Up the Ladder Down the Slide

Posted on by Thor

PlayFest at the Orlando Shakes (812 E Rollins St, Orlando, FL 32803) is a two-weekend festival, where patrons get to experience seven readings of new plays in development and participate in the creative process with post-reading playwright talk backs and surveys. Each reading is $10. I stopped in for a rehearsal of Up the Ladder Down the Slide by David Valdes. The play shares the story of three longtime best friends and their aging parents.

Three boxes were placed on stage to represent three ladders. The music stands which held scripts were numbered from one to six so actors knew where they would be staged during this first  staged reading of the play. The three characters who were taking care of their aging parents would commiserate over drinks sharing stories that were both humorous and sad.

In one scene a young daughter, Vee (Alanna Fagan) was trying on her wedding dress which was in her opinion way to short and relieving. Her mom, Karen (Tiza Garland) snapped a photo on her cell phone and shared it with her friend Oscar.  He responded with a photo of a far worse wedding dress fail.  Texts flew back and forth and we were left wondering just how absurd the exchange got based on the reactions on stage.

Laurel (Avis-Marie Barnes) cared for her father with autism (Michael Morman), Oscar (Bert Rodriguez) cared for his aging mother Mamita (Blanca Goodfriend) as they searched the stage for a stray cat, And the mother caring for her argumentative mother Joann (Karin Amano) won my heart as they drove each other crazy. Only laughs with friends and some stiff drinks kept these friends sane.

Towards the end of the play each aging parent sat on one of the boxes with their care givers behind them. With baby boomers aging, these stories become more common with this generation caring for the one before. The play has plenty of heart but I didn’t get a chance to stay to the end. I am left wondering what the next step is towards the beyond and how it will affect those who invested so much of themselves. These friends seem capable of navigating even the worst times with some drinks and laughs.

Creative Team

Director: Nick Bublitz

Stage Manager: Jazlynne Williams

Stage Direction Reader and Dramaturg: Laura Swindoll

Cast

Laurel: Avis-Marie Barnes

Karen: Tiza Garland

Joann: Karin Amano

Mamita: Blanca Goodfriend

Vee: Alanna Fagan

Oscar: Bert Rodriguez

The Commodore: Michael Morman

Lonnie/Nurse Mike/ Bar Back: Sean Andric

Division The Trayvon/Jordon Project opens a discussion on bridging the divide.

Posted on by Thor

“Division The Trayvon/Jordon Project” was one year in the making. John DiDonna co-wrote and directed the production in which his students conducted about 140 hours of interviews with people who were intimately involved in the aftermath of the two killings. The students had to learn the important art of listening. Most people only listen with the intent of coming up with an abrupt response. With some interviews the students might have wanted to argue points being discussed. As one character in the production noted, “You have to check your shit at the door.”

This is the second installment in a trilogy of theatrical productions that examine these Central Florida events. Part one was a Beth Marshal production called “The Trayvon Martin Project” which was staged in the same Valencia Black Box Theater in October of 2014. Division is the second installment and the third will be a production called “Hoodies” which will be staged at this year’s Orlando International Fringe Festival.

What was incredible about this world premiere, is that many of the people interviewed showed up to see the production.  Francis Oliver is the Sanford activist who managed to bring in 50,000 demonstrators into Sanford as people reacted to Trayvon Martin’s death. She sat in the front row with her blond curly locks setting her apart from the crowd. John DiDonna told me several times about what a beautiful person she is. It turns out that her son is moving into a home right next to John. Avis-Marie Barnes plays Francis’s part in the play and her steadfast determination echos throughout the production.

Photo Journalist Barry Kursch is played by Dean Walkuski in the production. He started taking pictures for the media at the tender age of 17 but after years of documenting violence, he has grown tired of documenting the dark side of human nature. The media have become more interested in clicks and views on the internet. Stating an opinion is now more important than accurately covering the news. He shot photos of all the demonstrations in both Sanford and Jacksonville.

Also in the audience was Ron Davis, who is the father of Jordon Davis who was shot and killed while seated in the back seat of a car in a gas station because Michael David Dunn didn’t like the music that was playing.  Ron Davis was born in Harlem. His son saw a photo of Trayvon with a hoodie on and he said, “Dad, that looks like me.” Six months later, Jordon was shots. Ron Davis has been fighting the stand your ground statute. “It has brought us back to the dark ages” he said. People with guns have no responsibility to retreat. It was first written with the intention that a gun in a home would keep you safer. Then it was extended to people having guns in their glove compartments in their cars. Whenever shots arc fired, there is often collateral damage, people are killed who were innocent bystanders, like a girl who was recently shot in a club in downtown Orlando. Stand your ground means families of people shot for no good reason can not seek criminal or civil damages. Ron wants us to seek to change the statute from “Stand your ground” to Duty to retreat.”

This show addresses stereotypes and Florida itself has become a national stereotype. A student who was considering going to college in Florida was told by friends, “don’t go there, you’ll get shot.” People from all walks of life were interviewed for this play. What emerged was a very human story, not just a black and white issue. Ron found that other countries consider the United States is guilty of human rights violations. We need to teach the next generation the principles of love and acceptance. We are all traveling through life on this tiny sphere together. We are stronger when we work together rather than being divided. This play had me choked up quite a few times. It is a good first step towards opening a dialogue towards change.

WHAT:
“Division: The Trayvon/Jordan Project”
A World Premiere Docudrama

WHO:
The Valencia College Theater
Written and Directed by John DiDonna
Written in collaboration with Valencia students

William Adkins, Aidan Bohan-Moulton, Carolyn Ducker, Phillip Edwards,
Nathan Jones, Anneliese Moon, Elina Moon, Dennis Ramos, Stelson Telfort,
Michael Sabbagh.


WHEN:
Only 2 Performances Left
Feb 14 and 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Feb 15 at 2 p.m.
WHERE:
Building 3, Black Box Theater
Valencia College East Campus, Performing Arts Center
701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail, Orlando, FL.

TICKETS:
$12 general admission
$10 for Valencia students, faculty, staff and senior citizens
Box Office: 407-582-2900
Online: www.valenciacollege.edu/arts

Division The Travon/Jordan Project is based on hundreds of hours of interviews.

Posted on by Thor

On February 10th I went to the final dress rehearsal for the original docudrama, written and directed by John DiDonna, called “DIVISION The Trayvon/Jordan Project”. For those unfamiliar with the incidents that hit so close to home, Trayvon Martin was a young black man walking home from a store who was shot to death on the evening of February 26, 2012 by a neighborhood watch coordinator named George Zimmerman. The shooting of Jordan Davis occurred on November 23, 2012, at a gas station in Jacksonville, Florida.
He was a 17-year-old African American high school
student, who was fatally shot by Michael David Dunn, a 45-year-old software
developer from Brevard County. The incident began when Dunn asked Davis and his companions to turn down the loud music. George Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder and of manslaughter charges. The Michael Dunn jury was unable to return a unanimous verdict on a charge of first-degree murder, the judge declared a mistrial on that count. Dunn was convicted, however, on three counts of attempted second-degree murder for firing at three other teenagers who were with Davis and one count of firing into a vehicle. Dunn’s retrial for first-degree murder began the week of September 22, 2014. Dunn was found guilty October 1, 2014, and was sentenced to a mandatory
sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole on October 17, 2014.

To create this project, students conducted over 150 hours of interviews with people involved in the cases.  What results is an open raw dialogue about Division and racism in America. I identified deeply with a female reporter played by Danielle Marie Irigoyen who covered the story. She confided that she cried when she listened to 911 calls made the night Trayvon was shot. I remember having the same gut wrenching reaction when I listened to them to help write about events as they unfolded. As a journalist you are supposed to be dispassionate when you report the news. This story was different. She had a sound technician analyze the audio and he concluded that Trayvon Martin could be heard pleading for his life moments before the gunshot silenced the night. This evidence wasn’t allowed in court because not everyone is convinced that the new technology is 100% accurate.

“That’s Just the Way It Is” by Bruce Hornsby was playing on the sound system as the audience arrived, followed by “Imagine” by John Lennon. The large cast began their discussion about division, with everyone shouting while no one listened. projected on the screen was “We are…” anyone in Sanford or Central Florida knows the response is “Trayvon”. In a riveting moment, the entire cast turned to the screen to read the “Stand Your Ground” statute. It was Machiavellian with every word seeming more insane. It is a license to kill. Much of the production felt like an intimate, heated class discussion. Barry Kirsch a talented local photographer was the official photographer of the Trayvon Martin case. It was fascinating to see his opinions molded around a character played by Dean Walkuski in the play. Some actors were built around the opinions of many different people while others stood expressed one person’s opinion. The show isn’t about reliving the horrors of each case, but instead focuses on how those events influenced communities both near and far.

The play opens a much needed discussion. After each performance there will be a talk back with the audience so the discussion can continue. Staying silent and hoping that these violent acts will stop isn’t a solution. Change only comes from the concerted efforts of a few. When Sanford was torn by the Trayon Martin shooting many people felt the incident would pass quietly away. However, one local woman played by Avis-Marie Barnes worked the phones and ultimately over 50,000 people converged on Sanford to demonstrate. Even if one person listens, and you change their mind, then you’ve changed the world. What are you going to do to help change the world? Don’t miss this production. Join the discussion.

WHAT:
“Division: The Trayvon/Jordan Project”
A World Premiere Docudrama

WHO:
The Valencia College Theater
Written and Directed by John DiDonna
Written in collaboration with Valencia students

William Adkins, Aidan Bohan-Moulton, Carolyn Ducker, Phillip Edwards,
Nathan Jones, Anneliese Moon, Elina Moon, Dennis Ramos, Stelson Telfort,
Michael Sabbagh.


WHEN:
Only 6 Performances
Feb 11, 12, 13, 14 and 16 at 7:30 p.m.
Feb 15 at 2 p.m.
WHERE:
Building 3, Black Box Theater
Valencia College East Campus, Performing Arts Center
701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail, Orlando, FL.

TICKETS:
$12 general admission
$10 for Valencia students, faculty, staff and senior citizens
Box Office: 407-582-2900
Online: www.valenciacollege.edu/arts