Jigsaw Nation-The Relentless Theatre Company profile picture

Jigsaw Nation-The Relentless Theatre Company

relentlessnyc

About Me

According to the 2000 Census, America is ethnically, racially, and linguistically more diverse than ever before. Today, one in nine people living here is an immigrant seeking the promise of freedom and economic opportunity. Contentious and controversial issues surrounding immigration and its reform demand immediate attention. The Statue of Liberty states: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breath free” – who are these people? Who deserves liberty? What constitutes being American? Ignorance breeds intolerance. RTC believes education through creative communication will nurture compassion, understanding and acceptance.JIGSAW NATION is a performance piece crafted from interviews of Americans from across the country. RTC identifies and travels to an area of the country that has been significantly inhabited by documented/undocumented immigrants. Prior to arriving in each city, extensive research is conducted on local issues affecting the area, and meetings are scheduled in advance with town leaders, community activists and residents. Upon arrival, the beginning of our week is spent conducting interviews, editing and rehearsing text with professional local actors, culminating in two performances at the end of the week. The premise of each interview is to understand what “American” means to each individual. The first act, JIGSAW NATION-National Response, comprises of a 45 minute compilation of interviews from all over the country; this does not change from city to city. The second act is 20 minutes created specific to the hosting community (I.e. JIGSAW NATION-Louisville).Each performance is followed by an audience talk-back that will include the production team, scholars, and community leaders. Post-show discussions are where our ultimate goal of communication is achieved – audience members are invited to share their stories with one another; audiences have ranged from a border patrol officer to a concentration camp survivor, common people with uncommon stories. In a post-show discussion one audience member said, "I learned more about the people I live with in the last 80 minutes than I've learned in the past 5 years." Another member of our audience stated: “A truly unique and intriguing idea. A reflection of theater as ‘art’ and ‘art’ as the common voice of us all.”We have successfully completed this project at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa, California, the Playwrights Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, The New York International Fringe Festival and Ellis Island in New York City

My Interests

Theatre, Freedom, Politics, America, ImmigrantsThe following are interviews with the artistic team:

I'd like to meet:

People who are interested in sharing their personal stories and opinions that answers the question: What does "American" mean to you?

My Blog

JIGSAW NATION DENVER WITH TOWN HALL MEETING

  NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 7, 2008 Press Contact: Olivia Honegger [email protected]     "JIGSAW NATION - Denver"   What does "American" mean to you?  ...
Posted by Jigsaw Nation-The Relentless Theatre Company on Wed, 14 May 2008 07:17:00 PST

Waco, Texas

Originally from Texas. Waco, Texas. Not be confused with Branch Dividians because they were in Mt. Carmel, Texas. Waco is a big town. My mother was a voice and piano teacher. My Daddy taught in the ...
Posted by Jigsaw Nation-The Relentless Theatre Company on Wed, 02 Jan 2008 02:32:00 PST

SAVE THE DATE...PARTY!!!! Relentless Style!

Hi ALL-Adele Paula Royce and myself are at it AGAIN!! We are having a small party/bash/fundraising event for my theatre company, The Relentless Theatre Company, November 14th,  at Conker Hill, lo...
Posted by Jigsaw Nation-The Relentless Theatre Company on Wed, 10 Oct 2007 11:59:00 PST

IRAQ

Your question is hard to answer, although not a day passes out here where I don't think about things related to my feelings about home.  I don't have a straight forward reply so I this may be too...
Posted by Jigsaw Nation-The Relentless Theatre Company on Fri, 14 Sep 2007 12:09:00 PST

LA Interview

If you gonna turn yourself to some person who is a dictator, we have to understand  we cannot blame the public because of dat person's act.   And, I believe that, if,  in my country, i...
Posted by Jigsaw Nation-The Relentless Theatre Company on Wed, 25 Jul 2007 11:14:00 PST

American Pie

Sisters at the mall I: What it means for you personally 1: Ummm&..uhhhhhhmmmmmmm&..(giggle) Being a smart country. I: Yeah? 1: I guess&.Yeah&I never really thought about it, I guess. 2: (Simulatan...
Posted by Jigsaw Nation-The Relentless Theatre Company on Thu, 17 May 2007 06:54:00 PST

American?

My friends say I am pretty much white anyway. What does that mean? Well to them it means&I don't speak Chinese in front of them because I think my Chinese has a very strong American accent and it's ...
Posted by Jigsaw Nation-The Relentless Theatre Company on Tue, 08 May 2007 02:10:00 PST

COME SEE JIGSAW NATION!!! PLEASE JOIN US!!

We are back from South Coast Repertory! Come see what being "American" means to the folks of Orange County, CA! Flea Theater 41 White Street (between Church and Broadway) 1/9 to Franklin, A/C/E/N/R/6...
Posted by Jigsaw Nation-The Relentless Theatre Company on Mon, 07 May 2007 12:24:00 PST

OC-Interview

I:There are  my mother refused to do it  S: Why? I: She says, "Well, am I going to meet the person who's interviewing me?" This guy, Gary, who is, like the most well mannered guy on the planet and ...
Posted by Jigsaw Nation-The Relentless Theatre Company on Tue, 01 May 2007 08:05:00 PST

Being American

From an Anonymous friend: Being "American" means having to choose between the strength and hope and promise of the Constitution and the fear and loathing of the nation's underlying Puritanism. The "s...
Posted by Jigsaw Nation-The Relentless Theatre Company on Thu, 29 Mar 2007 10:42:00 PST