During the last week of March 2009, the artists of Transcendence Theatre Company turned their attention toward a topic that has been growing in importance across the globe: the environment. Using the beauty of Punta Banda, Mexico as a backdrop, I had the pleasure of working with Transcendence’s passionate company members to use their creative spirits to explore our planet’s pressing ecological issues.
Our work began with a discussion of what it means to be an “eco-artist”: What can a theatre professional do to ensure that their art is in harmony with the land upon which it’s created? What are the ecological issues affecting the arts community? Are there certain materials theatrical professions should (and shouldn’t) be using, to ensure a safe and healthy environment for artists and audiences? The Transcendence Theatre Company members took the “Verdant Artist Pledge”, promising to reuse scrap paper during the rehearsal process, ensure that colleagues are recycling backstage and in artist housing, utilize organic make-up alternatives, and work with costume staff members to use organic cleaning processes.
After discussing the environmental impact of the energy-intensive act of theatrical production, we began a dialogue about “eco-art”. Transcendence Artists read short plays that addressed various ecological topics. Arthur Miller said, “The job of the artist is to remind people of what they have chosen to forget.” Most of today’s audiences have forgotten their relationship with the environment - actors, dancers, directors, playwrights and designers have the ability to use their art from to help patrons find the missing connection between the natural and cultural worlds. For a company dedicated to holistic artistic creation, developing works that include environmental considerations seemed like a no-brainer to the Transcendence Artists. I challenged the company to think anew about songs and monologues that they have cherished throughout their artistic lives. Highlighting a natural element in popular song or speech can instantly help audience members embrace the green movement.
As the company prepared their eco-art pieces for our community performance, I headed to local Mexican retailers to purchase environmentally friendly upgrades for the Gertrude Pearlman Theatre. For example, installing compact fluorescent lightbulbs (which use ¼ the energy of traditional bulbs) in backstage areas will reduce the theatre’s energy bill and allow the theatre to put that money into programming and educational initiatives. Additionally, swapping the theatre’s traditional (toxic) cleaning products with organic materials will create a safer environment for future inhabitants in the space.
With no curbside recycling in Mexico, we had to do some investigative research into recycling collection. A synchronicity drew two company members to a nearby school that had set up its own recycling program. The school staff members gladly agreed to take the theatre’s recyclables. We took this discovery as a sign, and set up recycling receptacles at the Pearlman, so that artists and patrons could help reduce the waste stream attributed with the fantastic shows presented in the space.
After completing a greenovation of the Pearlman, it was time to share our work with the community. On March 28th, in honor of Earth Hour 2009, the Transcendence Theatre Company presented “Teatro de Verdes”, an evening of environmentally themed music, plays and dances. Audience members were encouraged to take a free CFL lightbulb (or two), as well as candles – in hopes that they would turn off the lights in their homes during Earth Hour. All donations from the event were given to Zonas Verdes de Punta Banda, a local non-profit environmental education organization.
Following the eco performance, audience members were invited to join the company onstage for a candlelit discussion during Earth Hour. Once all of the lights (and power) were turned off, company members led the audience in theatre games. The event quickly turned serious, as company members commented on local seals that were being poached by tuna fishers. One Punta Banda resident used our hour in the dark to educate participants about the history of the environmental crisis in Southern California and Punta Banda. Who knows? Maybe there’s a play in there somewhere!
After a week of ecological artistic exploration, company members and local residents headed to the beach for a major clean up effort. What a perfect way to end a week that began with the question: “What can an artist do to ameliorate our planet’s pressing ecological issues?” Be it greening backstage areas, using sustainable materials in the production process, creating new works that explore environmental issues, or simply taking care of the land upon which their artistic work is created (as was the case with the beach cleanup), Transcendence Artists will forever include environmental thinking into their artistic endeavors.
For more details about the green efforts of Transcendence Theatre Company, or for information about how your arts organization can instill environmental thinking into your work, please contact Michael Crowley, Transcendence Theatre Company Sustainability Consultant, at michaelcrowley@teamtranscendence.com.
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