Hi friends … today’s poem is really a performance art piece I did last night at the fourth annual Literary Burlesque in Telluride. I thought I’d try to capture how the performance went, so here are the lighting and image cues, the music accompaniment cues, and costuming and set directions.
Inspired by In the Box, Horizontal by Ruth Bernhard, German born, American, black and white photograph.
Rosemerry, writer/performer
Kyra, cellist
LIGHTS: STILL DARK. KYRA ENTERS WITH CELLO, PLAYS LIVE IN DARK DURING SET-UP.
Stage hands set a folding table on stage with a black covering, and on top of that a long cardboard box. Also place on the table a cell phone and pen.
IMAGE: KYRA PAUSES, THEN STARTS BASELINE OF “GLORY BOX,” BY PORTISHEAD.
IMAGE OF WOMAN IN THE BOX COMES UP WHEN BASELINE BEGINS.
ROSEMERRY ENTERS IN DARK, WEARING “SEXY TEACHER” COSTUME—SHORT PLAID SKIRT, WHITE BUTTON SHIRT, HAIR UP, READING GLASSES, SUPER HIGH HEELS CARRYING A LONG WHITE RULER, SINGING INTRO MELODY OF “GLORY BOX” BY PORTISHEAD
IMAGE STILL UP. Kyra still playing.
KYRA PLAYS BASE LINE 4 TIMES,
IMAGE OUT.
LIGHTS UP.
(Kyra continue plucking bass on the cello)
Rm speaking: Good evening class,
tonight we’re going to talk about
a woman’s box.
Pop Quiz:
Is it a: how she fights with her fists against tyranny
Is it b: a place to be grabbed by men with orange hair
is it c: where she keeps her jewelry
No. Imma tell you what it is … And-a 1, 2, 3
(Music A, same bassline, bowed instead of plucked, pick up tempo, rm sing)
There’s a place a woman goes
when she’s needs to be alone—
it’s her box.
(SPOKEN: Play it Kyra)
There’s a place she disappears
when she needs to see things clear—
it’s her box.
(SPOKEN: I love my box)
Not a cage, there is no key,
it’s her private sanctuary
it’s a place you’ll never see—
it’s her box. (rm take off shoes here)
(rm start body slap rhythm while kyra plays, kyra join on body rhythm, rm speak)
Okay class, let’s break it down
IMAGE: IMAGE OF US MAP GOES UP
Now there’s lots of work to do out there
the earth’s in desperate need of care
(RM point with ruler to places on the map)
the EPA is decimated,
pipeline construction’s escalated
global warmings’ being negated
offshore drilling’s being slated
with all these threats, and all that’s wrong
IMAGE: IMAGES OFF
a woman must be warrior, strong—
she needs her mask (pull out reading glasses), she needs her sword (pick up pen and brandish it)
she needs her trusty, high-speed horse (pull out cell phone and pretend to speed dial … while kyra makes rhythmic sound of horse galloping)
(no music)
hello, senator Cory Gardner? this is Rosemerry Trommer calling, I’m your constituent from Placerville, zip code 81430, and today I want to talk about how you’re going to vote on …
(back to music A, but slower, quieter, smoother, kyra slide, rm sing)
When lies are swirling all around
she needs the place where truth is found
her inner knowing, her sacred ground
it’s in her box.
it’s an infinity she keeps inside her
where the world is limitless, quieter,
our expansiveness comes from within
a home where she removes her armor (start here to take off glasses)
where she lets the mystery touch her
(kyra soft pluck slide the bass, rm begin to unbutton shirt, eyes gaze down, inward)
yes in her private chrysalis
is where a woman’s power begins (drop shirt)
a place where she is open, tender, soft,
the silence there informs her (drop skirt, wearing a nude bodysuit underneath)
vulnerability transforms her—
and the world—in ways ferocity cannot. (kick skirt into audience)
kyra bow the intro hum (rm climb inside the box here) then kyra pluck the intro hum
you are your own fertile seed
you are your own desert rain
you are your own silk cocoon
you are your own shaman’s cave
it’s from the inside
we learn to be brave
(kyra decrescendo, rm reach left hand out … red hand showing)
lights out.
I do hear your voice here….bravo dear friend
>
Thanks dear Val,
Hope to see you at Ziggies!
r
Watch my TEDx talk The Art of Changing Metaphors: TEDX Rosemerry Trommer
Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer
970-729-1838
wordwoman.com
Perfect! Is there a youtube video?
Hi Joan, no video … we burl gurls voted against it. It didn’t feel safe, and it seemed to take away from power of the moment. You’ll have to imagine it!
All the best,
r
From: “comment-reply@wordpress.com” Reply-To: Date: Sunday, May 21, 2017 at 4:51 PM To: Rosemerry Trommer Subject: [A Hundred Falling Veils] Comment: “In The Box: Literary Burlesque 2017”
Kiitos, for the transcript. Whenever I come across it, it’ll take me back to Saturday evening; and I’ll be so very goodily overwhelmed again, remembering that one evening audiencing you and the rest of the Burl tribe.