Roxanne Joseph, Marcia Johnson working after a Masterclass
photo by Dian Marie Bridge
Day 2 Started with a panel discussion with Velina, Kwame and myself. It did not stay that way as the audience had some great questions and we were able to be quite free ranging.
Kwame Kwei-Armah finished off the forum with a wonderful address wherein he read from Naomi Wallace's essay on the Art of Transgression. He passionately took us into his world of political theatre and challenged us to write from any place that does not support the status quo. How the status quo is at best conservative theatre and that we as artists must not be afraid to break any idea of being conservative.
His Masterclass was an interesting one in that we asked each of us to say something to the group that we had no idea or intention of stating publicly. What followed was an intensely personal sharing. Kwame then spoke of how we as artists have to open ourselves up to that place. That place of nakedness and put that out on the stage. And that it is through that nakedness that the audience is clothed. It was a wonderful moment and thought and one that has lingered with me.
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