BBC Segment on Where Elephants Weep

I came across a these two videos produced by BBC World News & CNN, both of which so beautifully encapsulate the creation of the rock opera. Enjoy!

 

Thank You!

A big THANK YOU to everyone who donated!!  We were able to raise close to $2,700 through the online campaign and the benefit concert!!  

The concert was a success!  The room at the Duplex was filled with friends and family and a host of others who I didn’t expect to come out and support this wonderful cause.  I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love:)  My dream was to bring visibility to Cambodia Living Arts, at the very least, to my circle here at home.  My time with CLA in Cambodia touched me in a way that I wanted to share their amazing story and mission with everyone I knew, so that one group could gain the inspiration the other provided, and the other group could gain the support it so needs to attain it’s mission of healing the country through the arts.  I am humbled to have played any part I could in brokering a connection between two worlds.

Couldn’t have made this concert happen without the support of some very special people:  I want to give a huge shout out to Richard Feng Zhu, my co-producer, stage manager, and soul brother all in one; Maestro Jim Lowe, without whom there’d be no show; my fantastic band; and guest artists Jose Llana, Christine Toy Johnson & Jaygee Macapugay, all of whom donated their time and considerable talents for this cause; All the composers featured in the show, who inspire and write for characters of ethnicity (Him Sophy, Pete Mills, Deb Abrahmson, Scott Murphy); And everyone at CLA who have so inspired me to want to to My part, and as always, my unyieldingly supportive parents:  THANK YOU!!

Help me in my pledge campaign for Cambodian Living Arts!

Help me reach my goal of raising $2,000 for the amazing young artists I met while working in Cambodia last year.

Cambodian Living Arts is an organization that supports the traditional masters and the next generation of artists in a post-genocide society, and in doing so, healing a culture’s severed roots by the reviving of Cambodian traditional art forms and inspiring contemporary artistic expression.

Why now?

Thirty years ago, a terrible genocide attempted to extinguish the very soul of the Khmer culture by executing the nation’s artists and scholars.

I find supporting this particular generation of young artists so important because they are the very ones who will be receiving the precious knowledge from the few handful of masters who have survived. Support is especially necessary in a society where the youth are vulnerable to a rampant sex and drug trade.

I was so inspired to meet the masters and student artists who have overcome crushing economic strife and tremendous personal loss to continue creating art with the help of Cambodian Living Arts.  It’s strengthened my resolve and belief that a war torn country can heal through art.  By giving a chance for the cultural forms to thrive and evolve, an entire country of people can learn to reconnect to a history with pride and a future with hope despite the deep wounds they’ve collectively suffered.

How you can help:

Click on the link below to donate directly to Cambodian Living Arts.  Help me meet my goal of raising $2,000 to help refurbish the CLA center where students take classes in addition to receiving many other valuable resources such as computer skills.  Your donations also go to help education and living expenses for some of these students in need.  Remember, even the smallest increments can help if we all join together!

As well, join us on Sunday May 17th at 4:30 pm for a special cabaret benefit entitled Diary of an Ambiguously Ethnic Girl with all proceeds benefiting Cambodian Living Arts. The show is an afternoon of new works by new and ethnic composers, with special selections from Where Elephants Weep, the rock opera that premiered in Cambodia and is loosely based on the life of Arn Chorn-Pond, a former child soldier during the Khmer Rouge and founder of Cambodian Living Arts.  Musical direction is by Jim Lowe with special guests Jose Llana, Christine Toy Johnson, and Jaygee Macapuguay.  Tickets are on sale for $10 at http://www.theduplex.com.

Love and Peace,

Diane

Click on the box on my pledge donation page: http://cambodiabenefit.chipin.com

Opening Weekend! (A Retrospective)

After months of rehearsal, it was finally opening weekend!  It was a longer rehearsal  process than most of us were used to as we spent one week in NYC and six weeks in Phnom Penh putting the show together.  It was a painstaking process for a couple of reasons:  We were combining a North American cast and a Khmer cast, so everything had to be translated into Khmer from English; In addition, no show of this scale or genre had ever been done in Cambodia before.

Stage management had to train their assistants and the backstage crew from scratch, many of whom were talented traditional artists in their own right but got involved in anyway they could just to be a part of this historical piece.  “Set shop” was simply the space outside stage left in the lot outdoors, and extra electrical rigging was specially installed by and for the imported Singaporean sound and electrics crew and their equipment. The theatre set up even required extra dressing room space to be erected in outdoor tents to accommodate the large chorus and orchestra.  I am bewildered by what producers John Burt and Fred Frumberg have been able to provide for us in a place previously so virgin and inconducive to what we were trying to bring to life.

Backstage with cast member and broadway actress Christine Toy Johnson

Even though the WEW had it’s first inception in 2001, a long journey had been taken to birth this baby.  I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished.  To be a part of something that is groundbreaking and controversial and potentially healing, in addition to being a first in a marriage of cultures and tradition has been not only completely fulfilling, but a dream come true.  At the risk of sounding precious, doing work like this has only expanded my mind in terms of the kind of work I’d like my career and life to consist of.

With playwright Catherine Fillioux

It’s hard to pinpoint what’s made this show so endeared to me;  such a vibrant array of stimulation, for the mind as well as the senses.  This show has combined elements of traditional Khmer: Apsara dance, smot singing, Buddhist chant and traditional Khmer puppet theatre; with decisively modern western elements in the form of conventional modern rock opera in addition to elements of western pop, hip hop, and break dance.  Catherine Filloux’s script addresses key social issues such as the corruption that’s rampant in Cambodian government and business, in addition to the aftermath of healing from a generation that had not only been orphaned due to the KR, but who had been used as instruments of destruction as child soldiers.  The oft seen but rarely discussed dark side of the beer gardens and the exploitative career of the beer girls get a spotlight in one of the scenes.  The Princess and the Deputy Prime Minister were in attendance and it was definitely a toss up as to how they would react to this piece.  Happily, they were won over.  I will not pretend to understand Cambodian politics, but the support of the government for this piece could only be a benefit.

The Company

What I consider to be our first show was technically the dress rehearsal.  We had a full audience and it was the first time the full show had been mounted.  It was an emotional moment for all of us after curtain call, Khmer and North American cast alike, as we gathered offstage to congratulate and hug each other.  There is an amazing and divine feeling in the witnessing of something come from nothing, the first imprint of the work as seen by an audience. It’s an inexplicably special moment that was amplified by the depth in which this show hits so close to home for many of our cast members. My absolute favorite line in the show (as there are many!) is the last, as the entire company incants in the epilogue:  “The spirit set free, through acts of courage and grace; we sing this melody that we might leave a trace”.  And leave a trace we did. The show was up!

Cambodian cast members and choreographer Sean Curran at Opening night

The next day was the official press opening, complete with red carpet, champagne toast, press, paparazzi, and VIPS.  It was an overwhelming feeling as I stepped out into the reception area.  Royalty, dignitaries, ambassadors, and laypeople alike were immensely responsive on how moved they were by the piece.  Having full-grown men in suits gushing and telling me how they wept was a little intense. I felt Very ready to put this show up, despite the trepidation I felt in the beginning about playing such a character.  Happily, the most humbling compliments I received on my work was when people would tell me they thought I was Khmer, given the cadence of my speech and even the way I walked. I was beside myself!  I spend a lot of energy worrying whether I sometimes look enough like the ethnicities I’m drafted to portray.  But strangely, being multiethnic/cultural hasn’t cut me off from acceptance like I used to perceive it did in gradeschool-  in this arena, the people simply and truly adopt me as one of their own.  It struck me much later, that even down to the spelling of my Irish last name scans as Khmer, as many Cambodian surnames are spelled with a PH as well.

With co-star and broadway actor Michael K. Lee at red carpet press opening.

All in all, I have to admit it was a pretty damn cool evening.  We were the hottest ticket in all of Phnom Penh that night, traffic slowed around the Chenla Theatre so passer-bys could glimpse the party in the spotlight-lit gold and red silk tent.  We had the famous Wat Phnom elephant in attendance after she marched down Sihanouk Boulevard wearing WEW robes -and yes, my pic was on her bum.  It was a well- deserved night of kudos and celebration for all who had been involved in bringing this special piece to life.

Buddhist Monks and Nocturnal Glowing Things

On one of our first weekends off, eight of us from the cast took a road trip to the seaside of town of Kep.  It had been the Hamptons of Cambodia in the pre- KR days, where all the wealthy French and Khmer Phnom Penh-ers would weekend away.  The town is just starting to gain momentum again but still the ghostly remnants of the burned and abandoned villas dot the town.  We arranged for two cars to take us down after our rehearsal on Sunday.  It was a long drive after a long week of rehearsal, but we were happy to get away from the bustle and smog of Phnom Penh as the city swelled to gear up for the annual Water Festival.

An unusual lizard spotted in the seaside town of Kep.

The first night was rather uneventful as a small band ventured out to discover the town around us.  Everything was closed by 11pm.  Kep is known as more of a romantic getaway as compared to the more popular Sihanoukville, which has more of a reputation as a party town.  The highlight of the evening was discovering the very large, polka dotted versions of the wall geckos normally found in Cambodia.  Yes, I am obsessed with sightings of exotic, indigenous creatures of a region.

Seaside breakfast.

I woke up the next morning resolved to find adventure: A few of us were planning a boat trip to the nearby Koh Tonsay, or more commonly, “Rabbit Island”.  Supposedly it’s named after what locals construe as the shape of the island from a distance, but I imagine with enough local gange and rum, it starts looking like anything you want it to.  First things first though- a beautiful seaside breakfast with the newly dubbed Kep 8 at a friend’s private beachfront resort.  There were a bunch of Dutch tourists who had commissioned a Buddhist ceremony with a couple of monks.  A few of us decided to participate as we considered it research of sorts.

Members of the cast join a buddhist ceremony. Photo by Marc de la Cruz

Buddhist culture is deeply entwined in Khmer society.  It is customary for men to enter the monkhood at some point in their lives.   It is something completely voluntary and they may enter and leave as they wish- or they may even choose to stay in the monastery their whole life.

In the show Where Elephants Weep, the main character Sam leaves his NYC job as a Sony producer to return to Cambodia taking a vow in the monkhood for three months to attempt reconciliation with his previous life as a child soldier during the KR.   As well, the show opens with the initial meeting of the two lovers during a ceremony in a temple setting.  I was therefore pretty excited to take part; I’m kind of a geek when it comes to research, for shows… and in general.

There is protocol with greeting the monks, lighting the incense and even sitting and bowing.  I was eager to put what I’d been working on into practice.  But as the ceremony and chanting began, I wasn’t prepared for the wash of emotion and the depth of contemplation I came into contact with.  As enlightening as the event was from a show research point of view, I came out of the meditation grateful for the monks’ blessings and feeling refreshed with respite from the difficult emotions I had been grappling with during my time in rehearsal and Phnom Penh.

Home Sweet Hut

After breakfast, a smaller group of us hopped a boat to explore Koh Tonsay.  We arrived to a rustic beach strewn with huts, hammocks and bunches of cows, chickens and goats.  The inhabitants were comprised of a dreadlocked backpacker community and the Khmer locals who ran the three restaurants/ group of huts on that part of the island.  They regarded us like we were aliens.  It wasn’t until we had toiled a few hours away in the hammocks slowly feasting on the fresh seafood did we get it; the pace is so placid, you just didn’t want hooligan western backpackers coming in and reenacting their last trip to Cancun.  We gave the same wary glance to all boats arriving after us and laughed at how we felt like we’d been there days. I knew pretty immediately this was the place I wanted to stay for the night. The enticing combo of fresh seafood (squid and Kampot pepper!), the beautiful beach, and an island population of 25 was the perfect respite I was looking for complementing the Buddhist blessing earlier.

Our En suite!

 I drafted my castmate Marc into my overnight rustic adventure.  We met a few people on the beach who told us where to inquire, and a few minutes later, a $5 waterfront stilted wooden hut complete with a simple mattress and mozzie net Plus an ensuite (read, hole in the ground with a bucket of water) was ours.  We waved goodbye to the rest of our companions for the night and giddily wondered what lay in store for us.  Neither of us had prepared to stay on an island for the night but luckily our castmate Mel left us some bug spray and his flashlight, as the island turned all generators off @ 10pm.  After a stunning sunset, we ordered up more fresh seafood and met our new friend who had advised us on the hut for the evening.  He was backpacking through southeast Asia and had just spent two years in Mali with the Peace Corps.  We threw back a couple of Angkors and enjoyed conversations that drifted between various observations on Malian humor and Cambodian culture.

Taking in the local brew.

On the hunt for nocturnal glowing things.

Midnight came around and somehow we came to the topic of the rare bioluminescence that was visible in the waters here.  The moon was out, but as a cloud cover came across, we could see millions of glowing microorganisms that glittered when we splashed around.  One of us (Yuri, our new friend) got the brilliant idea to go swimming with them.  I’m not in the habit of getting into strange waters in the dark, but somehow in the company of my two friends it felt like the right thing.  It was cold, but as we swam around, all fears were dispelled as we moved through the water like it was fairy dust. It was one of the most magical moments of my life.  We spent an hour in the water, giddy like children, just splashing around, inventing new ways to stir the bioluminescence to glow more.  I only got out reluctantly as I recalled that most predatory sea creatures are nocturnal, and we were indeed in exotic waters. Plus, Marc and I had to be up at sunrise to catch the first boat to the mainland- we had to get back to the city later that day! I settled into bed exhausted, but more happy and relaxed than I’d remembered being in a long while.  I woke up to the sound of crashing waves outside my window and feeling extremely peaceful.  I fully understood how people could while away weeks there without ever intending to. But alas, I had a job to do and my worry-free island existence would have to wait.  Back to real life.

Bracelets and Pig’s Heads: The Amazing Sompeh Kru Blessing

Yep, parked in front of the pig's head.

Today after rehearsal, we had a very special Buddhist blessing ceremony for the theatre called Sompeh Kru.  We all gathered on the stage of the Chenla where an altar was assembled bearing offerings of jasmine, fruits, flowers, incense and candles, food plates of chicken, fish, and most importantly a pig’s head.  I don’t know how this happened, but I managed to park myself right in front of it.  Most everyone wore white and there was chanting and our musicians playing.

Prayers were offered to the late masters of all the Cambodian artists, many of whom lost their teachers in the Khmer Rouge genocide barely 30 years ago as the KR targeted all the artists first.  I was particularly touched by the offering of the dancers, as I’ve gotten pretty close with several members of the Cambodian company.  It was really exciting to see them do their amazing work with the intent and focus they had.  It’s hard to imagine the stories my fellow castmembers have lived through, for it is the Cambodian way to be  quite stoic.

Offering of the dancers: Moly, Setya, Katya, and Phorsada.

In the several times when I’ve broken down in rehearsal, they’ve hugged me and patted my cheeks but encouraged me to be more forbearing.  I’ve had a hard time explaining to them that as a western actor, the very goal is to be able to unzip yourself and have free access to all those parts of yourself most laypeople try to put way… (Though still working on better access to that leverage switch- I think all the crying I’m doing here is aging me.)  But in this emotional offering to their late teachers, their energy and intent was palpable.

Tying of the bracelets.

At the end of the ceremony, white string braclets soaked in holy water were tied on to every participant of the ceremony.  We all came together and congratulated and hugged each other.  These bracelets are to be worn (in similar fashion of the red string bracelets giving by Buddhist monks at the Wats) until they fall off, or it is very unauspicious.  I hope mine stays on for a year, as they sometimes do!   To further punctuate the ceremony and bridge the many worlds present, our choreographer Sean Curran lead a western style prayer and said many words of inspiration as the entire group held hands.  I was sitting between our composer Him Sophy and Cambodia Living Arts founder Arn Chorn Pond.  I felt my own consciousness and energy raise from the tremendous life force of these two amazing people as well as from the group around me.   It was honestly an event I’ll cherish for my entire life.

Ethno-Music-Ology, Yeah!

An orchestra member plays his traditional Khmer instrument.

In our second week in Phnom Penh, I was in for a few treats. Our cast’s social calendar was filling up with invites to the Royal Ballet by the Princess of Cambodia, and a welcome soiree by the US Ambassador.  But what was most exciting to me about this particular week was the sitz probe (or orchestral run-through for you lay-folk).

Him Sophy’s score for Where Elephants Weeps is an amalgamation of traditional Cambodian music, which has a really earthy aboriginal feel, with western rock and hip hop.  So we essentially have two orchestras:  Our rock band, consisting of all these cutting edge and hip musicians- and our traditional band,  who are all the masters of their craft, descendants of great masters with double PhD’s teaching at the Royal Academy, AND equally hip because (this is going to really excite those of you who enjoy your ethnomusicology):  We have century-old traditional instruments that have not changed until they’ve recently been taken apart and rebuilt to accommodate Him Sophy’s innovative score.  Keo Sonankavei is one such musical master and genius who enhanced the newly and aptly named gong thom chromatique and roneat aik chromatique, as their previous scale configurations did not include half notes.  

Sovannahong: Very different than your western sense of "ballet".

Being a part of the first time these instruments are heard together in this fashion was completely thrilling for me, and I have to admit I still get giddy every time I get into a room with these guys.  I’m lacking in the words to describe the excitement felt by all of us who’ve come together from vastly different background to put forth this story in a way that’s never been told before.  I love creating new work.

The other treat that week was getting invited to a performance of Sovhannahong by the Princess of Cambodia.  Many of our Cambodian cast and staff are Royal ballet dancers, and non other than our very own ChanMoly was one of the stars that night.  The piece was a work originally choreographed by the King’s mother, who had been a dancer, but never finished it.  The project was re-commissioned by the Princess in honor of her father the King for his birthday.

 

Setya herself backstage with Where Elephants Weep

I first saw traditional Cambodian dance in a piece called Pamina Devi at the Joyce in New York City.  It was honestly like nothing I ever saw and I kept feeling like I wasn’t Getting something about it.  What I did get however, was an amazing impression of the lead dancer Setya, who’s precision and amazing expression spoke to me across boundaries.  Imagine my utter excitement when I learned I would get to work with her, a year and a half later!  The world is very small.  During rehearsals, I found out indeed I had missed something-  all the traditional movements are shorthand sign language, in a way. There is meaning to every languid flick of the wrist and tilt of the head, curl of the toe.  I began to be fascinated with this as we have incorporated many of the moves into the play within our play, and I attempt to bend my body onto these revered gestures.  My last bit of feedback was people were happy with me, though I suspect they are just being incredibly kind-  the dancers train from childhood to perfect these moves.  I’m so grateful I get to work under their guidance, though!

Company bows with the Princess.

Tale of Two Worlds from my ‘hood in Phnom Penh

On a walk through my new neighborhood in Phnom Penh, I got a taste of the spectrum of wealth and poverty that’s here in Cambodia.  Going by this crazy house with its 3 story doric columns, I marvel that I’ve never seen this decadence even in Connecticut.  It’s even more strident in my ‘hood here, for Just around the corner, the homeless vendors can be seen shutting down their makeshift shacks at night to tuckle up against the errant flash thunderstorms that hit during the rainy season.

 

This photo was taken right in front of the house with the 3 story high columns. The amazing juxtaposition is, this villager comes to Phnom Penh with only his cart full of coconuts. He doesn’t return home till he sells all of them, and will sleep in the streets until he does. I bought 2 for $3, rather than at some souped-up grocery. This meager money I spent goes a long way with him. I owe it to Lonely Planet for opening my eyes up to the idea of “responsible tourism”. His gratitude was a little heartbreaking for me, as was the rope around his shoulders to help pull his cart and his blackened hands from the cart handles.

For most of my time so far, I’ve been surprisingly stoic in the face of the poverty I’ve seen here. But something about the direct contact I had with this person jolted and haunted me a bit.  I’ve vowed to shop from more street vendors during my time here instead of at the conglomerate supermarkets.

I’m astounded how everyone has a story here… the Khmer Rouge brought about unthinkable conditions in Cambodia, and I’m just truly opening my eyes to the hardship that still exists here.  Funny how it’s been all around me, but I viewed it all from afar, like I was in a 3D movie.

In this third week, I’ve finally broken down a bit.  Rehearsals are particularly hard now as I’m rooting in this country more.  The scenes we play out in the show, I am harshly aware, is the story of the tuk-tuk driver down the street, the girl selling beer, even our fellow Cambodian cast members.  At the same time, I’m using myself in my work as I never have before.  I’m hoping to get more of a gage on my on/off switch to the susceptibility and vulnerability I’m experiencing.  I don’t want to cut myself off, but I can’t walk through my time here a gaping wound… A delicate balance as I straddle worlds.

Love at First Bite

"Motodop Cargo 1"

My first week in Cambodia was punctuated by some of the most amazing meals I’ve ever had in my life, as well as some eye-opening field trips to the markets and Phnom Penh’s infamous beer gardens that we’ll just classify as “research”. I’ve finally adjusted to the severe time zone flop as well as begun to venture out beyond a one block radius of my hotel.  My hair doesn’t quite understand how to deal with the heat and flash torrential storms, but I’m just about at the point where I happily look around me and comfortably call Phnom Penh home.

"Motodop Cargo 2"

But first things first:  My first day in Cambodia was relatively short-lived, as I was asleep by 4pm.  After a grueling 24 hours in the air, I was pretty happy to have the tropical humid air fill my lungs in a way that was viscerally reminiscent of the Philippines, where my Mother’s family is from.  There were, of course, soon the major indications that showed me I was indeed in Cambodia:  The golden-peaked Buddhist wats, the unmistakably Khmer script. But like Manila, the ever-present signs of teeming, chaotic, gritty, third-world city life make their mark.  The irreverent motodop drivers have very near misses with our van from the airport, carrying anything from mangos to piles of sugarcane to babies.  Yes, Babies.  Splayed out and asleep in the arms of their mother ( who at some times is also the driver), completely unaware and unphased by the heat and noise.  The faint smell of coconuts I had come to love in my Mother’s country was mixed in with something else, something pedestrian, yet intangible that goes into creating a smell of a place… the alchemy of which that is a repeated theme when our group assembles for our first Khmer meal.

Near collision... they didn't even flinch

With our castmate/local celebrity Tony as our guide (I think he’s the unofficial mayor here.  Really.) we find ourselves at Sweet Rice with a table on the patio for 11.  I was having a time with sleep deprivation, heat adjustment and the aftereffects of my hep B shot, but as soon as the first of the plates bearing stir-fried seafood with greens and rice came by, I perked right up.  The thing about Khmer cuisine, is that upon first glance, it’s reminiscent of some variation of the more popular asian cuisines: Thai, Vietnamese, even Chinese. And even the first landing on the palate there are the recognizable hints of garlic, sesame and soy.  What is completely unexpected however, is the extra dimensions of flavor that expand and explode in your mouth that has me befuddled and completely entranced. I have no idea what makes the ingredients pop the way they do, perhaps it’s because it’s so fresh, but I’m…entranced.  I’ve always believed that the way to really know a culture is through the soul of its food and its music.  I’m about to have the serendipitous opportunity to work with this country’s preeminent traditional and modern musicians.  If the music hooks me in any way like the food here has done, I may never come home again.

Our consummate host Tony and castmates

Cambodia, for starters.

TuK-tuk by the Tonle Sap

I’ve been a week now in Phnom Penh and finally starting this blog.  Finally!  I decided quite a while ago I wanted to write about the things I’ve seen and experienced in my happily extensive travels. I want to eventually backtrack and include entries and pictures from other adventures in Europe and Asia, but I’ll start from where I am currently.  I feel blessed and humbled to have the opportunity to experience other worlds that humble me even further… as an American, I have to admit I think there is a tendency to get a bit ethnocentric.  I think it happens to many landlocked folk who just haven’t had the opportunity to see otherwise.

Even though I’m a week in, I’d like to start at the beginning.  Many of my friends and family have asked me what exactly is this show that has brought me to Cambodia. Truthfully, I’ve had a hard time explaining, for A) It’s something very new that isn’t comparable to other musicals and shows I’ve done, and B) I’ve failed to find any summary that does this work justice.  So I’m going to attempt to talk about it here in addition to cataloging my unique experience traveling in Cambodia.  I also like to direct people to the website for the show:  www.whereelephantsweep.net  which describes this significant work much more eloquently than I could. The gist, however clipped and clumsy:  Where Elephants Weep is a modern (and first ever) Cambodian-American rock opera commissioned by Cambodian Living Arts, a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) here in Phnom Penh, aimed at refurbishing the arts and culture in Cambodia that was practically annihilated by the Khmer Rouge not 3 decades ago.

As we delved into week one of rehearsals last week in New York, a lot of  stuff came up for me.  We spent a bit of time watching documentaries and sitting in round-table discussions with the director and writer to begin to create the world and lives of these characters we are to inhabit.  It was quite an intense realization for me as we embarked on that process, that we are literally telling a story that present-day Cambodians have lived.  It’s a bit daunting to take on:  The lives I am to reflect are ones that have included witnessing atrocities that I am quite reticent to mentally go through.  It’s been estimated that 2 million people were slaughtered under Pol Pot’s regime.  That’s 1 in every 4 people, no family had been untouched.  I struggled to fathom what that would feel like, translated into my world.  Needless to say, I spent the week pretty emotional.  On another level, I was surprised to see how similar Bopha (the name of my character) and I are.  As I spent the week tracking her emotional crossroads, I found they were many of the same inquiries I had personally. Though I really have to say it’s not that surprising:  Every show and role I’ve worked on has come into my life almost as an answer to the question of some emotional crossroad I had at that juncture.  The Universe never ceases to amaze me.

Despite my fears and slight anxiety about doing this character justice, I feel extremely safe in the hands of our director, producer and creative team.  These people have shown me another level of what being an artist can entail and I am humbled and excited by the prospects and process ahead of me.  Stay tuned for more…