Many Hands

Day 5 Friday, Sept. 24

Well, I guess the gecko was lucky - today we had meetings with both the Women's Group and the directors and sewing class at the school, and it looks like we will have many willing hands to get the costumes built.

A few days ago, it seemed that the Escuela directors were uneasy about the time needed for the project interrupting the progress of their curriculum, but once the Casa des Mujeres came on board and we assured them (the school) that we could adapt and be flexible with their schedule, and that they weren't going to be responsible for doing everything by themselves, they became much more interested - to the point that, when I offered to split the class with the teacher so that half could continue their regular program for half a day and then switch in the afternoon, she was concerned that she would be missing out on the process and the project, so they decided that all 10 girls and the teacher would work with me together whenever we needed them!

The Casa des Mujeres ladies proved to be very keen, again when I made it clear that I wasn't expecting a lot of their time because they all have other jobs and responsibilities, but that I would be happy to share and trade skills and knowledge with them in whatever time they were willing to give, they quickly organized themselves into three different teams that could give me part or all of three different days, and even offered to bring in some extra sewing machines!

So as it stands now, I will work with the school all next week with the goal of creating all the petticoats for first fittings by mid-week and finishing them to be used as rehearsal costumes by the end of the week. Then for the following weeks, I'll spend 3 days at the school and 3 days with the ladies at Es Artes, and divide up the rest of the work for skill levels and continuity. Now, I have to create a whole lot of patterns and pieces of cloth to be ready for Monday, in addition to a number of wardrobe management document templates for translation - no rest this weekend... but a great feeling that so many people are so keen to be involved.

And we ended the day with the long-awaited pupusas (fried stuffed tortillas) at El Gringo - also a great success.

First Week for John and Kim

　
Suchitoto Journal Tuesday, Sept. 21/10

5:50 am first official day in El Salvador.

Up with the roosters since about 4:30, thought I'd try to get down some thoughts and first impressions from yesterday's arrival.

The direct flight from Toronto was on time and uneventful (always a good thing) - no problems with luggage, even though mine was slightly over the CUSO-VSO recommended weight limit. Although my work/travel kit is relatively small, scissors and sewing supplies are heavy (!), plus the extra boxes of pins, needles and basic notions I brought along to add to the EsArtes wardrobe supply. Searched the signs in the crowd of arrivals-meeters without seeing our appointed contact (John had been given a name of a driver who was supposed to meet us - Roberto Hernandez), so after standing around awhile to stretch our legs, and checking the thinning crowd inside and out a few more times, we made up a sign of our own "? ES ARTES SUCHITOTO?", but still got no response. A bit more waiting outside with a friend of one of our SKWID colleagues, who we'd met in Ottawa, until her ride arrived, and, just when we'd decided to give it 15 more minutes and call one of our 'in case this happens' contacts, a van with three smiling young men and a sign for Es Artes pulled up and very quickly got us loaded in and off on the road to Suchitoto.

The driver turned out to be Roberto's son, Alberto ('Berto, for short); the one with the sign was "Coky", real name Jorge, our appointed translator - a very fluent and personable young man from Suchi who has just returned from a year at the University of Minnesota (!), where he is on scholarship training to teach English as a second language; and the third was a young boy (another Roberto) who came along for the ride and reported our position and progress back to Es Artes by cell phone. The drive was about 1.5 hrs over very good roads for the most part, until after Soyapango (the next large urban centre with heavy traffic), when it began to deteriorate a bit with fairly large potholes and at least one major subsidence where several metres of earth next to the road fell away in a recent landslide. Coky told us that many of the landslides are due to a combination of unusually heavy rains and the local practice of collecting the clay from the hillsides to make bricks and tiles - one of the long-standing family industries in the area. Over time entire hills disappear into the brick kilns!

After Soyapango came San Martin - an incredibly busy little place of narrow streets lined with vendors on all sides selling just about anything, and little red 3-wheeled 'taxis' dashing about, canopied but open on the sides, about the size of golf carts, just big enough for a driver and two passengers. Around several more curves and further into the hills, suddenly we could see the beautiful white church of Suchitoto in the distance, the road changed to paving blocks, then cobblestones with high curbs and raised sidewalks along the buidings, and very quickly we were there!

A quick stop at Es Artes to meet Tito, the technical director; Evelyn, the office manager and her assistant, Erika, one of the Es Artes students; Mario, one of the teachers, a choreographer and props builder; Ariosto, the music and sound director for the production; and Mabel (pronounced Mah-bel'), a local dyer and fabric artist who will work most closely with John and me creating and managing the wardrobe. Then to our new home about fifty yards down the street, El Tejado - (paradise with a pool and a view!) with instructions to settle in, have dinner and an early night (not too difficult after a long day of travelling and a 6 pm sunset) and meet tomorrow morning at nine.

First impressions:

The heat, of course - not unexpected and not all that bad, considering, but coming off the plane, walking a fair distance through the terminal to baggage and customs in jeans and a jacket, carrying heavy bags - as soon as I stopped and stood still for any length of time, the sweat began to pour off me like Niagara Falls! However, in appropriate clothes and after a bit of acclimatization, not unbearable in the least. I think 'winter' in El Salvador is likely the perfect time for a pale northerner like me, with the daily intermittent rain and general overcast and highs in the 26-29 C range - much less danger of sun-related grief.

The wonderfully distinctive 'green-and-damp' smell of the tropics.

The 'free range' livestock along the highway, always with their tenders close by, but often on the opposite side of the road - goats, cattle, an occasional horse (and the ever-present dogs).

The most common family transport for women and children of all ages: standing in the back of open pick-up trucks with high railings.

Women walking along the roadside with huge baskets, plastic tubs or wide wicker trays balanced on their heads - no hands!

Day 2 proper Tuesday, Sept. 21 (continued)

After making a start on this journal, but still having dificulties connecting to the net at El Tejado (I'll ask Coky to help me later), met John for breakfast at 7:30 at the dining area by the pool - I'm doing reasonably well reading menus in Spanish, but had to count on John's better ear and faster pick-up when the waitress asked us what time she could clean the rooms. Slight haze in the distance, but brighter and sunnier this morning - beautiful!

Up the block to Es Artes for our 9 am meeting which was a mutual introduction of us to the rest of the Es Artes staff and other community liaisons including representatives from the local police responsible for tourist security; Marta, the head nurse of the hospital; 'Roberto' (the hearty American host/owner of El Gringo, who seems to be connected to a lot of international and community educational initiatives); Hector, the director of Escuela Taller; and the indefatigable Tatiana who is the driving force behind all this. All these presentations and sharing of histories took up most of the morning, then most of the group accompanied us to Villa Balanza for lunch (where we met Sean's gold-toothed waitress - see earlier posts).

After lunch, we headed over to Escuela Taller to meet all the students and teachers in the five disciplines there: carpentry, metalwork, masonry, electrical, and sewing, many of whom will be working with us on the production. Hector asked us if there was anything we might need that they don't have in their set-up, and we discuss the possibility of having a cutting table and mannequins built at some point. The most common themes here seem to be endless potential vs. limited physical and monetary resources, but everything is approached with good will and optimism so far.

Then back to Es Artes to touch base with Tito and Tatiana to discuss time frames and schedules, check to see if we were on the same page with desires and expectations, and see how soon we could meet the actresses currently rehearsing in San Salvador, how soon we'd have access to the student members of the cast and when and where we'd start shopping for supplies. All this gone into at length and with the need to start ASAP because of the many demands on Tatiana's time as both director of the play and general ambassador of the project to other political, educational and arts groups, we then headed back to El Tejado so I could finally read the script (I had only had a general synopsis till now) and John could actually design the costumes!

Coky came back with us to sort out my connection problem, and I kept John company while he turned out eight gorgeous preliminary (!) renderings and a couple of working drawings of all the principal characters and a generic servant over dinner, while I shared the pattern references I brought, compared notes on the script, and worked a bit more on these notes - (all outside in the breeze by the pool, under a midnight-black sky at seven in the evening, accompanied by a chorus of cicadas and the odd chirp from the geckos on the ceiling of the 'dining room' - idyllic or what?!). Tomorrow morning we meet to discuss further logistics of the Escuela Taller liaison, and check out some local fabric possibilities with Mabel and Coky, then at 4 pm we'll be driven to San Salvador to attend the evening rehearsal at the National Arts School. We'll be staying overnight at a hotel there and shopping for (hopefully) all our fabrics on Thursday.

Day 3 Wednesday, Sept.22

Went into the Escuela's curriculum in greater detail to see how we can best support the needs of both programs - unclear at this point exactly how much time we will be able to have with them, so I asked about the possibility of approaching any of the ladies at the Women's Collective (La Casa del Mujeres) or any other suggestions of sewers we could use as a back-up, as period costumes in several layers for eighteen women are going to take a bit of time (!) and considerable 'person-power'. More practicalities of space and supplies gone into, off to one of the local art galleries to check fabric and crafts available. Found a wonderful book with images of historical Suchitoto, which confirmed John's vision with very few changes.

Continuing the rounds, we visited the market stalls and bought a local apron to use as a model for the ones we'll need - a large number of the women here wear a very distinctive short, wide apron with frills and ruffles and multiple pockets that serves as an all-purpose purse (there's an extra zippered pocket within the central pouch pocket for keeping your money), tool belt and carry-all. With one of these and a bushel basket of all your wares and provisions on your head, you can literally set up shop anywhere! We're trying to track down a more historically correct version for the servants to wear (pre- zippers and polyester).

Then, after stopping in at Casa del Mujeres to check out the beautiful indigo pieces, see (and smell) the dyeing process firsthand, and note the number of treadle sewing machines being put to very effective use turning out clothing and craft items for sale (Singers are still very popular here - at the Escuela, as well), as we'd exhausted the local offerings for raw materials, we went for lunch at Lupita's in the square (one of our many recommendations for eateries).
I'd hoped to try the pupusas the area is famous for, but we were informed that they were only on the breakfast menu, so we settled for some very nice grilled sandwiches and Fresca, which still comes in glass bottles here. Another interesting note, which Roberto from El Gringo pointed out to us yesterday: although you are always given a paper-wrapped straw with any drink you order anywhere in town, they are all too short for the pop bottles (except at El Gringo, apparently, but we haven't checked that out yet).

We actually ran into Roberto at Lupita's, where he joined us for lunch and a chat just as we were finishing. One of our topics of discussion was the balancing-large-heavy-loads-on-the-head skill that I'd noticed, and he added the observation that the generation raised on this mode of transport all have perfect posture and no back problems - the men, as Ted noted in his Speaking of Suchitoto blog, routinely carry incredibly heavy weights on their upper backs and shoulders with the same ease and nonchalance!

John and I, not being made of such stern and sterling stuff, and definitely feeling the heat of the midday sun (no rain till late afternoon today), repaired to our rooms for siestas until 4 when we headed back to Es Artes to meet our driver for the trip to San Salvador.

Arrived at the National Arts School rehearsal rooms just before 6 to attend the evening rehearsal, meet the professional actresses that are the main characters in this production, take pictures, check measurements and present the designs - very well received! The woman playing the title role told us that this was her third production of Bernarda Alba - in the first production, she had played the youngest daughter; later, the middle daughter and now, the mother - all she needs now is the role of the grandmother to complete the cycle! Interestingly, the grandmother in this production is being played by a very young girl. And our Bernarda is very petite in relation to the tall, willowy eldest daughter (all the daughters, in fact), which has no bearing on her powerful personal presence, but she expressed a desire for high heels, which we will do our best to work in.

After the rehearsal, Tatiana (who is a co-director of the play, in addition to all her other functions) took us out for dinner and off to a small, friendly hotel connected to the Suchi 'family', with a plan to meet there in the morning for a conference call with Doug and Robbin in Stratford.

Day 4 Thursday, Sept.23

Conference call accomplished with a few technical glitches and lost connections, but successful in the end in our first look at the proposed set design, model and blueprints - also well received. John also discussed details of some possible donations/loans of period shoes and wigs from Stratford's stock (a huge help if it happens), and made arrangements to send three of his costume renderings, signed by both him and the actresses, back to Stratford along with some Salvadoran artworks, for auction at the October 1 fundraiser for the Suchitoto project (Anyone in the Stratford area following this blog, please be sure to attend!)

From there, joined by Coky, Mabel and driver Roberto, we headed off to the first of our shopping venues, arriving just as the skies opened for the first major downpour of the day. We did very well there with both prices and selection, picking up about 60% of what we needed in about three hours, in addition to a few new useful (to me) Spanish terms: intra tela (interfacing) and buena caida (nice drape - the fabric hangs/moves well). Yesterday's new words were ropa interior (underwear), falda (skirt), blusa (blouse), and fustane (petticoat or underskirt), along with the phrase estamos sentado en la sombre (we are sitting in the shade) - good to establish when the sun does come out.

Lunch at the food court of the Galleria Mall (which could be almost anywhere in North America for its familiar chain store offerings) and three more stops netted us a further 35% of our list, along with some fabric-related props and the possible start of the hoped-for mannequins - all-in-all a very successful albeit exhausting day. Oddly enough, although selection and service go fairly quickly, and all the sales staff are attentive and friendly and readily offer discounts for bulk buying, the actual payment process seems to take an extraordinary amount of time as each piece is itemized and recorded in meticulous detail - it wasn't clear if this was just for Es Artes accounting, or whether this is common practise, but a lot of tiring standing around happens in the transaction.

Anyway, shortly before 5 we were on the road and back in Suchi by 6:30. Coky and Roberto very kindly dropped us at 'home' before unloading our purchases, and as I put my key in the lock, a gecko dropped onto my chest! It looked as startled by this as I was and promptly disappeared, I wasn't sure where - I thought I might have a friend for the night - but it was nowhere 'about my person' once I got in the door. I choose to look on it as a good omen ("no flies on me" to paraphrase my great-grandmother), and hope it bodes well for tomorrow.

Since I've finally brought these entries up to date, if the net is with me, I hope to post them tonight - sorry for the wait - I'll try to be quicker and more concise with the next ones. And I'll be adding pictures on Sunday. Hasta luego!

The Next Wave to Suchitoto

Hi from Kim, and thanks to Mel for inviting me to continue posting to this blog as we begin the second production in the Suchitoto project.

Counting down to Monday's flight (one and a half more days of to-do lists, packing, re-packing, and wondering what I'm forgetting) -and the 6 am ride to the airport for John P and me - off to see what we can do for ES Artes production of The House of Bernarda Alba (La Casa de Bernarda Alba). Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_House_of_Bernarda_Alba for details on the plot, author, and history of the play.

John is designing the costumes to be set in El Salvador of 1910, and I'll be 'making that happen' in whatever way Tatiana and the Es Artes team decide they want - so many unknowns...! Trying to anticipate with limited info is unsettling, so I'm trying to stay in the moment and wait till I'm on the ground... with that in mind, I'll sign off for now and pick up again when I'm actually in Suchitoto.

Suchitoto Fundraising Cabaret

Hey Everyone!

I will fill you in shortly on all the exciting things that have been happening lately.

For now I just wanted to make sure that everyone knows about the Fundraising Cabaret that will be held at the Studio Theatre of the Stratford Shakespeare Festival on Friday, October 1st.

There will be El Salvador music and food (yay! pupusas!). Bruce Dow is set to host and members of the Festival's company will be performing as well. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the Avon Theatre Store or by calling (519) 271-0055 ext. 5501

Check out the awesome poster below....

Mel's Last Post

I've been putting off writing this entry for a number of reasons. I was way too emotional last week to even think of attempting to write anything. Uncontrollable sobbing while typing is not a good thing. Also, I've been struggling with how does one possible describe the indescribable. Finally, I think some part of me felt that once I posted this entry my experience in Suchitoto will officially be over. I've never been good with goodbyes and this experience is no exception.

The last week of our stay was truly magical. The show came together in a way that can really only be described as a miracle. And the show itself was breathtaking... from the heart of the actors...to the incredible atmosphere that was created by all of the technical elements...to the overwhelming amount of people that managed to crowd into the chapel....just incredible. The parade through the town over to Es Artes for the reception was an experience of absolute jubilation. You know those times in life when the hair on the back of your neck stands up and you get this shiver over your body because you know that you will never be in this moment or even this kind of moment ever again..... this was the feeling this night. I kept trying to take moments to just look around and take it all in. It was... overwhelming. (Oh crap... here come the tears... and I haven't even gotten to the goodbyes yet!) The pictures Mike has posted tell some of the story - like the ones of the guy running through the crowd with the firecrackers strapped to his back. But none of them capture the true essence of those moments and I don't think I am doing a very good job of conveying that here either. I think it was one of those things where you really just 'had to be there'.

After the euphoria of the launch on the Sat. (and the disco that followed) came the letdown. Those of us who work in theatre know that after the closing night there is always the sadness that follows - the realization that that experience is over and will never happen again and the goodbyes to all of those people that we have been working so closely with for so long. Well, amplify that by a million and you might come close to what it was like to try to say goodbye to this project and the people we had been working with. It was lovely to be able to move into the fancy hotel and seclude ourselves a bit with our thoughts. But the goodbyes are inevitable... and so they began... First was to a large group of girls in the cast who came and found Sean and I at the hotel. There were flowers and pictures, hugs and tears, and one girl, Lili, who found the strength to sing through her tears a song of goodbye. It was one of the most moving, emotional experiences of my life. Next, it was to Mario and Tatiana and Mike's muchachos. All moving in their own way. Mario, the incredible props guy, stage manager, dance choreographer (and proud papa too!) Tatiana, the reason this project happened. What a truly incredible woman she is! It was an absolute honour to be able to work with her for this short time. Ahhhh.... and Mike's Muchachos! What a great bunch of young guys they are. So dedicated... so eager to learn... so awesome! And what great dancers! :)

For me the goodbyes got harder as we neared the end of our stay. I found Zoila in the square and got some pictures. I had learned how to say 'I will miss you' in Spanish and she gave me a big smile and a 'Yo tambien' in reply. We hugged and smiled and cried a little too and somehow the language barrier no longer mattered. She is another truly incredible woman that I was very lucky to be able to get to know just a little bit. Finally, on our last night we had a sumptuous dinner at the hotel with Eu. I don't know what I would have done without her. She was my right hand gal, seamstress, Dresser for the show, translator, confidant, and friend. She is an incredible young woman - bright, creative, extremely talented. Saying goodbye to her was incredibly difficult as we had pretty much spent from sunup to sundown together for the whole 3 weeks I was there. We may not see each other as much (facebook and skype are poor substitutes for cervezas in the square at Lupitas) but I know that she and I will be friends for the rest of our lives.

The culture shock since being home has been extreme and it was good that I had a couple of days to just try to process everything before having to go back to work. (ask me about my trip to Zehrs sometime!)

I guess in the end I feel kind of guilty as I feel like I got way more out of this experience than I feel that I gave. It was only 3 weeks but it seems like so much more. There is something about that town and it's people - it gets into your soul and you are not quite the same after you leave. I may be home and jumping back into life here but Suchitoto will always have a part of my heart.

Adios Suchitoto. Te voy a extranar!

Show pictures

I've been trying to write a wrap-up blog entry but I think I'm till processing the whole thing. Here is a link to an album from the show. It was much easier to post many pictures at once this way.

http://gallery.me…/mike_walsh/100012

enjoy...

Sean's Final Post

The show has opened and simultaneously closed. It may tour in the future, but nothing will ever compare to the celebration and performance that we shared in last night. To say the project’s launch was a success would be an understatement and to describe the thrill of the night in words will never do justice to what I witnessed in Suchitoto, on March 27^th, 2010. The kids performed their hearts out for the community, and the community responded with equal enthusiasm. We had expected a small crowd of parents and supporters, but the city of Suchitoto came out in droves filling the chapel to beyond capacity. Mike’s muchachos ran the show with precision and Mel, Zoila, Eugina and I were able to proudly look on at our costumes and make-up as the kids characters came to life. In total, we designed and built all the costumes from scratch for a cast of 36, including bijou, dye work and fabric arts. We shopped, built the props and hung a canopy adorned with fabric swatches, twisted and knotted in a weeping willow of tendrils encasing the unit set created by the team before us. We hung a makeshift grid of lights and sound equipment, incorporated some special effects with a silk/fan fire and two live animals. We sewed a 16 piece maypole in a quilt of scrap fabric and the kids danced sang, and performed some acrobatics.

Following the production the entire group, led by the cast, marched out of the chapel grounds and into the street. The songs and dance continued in the streets to the thrumming beat of drums played by students strategically placed along the parade route. Street games resembling London Bridge and Congo Lines carried the mass to the town square where the fireworks display was planned. The ‘cuchemonde’, (I have no idea how this is spelled), an animal shaped frame ornamented in home-made fireworks is worn over the head and shoulders of its master and with only a wet towel protecting him from catching fire he takes flight, running without abandon through the crowds to the cheers of all. Roman candles spit their hissing decorative bombs while the children continued to sing about peace and solidarity. Finally, we moved past the square and into the homeward stretch towards Es Artes main office. Those not in the parade watched from behind barred windows or perched on curbs. Once at Es Artes, the crowd poured into the mango tree courtyard. Drinks concocted of chaparo, local corn liquor not sold in stores, were handed out in champagne glasses while the dignitary’s were recognized and speeches were presented. The kids, still in costume, sweating from head to foot chanted our names and stood in honour on the make-shift stage until the talking was complete. The chance to mingle and meet the patrons followed and so did the beer and wine. A small viewing station was created in the main office where a brief documentary prepared by some of the local volunteers played on a loop.

Still high off the adrenaline of the parade, the staff from Es Artes, CUSO-VSO and Stratford tumbled down the street to the infamous Disco you’ve heard about before. More beer flowed and green mango and salt were the perfect compliment. Then, we danced. Oh, how we danced. We descended on the dance floor, and quickly took it over. The Muchachos were on fire, teaching everyone their moves, whether you wanted to dance or not. Sponsors and CUSO-VSO reps let down their hair and danced so hard that the sweat ran like rain down their face; our shirts, drenched and stuck to our torsos in a well earned celebration of the accomplishments and goals we all met and the challenges we conquered. It truly was one of the most inspirational nights I have ever experienced. Under a nearly full harvest moon, (I’m not making this up), we finally left the disco, some to the square following in a giddy trance the chorus of a Queen cover song, and some home to bed, spent and exhausted but full of pride.

That was it. Our whole experience summed up in one illustrious evening. The following days involved striking of the sets and re-organization of the work shops; a tying up of loose ends, avoiding the inevitable goodbyes. The emotions began to surface, replacing our pride for sadness as we prepared to leave for home. We moved into a new hotel, a brief respite of pampering as reward for a job well done. The days passed in slow motion while we bought our final souvenirs and shared our last cerveca’s by the pool. The kids stopped by in small groups to say goodbye one last time, and the tears flowed. “Thank you for believing in us”, one said while two others sang to us acapella. Pictures were taken and I will admit to feeling a blush cover my face on more then one occasion as these young artists tried to convey their emotions to a guy who speaks very little Spanish. Mostly, everything was summed up in bear-hugs and the flowers they presented us with.

The flight home was quiet. We all had very little left, in energy and emotions, to share as we sat reflecting on our experience. As I write this, I’ve already been home now for a couple of days. It feels like Suchitoto was a lifetime ago now; a world away. It’s been hard re-adjusting to the food at home. Many of my stomach symptoms have returned, so I’ve been instructed to stick to a strict bland diet. I’m trying to hold on to some of the lessons I’ve learned from my time in Suchitoto. I keep reminding myself to slow down, take time for myself and share with others. I try to walk slower. We run far too much from A to B without appreciating the world around us. I’m trying to be outside more, and not stress about bringing my cell phone with me.

This will likely be my last blog, unless I am asked to return to Central America one day. As I hand over my torch to whomever gets sent next I know that I will forever be part of something important. I will always have the honour of being one of the Design representatives from Canada for the premiere production and will cherish the way my work was transformed by the needs of the group and influenced by the talents of the artists involved. I will always have my memory of that sleepy little chiuaua of a town and how it’s opened my eyes to what is really important. I will always have a connection to the kids and staff involved in this joint initiative and Suchitoto will always have a little piece of me. Thanks to you all for your support, and buenas noches El. Salvador. May Es Artes flourish and open new doors for anyone who chooses to share in its dream.

Sean xo