The Social Potluck project has drawn to a close in Glenmore. Many thanks to Michelle Kam at the City of Kelowna for helping spread the word, Sandi and Jim at the Bridges at Glenview Pond development for letting me use their incredible show home,DeBakkers for the bread, Joan at St. David's Presbyterian for ensuring I had a venue and of course all the amazing participants for sharing a story. The project was made possible by a grant provided through a partnership between the City of Kelowna and the University of British Columbia.
The dinners were a real treat. I felt honoured to be able to break bread with such generous and supportive people who had amazing tales to tell. I have a great job.
The finale was filled with such good wishes and support for myself and for each other. I hate to admit it but the show almost feels irrelevant, that just getting back together is enough, the show is simple the excuse.
The following night I performed the same show to an audience that hadn't participated. There was a strange mix of friends, colleagues and strangers. People brought their moms and their kids. It was a full house and some chairs needed to be added at the last minute. Most people didn't mind not having been at the dinners, they liked the surprise aspect of the stories, nothing was familiar. I thought this was interesting. Both evenings had a different feel.
In the end I could tell that people wished they could have stayed and heard more stories from each other. I will have to see how I can facilitate that in the future.
Below are a few pictures taken of one of the dinners I hosted at the Bridges at Glenview Pond development. The pictures were taken by Kate Mahaits Photography.
On July 16th, for one night only, a very unique dinner theatre event will be taking place in the Glenmore neighbourhood of Kelowna. How is it unique? It is a potluck dinner show all about the people who live in Glenmore.
The show is a culmination of months of work where storyteller Gabriel Newman explored the community of Glenmore through its stories. In June, Newman hosted four intimate dinners at the Bridges at Glenview Pond development where guests told him a story in exchange for a meal. “We had an amazing mix of stories taking place not only in Kelowna but around the world,” says Newman who will perform to those guests at a private show on the fifteenth before presenting it to the general public on the sixteenth.
Cost to attend the July sixteenth show is free but guests are asked to bring an item of food to share as there will be a giant potluck dinner as part of the show. “”I love the metaphor of the potluck, says Newman who adds, “Thomas King said “"The truth about stories is, that's all we are." I believe that follows through to the communities we live in. Which stories we choose to tell becomes what we offer to the cultural potluck table of our community.”
Newman created Social Potluck as his thesis project to fulfill the requirements of a Master’s of Fine Arts degree at UBC Okanagan’s Performance Program. “I have been working as a performer and a story teller for the past fifteen years but I wasn’t satisfied with the work I was doing. I was convinced that there had to be a different way of working that was sustainable and provide a truly live and relevant experience. That is why I went back to school to complete my masters; to figure out a new structure. The fact that I have been able to work my love of food and storytelling into this project is a bonus,” laughs Newman who lives and works in Vernon.
This is the second time he has conducted a Social Potluck project, the first time was earlier this spring in Vernon.
The Glenmore Social Potluck project is one of three projects sponsored through an innovative partnership between the University of British Columbia and the City of Kelowna to help foster sustainable community development. Social Potluck is unique in that it is the only project that contributes directly to building social sustainability and social capital in the community. “We are empathetic creatures and we build community through storytelling whether it is at the table or on stage. Glenmore has a vibrant culture, we just need to stop every once in a while and listen to it,” says Newman who is grateful for the opportunity to demonstrate the practical nature of “applied theatre.”
The performance will take place at St. David’s Presbyterian at 6:00 PM. There are only fifty seats available so guests must make reservations if they wish to attend. There will be no tickets available at the door. Contact Newman at 250-260-8757 or socialpotluck@gmail.com to reserve a space.
To learn more and to see a video of the previous Social Potluck click here.
Contact:
Gabriel Newman
Graduate student, Performance/Theatre, Creative Studies
The University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus
250-260-8757
socialpotluck@gmail.ca
After four incredibly stimulating and entertaining dinners at the Bridges at Glenview Pond show house focus for Social Potluck shifts to preparing the final show.
Everyone who attended the dinners brought great stories but they also brought a great ability to listen.
Special thanks has to go to the crew at the Bridges at Glenview Pond who so willingly allowed me to wander into their showhome and start cooking. I kept getting asked, "how did you get permission to use this house!!!!" and all I can reply is that I asked. That isn't even the truth, after searching Glenmore unsuccessfully for weeks I pretty much staggered defeated into their sales office and told them what I was doing and how I couldn't find a place to hold my dinners. Their response was a casual, "go take a look at the blue or green house and see if they would work." Incredible! I'm sure I was an inconvenience to them but you couldn't tell. To top it off, at the end of every evening at around ten PM I called up Joe, who I don't think I ever met, to tell him I was leaving and so that he would have to leave whatever he was doing and come to lock up the house after I left.
Another thank you to DeBakkers who donated bread to every evening. Glenmore is lucky to have such a tasty bakery.
So now I am back in the rehearsal hall trying to figure out how to arrange the show. July 15th is the deadline for the performance for that is when all the participants and their guests will show up.
If you want to attend the show but weren't a participant there will be a show available for the public on July 16th. Seating is limited so reservations are essential.
After a slow start with registration and the eventual cancellation of the June 10th date the tables are starting to fill up. June 11th is full and set for dinner tonight. June 12th is overflowing with people (how did that happen?). June 18th is just about full (there might be one spot left). The only day with room is June 17th so sign up quickly if you want to take part. Once the table is full I can't accept anyone else.
I am making rhubarb chutney and am curious to see how that works with the cheeses I bought. DeBakkers has donated some of their amazing crusty bread. I'll be making a Hungarian Paprikas and salad. For dessert I'm breaking out the ice cream maker. Tonight is the first time I will be cooking in this location so I am interested to see what I have forgotten.
The guest list is set and I know it will be a fascinating night of stories.
Hello, welcome to the Social Potluck blog site. You are probably here because you are interested in participating in our latest project in the Glenmore Neighbourhood of Kelowna. There is the official press release below and a FAQ page for questions. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. We are quite informal here.
before you go looking around I will describe what is going to happen this June and July in Glenmore should you sign up to take part. First, I will draw names out of a hat to determine who will attend which of the five small dinners taking place on June 10, 11, 12, 17 and 18 at one of the Bridges at Glenview Pond show homes. I will be cooking and hosting. Attending is free but everyone who comes is expected to share a story, that is the payment. If you can't make a certain night let me know.
I will record all the stories. After the five small dinners are complete I will go into the studio and create a performance piece inspired by the stories. I will share that performance with everyone who attended the small dinners and the one guest they are welcome to bring. There is no cost to attend this performance which will take place at St. David's Presbyterian on July 15th however they are asked to bring an item of food to share as it will be a giant potluck.
To sign up simply call me at 250-260-8675 or email socialpotluck@gmail.com
Social Potluck serves community with interactive theatre experience
University project partners with City to unite Glenmore neighbourhood
UBC graduate student Gabriel Newman is creating a community-specific show in Kelowna that mixes traditional storytelling and conceptual theatre with a smattering of interactive, home-cooked dinners.
As part of his Creative Studies master's degree thesis, Newman plays host, chef and actor in his multi-faceted storytelling project called Social Potluck. Newman is inviting an all-ages cross section of Glenmore residents to participate in five “intimate and casual” evening dinner conversations. He will glean material from the June dinners for an original work he will write, direct and perform for Social Potluck participants on July 15 and a public audience on July 16.
“Everyone is a performer with stories to tell,” says Newman, who is working toward his master’s degree in Performance at UBC’s Okanagan campus. “It is at the dinner table where we learn our family’s story, and where we test and hone our material. Our stories become our identity. Social Potluck celebrates the individual and the community’s ability to perform itself.”
Newman anticipates small, informal dinners in which guests supply a mix of stories -- from funny anecdotes and historical tales, to tragedies and inspirational life lessons -- told in a conventional, impromptu or spontaneous way.
“It is very much like you’re coming over to my house for dinner,” he says. “Like my guests, I will be both viewer and participant. Everyone has something to bring to the table. Together we will create a live, improvised show about our community.”
Food is a central theme in the project, as well as the item of barter for both the dinners and final performances. At no cost to his dinner guests, Newman serves home cooking using local ingredients.
“It’s a trade-off,” Newman says. “I provide a dinner, and guests provide me with a story.”
Social Potluck was created through a partnership between the University and the City of Kelowna to help foster sustainable community development.
"My thesis project uses ‘applied theatre’ to explore Glenmore’s identity and demonstrate its own cultural capital through personal storytelling,” Newman says. Glenmore acts as the “living laboratory” because of its rich diversity of generations and cultures.
Newman will document conversations at Social Potluck dinners on June 10, 11, 12, 17 and 18. Dinners start at 6:30 p.m. and take place in show-room space donated by the developers of the Bridges at Glenview Pond, on Glenview Avenue.
There is no cover charge for Newman’s staged performances (July 15 at 7 p.m. for Social Potluck dinner participants and their guests, and July 16 at 6 p.m. for Kelowna’s public audience). However, spectators are required to bring a food item to publicly share for a post-show potluck. Both performances take place at St. David’s Presbyterian Church, 271 Glenmore Road.
To join the list of prospective dinner guests/storytellers, community members are invited to contact Newman at 250-260-8757 or socialpotluck@gmail.com.
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Backgrounder
Gabriel Newman is best known locally for his Ghost Tours of Vernon. He has also created other local performances and storytelling projects such as Rumours of a House at the historic Caetani House and Farm Tales, Tall Tales and Other Yarns with the Okanagan Science Centre.
The Social Potluck project is one of three initiatives funded by sustainable community development internal grants form UBC.
Gillian Richards wasn't just a guest she was also a Shaw TV correspondent. She put together this excellent piece for Shaw TV about the final dinner. You can see it yourself at http://www.shaw.ca/ShawTV/Kelowna/ by clicking on Social Potluck.
