education Center for Arts and Ecology
The Zen Monkey Project
@Hand Productions
Zap McConnell
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Jennifer Hoyt Tidwell
Tevyn East
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Zap McConnell
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Production Assistant/Lighting Designer
Amber Cone
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Derrick McNew
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Emily Abrahams
Denisse Cárdenas Landeros
Paola De La Concha Zindel
Kevin Dockery
Tevyn East
Miguel Angel Guzmán (Supported by the Creadores Escénicos Program from Fondo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes, Mexico)
Cinthia Pérez Navarro
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Katharine Birdsall
Ray Eliot Schwartz
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Kara Burke
Siân Richards
Jennifer Hoyt Tidwell
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Venados Azules / Dancer Guides
Hoshin Amara
Amber Cone
Lisa Eller
Carrie Girstantas
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Music Composed and Performed by
Brian Caputo
Arcadio Martínez Lanz
Diego Martínez Lanz
Catherine Monnes
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Stage Manager
Opal Lechmanski
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Yasenta Sen’Gerni
Will May
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Marco Durán
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Abe Costanza
Jacob Canon
David “Mr. E” Eaklund
Trevor Przyuski
Jason Shifflett
Kent Wiley
Brian Wimer
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Alex Arsenovic / Michael Cybery
William Bennett
Nina Frances Burke
Amber Cone
Emily Dameron
Joan Doherty
Firat Erdim
Andy Faith
Will Kerner
Maya Mackrandilal
Zap McConnell
Claire McCormick
Derrick McNew
Ed Miller
Joe Schepps / Erik Mattson
Yasenta Sen’Gerni
Liz Simmons/ Will Parham
Rollin Stanton
Lark Waxwings
Ashley Williams
Pat
This production could not have happened without the remarkable generosity of our sponsors!
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Old Growth Forest on Top of a Giant Mountain
The Living Education Center for Ecology and The Arts
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Giant Ancient Ash Trees
The Round Room
The Bridge Progressive Arts Initiative
Secret New Spot: The Black Market
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Really Awesome Huge Tiny Seeds
Breakfast of Course (Winston-Salem, NC)
Petro Free Gypsy Carnival Tour (Harrisonburg, VA)
UDLAP Danza (Cholula, Mexico)
Abrakadabra
Meade Rugs
Leaping Letterpress
Maya
Zinc
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Special Thanks!
to all the volunteers who helped with the build, it wouldn’t have happened without you!
Derrick McNew, Elisha Brick, Jodie Plaisance, Joe Schepp, Eric Mattson, Yasenta Sen’Gerni, Lark Waxwings, Carrie Girstantas, Chip Staples, Nathaniel Luther Galea, Siân Richards, Gabriel Allen, David “Mr. E” Eaklund, Gwendolyn Hall, Jennifer Hoyt Tidwell, Lisa Eller, Rachel Summerlot, Tevyn East, Jen Tweel Kelly, Will May, Walter, Owen Dougherty, Jessica, Pat, Jacob, Karl, Alex, John, Joy, Katrine, Spencer, Tim, Sue, Axie.
Also, we are thankful for Ali Cheff, Ross McDermot, and Greg Kelly, our friends over at The Bridge.
To Matteus Frankovich for continuing to be awesome. And Anna.
To Dan McConnell for the use of the music box.
To the Play On crew for their tolerance and support, especially our friend Clinton (go see his show!)
To Bill Bennet, you’ve gone above and beyond!
To Garret Queen and Josef Beery for their tireless commitment to the value of the printing press.
For the folks from the Film Makers Republic.
Scott Paisley, Shelly, UVA Biking Team, Jodie Plaisance and the folks at Community Bikes.
Nick and the Petrol Free Gypsy Caravan Tour for sharing information about bicycle power.
To Kay Ferguson and Mendy St. Ours for your hospitality and your competent help.
To Marcus Hahn at Harvest Moon and Laura at Blue Moon, over and over again.
To Jamie at Bellair Farms.
To Alec, Ned, Jamel, Matt, Rick and Lobsung with Lithic Construction (you saved our ass!)
To Harper, for sharing her toys.
Endless appreciation for years of steadfast support: Ernie Reed, Katharine Birdsall, Brad Stoller, Grady Smith.
To Thomas Woltz for the inspiration.
To Fabian and Viggy Kuttner for this remarkable opportunity.
To our main sponsors in our kickstarter campaign: Mary Scott Birdsall, Ernie Reed, Jennifer Dees, Kay Ferguson, Judy Leeman and Bridget Lee, Kara Burke…and all the 265 folks who were part of making this possible through kickstarter. Go to http://www.kickstarter.com/
And finally, to Shannon Worrell, Corey Jo, Katharine Birdsall and Cathy Monnes for generously providing housing for our visiting artists.
Mad Woman Project is coming!!!!!
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Bellair Farms is donating part of what you are planting to go to Charlottesville’s Emergency Food Bank.
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The Future of The UNEARTHING
We’re selling a lot of objects from the show and 50% of the money we make from sales is donated to Heartwood and I Love Mountains.
The UNEARTHING will travel to Mexico in March to participate in Performatica: International Forum of Contemporary Dance and Movement Arts and to support the community of Xanenetla through the Puebla: Ciudad Mural project. As the USA cast experiences the rich culture in Puebla, our international exchange will be complete.
Any financial contributions to The UNEARTHING will help enable this next creative offering. You can make a donation by visiting the project’s website or here.
Thank you!
Links for Further Action
Piedmont Environmental Council
Southern Appalachian Mountain Stewards
Southern Environmental Law Center
West Virginia Highlands Conservancy
Capital Area Immigrants Rights