Solo Performance

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Touring Slant: A Show About Falling, Failing and Risk, across the U.S. and to Melbourne, Australia, I learned so much about the incredible power of storytelling. Sharing the tale of stumbling out of the closet, fumbling through my first date, and coming to terms with my LGBTQ identity in front of all types of people, I was found grace, understanding, community, and sharing, so much sharing. There is never a time that I perform live, when someone doesn’t come talk to me afterward, and share a point of connection with my experience. I was honored to be the featured performance in the Patti Pace Performance Festival, at the Critical Autoethnography Conference in Australia, and in the LGBTQ Caucus at NCA.

(see CV for more solo performance)

Click here to watch the video of the performance in the Kleinau Theatre.

Drawing inspiration from performance artist Bas Jan Ader and writers such as Joan Didion, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Samuel Beckett, and Jack Halberstam, Slant tells the story of coming out through a bricolage of stories, poetry, and images about falling do

Drawing inspiration from performance artist Bas Jan Ader and writers such as Joan Didion, Minnie Bruce Pratt, Samuel Beckett, and Jack Halberstam, Slant tells the story of coming out through a bricolage of stories, poetry, and images about falling down, falling from grace, and falling as a way of creative living.

Collaborative Performance

 

Victor Turner uses the term communitas to explain a sense of magical togetherness that can happen during performance. I take this to heart by creating collaborative performances, and leading performance workshops and courses designed to build community and create social change.

Students in my CMST 401: Performance and Social Change course at CSUN making a disappearing found haiku with a quote from Jenny Holtzer on the walls of the Communication building with water and paint brushes.

Students in my CMST 401: Performance and Social Change course at CSUN making a disappearing found haiku with a quote from Jenny Holtzer on the walls of the Communication building with water and paint brushes.

Performance Spaces

 

I’ve helped create and sustain several performance spaces over the last several years. With Kathryn Sorrells, I created the Soulcial Justice Poetry Lounge at CSUN as part of the Civil Discourse and Social Change Initiative. In Carbondale, I worked with a group of performers to restore an old church building creating “The Open Space” where graduate students and community members could come create community and performances free of charge. I also worked with Kleinau Theatre as the Publicity/Assistant Technical director.

The Soulcial Justice Poetry Lounge was a two year, monthly poetry session where poets could come experiment with new material. I organized a group of local poets to come and perform and lead workshops helping young writers develop their skills and le

The Soulcial Justice Poetry Lounge was a two year, monthly poetry session where poets could come experiment with new material. I organized a group of local poets to come and perform and lead workshops helping young writers develop their skills and learn to share their experiences in front of a supportive creative community.

Awards

 

John T. Warren Award: Excellence in Graduate Research/Creative Activity, SIUC 2017

Marie J. Robinson Performance Studies Graduate Student Scholarship, NCA 2016

Marion Kleinau Award, Outstanding Performance Studies Graduate Student SIUC 2016

Best Performer Across the Season, SIUC 2015

Best Performer Across the Season, SIUC 2014

Kent Joel Snyder Award for Outstanding Graduate Student, CSUN 2010

Richard B. Aronstam Award, Academic Achievement and Department Service CSUN 2009

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