Stage Kiss - Goodman Theatre

IN THE WINGS
NINA CHIN
Local Seniors Find Their Inner Voice
Through GeNarrations Writing Program
In September of 1941, my family was returning to Shanghai
from a year’s sabbatical in Sydney, Australia. The air was thick
with the threat of war, but Bebe and I were oblivious to the
seriousness of the situation. We busied ourselves with the fun
and excitement of travel as we met new playmates while playing
onboard the ship.
As we left Sydney Harbour, the ship docked next to ours was
painted battleship gray. She was a gigantic ship that towered
over ours and dwarfed it. At her bow, the words “Queen Mary”
filtered faintly through the gray. Even she, England’s proudest
and largest passenger liner, was dressed for war and waiting in
Sydney Harbour to carry Australian soldiers off to England to
help in her fight against Germany. Our ship, the Nellore, sailed
to Shanghai under strict “black-out” enforcement. Our porthole
windows were painted black. How exciting to be sailing the
Pacific at night in total darkness! Our imaginations ran wild as
we conjured up visions of pirates, intrigue and suspense! We
wondered why the adults seemed so serious and concerned.
So begins “The Baptism,” written by Nina Chin—a story of
life in Shanghai under the World War II-era Japanese occupation.
It is just one of more than 75 memoirs developed as part
of the Goodman’s newest educational program, GeNarrations.
GeNarrations, a storytelling and writing program for adults 55 and
older, enables seniors to draft and tell the stories of their lives.
Workshops, which were developed in partnership with the City
of Chicago’s Senior Services Area Agency on Aging, are held
in senior centers across Chicago and Evanston. Teachers use
techniques and curricula developed in the Goodman’s General
Theater Studies (GTS) program, which helps young people
explore the power of their own stories.
Each six-week workshop series takes its theme from a mainstage
production at the Goodman. In the inaugural session,
writers were inspired by our production of Hughie/Krapp’s Last
Tape. Our second series took its theme from Candide. Both
series culminated with storytelling performances at Renaissance
Court in the Chicago Cultural Center.
The next round of workshops, which begins in April, is
inspired by the world premiere of Sarah Ruhl’s Stage Kiss
and will examine the joys and pangs of first love, a theme the
seniors will share with students in the Goodman’s General
Theater Studies program over the summer. Students in GTS,
who are accustomed to oral history narrative and devising theatrical
scenes, will be paired with senior writers to teach the
adults how to dramatize their stories for the stage. The scenes
they create will be incorporated into the final production GTS
devises in July.
Adults interested in participating in GeNarrations can check
the Goodman website under the Education tab (Education.
GoodmanTheatre.org) for workshop locations.
JPMORGAN CHASE BECOMES PRINCIPAL
SUPPORTER OF SIGNATURE EDUCATION
PROGRAM
Goodman Theatre is thrilled to recognize JPMorgan Chase as the Principal
Corporate Sponsor of its Student Subscription Series.
JPMorgan Chase—committed to being a catalyst for economic and cultural
development in the communities it serves—is teaming up with the Goodman
to support professional development for educators that enhances learning
opportunities in the classroom and gives Chicago Public School students a
rich theatergoing experience. In addition to strengthening the critical thinking
and communication skills that are important tools for lifelong learning, the
program fosters creativity, promotes self expression and celebrates diversity.
“JPMorgan Chase is committed to building vibrant communities, focusing on
community development, education and the arts. We are honored to have
been a partner with the Goodman for many years. This year, we proudly
support the 2010/2011 Student Subscription Series, as well as the 10th
Anniversary Season,” said Amy Fahey, President, Midwest Middle Market,
Commercial Bank, JPMorgan Chase and a Goodman trustee.
Goodman Theatre extends sincere thanks to JPMorgan Chase for including the
Goodman in its vision for outstanding corporate citizenship in Chicago, and
thanks the bank for its generous leadership support.
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