BLACKOUT: How I Became White in America
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Dates: (choose one)
Saturday July 17, 11am (FULL) Sunday July 18, 1pm (FULL) Friday July 23, 6pm (FULL) Sunday July 25, 1pm (FULL) Saturday July 31, 1pm (FULL) Created and performed by Ethelyn Friend This solo performance reflects one white woman’s discovery of her family’s direct links to slavery, and how the process of facing her history is changing her. A somatic, musical and theatrical exploration of white guilt, denial and responsibility. The 50-min performance will be followed by an optional time of processing, being with, and talking, held by one of the facilitators of The Everything Space. |
Ethelyn Friend, actor/singer/writer, is a teaching artist with the Roy Hart Center in France and a founding faculty member of Naropa University’s MFA in Contemporary Performance. Performance work includes regional theatre, NYC credits, and 4 previous solo works.
Donation:
This event is offered free of charge but there will be an opportunity to donate to the Northeast Farmer’s of Color Land Trust on the day of the performance. Learn more here: https://nefoclandtrust.org
Performance Program
BLACKOUT: How I Became White In America
Written and performed by Ethelyn Friend
“In the wake, the past that is not past reappears, always, to
rupture the present.”
—Christina Sharpe, “In The Wake: On
Blackness and Being”
This solo performance reflects one white woman’s discovery of her family’s direct
links to slavery. A somatic, musical and theatrical exploration of guilt, denial and
responsibility.
Thank you for joining us for this community event. The 50-min performance
will be followed by an (optional) time of processing, being with, and talking, led
by one of the facilitators from The Everything Space.
Note from the Performer:
With ambivalence, I thank you for witnessing my performance work today. Ambivalence
because I know that centering a white woman’s experience and feelings on the topic of
enslavement in the US is problematic, and will feel wrong to some. Yet I know that my
story is the story of much of this nation. This piece addresses white Americans. To my
white friends: I hope you can pause and stay in the discomfort with me as I/ we “look
back” at the “past that is not past”, with trust that it is possible to move through guilt
and grief into joyful action for justice. To my BIPOC friends who may want to witness
this: I hope you will stay and hear only what is useful for your own healing and process.
Trigger warning: Content includes graphic language and imagery related to
enslavement of Africans in US South.
Donation: There is no charge for this performance, and I am not receiving payment of any kind,
but asking for donations to be made as part of my and our ongoing reparations and
response. Please give as generously as you are able to our partner for this event,
Northeast Farmers Of Color Land Trust. Donate at this link.
The Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust is a hybrid model land trust, bringing
together a community land trust model and a conservation land trust model to
reimagine land access as well as conservation and stewardship of communities and
ecosystems with the goal of manifesting a community vision that uplifts global
Indigenous, Black, and POC relationships with land, skills, and lifeways.
Ethelyn Friend, (Performer/Writer)is a teaching artist with the Roy Hart Center in
France and a founding faculty member of Naropa University’s MFA in Contemporary
Performance. Performance work includes regional theatre, NYC credits, and 4 previous
solo works. www.ethelynfriend.com
Leah Eve Beckhoff, she/they. (Dramaturg/Stage Manager) Leah is a poet, astrologer,
and creative coach in Central Vermont. @venus.sq.pluto
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORT, TEACHING & GUIDANCE:
Amelia Campbell
Barbara Dana
Chelsea Gregory
Julie Harrison
Abbi Jaffe
Susan Kuralt-Smith
Don Matthews
Polly Motley
Jane Pollak
Carina Rose
Chaunesti Webb
Dorie Wilsnack
SPECIAL THANKS FOR PRODUCING & DONATING SPACE for this event to
The Everything Space!!
The Everything Space, located on the unceded territory of the Abenaki Nation
in downtown Montpelier, is a collaboratively run movement studio providing
skillful and accessible somatic education, curated by Abbi Jaffe and Amanda
Franz . We are specifically dedicated to the education of diverse somatic
practices as an integral part of social and environmental justice work.
www.theeverythingspace.com
More Info about the Space:
Seating for the event is in chairs and on the floor.
The studio is a fragrance free zone. To create a space that is accessible to those with allergies, we request guests to not wear fragrances, including perfumes and essential oils.
The studio is regrettably not accessible by wheelchair. It is on the third floor accessed by stairs. Please be in touch if you would like to attend this event and need support accessing the space. This event will be offered in ADA accessible spaces in the future.
The space will be organized to allow some social distancing of audience groups.
We look forward to seeing you. Please arrive at least 10-15 min before the performance time. We are not able to accommodate latecomers for this event. Thank you!
Covid Information:
As a space committed to community resilience, we are in close listening to the current state of COVID in our community and continually adapting our safety practices to reflect current national and state best-practices for community care.
For unvaccinated folks, we require masks while inside The Everything Space.
For vaccinated folks, we encourage you to also wear masks, given the rising prevalence of the Delta variant.
The performance is in a studio (about 20x35ft) which will be ventilated with a small air filter, fans and open windows both before and after the performance. During the 50min performance however the windows and fans will be off. The performer, who is vaccinated, will be performing without a mask.
If requested ahead of time, we can accommodate some physical distancing of chairs. Please respond to this email with any requests by Saturday at 11am if possible.
Contact information was already taken during registration for contact tracing purposes.
We understand if these circumstances don’t fit your safety needs at this time. We hope to be sharing this performance in other venues in the coming year
Written and performed by Ethelyn Friend
“In the wake, the past that is not past reappears, always, to
rupture the present.”
—Christina Sharpe, “In The Wake: On
Blackness and Being”
This solo performance reflects one white woman’s discovery of her family’s direct
links to slavery. A somatic, musical and theatrical exploration of guilt, denial and
responsibility.
Thank you for joining us for this community event. The 50-min performance
will be followed by an (optional) time of processing, being with, and talking, led
by one of the facilitators from The Everything Space.
Note from the Performer:
With ambivalence, I thank you for witnessing my performance work today. Ambivalence
because I know that centering a white woman’s experience and feelings on the topic of
enslavement in the US is problematic, and will feel wrong to some. Yet I know that my
story is the story of much of this nation. This piece addresses white Americans. To my
white friends: I hope you can pause and stay in the discomfort with me as I/ we “look
back” at the “past that is not past”, with trust that it is possible to move through guilt
and grief into joyful action for justice. To my BIPOC friends who may want to witness
this: I hope you will stay and hear only what is useful for your own healing and process.
Trigger warning: Content includes graphic language and imagery related to
enslavement of Africans in US South.
Donation: There is no charge for this performance, and I am not receiving payment of any kind,
but asking for donations to be made as part of my and our ongoing reparations and
response. Please give as generously as you are able to our partner for this event,
Northeast Farmers Of Color Land Trust. Donate at this link.
The Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust is a hybrid model land trust, bringing
together a community land trust model and a conservation land trust model to
reimagine land access as well as conservation and stewardship of communities and
ecosystems with the goal of manifesting a community vision that uplifts global
Indigenous, Black, and POC relationships with land, skills, and lifeways.
Ethelyn Friend, (Performer/Writer)is a teaching artist with the Roy Hart Center in
France and a founding faculty member of Naropa University’s MFA in Contemporary
Performance. Performance work includes regional theatre, NYC credits, and 4 previous
solo works. www.ethelynfriend.com
Leah Eve Beckhoff, she/they. (Dramaturg/Stage Manager) Leah is a poet, astrologer,
and creative coach in Central Vermont. @venus.sq.pluto
THANK YOU FOR SUPPORT, TEACHING & GUIDANCE:
Amelia Campbell
Barbara Dana
Chelsea Gregory
Julie Harrison
Abbi Jaffe
Susan Kuralt-Smith
Don Matthews
Polly Motley
Jane Pollak
Carina Rose
Chaunesti Webb
Dorie Wilsnack
SPECIAL THANKS FOR PRODUCING & DONATING SPACE for this event to
The Everything Space!!
The Everything Space, located on the unceded territory of the Abenaki Nation
in downtown Montpelier, is a collaboratively run movement studio providing
skillful and accessible somatic education, curated by Abbi Jaffe and Amanda
Franz . We are specifically dedicated to the education of diverse somatic
practices as an integral part of social and environmental justice work.
www.theeverythingspace.com
More Info about the Space:
Seating for the event is in chairs and on the floor.
The studio is a fragrance free zone. To create a space that is accessible to those with allergies, we request guests to not wear fragrances, including perfumes and essential oils.
The studio is regrettably not accessible by wheelchair. It is on the third floor accessed by stairs. Please be in touch if you would like to attend this event and need support accessing the space. This event will be offered in ADA accessible spaces in the future.
The space will be organized to allow some social distancing of audience groups.
We look forward to seeing you. Please arrive at least 10-15 min before the performance time. We are not able to accommodate latecomers for this event. Thank you!
Covid Information:
As a space committed to community resilience, we are in close listening to the current state of COVID in our community and continually adapting our safety practices to reflect current national and state best-practices for community care.
For unvaccinated folks, we require masks while inside The Everything Space.
For vaccinated folks, we encourage you to also wear masks, given the rising prevalence of the Delta variant.
The performance is in a studio (about 20x35ft) which will be ventilated with a small air filter, fans and open windows both before and after the performance. During the 50min performance however the windows and fans will be off. The performer, who is vaccinated, will be performing without a mask.
If requested ahead of time, we can accommodate some physical distancing of chairs. Please respond to this email with any requests by Saturday at 11am if possible.
Contact information was already taken during registration for contact tracing purposes.
We understand if these circumstances don’t fit your safety needs at this time. We hope to be sharing this performance in other venues in the coming year
