Directors Lab West Connects: Daniela Atiencia, Gianna Formicone, and Makiko Shibuya (ASL-interpreted)

Directors Lab West presented Directors Lab West Connects: Daniela Atiencia, Gianna Formicone, and Makiko Shibuya livestreamed on the global, commons-based, peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Wednesday 27 May 2020 at 8 a.m. HST (Honolulu, UTC-10) / 10 a.m. AKDT (Juneau, UTC-8) / 11 a.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC-7) / 1 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5) / 2 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4) / 19:00 BST (London, UTC+1) / 20:00 CEST (Berlin, UTC+2).

Join Directors Lab West International Alumni, Gianna Formicone (Germany), Daniela Atiencia (Canada), and Makiko Shibuya (Japan) for a conversation about the impact of the pandemic on their work and artistic communities.

Martin Jago: Good morning everyone, my name is Martin Jago a steering committee member at Directors Lab West. And I want to welcome you to Directors Lab West Connects eight days of conversations by theatremakers and live streamed by our partners at HowlRound to their website and to our Directors Lab West Facebook page where you can join the chat tell us who you are and where you're tuning in from. And also ask questions for the Q&A following our speakers conversation. Also, I'd like to say thank you to Jennifer Braussell. I'll say that again, thank you to the wonderful Jennifer Braussell for providing ASL interpretation and to all our ASL interpreters throughout the course of this week, we really are so grateful for your support. And you can also head to our Facebook page for auto captioning. So this particular session today is all about connecting with international theatremakers and hearing global perspectives from theatre artists outside the US. And I'd now like to introduce our speakers. We have Daniela Atiencia and Daniela Atiencia is a Latinx Canadian theatre director based in Vancouver. She is a bilingual director, a dramaturg and advisor whose work has been seen in Colombia where she was born and raised, and further afield in countries like Lithuania in England Denmark, and here in North America. Gianna Formicone is an Italian theatre director based in Germany. She directs contemporary drama and works on projects that are based on songs or poems or short texts by contemporary dramatists and then re imagines those texts through a devised process. We're also joined this morning by Makiko Shibuya. She is a Japanese theatre director currently based in Tokyo. She's lived and worked in Japan and in Australia and here as well in in North America. As an artist she directs and writes and adapts plays and musicals actually musical theatre is our main focus. And she also loves to create devised work. So in an interesting way this is one of the things that connects the three of you. I had a chance to discover when looking into your biographies in a little more detail. And last but certainly not least is our moderator this morning, Avivit Shaked. And she's an Israeli theatre director based in Israel. She's also the founding artistic director of Instead Israel, which is a director's lab. And she is a theatre director, a playwright and group facilitator of community theatre. So these four wonderful people theatre artists, directors, devices, dramatags, are going to be in conversation with each other for the next 30 minutes or so. And I'm shortly gonna disappear from your screens. And I'll return later in the conversation with some questions from the Facebook chats and also questions provided by some of the people that registered for this event earlier. So thank you everyone for being here and for taking part. And please take it away Avivit and enjoy the conversation. I'll be back soon.

Avivit Shaked: So welcome and so wonderful to see everybody. And for those who cannot see us with their visual impairs, I will describe myself. I'm Avivit Shaked, I am from Israel, and I'm in a room with Indian objects. I have painting of mountains and rivers behind me and to my right there is a drink catcher and a door this is me, I look I'm very pale actually, I have brown hair and most of it already white but you cannot see that. And I wear blue T shirt so this is me. We will just say I want you to hear and know who are the people that will talk in this conversation so please describe yourself and let us know who you are. So people can recognize also your voices.

Gianna Formicone: Should I start?

Avivit: Gianna yeah.

Gianna: Okay, hi I'm Gianna and I am in Oxford. This is my place actually I don't think you can see so much in my place, is just the wall. And I think I look like a Mediterranean woman, I would say, but not so sure. Black hair and yeah. So very happy to be part of this, it's so great to be here thank you.

Avivit: Thanks Gianna and Daniela.

Daniela Atiencia: Hi everyone I'm Daniela. I'm in my bedroom right now. I think we can see a black, sorry, a white wall. And I've got some fairy lights behind me. I have dark brown hair, which is styled to the side my head shaved on the left side. I'm wearing a red top and long earrings and very excited happy and honored to be part of this conversation so thank you for having me.

Avivit: Makiko.

Makiko Shibuya: Hi, I'm Makiko Shibuya I'm talking from Tokyo. And now it's 3 a.m. here so I have to close my curtain and this is my kitchen. I have a typical Japanese face and black hair. And I'm very petite, small. And I'm wearing a black T shirt with colorful bubbles on me which express my excitement to join you. Thank you.

Avivit: Thank you very much that was super! Now we can start. And I want to start actually with something that came up on my mind while thinking about what are we going to talk about. And I just want you to have it as a title or maybe as a question or phrase or whatever. If you wanna refer to that during the conversation or it brings you something please do share. And the phrase is “we will make theatre everywhere.” That's something to have in our mind. And the first question that I would love to ask you is what is happening right now within your artistic community as a response to the pandemic? We'll start from there. Whoever wants to answer its your call just start talking.

Gianna: Okay, I start so I'm in Germany. Okay, I'm Italian but I'm living in Germany. So actually, I've been I'm very in contact with Italy so I was experiencing this pandemic a bit earlier or also stronger than the German people here because it started before in Italy then yeah. In Italy, it hasn't been so fun. And what happened here is actually that everybody started to like, of course, to think about what is this and what is going to make with us? What does it mean for the theatre world and how do we want to treat this huge situation because we all feel that it's something so big, it's something bigger than we are. And we don't know how to cope with this situation. And actually, it's nice because I have the feeling that a lot of people are reacting in a very creative way, which is nice. And of course yeah through the digital world which is not so… the theatre world, so it's a bit difficult I think for all of us but there is a lot of I think we all want not to die with this pandemic, we want to react yeah.

Avivit: Okay, great creativity, create creativity.

Daniela: Yeah, I think it seems to be a bit of a global response in our industry to stay alive and say yeah, let's be creative. I definitely see that happening in Canada as well. There's been an overwhelming amount of online response this initiative to go digital obviously has been very strong 'cause we are all at home. But for today, I definitely wanted to highlight some Canadian artists who are also trying to think non digitally and trying to engage with their audiences this way. And I'd be curious to see if it's been in your countries as well. For example, a theatre company in Toronto is doing something called mundane mysteries where you can sign up and they give you a call on your actual phone. Every day for seven days, you give them a mystery to solve in your house obviously it has to be a mundane one but they do a series of improvisations with you over the phone and it's a phone call that you can look forward to every day in the hopes that they'll solve your mystery. Like my cup went missing in the kitchen or something like that. And then there was another initiative where an artist was missing her friends and so she asked ten of her friends if they could pick up a place that was in biking distance to where she lived. And if they could just narrate five minutes of why that place was so significant. And then she would bike to all these places while listening to her friends talk about the significance of this place and therefore invited other people to do the same. And so she compiled so if I messaged her she would compile all my ten friends. And then I need to actually do the bike ride or I can do it on Google street view if I'm not able to leave my home and had several initiatives like this. So yeah, I'm excited to see artists in Canada also thinking outside the box and trying to get us away from the screen.

Avivit: So just to understand they are not in between them? They're not online, it's just the audio? You can see the visual.

Daniela: So yeah, I mean, ideally, it's trying to get you out of your house and do a little bit of exercise and having your actual friends voices in your ear through earbuds and then you bike to these significant places and you hear them talk about it. But if for some reason you can't leave your home then they encourage you to do a google street view from your computer and walk it through virtually while you're listening to them, yeah.

Avivit: That’s super cool I think that these initiation these kinds of stuff we should share later on maybe there is a possibility on a chat or whatever to put on the link of this great stuff because they are and super interesting to watch that or to see that. Thank you, Daniela.

Makiko: So for me in Tokyo, actually it was very interesting because I just read an article about the similar thing about the phone improv. It was written that they especially do for elders elderly people who usually live by themselves. And it's very helpful for them to communicate. So that was one thing that was also happening in Japan as well. But for me what's very interesting is that many of the theatre people are being united. And of course there was a couple of union here. But now that we're starting a new kind of union and trying to figure this out together. So there are like several groups that is doing, like theatre people are doing that kind of fundraising to help themselves support themselves, and another group is a bunch of associations. They are asking more support from the government which was very successful, that we got another budget from the country. And another group is about a bunch of big huge producers who are also having difficulty in this situation. So for me, it's very fascinating how we are so united and also the people who were used to be rivals are now becoming a team. And for example, one of the big like anime theatre producer is trying to make a theatre district virtually. And he is gathering people from other adjourn in the house of theatre. Yeah, I'm very excited of course it's a hard time but I'm seeing a lot of future and a new style of theatre and people really wants to do theatre.

Avivit: Yes, Gianna.

Gianna: Can I go back to the not digital theatre world because I mean at the beginning I've done some streaming shows because it was the beginning and then I told myself okay, this is not theatre actually. I mean, it's okay now for like, how do you say, progressory, how do you say, like that for a situation that is not going to be the situation that we want to have. But I actually I don't like this. So I was always thinking about how can I do it in a not digital way. And of course, I've done also here in Oxford in the city I'm living I've done a telephone action so it is called like five minutes of joy. So we just offer. I've written to a lot of artists here in the city. And I asked them if they want to join this action. So somebody, some people, other people in the city can just call the number and then an artist is going to call and to say a poem or to sing a song or to play something. And so yeah, this is nice. And then the second step is that we are going to have actually tomorrow we're going to have a live show in front of a building. So elder people and people with disabilities are going just to watch from the windows and we are going to say some poems and to play some songs and yeah, I'm very excited. Going to be like real theatre not digital.

Avivit: I want to say that you just made me cry nearly. I work with elderly population and this is brilliant. A lot of things happen here in Israel in front of the elderly houses but not a theatre. People come out and seeing there're singers does that but to do theatre and this is so important for those people that appreciate it very much. This is wonderful, if I wannna share something that happens here and I'm connecting to what Makiko said before. The fact that you're sharing I feel that there is more and more sharing. And I can say that also there's a lot of artists in Israel they created workshops for the Zoom and they're sharing the workshop we're writing and for I don't know visual arts and a lot of stuff that they can share and people can try that at home. So to create if we are talking of device work and I'm appreciating your way and I myself love device work and I try to do that as much as I can also. So from that point of view, I think that like there is an artist I think her name is Nofar in Israel and she's doing a workshop at her home and she arouses questions for people and they create together everyone from their own home from their own spaces. And this is kind of advice work. Talking about device work. It's not one of the questions but do you have any ideas or seeds of ideas for that for the next device work?

Daniela: Do you mean specifically digitally or in general?

Avivit: I don't know, it can be digitally and it can be not digitally. It can be international or not international with some [inaudible 19:40]. Do you have some stuff that you want, “Oh my God I have to do that this is my next devised work.” [Pause.] Oh it's a secret okay.

Gianna: No I can tell. I mean, have a lot of different things. So, I'm very lucky because some Monday I'm gonna go to the North of Germany I'm going to be in a theatre with actors… with distance. And we're going to rehearse in the normal way. So I'm so happy. I'm actually trying to get the money for a project here that I want to do like in heaven. I just tell you because I mean if this idea is going to be… if other people want to get this idea and to do something I think it's nice, I mean I just share with you. I want to put all the actors like in cabins in like in a glass cabin or something like that so that you can keep the distance and you can shout because the problem is also that you cannot shout, you cannot sing. Because if they are shouting then your breath can get, how to say, longer and more in the distance. Then the audience should have a bigger distance to the actor. So, I want to put them like in cabins and then I want, my main topic is gonna be the contact. So you have in the forum already like a way of avoiding the contact and you have also the situation of Corona because I mean, we cannot have this contact to the other people. And the audience can just walk from one station to the next station. And then I wanna take just different poems or songs and also some movements connected to this topic of contact.

Daniela: It’s interesting you say that Gianna. Honestly I really hope this is the resurgence of site specific work. And really starting to think about theatre outside of our conventional spaces. I think that's what we are being called to think about especially since a lot of the conversation has been around how to serve our immediate communities. And I think it's a good starting place to answer your question Avivit it wasn't meant to like oh no secret it's just yeah I think it's really fascinating to hear you think about our immediate surroundings. You know, I live close to a hospital so there's a lot of health care workers in my neighborhood right and so starting to think about how I could serve them. Lots of conversations around audiences being in vehicles and performers being able to perform for people in their vehicles or if you're outside, yeah through their windows and just non conventional spaces. If that is the future of theatre that's really exciting.

Gianna: Yeah.

Makiko: So maybe like adding to Daniela I also thought of site specific because of the distance and for me my interest is now in musical theatre. So I was thinking some ideas for doing musical theatre in site specific situation because musical theatre is about singing and dancing. And it's really hard to avoid the distance. And in terms of, it's not exactly device work. But as a collaborative work I'm trying to put together something that we collaborate internationally Of course online but because of this situation I'm focusing more on the writing process. Because that could be done internationally. And it could be something for the future. And that could be something that might be interest to challenge as a collaboration. But under the same theme because we are all under the same situation. So that's something that what I'm trying to put on.

Avivit: This is the word that you gave us Gianna the contact, the fact that we are connecting but we are not in contact. That's very interesting in the fact that you're thinking out of the box is amazing. I like it very much. I wanna ask you the next question connected but not connected. Have any international collaboration working virtually been successful for you? Did you experience something during this time the pandemic or not even not virtual it'll be okay.

Gianna: Okay was not during this time because yeah you cannot do so much in a short time. But so I don't know if you wanna get to know something about that I had some international projects and of course we were just in contact digitally and hit I mean it was not a problem. Of course you don't have the feeling of being together but if you want to do something international that you can also pay then usually like the digital way gives you the possibility of connecting and bringing the other countries to your theatre project so yeah.

Makiko: Yeah so actually, I'm right in the middle of that process. I'm trying to put together some musical theatre artists from three or four countries together to work on one project. I found that the time differences really works well. Of course it depends on the country but now that we are all in a similar situation our schedule is more open and people are at home in daytime. So we can schedule our meeting in a really convenient way. And we can work on something in each country when others are asleep. And because of this situation, I feel the distance is the same even though you're in the same country or in another faraway like on the opposite of the world, I feel the same distance. And I feel more working to get a sense of working together. So I'm not sure if it will be successful or not. But I'm in the middle of trying to put this together.

Avivit: Experience the success.

Daniela: I just wanted to ask you Makiko if you could talk a little bit more about that in terms of so you spoke a little bit about bringing people together for the writing. So how is that structured? Yeah, like is everybody contributing a little bit of the story and then you come together and talk about it. Like, how does that collaboration work?

Makiko: Actually, we haven't released yet. We haven't announced the project yet. So I can't speak much of the detail but yeah very close to what you said. Like we have the same theme and towards the same theme each writer will write their own songs and I'm the person who put together as one work. That's kind of thing that what I'm trying to do in a form of musical theatre.

Avivit: Whoever hear us and wants to join! [Avivit laughs.] This is amazing because we creating opportunities and the fact of that this is the lab. I think this is the most amazing thing that happens during the lab. And this is an opportunity to continue work. Because when you're in the lab when it happen actually, then you separate and maybe you can connect during the year if you have great third years or whatever. But this is actually an opportunity. So if someone wants to call for someone to join their own work, so I think this is great to do that here. And I wanna share also something from myself. That I actually I really love to learn to study and I studied. I went to New York actually before the pandemic or at the beginning of the pandemic. I wanted to study the And I finished the half of the course. And then it stopped because of the pandemic and I needed to come back to Israel. It was an international program. And we decided that we're going to perform the finishing show and to work on this on Zoom. So we did all the rehearsal process on Zoom. It was a long Christmas dinner that was the name of the play and Leonard Pettis directed it and we just were on Zoom. Two days ago we performed it in front of an audience on Zoom. So that's an international thing that also successfully happened from my side.

[Martin returns and he and Gianna begin speaking at the same time.]

Martin: Go ahead Giannna.

Gianna: Kinda just gonna just go back to something because Daniela and Makiko told that what is nice is also that the artist community is getting together. This is happening here as well. So every time when the government says like we want to help you and then they don't do anything. We just put all of us together and then we'd shout very loud and then they'd listen to us. So this is something that we really learned here in Germany that putting us together is better because we can be louder. And it is not about being how'd you say having concurrency. How do you say, to be in concurrence. To be one against the other. It's better to be together yeah.

Martin: Well, I want to jump in there because you mentioned governments and I learned yesterday that Shinzo Abe the Japanese Prime Minister's just lifted the state of emergency. So I think we've got time for a couple more questions. And I just wanted to ask is there any specific government advice where you are about when we're gonna get back into the theatre? For example Makiko has life returned to sort of normality now in in Japan where you are or is there still social distancing? Maybe you could start with that question.

Makiko: Yeah, of course we are not in no Marty. But a step by step we're of course towards to open the theatre. At least there's like a strict guidance to open the theatre that governments showed us and if we can do that we are allowed to open so for example from this weekend, I think there's a small theatre which is going to open with one man show. But without an audience and they're gonna do live streaming. And I think most of the theatre are aiming towards this summer. Because now that we are allowed to get out this is the time that we can actually start rehearsing. So probably maybe like small theatre might open without audience in June but not a big theatre. And especially if we want to tour that's another step. So even though we're allowed to go out in terms of theatre I feel there's a lot of things how to run the rehearsal with avoiding the distances and there was a discussion whether actor should wear a mask on stage.

Martin: Oh really? You don’t mean theatrical masks.

Makiko: No. [She laughs.] Medical masks.

Martin: Okay, yeah what's interesting it sounds that actually that although there are restrictions still in place there that you are sort of some way down the line from the situation here, where we're maybe looking at much longer before we can get back into the theatres. How about where you are Daniela. Have you had any specific advice about when you can get back into a physical theatre?

Daniela: Yeah it's interesting. It's looking like government is saying that we're either in the last phase or penultimate phase of reopening the economy. But I think that a lot of theatre companies also experienced in the last two month, making decisions and then having to go back on this decisions because, of course the situation is so volatile and it's constantly changing. That I think now we're at a point where it's trickier to plan and make specific concrete choices about making shows just because even if we're given that date of September experts are also saying that the fall is when we might get a second wave. And so I think people are feeling a little nervous about depending on these potential dates but yeah, as far as I know, they're saying September for gathering's over 50 people but I wouldn't be surprised if it's not until 2021 where we start opening the theatre again yeah.

Martin: And does anyone else want to say something on that either from your perspective Avivit in Israel 'cause I think you mentioned that you were involved in some street theatre, you were able to take some performance out onto the streets. Is that like a step in the process of getting back to live theatre?

Avivit: It’s dealing with obstacles so I said we cannot go indoors and we can't perform in venues. So we can just go out to the street and perform as Gianna said before in front of places or on the street for groups that are organized group. So there was an organized tour for people who wants to see street art. And I suggested the hey, we can do as a short performance on the street during this because this is important and we have the chance to say something and my performance specifically was about actually it was a some kind of a process. Hey, we see everybody going back to work here in Israel because we start going back to normal. But the last and the last people are the people from the arts. And this is crazy because you cannot survive without arts. This is something that we know from our history. And this is something that's so important for us to show for the artists to say we will create wherever it is and we will because art is our life and I think there is no life without art.

Martin: And Gianna I think you've already addressed this actually when you said that actually you're going to do this performance in front of the building. It's so interesting to hear all of these ideas that when we're faced with these limitations our drive and our creative energy is kind of hardwired to find a way for us to bring communities together through live performance somehow. And I have to agree with you. For me as a technophobe, I mean there have been so many benefits to being able to connect this way. But also I feel that this is something different. And actually, in a previous interview Gianna I just want to remind you of something you said. You said that this is a symptom as well of this pandemic. And when this pandemic is over this will go away. I mean, I think that's true. But also there will be artists who embrace this technology and employ it. So it's so wonderful to hear such a kind of diverse group of people. And I've really enjoyed the conversation and sadly we are running out of time. So now might be a good time to bring you this last question. And in closing, would you briefly share something that you've learned or discovered during this quarantine or pandemic that you plan to incorporate into your practice as an artist moving forward. And does anyone want to jump in on this? Something you've learned during this pandemic that you're going to incorporate into your practice as an artist moving forward. Maki.

Makiko: Yeah I thought like what I gained it was very useful to do rehearsal on Zoom because we could focus more on our voices and text. So in terms of like, the process of reading, I thought this style was also very effective. And something that we can also cooperate. And this international like collaboration is something that I want to keep on doing. And also personally, I have four months baby. For me it was a great opportunity to try to figure out my life balance working at home and still try to direct something. And it was a very good opportunity to keep that life balance in this situation, yeah.

Martin: Thank you thank you so much yeah. You're actually used to being up at this time of the morning anyway so. It's fantastic it's fitted into your schedule but I really hear you on that in the way in which it can serve us as well this kind of technology. Gianna how about you is there something you're gonna take forward from this experience?

Gianna: I guess it is something more about me. It is more about the way I feel. I really learned again that what helps me is to be resilient do you say this, yeah. And I think this is also like what theatre and the arts can help us. I mean, the art can help us to be resilient because trough creativity then we can just create and so this is what I'm going to feel more for the future and yeah probably this is what I'm going to have more in myself for the future.

Martin: Thank you so much for that and how about you Daniela?

Daniela: I think something that's been highlighted in my own spirit is how easily it is for our industry and artists just because of the the pace at which we have to manage life is how self absorbed we can become in ourselves, in our world, in our art. And just a reminder that can take us away from having a generous spirit not just towards the work that we do but just our outside life. I've just been thinking a lot about how I can practice more generosity once we start returning to somewhat normal life and just remind myself of how easily and quickly I can be absorbed into that self world and forget about family, friends, loved ones or even my community or even the people that I'm working with because I'm just so absorbed in what I'm doing. And yeah, I would like to practice more the act of that generosity that we're all feeling through these times.

Martin: Yeah that's a wonderful answer one I really connect with this limitation of being in your own apartment or I'm slightly sort of cut off although this is so wonderful to connect this way. We have the opportunity at least to do this. And I also want to include Avivit in that question because she's been asking the questions but I'm also interested to learn from her as a theatremaker. What she's going to take forward from this time and this pandemic, Avivit.

Avivit: Thank you very much, I appreciate it. So actually what I've learned that it's a lot connected to what Daniela said what happened here during this time very short time we had so many holidays and the biggest holiday's pass over and we celebrated it through Zoom with all our families around the world. So basically people that you would never see so much. Then you see them and you get together. And there was a production that I really wanted to do for a lot of years. And it occurred to me that just connected the threads connected, and I'm like, Oh my god, I can do that through Zoom. And it's actually some kind of a ceremony that sermons that we need to do all over the world at the same time, different places and different languages and to see each other and exchange information. And it was written in the 70s. And I don't know but the the artists wrote she wants that to be online at the same time. I don't know how she knew online or video or whatever. But this is amazing, this is crazy. And yeah this is Liliana Clan she's a very interesting artist she already died. That's my inspiration

Martin: That is wonderful, and I just want to say I wish we had another two or three hours to chat about some of these questions. I've got a whole page full of questions here. But I just want to finish by saying thank you to all of our fantastic speakers this morning. And also to our partners at How Rounds and of course to the wonderful Jennifer Broussell our ASL interpreter. And who's done a fantastic job thank you so much. And this conversation will be archived and available with closed captions on both HowRound.com And the DirectorsLabWest.com. We should also just take a moment to say thank you to our longtime supporters people like SDC and the Pasadena Playhouse and Boston Court Theatre. So people like Jessica Kaczynski and Danny Feldman and before him, Sheldon Epps. All of these partner organizations have helped keep Directors Lab West alive with selfless supports over many years. So we really are so grateful for them especially during this difficult time. We want to show solidarity to our fellow theatremakers and theatre arts organizations here in Los Angeles and further afield. So we hope you'll join us tomorrow when the conversation's going to take place between Scarlet Kim and Mattie Barbara Bachman. And they will be discussing re imagining liveness and connection for virtual space. So that sounds like a very sort of timely conversation. So finally, just to say one more time thank you everyone for being with us today. And we hope that this conversation sparks more conversation. Thank you and goodbye.

Gianna: Thank you.

Martin: Thanks everyone.

Makiko: Thank you!

This conversation is presented as part of Directors Lab West Connects, an 8-day series of livestreamed conversations and Q&As crafted for and by theater directors and choreographers that will reflect upon, explore, and inspire paths forward in the transformed and transforming nature of live theater. Curated to reflect a wide range of topics, each session will feature speakers sharing their unique perspectives for 30 minutes, followed by a live moderated 15-minute Q&A.

RSVP for this conversation, read speaker bios, and submit questions ahead of time at directorslabwest.com.

Directors Lab West Connects will be livestreaming on howlround.tv and on the Directors Lab West Facebook page, where viewers can engage with peers and ask additional questions in the chat. Each session will be archived on both HowlRound and Directors Lab West’s website.

The full Directors Lab West Connects schedule of conversations is:

Saturday 23 May 2020
Anne Cattaneo and Sheldon Epps: A Discussion of Institutional Perspectives, Connections, and Support

Sunday 24 May 2020
Anne Bogart and Jessica Hanna: A Conversation about Creative Practice and the Shifting Landscape

Monday 25 May 2020
Ann James and Carly D. Weckstein: Using Intimacy Direction to Create a Culture of Consent Post-COVID

Tuesday 26 May 2020
Laurel Lawson and Diana Wyenn: Disability and Equity as Creative Forces

Wednesday 27 May 2020
Daniela Atiencia, Gianna Formicone, and Makiko Shibuya: Global Perspectives from DLW’s International Alumni

Thursday 28 May 2020
Scarlett Kim and Mattie Barber-Bockelman: Reimagining Liveness and Connection for Virtual Space

Friday 20 May 2020
Luis Alfaro and Laurie Woolery: Reflections on “Remote” Teaching and Community Engagement

Saturday 30 May 2020
Sabra Williams and Laura Karlin: The Power of the Arts — Theater and Dance in Systems-Impacted Communities

ACCESSIBILITY

• ASL Interpretation will be available on both the HowlRound and Directors Lab West Facebook livestreams.
• Closed captioning and ASL Interpretation will be provided on the archived video on both the Directors Lab West and HowlRound websites.

See the other archived videos that belong to the Directors Lab West Connects livestream series.

ABOUT DIRECTORS LAB WEST

Founded in 2000, Directors Lab West brings together dedicated emerging and mid-career theatre directors and choreographers together with master artists for an eight-day long intensive filled with workshops, conversations, panels, and symposia enabling them to inspire each other to dream and create the future of American Theatre. Now entering its third decade, the Lab's alumni network is comprised of over 600 theater artists from all over the world. Directors Lab West is presented with artistic partners in Pasadena and Los Angeles and is supported by the Stage Directors & Choreographers Society. www.directorslabwest.com

Directors Lab West Connects is produced by Che’Rae Adams, Douglas Clayton, Ernest Figueroa, Martin Jago, Cindy Marie Jenkins, Randee Trabitz, and Diana Wyenn, with additional support from Emily Claeys and Reena Dutt.

About HowlRound TV

HowlRound TV is a global, commons-based peer produced, open access livestreaming and video archive project stewarded by the nonprofit HowlRound. HowlRound TV is a free and shared resource for live conversations and performances relevant to the world's performing arts and cultural fields. Its mission is to break geographic isolation, promote resource sharing, and to develop our knowledge commons collectively. Participate in a community of peer organizations revolutionizing the flow of information, knowledge, and access in our field by becoming a producer and co-producing with us. Learn more by going to our participate page. For any other queries, email [email protected], or call Vijay Mathew at +1 917.686.3185 Signal/WhatsApp. View the video archive of past events.