Final day with the amazing people who've made it happen. Reflections on Refugee Nation in Twin Cities.
Minnehaha Falls Park with peek-ka-boo artists Lidet, Leilani and Robert.
The family that stays together, plays together!
Point up to the marquee...Refugee Nation in lights!
The masterful workshop at the University of Minnesota students expressing themselves!THE MAGIC THAT IS...
I have often heard the phrase "It is, what it is" referring usually to a situation that, at least for me, connotes that nothing can be done or it cannot be helped. In most cases I'm on the losing end. This is not one of those cases. Refugee Nation the play, the project, the residency, the performances, took years to sculpt and mature. Magic can happen, magic does happen...it takes time and effort and a lot of hard work! The success of Refugee Nation in the Twin Cities proves it so. I am amazed at the impact we have had in the Twin Cities when done right! Thank you so much Intermedia Arts, Lao Assistance Center and Pangea World Theater for making an example of what collaborative, communicative and conscious effort can do for a community!
There are many moments of magic I can reflect upon during our three full weeks in St. Paul-Minneapolis; from the first day arriving at the airport and picked up by Bryan Thao Worra in his beat up BMW...we didn't fully comprehend the adventure that was about to unfold. Miracles happen thanks to the Ratsabout family in Brooklyn Park...Saengmany, Gao, Maekalah and crawling Zakarin were commendable hosts. Without this family's down to earth spirit and awesome home the RN team would be split up. They were kind enough to accommodate all four refugees: Leilani, Litdet, Rena and myself after much fuss from an assumed prior engagement that unfortunately did not come through. Nonetheless, we adjusted to the situation and made good with making new family and friends. To which I add on to the magical moments of meeting the Photisane family whom lived just a few blocks away. The Photisane's are an amazing unit of eight who have such a deep, dramatic, uplifting story to share to the world that my hope is that it will happen. Thanks to their mother Aunty Oudom we were escorted into the senior group at Lao Cultural Center where we announced our arrival with the hope that they get to experience the play at Intermedia Arts.
I can share of many impactful stories like the young man from Iowa whom was so moved by the play he had to take a moment to collect himself midway through the play. The UofM Southeast Asian American students and the incredible work they produced in workshop with only an hour of time together. The diverse audiences that came to see the play and filled the houses practically every night. B. Ratsabout and other repeat audience members who came to see the play more than twice to fully take in the nuances of the performances. Fans like Julian Hines,who came with friends to support the show and insist that they come and see this play. Elders who smiled at me after the show and wished me well for sharing OUR stories. The Minneapolis artistic core: Bryan Thao Worra, May Lee Yang, Saymoukda Vongsamay, Robert Karimi and many others...
This proves that we are ultimate, historical, significant, penultimate...Lao American play of the decade. We will continue on thanks to the love and support of so many people. Let's continue to step forward building this Refugee Nation!
