Updates from Chantal Bilodeau 

I am thrilled to announce that NoPassport, The Arctic Cycle and Theatre Without Borders are organizing a CLIMATE CHANGE THEATRE ACTION – a series of worldwide readings and performances intended to bring awareness to, and discussion around, climate change in November 2015.

This action is in support of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Paris (COP21) taking place November 30-December 11, 2015. This momentous international event, combined with the U.S. assuming the chair of the Arctic Council in April 2015, means that climate change will be an important conversation in the months to come.

A collection of 1-5 minute plays by dramatists, poets and storytellers, curated by Caridad Svich, Elaine Avila and myself, will be available to collaborators worldwide during the month of November 2015. These events are open to the design of our collaborators, and can be held in any venue of their choosing, from a large theatre to outdoors, online to a living room.

The goal of this action is to engage as many people as possible in keeping the conversation alive.

The New York City event will be held on November 2, 2015 from 6:30-8:00 PM at the Nuyorican Poets Café. Other venues TBA.

For an example of another International Theatre Action like this one, please click here.

Foundry Dialogues 2015: This Changes Everything

Recently, I had the honor of participating in the Foundry Theatre’s annual Dialogues. Inspired by Naomi Klein’s international bestseller This Changes Everything, this year’s Foundry Dialogues featured an international group of celebrated thinkers, activists, journalists, policymakers and artists who are exploring radical new ways to make our world last longer.

The Dialogues were divided in four parts. For Part 4, titled Restoring Our Planet, I took the stage with Pablo Soron Romero, Permanent Representative to the United Nations for Bolivia, and Michael Leon Guerrero, Coordinator of the national Grassroots Global Justice Alliance. Playwright Lisa D’Amour moderated.

Didn’t know about it or couldn’t attend? Don’t worry. The conversation has been archived on the Foundry Theatre’s website so you can watch it at your convenience. And while you’re there, make sure to take a look at Parts 1, 2, and 3. They all featured wonderful and inspiring speakers.

Coming Up

More exciting events coming up in the fall:

• September 21: In solidarity with Climate Week NYC, The Arctic Cycle is joining forces with NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, PositiveFeedback, and Theatre Without Borders to present an evening of Theatre and Climate Change. More details soon.
• September 21-26: Stay tuned for a second installment of the HowlRound blog series Theatre in the Age of Climate Change.
• October: Sila, published by Talonbooks, is released! More information soon about a book launch event in New York City.
• February 2016: Forward will be produced by Kansas State University.