To All Supporters of Refugees and Asylum Seekers:
Two upcoming events:
October 26th, 7pm: Sandglass Theater comes to the Upper Valley to show the film, Babylon, Journeys of Refugees
The film of SANDGLASS THEATER’s action-packed, high-energy theatrical production is a response to the worldwide refugee crisis and its impact on communities in the United States. Working with the USCRI Vermont (US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants), we seek to understand the challenges that face refugees and asylum seekers. Sandglass conducted research and interviews with new residents who immigrated to the US in order to gain insight into their plight and the challenges of resettlement. Babylon looks at the relationship of refugees to their homelands, lost and new, and the conflicts that exist within the countries to which they flee. Using puppets and moving panoramic scrolls, five actor/singer/puppeteers tell refugees’ stories in original four-part choral songs.
Watch the trailer of the film. Members of the Sandglass Theater Ensemble will be available for questions and discussion at the end of the film.
October 27th at 7pm Refugee Journey Workshop
The workshop uses a board game to engage participants through facilitated discussions that stem from a “board game” created by USCRI Vermont’s Laurie Stavrand. The game, called Refugee Journey, recreates the emotional experience of trying to bring refugee "pieces" to safety. Throughout the game, participants draw cards that tell parts of true refugee stories, and move the game pieces forward or backward on the board. Sandglass performers play the roles of border guards, smugglers, medical officers, and immigration interviewers. These characters directly confront participants in order to personalize the refugee experience in all its danger, unfairness, and bureaucracy. Frequently, the game puts a player in the situation of having to make an impossible choice, and these experiences are processed during post-game discussions. The game is over when time is up, or when one person reaches resettlement. The game’s conclusion represents the statistic that only 1% of refugees ever reach a new homeland.
Please join us, and forward this notice to family, friends, and colleagues!
Thanks,
Bill Ploog
SHARe
P.O. Box 264
Norwich, VT 05505-0264
www.sharevtnh.org
sharevtnh@gmail.com
This event is co-sponsored by the Upper Valley Neighorhood Support Team.
