
ATHENS, part 2
ATHENS Dec 11 - Dec 16, 2016 We are at Omonoia Square riding the magic from the success of the four group pieces. Photos are taken forever documenting the time we spent learning from each other. Members of the ‘audience’ join us in the photos. Though we felt a unique high from the experience, we knew that the next part of Athens would be a very different feel. As we said goodbye to our new friends a certain anxiety swept over me. We were getting ready to go to the squat Moni

ATHENS, part 1
ATHENS Dec 11 - Dec 16, 2016 In the airport of Greece, there is a sign that says strangers and visitors might be gods in disguise so they must be treated and honored as such. A message that is bitter sweet in the midst of a nation in crisis, reeling from an influx of refugees, but it was a welcome sentiment for road weary travelers approaching our last stop of the tour. After our 12 hour layover in Stockholm with slim to none sleep, we were grateful to settle into the beautif

OSLO
OSLO Dec 6 - Dec 10, 2016 Our time in Oslo was so full. We’ve had a great relationship with Grusomhetens Teater (The Theatre of Cruelty) for many years now thanks to an introduction by Janne Hoem, our mutual colleague, who worked closely with Judith on History of the World. Lars, who has run Grusomhetens for 25 years, met us at the airport at midnight with food for the fridge and brought us to our digs. After being strip searched in the airport, this was warmth much needed. W

BOLOGNA
BOLOGNA Dec 5, 2016 We arrived in Bologna around 5am and settled at the bus stop for a second to figure out what our next move would be since the check-in time for our stay started at 3pm. After the five of us shared one cup of coffee, we decided to head to the hostel anyway and see if they would let us sleep on their couches until it was time check-in. When we arrived they were kind enough to offer us their cinema room (which was closed to the public) so we could sleep since

VIENNA
VIENNA Dec 2 - Dec 4, 2016 While Americans tremble with anticipation over the governing body, the rest of the world has their own wave of fear-mongering nationalists to contend with. We arrived in Austria 2 days before their presidential election, which for the most part has been a largely symbolic position but this year the country faced a frightening prospect. Norbert Hofer, a far right wing candidate from the Freedom Party was running against Independent Alexander Van der

BERLIN
BERLIN Nov 30 - Dec 2, 2016 In Berlin, we landed with no concrete plans. The Maxim Gorki Theater never responded to our months of outreach even though meeting Shermin was part of the inspiration for this tour. Within two hours Equiano had a tour set up with a Syrian refugee group the next morning, Monica finalized plans for us to volunteer at a camp in the city, and a woman who reached out to us over email, that we never met, introduced us to Club Al-Hakawati نادي الحكواتي, w

AVIGNON
AVIGNON Nov 27 - Nov 29, 2016 It seems that the manifestation in 68 continues, the struggles, the pains, and the spirits for a better future. In 1968, Living Theatre spent four months residing in Avignon, creating, rehearsing, and engaging with the local citizens and artists from around the world. Paradise Now was showed in Festival d'Avignon, but soon was withdrawn from the program due to the dispute within the festival. Almost 50 years later, we went back to Avignon, tracin

PARIS
PARIS Nov 27 - Nov 29, 2016 Once the London leg of the trip had been completed, the three company members flew to Paris and met up with two more members, Dennis Yueh-yeh Li and Leah Bachar. The next day we assembled outside CentQuatre-Paris (http://www.104.fr/) in Paris (located in La Villette, the 19th Arrondissement). The building serves as a public cultural center which provides open space for residencies, productions and performances for artists and audiences from all cor

LONDON, part 2
LONDON Nov 22 - Nov 26, 2016 Next day, day three in London. Eggs, toast and tea. Still delicious. We head back to the theatre at CASS school arriving at 9:45am. Somehow we run into Jacek, our workshop host, inside the train station. We set up then lead the six hour workshop with 15 students. Name introduction, Living Theatre history, Vocal and body warm up, tableaux vivant, sound and movement. We discuss with each student their experiences with oppression and hatred that exis

LONDON, part 1
LONDON Nov 22 - Nov 26, 2016 From our little New York sanctuaries to a London hideaway We met up outside the graffitied walls of Brooklyn with our bags packed for all the surprises we would meet in Europe. We are traveling lightly in comparison to our ‘Know Your Rites’ tour, but our personalities glow loudly in each of our only pair of shoes for the journey. Bright pink boots, check. Dusted brown dress shoes, check. Black palladiums, check. Blue suede boots, check. Mahogany b