Last night Jim & I attended "A (micro) History of World Economics" at the Hazlett Theater. The play is directed (and was written) by Pascal Lambert, a director from Paris who travels the globe staging it. In each city Rambert uses only 4 professional actors who are supported by 50 local "raw bodies." These local performers come from different social groups. In Los Angeles he used people from a homeless shelter. Here in Pittsburgh he offered the supporting parts to people that, prior to last night's performance, I thought of as "disabled."
The entire enterprise was visually entrancing, intellectually fun and emotionally charged. Part of its strength was that it was not turned into a show about "disabilities." It's basically about money, how we make it - and why that's problematic.
I'm so glad I didn't miss this show. It reminded me that in the early days of feminism someone said - "don't just ask are we being fair to women? Ask - are we being fair to everyone? Why are we depriving ourselves of this incredible resource, these doers and thinkers, these creative people whose active participation in all affairs will enrich us and help us?"
I left the theater thinking the same thing about the group of differently-abled people who, last night, enriched Pittsburgh and all of us with their performance, their insight and their willingness to take center stage in a conversation that makes many of us uncomfortable. Kudos to The City of Asylum for spearheading this venture and to all the organizations who provided funds. And 16 tons of thanks to Pascal Rambert and his amazing crew. It was a night to be treasured.
The entire enterprise was visually entrancing, intellectually fun and emotionally charged. Part of its strength was that it was not turned into a show about "disabilities." It's basically about money, how we make it - and why that's problematic.
I'm so glad I didn't miss this show. It reminded me that in the early days of feminism someone said - "don't just ask are we being fair to women? Ask - are we being fair to everyone? Why are we depriving ourselves of this incredible resource, these doers and thinkers, these creative people whose active participation in all affairs will enrich us and help us?"
I left the theater thinking the same thing about the group of differently-abled people who, last night, enriched Pittsburgh and all of us with their performance, their insight and their willingness to take center stage in a conversation that makes many of us uncomfortable. Kudos to The City of Asylum for spearheading this venture and to all the organizations who provided funds. And 16 tons of thanks to Pascal Rambert and his amazing crew. It was a night to be treasured.