The Future Is Not Fixed: Short Plays Envisioning a Global Green New Deal

by Chantal Bilodeau (Compiler)

Overview

For all of the political, economic, and technological obstacles that stand in the way of addressing climate change, perhaps the greatest challenge is in the realm of imagination. Can we envision a better world? What might an equitable, sustainable, decarbonized, and just society look like? What if the concept of a Green New Deal—the initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while addressing interwoven social problems like economic inequality and racial injustice—could become reality? The Future Is Not Fixed presents a dazzling variety of answers to these questions in the form of fifty plays—from writers representing all inhabited continents—commissioned for Climate Change Theatre Action 2021, a global participatory theatre festival that brings communities together around climate issues. The pieces gathered here feature a wide range of styles and perspectives, from realist dramas to experimental works, encompassing the dangers that we face as well as ecstatic possibilities for a renewed social contract. With contributions suitable for both conventional and nonstandard theatrical settings, these plays can be performed in intimate readings, staged productions with extensive sets and props, and everything in between. Climate Change Theatre Action plays have been performed on street corners, at the foot of glaciers, in churches, schools, libraries, backyards, community centers, and bars. They have been enjoyed by audiences as diverse as water treatment workers in Montana; homeless youth in London; refugees in Denmark; children in New York City, Iran, and Nigeria; faith communities in Florida and Washington State; unsuspecting passersby in Brazil and New Zealand; and students in every corner of the world. Regardless of style, audience, or venue, each play offers a bracing, affecting vision of how we might come together to face the challenge of global climate change.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493064656
Publisher:	Applause
Publication date:	12/15/2022
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Chantal Bilodeau is a playwright and translator. In her capacity as artistic director of the Arts & Climate Initiative, she has been instrumental in helping theatrical and educational communities, as well as diverse audiences in the United States and abroad, to engage in climate action through programming that includes live performances, talks, publications, workshops, and national and international artist gatherings. In 2019, she was named one of "8 Trailblazers Who Are Changing the Climate Conversation" by Audubon Magazine.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction Chantal Bilodeau 1

Part I Thoughts on Climate Change Theatre Action

Climate Change Theatre Action in Graz: Power and Possibility Nassim Balestrini Shana Bestock 9

Taking It to the Streets: From Obstacles to Opportunities Joan Lipkin 15

Global Network Learning EcoDesign Charrette Ian Garrett Tanja Beer Tessa Rixon 21

Reducing the Hope Gap? An Examination of Climate Change Theatre Action 2021 Plays Bethany McMorine Tarah Wright 27

Part II The Plays

Whistler Giancarlo Abrahan 39

The Deal Javaad Alipoor 45

Apology, My Keith Barker 51

Affirmations Elena Eli Belyea 57

The Penguin Nicolas Billon 61

When Wren Brian 65

Molong Damon Chua 71

The Pageant Paula Cizmar 77

Dream/Remember Hanna Cormick 83

Book of G Nelson Diaz-Marcano 91

How to hold water: a spell for adaptive living Erika Dickerson-Despenza 97

The Persistence of Possibility Karen Elias 101

Us In the Past Nathan Ellis 105

Mizhakwad (The Sky Is Clear) Dylan Thomas Elwood 111

Moo! Be Quiet! Lambchop's Secret Mission to Steal Every Cow in the World Alister Emerson 115

Initiation Angella Emurwon 123

All Its Tainted Glory Georgina HL Escobar 127

All of us were born in the crisis David Finnigan 133

Helen's Hangout Patti Flather 135

The Oysters Miranda Rose Hall 141

Confessions of the Little Match Girl to the Star Kamil Haque 147

A Window Whiti Hereaka 151

Lifeday Jessica Huang 157

FUCAWWWFFF Faezeh Jalali 163

Listen to Vanessa Nakate Aleya Kassam 167

Truth or something like it … Nikhil Katara 173

Friends for Life Himali Kothari 181

DreamSong Heidi Kraay 185

2079 Camila Le-bert 191

Get Me to the Sixth Floor Philip Luswata 195

Cost Zizi Majid 201

Small But Mighty Mwendie Mbugua 207

Make It Make Sense Margaret Namulyanga 211

Ranger Yvette Nolan 217

Green New Steal Corey Payette 223

Paying For It Thomas Peterson 225

I Saw You Well Nicole Pschetz 229

Sammie & Gran Mark Rigney 235

At What Cost Kiki Rivera 241

What We Give Back Madeline Sayet 249

Hummm Donna-Michelle St. Bernard 257

Love Out of the Ruins Zoë Svendsen 261

Not Because We're Good Chris Thorpe 269

Mentoring Session #4 Peterson Toscano 273

Consultation Dylan Van Den Berg 277

Bedtime Story for My (Future) Daughter Caity-Shea Violette 283

The Last Bee Is Flying Over the Sky Pat To Yan 287

So This Is the Last Apple Pie Haeweon Yi 291

So Beautiful Today So Sunny Marcus Youssef Seth Klein 297

The Eternity of Diapers Carla Zúñiga Morales 303