“ASK NOT WHAT THANKYOU CAN DO FOR YOU…”
A call to performers and supporters for Content at ThankYou 2007
So, the what / where / how of ThankYou 2007 is coming along well, and now what we’ll actually be doing there, starting 21st August 2007, is becoming a main focus. This is the content that will fill the five days of the Celebration, and four days of National Congress.
Much of what will happen is self-contained, such as people giving art classes, or Edward Drinkall’s well-established programme of walks. There are larger events however that require ‘putting together’, such as the Gala Performance scheduled for the evening of Saturday 25th August.
To help assess what talent and help there is available, on Sunday 4th March, there’ll be a meeting at Loudwater Farm starting at 10.30am, to run through ideas for the Celebration, and assess who is available to do what. So whether you’re a musician, videographer, poet, lighting designer, dancer… or whatever, Sunday 4th March is the time to get your bids in of what you’re willing and able to do. To paraphrase JF Kennedy, “Ask not what ThankYou 2007 can do for you, ask what you can do for ThankYou 2007…”
There are great opportunities to take part in and help run events such as a Subud Olympics, a Poetry Slam, Art exhibitions, Kid and Youth-oriented activities, a Play, Live Concerts, Radio and Video broadcasting… and so on. At the Loudwater meeting we’ll also be devoting a major block of time to defining the content of the Gala Performance - the shape of it, who performs when, and what they’ll be doing. In part the meeting will be an audition, so if you’re a musician, singer, dancer (etcetera), please bring along what you need to share your ideas with others, and please be willing to perform a piece – however rough – to enable everyone to understand what you do, and how suitable it will be for showing at ThankYou 2007.
The date for the Loudwater meeting is chosen to tie-in with a meeting and rehearsal the previous day at Loudwater for the play which is being put together for ThankYou 2007 by Sylvia le Breton. As there will probably be people in common for the play and for other performance-based events at ThankYou, it seemed sensible to ‘piggyback’ the two sessions.
Even if you don’t wish to be a ‘front-line’ performer, I’m also very keen to find people who’ll be a focal point for activities such as an Art exhibition, Poetry readings and so on. – The call is going out to anyone and everyone, and if you think of someone who might have a contribution to make, please get them interested, and encourage them to attend the Loudwater meeting. Classical musicians seem to be in especially short supply, so if you know of a closet performer, please encourage them to come out and be counted. Daphne Tibbs is also involved in putting together the programme of entertainments for the National Congress part of ThankYou 2007, and I know she is also on the lookout for workshop leaders and entertainers.
If you aren’t able to attend the Loudwater meeting, but would like to be involved in the content programme for ThankYou, please register your interest, and let me know what you can bring to the party, by writing or calling before 4th March (contact numbers and addresses below). ThankYou is for anyone in the Subud world, not just Subud Britain members, so I regard the talent-pool as being at least Europe-wide.
I know that for many people – particularly younger people – the cost of getting to meetings can be prohibitive, so can I make the suggestion to groups that if you have a ‘star’ in your midst that you think should be involved in the content of ThankYou 2007, why not sponsor their attendance… or persuade someone else in the group to be a chauffer for the day? I’m hoping that once we’ve had the Loudwater meeting, most of the content will be defined, so it’s particularly important that people get involved at the start of the process.
By the way, despite talking about ‘process’ and ‘schedules’, let me stress that the purpose of the event, and the build up to it, is about sharing, celebration, and enjoyment. I’m sure that we’ll have fun at the Loudwater meeting, and all the subsequent sessions and rehearsals; and I’m certain that the culmination of all of this will be a content-rich, rewarding, celebratory and illuminating ThankYou 2007.
HARLAN COCKBURN
CONTENT DIRECTOR, THANKYOU 2007
ThankYou 2007 Content Planning Workshop and Auditions
Loudwater Farm
from 10.30am sharp, Sunday 4th March
for queries / details, contact Harlan Cockburn:
++44 (0)7799 678 350
++44 (0)1273 510 999
harlancockburnATaol.com
2 Hanson Road, Newhaven, East Sussex BN9 9EQ, England
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