My Name is Rachel Corrie

After a long and caffeine powered week of setting up the equipment and reconfiguring the Havana space, we were ready for our first Vancity audience. You could physically feel the electric buzz in the air as the audiences filled the house for the preview of the show on Thursday and the performances on Friday and Saturday.

On the morning of the preview, I stopped into the People’s Co-op Bookstore and found this book called ‘How to Re-Imagine the World’ (a pocket guide for practical visionaries) by Anthony Weston. After purchasing the book by Visa (they keep upping my limit- which is really not so good, yet can be helpful in situations where visionary pocket guides must be bought…it was 20% off…ha, i am a sucker for a deal)

So, as I was walking in the sun down Commerical Drive to the Havana, i opened the book to this:

“Deeply resistant in some directions, the system can also be surprisingly responsive in others. The world is a fluid, dynamic, intricately interconnected whole. Certain distinctive tipping points, vectors and dynamics emerge that make unexpected openings for creative change-making.”

I thought that this was great because not only is it echoing some of the exact words and sentiments expressed by Rachel in the play, it conveys that everything is constantly in flux and there are spaces where we can participate in the direction of the flow…

Jasmine

The Opening Weekend has been a real whirlwind. In addition to the simple fact of opening the show - which seems simple, but never is - this weekend was also one of special guests. In addition to my Mom and my Fella’, Craig and Cindy Corrie were also in Montreal.

The Corries watched both matinees on Saturday and Sunday. When they came backstage, it was as if I had been waiting to meet them forever. In fact, I think I said something to that effect!

Performing the show with these two brave, intelligent and kind people felt like a real honour. Their generous spirit immediately set me at ease. “Enjoy the show,” I said, as they were going back into the lobby, leaving me to prepare for the show. “Oh we will, don’t worry, we will.”

And I think they did.

Here are some pictures from the social events that accompanied their visit, as well as the panel on Sunday.

(from left) Sarah Garton Stanley, Marcus Youssef, Craig Corrie and Cindy Corrie after the show on Saturday afternoon.

Dinner on Saturday. I’m not sure who all was there.

The panel on Sunday December 9th.

Cindy, Me and Craig.