The Acceptance Project Grenada- 2018

She's a mother, a daughter, a sister a friend, She's not your Own! Rose’s Spoken Word Maybe if I just do as I was told, when I’m told, how I’m told; Cook, clean- I do all those things but maybe not good enough Otherwise I won’t be pacing to and fro, Biting nails, double checking everything before he comes home. --He’s HERE! And by just the turn of the key I knew tonight wasn’t a love making night He was Angry, Before I could say hello,  Greet him with a smile,  He flung the door shut and with the blink of an eye,  His has were wrapped around my neck Screaming--- I don’t know what he’s saying But the daggers that shoot out of his mouth, Stab my soul It’s the emotional pain that hurts more So, with every whack of a spoon, And smash her face All I think of is how can I be his everything— His inner peace! After only SEVEN days of work, we have a working script that we were so happy to read out loud  today. We were ...

Leaving St. George's It was a day filled with abundant beauty, family, friends and great laughter. We stopped for a while to get snacks, gas and pick up Todd, but couldn't help but check out the stunning beauty of the Port Louis Marina on the Kirani James Boulevard. Taking the time to experience Pure Grenada was very fulfilling. Our first official stop was the Annandale Waterfall, where we met up with some friend who initially wanted to enjoy a sunny day at the beach but were convinced otherwise at the thought of the seeing the lake and other scenic parts of the island.. We often forget that we live in Paradise. On a half day trip to parts of the island on Sunday my brother captured this picturesque scene of the Grand Etang Lake. Nestled in the rain forest, Grand Etang Lake is a crater lake that has been described as the heart of the National Park. Embedded in an extinct volcano, Grand Etang is the perfect spot for picnics, hiking, having a banana...

Today we explored from a religious point of view. What does acceptance mean for Christians and non-Christians? What is the established culture for accepting Jesus and how do you go about doing it without being judged and or ridicule by others who do not share similar beliefs. Today we put the actors to the test in an Improv setting. What if the Christian had to live a day in the life of a bad boy and vice versa. The actors explore the language of a bad boy, his pysicalisations and way of life. Oh, what a joy to see the very common stereotypes; the dropping of the pants below the bum, the hand shakes and the drugs.

Cocoa Lover... The Grenada Chocolate Festival is in its 5th year and what a fitting theme to commemorate this year's celebrations, From Tree to Bar . I had the absolute pleasure of making chocolate. 

The group wrote two more scenes today on issues they suggested. Themes chosen were Domestic Violence, Child Abuse and Peer Pressure. 

We always begin with a game. The last four of Zip Zap Zop!

What if we lived in a World with no judgement... Today, we had almost 20 participants. Twelve Students from the Grenada Boys' Secondary School's Theatre Arts class attended and we decided that we were going to now have two separate meetings. As part of the Theatre Arts syllabus, the students are expected to perform scenes based of prompts/stimuli and improvisations. We began playing our new favorite game ZIP ZAP ZOP , and of course we had a participant with slippery hands.

The Acceptance Project: A devised play with the members of the Creative Arts Theatre Company in Grenada.   This project is a collaboration between Todd Siff with the support of TYA USA and Creative Arts Theatre. The purpose of the project is to develop, produce, and tour a new play centered around the theme of “Acceptance”. Devised in conjunction with members of the Creative Arts Theatre, under the guidance of Todd Siff (MFA in Theatre for Youth) and Neila Ettienne (MFA), founder and Artistic Director, the play will help spark dialogue amongst teenagers who are dealing with an array of oppressive issues within their current Grenadian culture and communities and within the world at large. The project will develop through a three week rehearsal process and will then tour to elementary schools, theaters, and community centers across Grenada and the Caribbean at the 2019 Caribbean Festival of the Arts (CARIFESTA), held biannually and hosted by a different Caribbean natio...