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Community Performance Inc.

February 13, 2008

Co-Production.

What we're talking about with emerging projects is the idea of co-production. We work together to create these projects, and I say project- not play, because Community Performance was never intended to remain only in the theater. At it's origins, Community Performance is about a Community performing itself, in all of its facets.

Because the most visible product is often a play, the ancillary movement toward change is often over looked, but they, too, are an part of, and indeed, an intended part of Community Performance. When he founded these projects nearly twenty years ago, Richard wasn't talking with the community about doing just a play, but in their vision meeting for the future, they envisioned after school programs, continuing education programs, the emergence of bed and breakfasts and restaurants. And within ten years. these things happened.

What Richard and I have been keen to introduce at the very beginning is the idea of co-production. We, along with the community, hold the vision for these things to take place. It's very easy to begin to pigeon hole the production team into the arena of theater only, and the administrative team into the organizational structure only, but when those seemingly logical moves toward efficiency happens, both areas suffer. The Play, the production, remains strong as the voice from the community keeps it alive with its issues, stories, and reactions. The emerging programs, stemming from the production, remains strong as the creative team, along with the community, work together to co-create this vision together. It takes the vibrant involvement of the entire team. Without this inclusion, it ceases to be Community performance, and becomes a community play. We can, of course, deliver a community play, but we don't do this work to make a play. That's one of the things that comes out of it. The biggest product that comes out of it would be a stronger-connected neighborhood/community/town/county.

We spent a great deal of time with the Franklin County core team, talking with them about the idea of co-production, and the importance of remaining in each other's work, and the importance of consistent, regular communication. in the past, we've faced difficulty with our absence from the project. But as we remain tuned in with each other's work- they in the script and we in the organizational decisions- the better prepared we will be to work with each other when times get tense. And times will get tense. it is the nature of change.

These projects are begun in communities, because somewhere within the community, something wants to be done differently. But disrupting the status quo is uncomfortable. the more we move toward that change, the more people are going to feel uncomfortable. BUt we must remain, we the leaders- the core team and the creative team- we must not fall into the discomfort, too, we must remain aware of this phenomenon, and be the hands that will not let go. The hearts that will say, "Yes, we're experiencing labor pains, but what we will receive at the end of it is a beautiful thing. And it will feel wrong at first, because we are so used to thsi other way. But that's OK. We'll stay together and work through this, and when we're done, we will have what we set out to do".

So many times, the very thing that a community will want to shift is the very thing they try to hold on to, as that thing begins to shift. Take for example, the idea that "We want more kids involved". What no one may understand is that bringing in a new group of any kind is going to shift the identity of the group. the kids will have ideas how this project will look. As they begin to take ownership of the project with everyone else, certain new ideas will emerge, and certain new challenges. With kids, we get the challenge of childcare, discipline, lots of energy, a need to go home early at night for school, and other things. To a group who has no experience dealing with kids, paying attention to just one, not to mention all of these issues, will begin to look like we're ONLY dealing with kid's issues. What' really happening is we're dealign with all of the other things we've dealt with before, AND, those things have become sort of rote to us by then, so, we REALLY pay attention to these new things. And pretty soon, it will feel like we're only dealing with kid's issues. The truth is, we're becoming aware of the kids issues. But we really haven't stopped attending to the other things. It just FEELS that way. And it is uncomfortable. It feels wrong, it feels like too much work to deal with, and pretty soon, a number of people in the organization are ready to rebel, because they feel like and have used the phrase "this isn't my project anymore". There is some truth to that, and there is also a falsehood about it. It is not the same project anymore. No. It has grown larger, to include a new group, whose needs must be attended. AND, it is no less your project, unless you choose to let it go during the difficult transition from a one thing into the larger thing. People can feel hurt and betrayed if they don't feel any other choice but to let go, and that is where co-production really becomes important. This idea for inclusion needs to be held. If the creative team lets go, then anger is shifted onto the leadership. If leadership lets go, anger is shifted toward the creative team. (Human nature looks for "fault" and wants to blame something on this discomfort). But if we all hold on together, as co-producers not just of the play, but of the change occurring as a result- then we have a unified team, holding a space for this new thing to be born. And this change, no matter how much anyone of us may want it, won't have a chance to be born unless we all agree that we are co-creators, co-producers, and together, hold on, encourage the community members as a doctor and father encourage the mother about to give birth. We are almost there. We've never been closer. You're doing it. Breathe, breathe, breathe. You're going to make it, and something beautiful is going to be born when it's done.

   

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