9.28 The Thoughts and the Script

I've been meaning to post some of these thoughts for awhile.

ON 9/28: There was something unimaginably somber about the meeting. Would they have been eager? At what point does anger overcome fear? I did not want to join but I did. There was nothing else to do. In the end I knew that it was best for my daughters. What example would it set for them? Can't be afraid.
I felt so connected to the stories themselves. And, personally, I was paralyzed by fear. I wanted action but it was nearly impossible for me to bring myself to do it.


Generally, I think, if we were to do this for the show or again we could ad-lib it. I like the truthfulness of it in that way. To make it more urgent, perhaps ad a time limit when the Company will show up.

Concerning the Mother Jones documentary. I loved it simply because of her character. I think she is pivotal to have in the final product. In fact, I'm going to write a play about her.


An idea that occurred to me, along the lines of the stuff we were talking about 2 weeks ago (the idea of making a tunnel-esque walk-through experience for an audience where they are thrust into the world and which directions they choose dictate the type of experience they have), was to have that but with big events that perhaps happened in the middle of the space, that the audience could view through peep-holes or something. Events, like the union meeting, that provided big ideas to them in intriguing ways and occurred throughout the evening in different forms. I like the idea of smaller events happening and bigger events shaping their experience...perhaps also with the things that Craig and I were playing with. Perspective. Maybe the events look completely different from different angles and where you are sort of dictates how you perceive the event.

On that note, what follows are the two monologues that Craig and I used:

Craig: Company Reporter
Company Report on the mine explosion of August 2nd 1913.
Investigations into the explosion demonstrate negligence on the part of the miners in shaft 16. Gas lamps not properly maintained ignited coal dust causing cave in's in local tunnels and shafts.
The company was not at fault.
43 Units lost.
Due to fault resting with the miners no compensation is due.
It was an unfortunate loss of coal.


Sinjin: Worker
August 2nd, 1913.
My brother was killed in a mine "accident". No one checked to see if it was stable. No one was around to help in shaft 16. So he died, alone, no one around to help.
It was the company's fault.
All in all 43 people died.
Fourty-three brothers and sisters, moms and dads. I only lost one...I couldn't imagine losing more.
It was a horrible loss of life.


My hopes for what to do next week to come!