Perhaps because I’m watching a known innovator who values the traditional,  sacred, and the new, it seems right to write about another ritual, and another village far from the Balinese sun.

During the Catholic/Protestant War (1618-1648), the bubonic plague devastated Bavaria. According to local legend, the  villagers vowed that if God spared them, they would perform a play every 10 years depicting the life and death of Jesus. 

The passionsspiechele echoes through every aspect of Oberammergau. I walk down streets with names like “the kingdom of heaven” or named after past writers and composers of the play.

To maintain the unique traditional skill sets needed for the music, the village has multiple choirs and orchestras operating throughout the 10 year gaps between productions.

With the challenging history of passion plays and the contemporary history of the region, Oberammergau doesn’t hide from its past. Nor does it hide from its responsibilities.

There is something very German in the aesthetic. Despite the pageantry, ritual, and scale of this project, this is a story about human beings.

For tradition to survive, it must stay true to its purpose but also evolve to meet the needs of the people and the time

The performing arts of Bali are rich, vast and complex. Virtually every form of music, dance, drama and puppetry has its origin as a function of ritual. Practices such as wayang kulit (shadow puppetry) reach back thousands of years.

Balinese performances take place in a Kalang. This can be a courtyard at someone’s house, a field,  or the outer courtyard of a temple. There are rarely tickets, reserved seating or a timetable.

A conversation with I Wayan Dibia, one of Bali’s most influential choreographers and dance scholars.

Founded by artists Marcelle Dubois and Julie Gagné and cultural administrator David Lavoie to forge a relationship between today’s contemporary writers and the public, Jamais Lu, which means “never read,” supports and promotes Quebec, Canadian and international dramaturgy.

With over 50 productions since its inception in 1993, Zurich’s Theater HORA is the only professional theatre company in Switzerland whose ensemble members all have a state recognized disability.

“I never expect anyone to be brilliant in an audition. It is almost an impossibility. Was anyone ever brilliant while acting with a chair?”
Michael Shamata, The Belfry Theatre (Victoria, Canada)