Starvation Update

I met with Maggie Scanlan yesterday to discuss my Redeye solo show about the Minnesota Starvation Experiment. Last week we had a workshop session with the other Works in Progress participants and I got some good feedback about the first five minutes.

As we presented it last week, it starts out with a person crawling very slowly, painfully slowly from the back of the stage to the front. Then there's a transition, and the second scene is Ancel Keys delivering a monologue, perhaps to a group of fellow doctors, about how they were going to be able to succeed with the experiment.

I got some good feedback. People seemed engaged with the physical energy that I was working with, although Steve Busa suggested that I might look into incorporating some Butoh movement. He also suggested that I start to think about differentiating the characters in the story.

So when I met with Maggie today we watched some Butoh youtube videos, which do indeed inspire me. I think incorporating that style of movement, or at least being influenced by it, is something I'd like to play with.

I also talked to Maggie about really taking a look at the main characters and try to develop a separate physical language, and vocal language for each. We're planning to do that on Friday.

I woke up very early this morning and started thinking about the visual aspect of the show. When I first thought of the piece, I had this idea that there would be projected images of the starving conscientious objectors at various points in the show. I scrapped that idea pretty quickly because it sounds technically difficult to pull that off, but lately I'm reconsidering the possibility, although I'm thinking more abstract images.

Last night I had an interesting conversation about how this piece is an attempt to intersect, or juxtapose, images of war, starvation, altruism, and patriotism. So this morning, when I got up early, I was kind of on the hunt for some images that might inspire me.

I haven't really found what I'm looking for, but it's a start. Below are a number of mostly pro-American propaganda images that for some reason or another drew me in. I'm hoping now to find more pieces of photojournalism from the war, from the starvation experiment itself, and of starvation generally. I'd also really like to find some abstract images that somehow relate to the themes. I most likely won't use these images in the show, but I'm thinking more that they could be a starting point for working on the piece visually and theatrically.


From WW2 in Color
http://www.ww2incolor.com/d/315891-2/life_245


From the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
Title: Disabled Veteren
http://docs.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/images/photodb/23-0318a.gif


From the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library
Title: A record of Boeing-Witchita's 1,000th B-29 moving through the production lines.
http://docs.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/images/photodb/23-0475a.gif


From Northwester University's WWII Poster Collection
Title: Millions now don't get the food they need.
Publisher: [Washington, D.C.] : U.S. G.P.O.,
Date: 1941.
Format: 1 poster : b & w ; 64 x 51 cm.
Series: Make America strong series ; no. 2
Notes: "Dept. of Agriculture, Extension Service"--Monthly catalog 1941, p. 782.
http://www.library.northwestern.edu/govinfo/collections/wwii-posters/img/ww1645-67.jpg


From Northwestern University's Poster Collection
Title: These breed danger : meals that are too meager, meals poorly prepared, meals low in protective foods.
Publisher: [Washington, D.C.] : U.S. G.P.O.,
Date: 1941.
Format: 1 poster : b & w ; 64 x 51 cm.
Series: Make America strong series ; no. 5
Notes: "Dept. of Agriculture, Extension Service"--Monthly catalog 1941, p. 782
http://www.library.northwestern.edu/govinfo/collections/wwii-posters/img/ww1645-72.jpg


Title: Some can't buy : some don't know, some don't try.
Publisher: [Washington, D.C.] : U.S. G.P.O.,
Date: 1941.
Format: 1 poster : b & w ; 64 x 51 cm.
Series: Make America strong series ; no. 3
Notes: "Agriculture Department, Extension Service"--Monthly catalog 1941, p. 781.
http://www.library.northwestern.edu/govinfo/collections/wwii-posters/img/ww1645-71.jpg




From Northwestern University's WWII Poster Collection
Title: 1 pound sugar allowance coupon /
Publisher: [Washington, D.C.] : U.S. G.P.O.,
Date: [194-?]
Format: 1 sheet : b & w ; 22 x 22 cm.
Notes: Sheet of 8 coupons. / "OPA form no. R-327"
http://www.library.northwestern.edu/govinfo/collections/wwii-posters/img/ww1647-62.jpg


From Northwestern University's WWI Poster Collection
Title: We French workers warn you : --defeat means slavery, starvation, death
Artist: Ben Shahn
http://www.library.northwestern.edu/govinfo/collections/wwii-posters/img/ww0207-05.jpg