A few photos from my most recent shoot at the Very Little Theater in Eugene: Stories from the Helix.
Stories from the Helix is a collaboration between Wordcrafters in Eugene and Minority Voices Theatre that brings to the stage stories from marginalized residents of Lane County. It’s a part of a larger community storytelling project called StoryHelix, and uses dance, voice recordings, projection art, and theater to bring to life eleven of the stories that were brought to them over the last year.
For the past three years, StoryHelix in Eugene has been collecting stories from people all across Lane County. Their intention is to amplify stories told by people in Lane County who are often silenced and excluded. These stories are then made into a podcast “mixtape,” released at the year’s end. This year, however, several stories were chosen to featured onstage.
The theme of the stories centered around experiences of alienation, as well as the nature of community and what it means to belong in the place that you live.
Featured storytellers included
- Milah Jaynti
- Nathaniel
- Carol Dennis
- Stan Coleman
- Esther Stutzman
- David Hopkins
- Mary and Dania Sollo
- Tina
The stories were transformed into a stage play by Eva Osirus of Sirius Rising, who is also directing the production. It also features the choreography of Steph Young of the Fermata Dance Collective and Mary and Dania Sollo of the Ballet Folklórico Colibrí. The projections are by Traci Crimmins.
Shooting theater brings me back to my roots, as I started life as a stagehand when I was 16. I’m looking forward to doing much more of it.
What do you think? What are some of your favorite stories from Lane County residents -stories that may not have been given a public voice?