7/17 Notes on meeting with Peter Carver
7/17 NOTES FROM MEETING WITH PETER CARVER
Met at City Bakery. Talked for three hours! Great conversation!!
PRISON WORK:
His work in prisons (one in Mitchell/Avery counties? another one in a different location) is through the UNCA Distance Learning program (Elaine Fox)
Scott Walters and Laura Facciponte have been teaching in prison, and Rob Bowen doing it now. (all UNCA Drama Dept. folks)
In both cases, project became making a play with one of the inmates as playwright. In first case, authorities prevented performance at last minute, demanded that script be stripped of all bad language and violence, then never let it go on even bowdlerized; in second case, Peter didn't try for public performance--just did a reading with the members of the class and one invited guest.
Peter now asking if he can teach a playwriting class to formalize the process; waiting to hear which institution he'll be sent to.
Talked about seeing "culture of violence" that prisoners come from--how far from that culture we are, how little we know, how enthusiastically they respond to violent images in plays, etc.; how he gained trust partly just by his obvious dedication, returning week after week; teaches one three-hour (two-hour?) session per week for 16 weeks; at times gruelling; would begin by showing half of a recent, good film (much better quality than they usually get, but then administration told him had to be PG-13 rated); first group started out numbering 16, ended up about 12 when those not really interested dropped out--still a large group.
Talked about how into it most of the prisoners became, how excited they were when they thought they were going to perform (and how the performance being cancelled confirmed their expectations of the administration), and--most interestingly--how much they enjoyed the idea of performing, of being seen.
Contrary to Curt Tofteland, Peter said he didn't expect that doing theatre was going to fundamentally change the people he worked with; for him, what was most important was that they be heard, that their story get told. That's why getting the script out (public reading at Arts Council) was vitally iimportant even after performance cancelled.
Peter seemed to have far less cooperation from prison administrations than Curt found (Curt had allies in high places as I recall). His sense was that, with a few exceptions, prison staff not at all interested in rehibilitation issues, only punishment. Didn't want prisoners to "get away" with anything; mistrusted prisoners and Peter himself (what's in it for him?)
Possibilities: 1) bring Peter to WWC to talk to theatre students (and others);
2) talk to Scott, Laura, Rob about their experiences;
3) contact Jane Sobie who is interested in working with teenage girls in prison;
4) take Peter up on his offer to join him for one teaching session;
Peter said there seem to be a number of Asheville theatre folks interested in doing prison work; maybe something collaborative can come of it. Keep talking.
OTHER MATTERS:
Peter brought one of his AB Tech. productions to Reed Center. They have pretty active program there (talk to head: Levonne Griffin, 350-2048; good person)--could be a good "test audience" for Oroonoko Project or FYS projects.
Good person to contact: Lloyd Weinberg, AB Tech's Service Learning person. Taught jazz at UNCA for a long time. Knows a lot of local groups/organizations (mentioned a group of war veterans who meet weekly as one example).
Mentioned two guys at AB Tech doing digital media--I should check them out.
Book to check out in UNCA Library: Medea Project (working with female prisoners)
Website of local guy doing multi-media in spheres (MountainX story?): themap.org
Scapegoat Theatre (Karen ?) local group did The Exonerated; tried & failed to get it into prisons, but she's interested in doing more...
New Orleans connection! Peter went to UNO and worked for Asheville Lyric Theatre. Also worked closely with Buzz (went to Oklahoma Shakespearean Festival with him to do a Henry V--incredibly boring state but a great production). Also knew Dane Rhodes and other folks.
Met at City Bakery. Talked for three hours! Great conversation!!
PRISON WORK:
His work in prisons (one in Mitchell/Avery counties? another one in a different location) is through the UNCA Distance Learning program (Elaine Fox)
Scott Walters and Laura Facciponte have been teaching in prison, and Rob Bowen doing it now. (all UNCA Drama Dept. folks)
In both cases, project became making a play with one of the inmates as playwright. In first case, authorities prevented performance at last minute, demanded that script be stripped of all bad language and violence, then never let it go on even bowdlerized; in second case, Peter didn't try for public performance--just did a reading with the members of the class and one invited guest.
Peter now asking if he can teach a playwriting class to formalize the process; waiting to hear which institution he'll be sent to.
Talked about seeing "culture of violence" that prisoners come from--how far from that culture we are, how little we know, how enthusiastically they respond to violent images in plays, etc.; how he gained trust partly just by his obvious dedication, returning week after week; teaches one three-hour (two-hour?) session per week for 16 weeks; at times gruelling; would begin by showing half of a recent, good film (much better quality than they usually get, but then administration told him had to be PG-13 rated); first group started out numbering 16, ended up about 12 when those not really interested dropped out--still a large group.
Talked about how into it most of the prisoners became, how excited they were when they thought they were going to perform (and how the performance being cancelled confirmed their expectations of the administration), and--most interestingly--how much they enjoyed the idea of performing, of being seen.
Contrary to Curt Tofteland, Peter said he didn't expect that doing theatre was going to fundamentally change the people he worked with; for him, what was most important was that they be heard, that their story get told. That's why getting the script out (public reading at Arts Council) was vitally iimportant even after performance cancelled.
Peter seemed to have far less cooperation from prison administrations than Curt found (Curt had allies in high places as I recall). His sense was that, with a few exceptions, prison staff not at all interested in rehibilitation issues, only punishment. Didn't want prisoners to "get away" with anything; mistrusted prisoners and Peter himself (what's in it for him?)
Possibilities: 1) bring Peter to WWC to talk to theatre students (and others);
2) talk to Scott, Laura, Rob about their experiences;
3) contact Jane Sobie who is interested in working with teenage girls in prison;
4) take Peter up on his offer to join him for one teaching session;
Peter said there seem to be a number of Asheville theatre folks interested in doing prison work; maybe something collaborative can come of it. Keep talking.
OTHER MATTERS:
Peter brought one of his AB Tech. productions to Reed Center. They have pretty active program there (talk to head: Levonne Griffin, 350-2048; good person)--could be a good "test audience" for Oroonoko Project or FYS projects.
Good person to contact: Lloyd Weinberg, AB Tech's Service Learning person. Taught jazz at UNCA for a long time. Knows a lot of local groups/organizations (mentioned a group of war veterans who meet weekly as one example).
Mentioned two guys at AB Tech doing digital media--I should check them out.
Book to check out in UNCA Library: Medea Project (working with female prisoners)
Website of local guy doing multi-media in spheres (MountainX story?): themap.org
Scapegoat Theatre (Karen ?) local group did The Exonerated; tried & failed to get it into prisons, but she's interested in doing more...
New Orleans connection! Peter went to UNO and worked for Asheville Lyric Theatre. Also worked closely with Buzz (went to Oklahoma Shakespearean Festival with him to do a Henry V--incredibly boring state but a great production). Also knew Dane Rhodes and other folks.
posted by Graham at 1:33 PM
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