Emily Climbs (Machine Méchant) by Nellie Tinder (New York). With Hannah Heller, Kate Schroeder and Julia May Jones.
Now, let’s hear it from them. From the members of Tricklock Company, the masterminds and puppeteers behind Revolutions International Theatre Festival. I’ve seen just how trying and exhausting and adrenaline-inducing and emotional this festival has been for them. As they enter into their third and final week of Revolutions 2016 (still so much festival to see!), I thought I’d give them an opportunity to reflect on the grand endeavor.
So here they are, folks, accompanied beautifully by this year’s festival photos courtesy of JAK Media.
MOTHER: The Project by Teatr Kana (Poland). With Bibianna Chimiak, Marta Giers-Sanecka and Karolina Sabat.
“Any time I hear something like, ‘I’ve never seen that onstage,’ or, ‘I didn’t know theater could look like that,’ a bright, grateful light turns on in my chest and I want to dance.” —Hannah Kauffmann | Producer, Marketing and PR Something, Volunteer Coordinator
“Live from The Reptilian Lounge, IT’S THE REPTILIAN LOUNGE!” With Hannah Kauffmann and Alex Knight.
“No matter how busy things get, for every event I’m still heading to a new amazing show where all of my favorite people will be. What’s better than that?” —Drew Morrison | Front of House Manager
LoopsEnd by Paper Doll Militia (Scotland/Los Angeles). With Sarah Bebe Holmes and Rain Anya.
“I stay levelheaded by remembering how UNBELIEVABLY LUCKY I/we all are to be living a life of connecting art, community and international exchange. I stay grateful and alert and excited by the craziness and challenges the festival presents. I look around at my fellow company members and see their commitment and spirits and energy and it energizes me.” —Elsa Menendez | Producer and Symposium Coordinator
48 Minutes for Palestine by Ashtar Theatre (Palestine). With Riham Isaac and Edward Muallem.
“Connection. [Revolutions] lets New Mexicans see perspectives we wouldn’t otherwise be able to see. Most of the media I consume is American, occasionally a British TV show, and once in a very long time a movie from a country I’ve never been to. How rare an opportunity to see how a Polish person views motherhood or how a Palestinian feels about Israel. These aren’t million-dollar media machines reporting their truth; it’s normal citizens expressing theirs.” —Alex Knight | Artist Liaison
Butcher Holler Here We Come by Aztec Economy (New York). With Adam Belvo.
“With any major milestone—a long-awaited holiday, a vacation, a wedding, a graduation—it can be hard to stay in the moment because it is so easy for the temporary magnitude to wash over every detail of your life. For better or worse, that just isn’t the case with Revolutions. So when I am feeling particularly tired or stressed, or feeling like I couldn’t possibly talk my way through another gala, I remember that in even just two months from now I’m going to look back on these moments and long for the vibrancy of this festival. The overwhelming exhaustion won’t be in my memory, nor will the logistical flea circus that is daily festival production. In short: If I’m going to get to reap the benefit of being lucky enough to look back fondly at each passing festival, I’d better honor that in each present moment.” —Erin Phillips | Community Partnership Coordinator
Flamenco and live painting from “JustVerb” by Urban Verbs (New Mexico).
“I strongly believe that live performance in a community setting is deeply rooted in who we are as humans, and in its absence we are incomplete. The fact that this festival is international means that it provides us with a performance experience outside of the norm. It connects people across cultural and geographic boundaries in ways that are exciting and richly rewarding.” —Fernando Fresquez | Front of House Assistant
Jamie Kilstein‘s “Rock Rants” (Los Angeles).
“What’s rewarding? Watching the audience experience the shows. As Curator, I have already seen all the shows, either in person, on tour, or on video. I often have to stand in the back because the show is sold out. The reward of experiencing all these people in a room, sharing space together through theater, is pretty amazing for me.” —Juli Hendren | Festival Curator
Emily Climbs (Machine Méchant) by Nellie Tinder (New York). With Hannah Heller, Kate Schroeder and Julia May Jones.
“Circles. Revolutions is a time of circles, which, year after year, connect me more deeply with the insane perfection of life. For instance, this year we brought a company from NYC called Nellie Tinder. One of the actresses, Hannah Heller, was a classmate of mine at a theater school abroad in 2011. I loooooooved to watch her work, and to see her perform would remind me of my favorite (then local) actress Kate Schroeder, who is now a Tricklock Company Member-at-Large. Some time after Hannah finished school, I was shocked to see her on Facebook in a show with Kate in NYC! That coincidence in and of itself was enough life magic, but fast forward several years and here they are, performing together on stage before my very eyes in Albuquerque. It was a strange and wonderful reunion, and a beautiful and commonplace example of the connectivity that this festival breeds.” —Katy Houska | Donor Relations
“Revolutions is not for every company out there. Our curating team does a wonderful job of finding theater with deeper meaning, and unique styles from all around the world. Through this international exchange Revolutions fosters cultural awareness and mutual understanding.” —David Torres | PR and Marketing
Revolutions performances continue through January 30. Make sure to check out the calendar and attend! Also, check out their raffle—the prize is two roundtrip tickets to Colombia with the company as they tour to Festival Iberoamericano de Teatro de Bogotá.
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