12/13/2024
🌟 Global Fellows Friday Spotlight: Yide Cai🌍✨
"The latter part of 2024 has definitely been a busy and productive time for me. Coming back from the summer in Europe, I’m starting my MFA and have been given my first full-production as a playwright. This new stage of my artistic career lets me see how my vision, after I formed my cross-cultural perspective on theater-making, clashes with the current state and expectation of the American theater. I am excited to see both people who stand up to support and undermine my passion. I hope I will have the courage to walk on the path wherever theater will take me next."- Yide Cai .john
🌟 Stay tuned with us as we feature the journey of our Global Fellows every Friday!
Milestones:
Photo 1,2: Yide starting his MFA in Playwriting at Boston University(Boston Playwrights Theater)
Photo 3,4: Yide's play “The Rice Eaters” produced at KaniniFest, Arkansas
Photo 5: Yide Starting Producing 101 Cohort at TPOC, get to know more, link in our bio!
Photo 6: Yide working as the dramaturg assistant at Deutsches Nationaltheater Weimar’s production of “Faust”
12/13/2024
The Power of Culture to Foster Diplomacy
Ambassador Cynthia Schneider, Lab co-founding director led a discussion on “The Power of Culture: Global Diplomacy in the 21st Century,” in partnership with Qatar Museums during the Doha Forum
The session highlighted how culture bridges nations and addresses global challenges like migration and climate change, emphasizing education's role in fostering global citizenship. Panelists included Khalid Albaih, Razi Ahmed, Irina Bokova, Andreas Görgen, and Gayane Umerova.
About The Doha Forum: Fostering Dialogue About the Future of Education and Work
Held in Qatar on December 7-8, 2024, in partnership with Georgetown University in Qatar, the Doha Forum convened over 5,000 participants from 162 countries, including 350+ speakers, under the theme “The Innovation Imperative.” The event addressed global challenges and highlighted education’s role in innovation, featuring key contributions from Georgetown leaders and faculty.
🎥 Watch the forum through the link in our bio!
Photos from Georgetown University Qatar Website
12/13/2024
Congratulations to ”The Art of Care“ team on the production being named one of the best stage productions of 2024 by .
“The most immediate and intimate show I saw all year, meaning every person in the room - onstage and in the audience - showed up as themselves and was respected for exactly who they are.”
Thank you and !
12/10/2024
🌟 AZAD(the rabbit and the wolf)🌟
Join Global Fellow, Sona Tatoyan for her captivating workshop performance of AZAD (the rabbit and the wolf) on DECEMBER 19, 2024, at The Vineyard’s Dimson Theatre, NYC.
Burdened by a divorce, Osman Kavala’s imprisonment in Turkey, and the ghosts of her past, Sona Tatoyan sets off to create a TV series exploring the Armenian Genocide and the Syrian war. Everything changes when she unearths a trunk in her family’s war-torn Aleppo home: 180 Karagöz shadow puppets created by her great-great-grandfather!
In a quantum entanglement that spans a century, could this be the story she’s been missing: a multigenerational healing journey?
AZAD(the rabbit and the wolf): Written by Sona Tatoyan in collaboration with Lab Creative Core memberJared Mezzocchi, AZAD is a kaleidoscopic multimedia theatrical experience featuring ancient Karagöz shadow puppets, indigenous Middle Eastern folk music, oral storytelling, video projection, and movement.
✨ Directed by Jared Mezzocchi
✨ Performed by Sona Tatoyan and a tribe of 120-year-old Karagöz Shadow Puppets!
đź“… Date: DECEMBER 19, 2024 | 5 PM
📍 The Vineyard’s Dimson Theatre, NYC
đźŽForthcoming World Premiere Spring 2025, presented by Hakawati in co-production with Golden Thread Productions, San Francisco, CA.
đź“–Get to know more - an interview with Sona is in our bio!
12/06/2024
🌟 Global Fellows Friday Spotlight: Caitlin Nasema Cassidy 🌍✨
Today, we're proud to highlight Caitlin Nasema Cassidy for her groundbreaking work as co-conceiver of We Hear You - A Climate Archive. Performances from We Hear You were featured in "77 Messages to the Future," co-created with Jacob Hirdwall. This play, which premiered at Sweden’s Royal Dramatic Theatre, weaves a vivid tapestry of youth voices addressing climate change—a theme poignantly captured in their stories of grief, humor, wonder, and righteous anger, and was recently featured in Orion Magazine.
đźŽđźŚ± We Hear You transforms scientific data into emotive experiences, showcasing how the arts can not only reflect societal challenges but actively inspire change.
We Hear You—A Climate Archive is a collaboration between Dramaten (The Royal Dramatic Theatre of Sweden), The Earth Commons—Georgetown University’s Institute for Environment and Sustainability, The Embassy of Sweden in Washington, DC, and The Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics. We Hear You—A Climate Archive is co-conceived by Caitlin Nasema Cassidy and Jacob Hirdwall.
đź”— Read more at Orion Magazine, link in our bio!
12/05/2024
🎧 New Podcast Episode Alert: Uncovering The Art of Care with Dr. Derek Goldman
🗓️ Published: November 29, 2024
Listen to a special "This is Growing Old" podcast for a special episode released in honor of National Caregiver's Month. Derek Goldman, Lah Artistic and Executive Director/Co-founder discusses his groundbreaking play, The Art of Care. In this episode, he delves into the real-life narratives that form the backbone of the play, highlighting the profound essence of caregiving.
🔍 Episode Highlights:
Empathy in Action: Explore the radical act of empathy that is at the heart of caregiving.
Unseen Sacrifices: Discover the often-overlooked sacrifices and the profound beauty in the caregiving experience.
Impactful Narratives: Learn about the development and impact of The Art of Care, a play that brings to the forefront the real-life experiences of caregivers.
🎙️ Listen Now: Link in our Bio!
Alliance for Aging Research
12/04/2024
🌟Georgetown and Legacies of Slavery: Honoring Stories, Embracing Communities
🗓️ Date: December 6, 2024
đź“Ť Location: Georgetown University
📧 Contact [email protected] for Invitations!
The Georgetown and Legacies of Slavery Forum is by invitation only and organized by members of Georgetown University, Dumbarton Oaks, Tudor Place, and The Black Georgetown Foundation. This multidisciplinary conversation will consider the challenges and opportunities faced by institutions and communities as they bring the legacies and stories to light.
🎙️ Featured Panelist:
MĂ©lisande Short-Colomb, Lab Community Engagement Associate and the writer and performer of Here I Am, will be a key speaker for Panel 3: Embracing Communities.
🔍 About Mélisande & Here I Am:
Mélisande, a direct descendant of families sold into slavery by the Society of Jesus in 1838 to keep Georgetown University solvent, (The GU 272). She continues her impactful work both on-campus with the Center for The Study of Slavery and its Legacies and off-campus as an anchoring member of the descendant community. Here I Am is a powerful Lab production that invites audiences on a journey through music, narrative, and multimedia imagery, celebrating Mélisande’s 11 generations of maternal grandmothers and her complex ties with Georgetown.
📧 Get Invited:
Interested in joining this meaningful event? Please get in touch with Thaisa Way for an invitation at [email protected].
12/04/2024
Support Our Global Fellow Program: Keep the Program Going!
We are now in the final funding cycle for the Global Fellows Program and we need your support to keep this program going.. Your support enables us to sustain this vital program, which empowers innovators across the globe to drive change and create lasting impacts in their communities. Every contribution counts in keeping this program in existence.
Have an idea for sponsorship of the program? Support our Global Fellows Program today, link in our bio to donate!
12/03/2024
Empowering Student Innovation at The Lab
Now in its fourth cohort, the Lab Student Fellows Program supports the creativity of students from diverse majors working at the intersection of politics and performance. It is a space for discussion, workshopping, and collaboration among students who align with The Lab’s mission of humanizing global politics. Here are some photos from the student fellows showcase earlier this year.
Stay connected and learn more about our student fellows —sign up for our newsletter today and show your support, link in our bio to donate!
12/03/2024
Bridging Generations with In Your Shoes™
The In Your Shoes™ (IYS) methodology is especially powerful in intergenerational dialogues as evidenced in our most recent collaboration with The Collaborative on Global Children’s Issues and On Being to present On Being Young in America. These sessions brought together high school students, university students, and community members, holding space for profound connections across generations while exploring themes of humanity, life choices, and mutual support in post-election America.
Join us in supporting these enriching exchanges that deepen our understanding and strengthen our community - Link in the bio to donate.
12/03/2024
In Your Shoes™ Global Reach
Today is ! We invite you to join us throughout today as we share about The Lab’s community and impact!
This summer, Derek Goldman led diverse global cohorts in intensive In Your Shoes™ workshops, from Italy to Scotland, focusing on empathy and global understanding through the arts. Highlights include workshops at the Beyond Borders Festival in Edinburgh, La MaMa Umbria, and intergenerational programs at Andy’s Playhouse.
Support our international program expansion this - link in our bio to donate.
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12/03/2024
Campus Collaborations and Innovations: In Your Shoes™ Research & Practice Center
In Your Shoes™, a Lab signature program, employs techniques rooted in theatrical performance to promote deep listening and empathy, bringing participants of diverse backgrounds into mutually respectful creative exchange.
Since its 2023 launch, the In Your Shoes™ Research & Practice Center at The Lab has flourished, creating a vibrant ecosystem of facilitators, participants, and researchers across Georgetown University and the globe. This year, we've introduced new courses and expanded collaboration opportunities, including the upcoming Doyle Fellowship.
Discover and support our dynamic approach to deep listening and empathy work—link in our bio.
12/03/2024
Communal Connection Based in Empathy - The Art of Care
This , we celebrate the profound communal connection through care and art with The Art of Care Initiative!
This production was the result of years of research and development and will continue on as an initiative. Produced in partnership with The Mosaic Theater Company and developed in collaboration with The Global Health Institute; School of Health; School of Nursing; MedStar Health; and Medical Humanities Initiative at Georgetown University, this intergenerational work and conversation has engaged thousands of community members encompassing high school students, healthcare workers, researchers, artists, caregivers, advocates, and policymakers through the performance and events including community roundtables at The Lab Studios, Eaton House, and In Your Shoes workshops inspired by The Art of Care.
Support the Art of Care Initiative— link in our bio.
12/03/2024
Today is ! We invite you to join us throughout today as we share about The Lab’s community and how we’ve been furthering our mission of with your support!
11/29/2024
Spotlight on Global Fellows: Adam Ashraf Elsayigh
We are thrilled to feature the recent work of Global Fellow Adam Ashraf Elsayigh, an acclaimed playwright and dramaturg whose storytelling bridges cultures and delves into the nuances of modern humanity.
🎠ALAA: A Family Trilogy
Adaptation, Biography, Docudrama/Historic, Drama, Experimental, Movement/Physical, Political.
In this powerful production, Adam Ashraf Elsayigh brings to life the gripping story of Alaa Abd El-Fattah, a prominent youth voice during the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. Blending physical storytelling, projections, and testimonials, ALAA: A Family Trilogy portrays the enduring fight for justice, juxtaposing the revolution’s fervor with the stark realities of counter-revolutionary repression. Through the lens of Alaa’s family legacy and interviews, this play sheds light on the resilience of those who dare to stand against tyranny.
Lab co-founder Cynthia Schneider and Global Fellow Karishma Bhagani attended the workshop in San Francisco. Cynthia reflected on the event:
“It was thrilling to see a workshop production of ALAA: A Family Trilogy, Adam Elsayigh’s epic play about Egyptian activist .abd.el.fattah... I can’t wait to see the next iteration of this riveting drama. Wonderful to have a reunion with Adam and Karishma"
Workshops were presented at Z Space Technical Residency Program, supported by the Mellon Foundation on November 16–17, 2024. Commissioned by: Golden Thread Productions, with support from the Gerbode Foundation
Stay tuned on Fridays for updates on upcoming productions and highlights from our talented Global Fellows.
11/20/2024
Last Thursday, Emma Jaster, Lab Associate Director, a freshly postpartum mother, presented a durational performance “Having It All; The Politics of Parenthood” accompanied by her infant, at the Spagnuolo Gallery in conjunction with Alex McQuilkin’s That Hand-Touch Sensibility.
What does it mean for a woman to Have It All? What are we actually weighing in a work-life balance and what factors make that possible, or not? She used song, dance, stories, and open discussions with the audience to work through the challenges and joys of Having It All.
The lived experience of motherhood and career is inextricably linked to questions of race, class, gender, labor, capital, and policy. U.S. parental policies are built on the assumption of a 2-parent hetero household in which one parent (usually the higher-paid and therefore statistically male parent) is the breadwinner and the other (usually lower paid or with flexible work hours and therefore statistically female parent) stays at home full or part-time to do the unpaid labor of domestic work and childrearing, at least for the first 6 years. Parental leave access remains limited and in many cases, non-existent across the nation, childcare costs fall entirely on individual families until children are anywhere from 3 to 5 years old.
So how does Having It All actually work?
Students, professors, staff, and gallery guests shared openly about personal experiences and strategized on ways to work within and beyond the existing systems. Hint: it all relies on community support and people reaching out and stepping up!