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“There Is A Field” play explores Palestinian-Israeli conflict
On Saturday, July 28th, visiting artists Donkeysaddle Projects will present a staged reading of their play "There Is A Field" at the Emporium Center in Downtown Knoxville. This is in collaboration with youth from the Highlander Research and Education Center’s Seeds of Fire Camp. This reading will be a culmination of a weeklong residency with Highlander’s Seeds of Fire program, which brings together youth organizers (ages 13-17) and their adult allies (ages 18 and up) from social justice organizations throughout the South.
For 17 years, Highlander’s Seeds of Fire (SOF) program has impacted and connected thousands of young people and their allies, gathering emerging and experienced grassroots organizers and community leaders to build collective power and influence critical policy decisions and practice shifts.
The camp hosts, supports and networks intergenerational organizers from across the South to share about the social justice work that they do and to learn about Highlander’s methodologies. Together, they discuss the different issues in their communities, strategies to address these challenges and build relationships throughout their local community and the region.
"There Is A Field" is a documentary-style play about Aseel Asleh, a 17-year old Palestinian citizen of Israel killed by police in October 2000. Based on interviews and primary sources collected over 15 years, the play offers a uniquely personal lens for understanding inequality as the root of state violence and impunity. Audiences throughout the United States will find particular resonance with themes raised by Aseel’s life and murder, and post-play discussions and actions will create space to further explore connections and build solidarity across universal struggles for liberation and equality.
Donkeysaddle Projects has been producing the There Is A Field Artistic Residency with Black, Latinx, and (more recently) Indigenous communities since the spring of 2017. DSP’s founder, Jen Marlowe wrote "There Is A Field", which was produced as a Land Day Tour in 2016, with 24 performances across 10 states (primarily at universities), reaching over 1,800 people. The tour was undertaken with the leadership of ten partner organizations, and 52 student leaders from 33 different campus organizations.
This staged reading is being sponsored by community-based arts nonprofit Cattywampus Puppet Council, the Highlander Research & Education Center, and the Knoxville Area Women in Black Chapter.
The play will take place on July 28th, 2018 at the Emporium Center located at 100 S Gay St, 37902. Doors open at 6:30pm and the performance will begin at 7pm. Entry is a suggested donation of $10. All donations will go towards Highlander’s Seeds of Fire Fund to support youth organizers from around the South.
More information on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict >>
Published July 22, 2018 |
