GENERAL OVERVIEW
As we consider our HNO work to be part of the creative programming component of Ashe’, The project, “Voices Not Forgotten,” is guided by Ashe’s Coordinator of Creative Projects Dollie Rivas. Karel Sloane-Boekbinder, Ashe’s Assistant Theatre Producer, is designated to officially serve on the HNO Steering Committee to represent Ashe and the HNO Central City project “Voices Not Forgotten.”
To ensure two levels of review for project coordination, Dollie Rivas and Karel Sloane-Boekbinder commit to the other activities of the Steering Committee, and, will participate in over seeing the students who will be involved in the development of the “Voices Not Forgotten” project. Additionally, Ashe’s Executive Director Carol Bebelle will be brought in as needed to oversee the development of the work as it progresses.
For our orientation, we have provided our student intern with:
- A history of Central City, including the Central City Manifesto
- A history of Ashe’
- A history of the EOC and
- A history of the on-going partnership between the EOC and Ashe’
The Core Creative Group
“Voices Not Forgotten” is being cultivated by a team of artists. Working with the elders at the EOC, this artistic team is developing a multi-media performance work (imagery, theatre and dance) that will embody reminiscences from the lives of these elders. In addition to being engaged with the development of the work, the elders themselves perform “Voices Not Forgotten.” The team includes choreographers, a theatre artist and a videographer.
The inspiration for this next phase of our HNO project, and the primary choreographer for “Voices Not Forgotten” is Michelle Gibson. Two additional choreographers working with the elders are Kesha McKey and Giselle Nakid. Derrick Deal is a theatre artist who is assisting the elders as they create a narrative from their stories. This narrative is the story arc that is being used when “Voices Not Forgotten” is performed. Karel Sloane-Boekbinder serves as the videographer.
NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS
Presently, our Central City neighborhood meetings are focusing on rehearsing “Voices Not Forgotten.”
We have 17 elders who are interested in performing and constitute the cast of the show and an additional 16 or so who participate in the development of the choreography—average meeting involvement is between 24 and 30 elders. Recently, “Voices Not Forgotten” was featured at Ashe’s annual festival Holiday on the Boulevard in December, 2008. The next scheduled public performance is June, 2009.
