The Creation Process

It has been a fascinating few weeks as I have been attempting to figure out what I am going to do with all the great stories I have collected. There is so much material, so many interesting anecdotes, thoughts, ideas, images and gestures. I listened to all the recordings and took down copious notes.

I tried to find themes, common topics and ideas.


Then I threw out everything I thought I was going to do. I realized that I was trying to force an idea on the show. Before we began I thought about using the perspective of an alien to "interpret" the stories but it was a gimmick and not necessarily true to the piece. I had to figure out what the whole piece, the whole structure (as I am also creating a structure that needs to be replicated), the whole Social Potluck project is "about." This is not easy. You would think it is but it isn't.


I have gone back to the drawing board and rather than force a show out of the material I have focussed on what the whole project is about. Now that I think I know what that is (I'm not telling-it is my secret. I'll be interested what spectators think it is about) I am back to creating categories, groups, etc… that reinforce the goal of the perspective. In class we discussed creating our "sandbox," which is the set of rules we work by, and I am really happy with my sandbox. Now I just need to fill it.


I have arranged for the Vernon Community Music School to donate the use of their loft to the project in exchange for me MCing their fund-raising concert. It was an excellent show and I was glad to help. I was also glad to have their beautiful space.


April 3^rd is the date booked and now I am in a mad rush to create my set pieces, props and rehearse the show. This is the disadvantage of being a one person organization. I would rather write this blog than do the work I need to do, and there is a lot of work to do.

I am rehearsing whenever I can. I still have classes, lambs to deliver and a life to live but it is coming together. I will be interested to see what happens the next time I create this project as I won't have to recreate the structure, just the content. Presently everything feels a little overwhelming.


Two and a half weeks to go. I'll let you know how things turn out.



Gabe

 

"Social Potluck"


with
Gabriel Newman

Photo from Morning Star online

Local actor, writer and academic Gabe Newman invites the
public to his table to share their stories in the Social Potluck.

 

"The dinner table (or family/communal eating venue) is the most important performance venue in the world..." A great meal in exchange for stories becomes fodder for Gabriel, who is working on his master's thesis in performance art at UBC Okanagan, with Social Potluck as his thesis. Gabriel will share this story while in the midst of this study of exchanging cooking for stories. "Everyone has something to bring to the table..." so bring your brown bag lunch! Check out Gabriel's blogspot at http://socialpotluck.blogspot.com/

February 28

Monday 12:30-1:20pm

Lecture Theatre

 

The Kalamalka Speakers Series has been organized to bring Okanagan College and the Vernon community together to participate in and enjoy informal talks presented by Okanagan College instructors, former instructors, students, and community members. 

 

All Welcome to this free event ~ Free parking during the presentation

 

For more information please contact Okanagan College's Kalamalka Campus Library
250-545-7291 Local 2247

Picturing a Social Potluck

A profound "thank you" to Kindale who was so kind as to offer me their space. They were excited and supportive of the project AND they were willing to barter my services for the use of their facility.

Their kitchen was fully equipped with all the cutlery, utensils and cooking implements I needed. They also had a large table.

A Hungarian Paprikas Krumpli, a type of Gulyas (Goulash or stew). It is Hungarian comfort food, at least it is for me. I did add some red cabbage for colour.

A loaf of bread, otherwise how are we to "break bread" together? This is an easy recipe that makes a very tasty and aesthetically pleasing loaf.

I served some local cheeses (Happy Days Goat Dairy's soft cheese, Village Cheese's Hot Pepper Cheddar, Triple Island's Gouda and Dutchman Dairy's Aged Cheddar. The cracker's weren't local I'm afraid but I did want to highlight some of the fantastic cheese that is produced around here because... well, because I like cheese.

The microphone is set up, the food is ready, so all we need are the guests.

First Dinner

On January 23^rd, 2011 Social Potluck conducted its first dinner. It was a pre-test test with colleagues and friends; a dress rehearsal of sorts. The objective was to try out cooking in a new location, test the receptiveness of the food and to see if the format of the evening works for both myself and the guests. While there are things I will change as far as how the evening runs (like finish cooking before the guests arrive) the overall conclusion is that these dinners are a wonderful, entertaining and enlightening way to spend an evening.

I almost, almost, felt guilty doing these dinners as part of my thesis project because I enjoyed myself so much. While I was admittedly a little unorganized and distracted since it is hard to cook, serve and run the evening I couldn't help but notice how natural the gathering felt. At first the guests were a little nervous but that was quickly overcome once the first brave soul said, "I'll start because I'm nervous and I'll only feel more nervous if I have to wait to tell me story." After that first story the group felt like a bunch of old friends that were genuinely curious about each other. I am always amazed what can happen when someone puts themselves out there and takes a risk.

The stories that were told were incredibly varied; there were near death experiences, stories of coincidence, ineptitude, awakening and brushes with fame. Afterwards, I had to wonder if they were all true because they were all so… incredible and different, I guess, than my own experience even though I could see myself in most of those stories.

The most frequent question I get with this project is, "What kind of story do you want?" After this first dinner I'm realizing that the answer has always been, "What kind of story do you want to tell?" because I am not looking for a particular story. I have other projects in mind where I want to explore one idea or topic but for this project I am wondering what kind of story will people tell when they can decide the topic. Usually, when I am creating a project I will interview people looking for a particular story. Essentially, I am asking for people to "tell me the story I want to hear."This is quite typical as it is how our news, entertainment and anthropology functions. Rarely is the the question asked of the interviewee, "What story do you want to tell?"

On January 29^th I will host the first official dinner. I am very excited to hear the stories that people want to tell.

 

 

So, you want to be part of a social potluck?

Hello and welcome to the Social Potluck blog. I'm guessing you have heard about this project and either want to join up or would like some more information before signing up. That is completely understandable. If you want to sign up simply send me an email at socialpotluck@gmail.com stating that you would like to add your name to the list of possible participants. On Friday January 21^st I will put all the names in a hat and draw out the guest lists for the dinners. If your name has been selected I will contact you with the date and location for the dinner. I will also then send you a consent form so you are up to speed on what will happen. If you aren't selected don't worry as I will be doing the project again later in the spring so there will be another chance.

If you want more information the following blog posts will give a pretty thorough description of the project up to this point. I'd recommend starting from the oldest and working backwards.

If you don't want the in-depth description here is the Coles notes version of the project and what it means to you.

Who?

Gabriel Newman is a storyteller, actor, director and writer who lives in Vernon British Columbia. He has created numerous storytelling events in Vernon such as Ghost Tours of Vernon and Farm Tales, Tall Tales and Other Yarns as well as theatrical events such as Rumours of a House which took place at and about Vernon's Caetani House. He is currently completing his MFA in performance at UBC. Social Potluck is his thesis project.

What?

The philosophy of Social Potluck is that the dinner table is the most important performance venue we have as a society and that everyone has something to bring to the table. So in order to explore that I will be conducting a Social Potluck project which will combine local food and stories into a theatrical production.

On the evenings of January 29^th and 30^th as well as February 4^th, 5^th and 6^th at 6:30 pm I will be hosting dinners for 5-10 people (this is where you come in). The dinner doesn't cost anything but participants must be prepared to share a story (preferably a story you tell often, if you can't think of what that is just ask your family, they'll know. If you are still stuck don't worry something will come to you while you listen to others) with the rest of the diners. Before the meal starts we will take turns sharing our stories (which I will record as my memory isn't very good). Afterward we will eat and talk. No pressure.

After all the dinners are completed I will take all those stories as well as whatever occurred while we ate (what I can remember) and I will try to create a theatrical performance which will be performed in late March/early April. If you took part in a dinner then you are welcome to attend free of charge but you must bring some food to share as well will have a big potluck at the end of the performance.

So there you have it. It is free, it is fun, it will be tasty, local and about you. Well, to be completely honest I can't guarantee what I land up using for the final performance as there will be around 25-50 stories told, not to mention everything that is discussed after the meals are over. I may not tell your story, or I may combine it with other stories or I may change it. I don't know so you need to be willing to have your story be used as inspiration for artistic creativity.

Where?

Aha! The dinners will be in a secret location which will be disclosed when your name is selected. The dinners will be held in a non traditional space but don't worry it will be homey and comfortable.

When?

Dinners are held on the evenings of January 29^th and 30^th as well as February 4^th, 5^th and 6^th at 6:30. The final performance will be held late March/early April at a yet undisclosed location (let me know if you know of one I can have for free).

Why?

Because it will be a chance to eat good local food while talking to interesting strangers who live in your home town all while contributing to a theatrical performance. You may never think of dinner parties the same way.

How much?

Free, this project is based on barter. You are paying me for the meal with your story because your story has value to me. Later when I perform for you, you will pay me by bringing food for everyone to share. I think it is a fair trade and I hope you do to.

To Sign Up?

Send an email to socialpotluck@gmail.com to sign up or if you have further questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

If these do not answer your questions please send me an email.

Is it really free? Is this some kind of sales seminar or other recruitment? Yes, it is free, no, it is not a sales pitch. The only message is that I hope by the end participants appreciate how important the dinner table is to our culture, identity and health. This is taught not by lecture but by participating.

I can't make a few of the dates, will this rule me out? No, but it reduces your chances of being picked. Let me know in your email what dates you can or cannot make.

Are children welcome to participate? Yes, as long as they are accompanied by an adult. I will hold one or two dinners where kids are welcome depending on how many are interested. If you would like to attend with a minor please indicate in your email.

Can I bring a friend/spouse with me? Sorry, these dinners are small and I want to increase the chance of participants being strangers so we spend time with people we don't usually spend time with. With only 5-10 people at the table two couples would completely change the dynamics. The exception being minors. Your spouse or friend can sign up separately however. Maybe they'll be at the same meal, maybe they won't. That would be fun, to compare the dinner experiences.

Can I host a social potluck dinner of my own? Absolutely!

I can't think of a story to tell, should I not sign up? By all means SIGN UP! Nobody can think of a story when asked point blank. Ask the people you know if there are certain stories you tell a lot, or find touching. Ask your friends what they would tell, that might give you ideas. Think of scary or beautiful moments in your life. If you still can't think of any and you are signed up come anyway. I guarantee that after listening to other people tell their stories that it will remind you of a story (I've been to lots of storytelling circles and it is always the people who say they don't have any stories who come up with the best material). Also, you can tell any kind of story. If you have completely drawn a blank, tell Little Red Riding Hood. It doesn't matter.

I'm not a good storyteller but I want to come anyway. Can I? This isn't a competition, you are not being judged on content or performance. Leave that for "Are You a Storyteller?" Everyone is in the same boat.

Who is catering the dinner? I am. I'm cooking everything for the meal from scratch. It is my way of thanking you for taking the time to participate.

Are you a trained chef? No, cooking is not my profession though it seems like I spend most of my time in the kitchen. I love cooking, it is my hobby and what I have been doing for my family for the past fourteen years. While not trained officially my mother is a trained chef and I have worked in numerous professional kitchens. I do have my Food Safe certificate so you are safe with me. Dinner will be good home cooking with a few fancy touches but nothing crazy.

I have food allergies or foods I cannot eat. How flexible is the menu? Please let me know immediately in your email if there are food concerns as I can't do last minute changes but I can prepare ahead of time. I know how serious allergies can be. There will be options for vegetarians and omnivores but remember that I am cooking as though you are coming to my house so a little flexibility might be needed.

Dinner Party as Embodied Performance

"Social Potluck is a philosophy more than anything else. It is the belief that the heart of culture, art and society is located at the dinner table."

Food activists, community activists and children's advocates spout the virtues of the family meal saying that it promotes healthier eating, children's vocabulary, brain development, healthier lifestyle choices, and family harmony which in turn means that it is good for the community as a whole (You are who you eat with - Yes Magazine). Everyone benefits when families eat together. What a great way to improve the world we live in. The importance of breaking bread together does not stop with the family as the same effect can be created by eating with friends, colleagues and strangers. We are all children of the world (I know that sounds flaky but bear with me) in that we are always learning and susceptible to new influences. Beware those who claim to have nothing to learn. There is no better place to learn than at the dinner table. There are a number of reasons for this. The first is that the table is a performance venue which places everyone on equal footing (more on this later) and the second is that the ritualistic act of eating quite literally lets people internalize knowledge. Knowledge, stories and food are digested into a piece of embodied memory. It is through sharing experiences and stories both as performer and spectator that the dinner table becomes a site for an embodied community performance.

This is all well and good but how is it performance? Certainly the idea of having guests over to your house for a dinner party feels like putting on a show as the good dishes come out, the house gets cleaned and some flowers get stuck in a vase. Often times it can feel like a one person play. I know Martha Stewart tells you how to prepare weeks in advance making a dinner party feel like the staging of Phantom of the Opera. How you plan your party is certainly part of the performance and if you plan it just like Martha told you then that says something about who you are and what you value. That is not a judgement, just a statement of fact. I will talk about location later. My interest has to with what happens when the guests arrive because that is when the performance truly starts. Everything before that is set dressing and props, though important as it can certainly affect the performance, it isn't performance until there are bodies in the room. Suddenly the decorations don't matter as much as when there are live people interacting with live people because there is no script, just a common sense of courtesy to act as guidelines for topics and behaviour.

I say this because we perform ourselves every day. What we say and how we say it gives off clues to who we are, what we value and who we strive to be. This communication is a whole body experience as we communicate not just with words but our entire body through gesture, body language and movement. It is through combining the mind and the body that we provide a more accurate and complex performance. Humans do not just respond to language despite the fact that our society is for the most part text focussed. We also respond to the body. We can sense intuitively or intellectually what an individual is communicating with their body. It is through these sometimes complimentary and sometimes contradictory means of communication that we live as both spectator and performer. As any student in an acting class learns, we operate with objectives and subtext that may not be apparent in our text. The director's exercise of watching a rehearsal first with the ears plugged and then listening with the eyes closed in order to tell if the play is understandable to only once sense at a time can also be done in real life, the only difference is that the plots in real life tend to be a little less dramatic though infinitely more meaningful. We are all performers and play our parts in a long improvised show. A dinner party with strangers is an opportunity to perform in and be entertained by an improvised community play.

In this project I am requesting a story be presented as payment for the dinner. The story will be presented to the group and recorded so I can refer to it later for accuracy purposes. I tell people to present a story that they tell often, the kind of story your family or spouse is sick of hearing because you always tell it. If they can't think of one they should just ask their family, they will know. I want this story for a couple reasons. The first is that they have told it numerous times before so it has been what we in the performance world call rehearsed. There is a good chance the teller knows what kind of reaction they will get from it because, just like a performer, they know your material. Most likely they know what will get a laugh or cause a tear; they know how to work your material. See, I told you we are all performers. The second reason I want this story is that because they tell it often I am inclined to believe they like their story and what it says about them otherwise they wouldn't tell it. These don't have to be flattering stories, often we like to tell stories which feature our own foibles because it can put others at ease, or because we want to demonstrate your own humanness. It is a story which, without consciously realizing it, says, "This is who I am." Because the Social Potluck is a dinner with strangers this is a perfect way to cut through the small talk and get right down to an embodied performance of self.

I was at a party recently and I realized how long we spend trying to pry information out of people and how it devolves to asking about work or family. Facts do not make a person. I just wanted to ask them to tell me a story because I don't really care about their work (and I could tell some didn't care about their work either) so we could cut through the formalities and hang out because once we have done that we can truly connect.

In Social Potluck after we share our "payment" story we can eat and talk. My hope is that some stories will spark discussion or other stories, as that is often how it works. I have conducted a number of story exchanges and often people attend "just to listen" because they think they aren't a good story teller or that they don't have stories; two of the most common things I hear. Usually half way through these "listeners" have been reminded of a story that they want to share. Asked point blank almost nobody can think of a story but given time or an opportunity to hear someone else's story suddenly ideas start appearing. That is what I hope happens as we eat. Secondly, these stories are not being recorded, sure I will listen and remember what I can but most likely I will forget most of the details, so people can be freer with their stories. Also, because everyone is in the same boat and has taken the same risk there is a release from expectations which allows people to be more honest and relaxed, in effect, they can be themselves. I am interested to see if the stories told during the second half of the evening are different than the stories from the first half. Will people perform themselves differently? Will the show change?

The other aspect of note during this second half of the project is the ritualistic act of eating. By sharing the physical act of eating with strangers along with the mental act of presenting a story allows for the transferral into this second stage of embodied experience where we consume food, ideas and knowledge. Eating is a ritual, regardless of if you eat items on your plate separately or mixed up. We have been eating for our entire lives. It is a reflex and a pleasure. We must eat and accept that others must as well so to share an eating experience with strangers is to create a communal event; as equals eating the same food, at the same time while sitting in a circle is an embodied statement of community without anyone speaking a word. There is comfort in ritual and by tapping into humanity's oldest ritual Social Potluck believes the comfort of this act allows defences to come down to allow freedom of performance and acceptance of new ideas so that we, as children of this world, can continue to be ever learning members of the world.

How we conduct ourselves with our families, colleagues or strangers is an embodied performance of who you are and what we believe in. As public figures we present how we want people to regard us while as private citizens we behave, usually, a little closer to how we actually think and feel. Sometimes these performances contradict each other and sometimes, usually, they don't because our bodies can betray our motivations and objectives. Horrible liars know what I am talking about. You may say you are innocent but your body flushes and vibrates with the truth and there is nothing you can do. By telling public stories before taking part in the very human ritual of eating together Social Potluck aims to explore the differences in how we perform ourselves at the dinner table.