Repertory Production:

"The Fifth Book of Peace," Creating a Culture of Peace.

*"The Fifth Book of Peace" is an innovative program created by Danse Lumiere Artistic Director Kathryn Roszak and inspired by  Maxine Hong Kingston's book of the same name. The program features students from the LinesBallet/B.F.A. program at Dominican in a new dance-theater adaptation of Hong-Kingston's book addressing the social justice issues of war and violence, and creating a culture of peace. The program features a talk by Maxine Hong Kingston who demonstrates unique leadership with her approach to activism.  As a lover of peace she reaches out to war veterans and her work places emphasis on spiritual and artistic ways of creating change.  This project bears witness to the veterans' stories.  As their stories are shared, the accurate transcription of what is in the heart creates community.

The talk and performance features:

*  Maxine Hong Kingston (award-winning author and National  Endowment of the Humanities medalist)

* The war veterans (including Pulitzer Prize nominated Jimmy Janko)

* Kathryn Roszak/Danse Lumiere (performs internationally at La Mama ETC, New York, Copenhagen Cultural Festival,  Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C., and locally at the University of San Francisco and The Asian Art Museum)

* Students of  LinesBallet/B.F.A. at Dominican (Lines Ballet is an internationally acclaimed dance company performing at the Joyce Theater, New York, Spoleto Festival/USA, and throughout Europe).

PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

The Fifth Book of Peace, is a dance theater piece based on the book of the same name by National Book Award-winning, Bay Area author Maxine Hong Kingston. A feature of our production is the inclusion of Viet Nam veterans' stories both from Ms.Kingston's book and now from the recently published anthology that she has edited, Veterans of War, Veterans of
Peace. These powerful, deeply personal stories help transform people's hearts and minds in times of war.

Given the difficulties in resolving violent conflicts and in our world today, we felt compelled to create this new piece, and now feel compelled to complete it and bring it to it's mature expression. This work examines social justice themes, and explores the concepts of
violence, of war, and of its effect upon the human psyche through the artistic fusion of dance, literature, theater and music. The Fifth Book of Peace gives voice to the under-served population of war veterans, whose stories form compelling reasons for peace. Through this production
the veterans and other survivors of war will be heard and witnessed by the audience encouraging everyone to explore creating a culture of peace within themselves and the world around them. The Fifth Book of Peace also combines contemporary dance with martial arts. The cast includes dancers and actors. There will be an original score. Kathryn Roszak, artistic director and choreographer, is the adapter/writer. She has extensive experience adapting works of literature for the stage. We are fortunate that Durand Garcia, who has worked with veterans, will serve as the Fight Director, bringing his stage combat expertise to completion of this piece.

In 2007, we continued an important part of our development process by having our cast research and witness the veterans' stories, both with Ms. Hong Kingston's and veterans' attendance at rehearsals, and by the cast participating in veterans' writing workshops and other veterans' events. We have found that there is intense interest in the veterans' stories, especially now that so many soldiers are returning from Iraq with PTSD.

The effects of our performances are wide reaching. The very nature of the project, bringing the often-unheard stories of the veterans' to light, will serve both the veterans and general and arts-going audiences alike. The performances will reach a very diverse population. Co-sponsor
Poetry Flash plans further outreach on the completed project in their publication and on their website. In recognition of our collaboration with Maxine Hong Kingston, we are confident that we will receive far-reaching coverage in the local and national press. Venues under discussion and negotiation for Fall 2008 include: Dance Mission, San Francisco; Dominican University, San Rafael; Berkeley Repertory Theater, Berkeley; and Berkeley City College Auditorium, Berkeley.

PAST PERFORMANCES

WHAT:  Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler: Redefining our Place in the Universe

Humanities West opens its 25th Anniversary Season with Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler: Redefining our Place in the Universe, a two-day program of lectures, discussions, music,
and dance presentations celebrating the International Year of Astronomy in honor of the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first use of the telescope in 1609. Alexander Zwissler (Executive Director, Chabot Space & Science Center) moderates Friday night. Presenters include Roger Hahn (UC Berkeley), Kip Cranna (SF Opera), KATHRYN ROSZAK’S DANSE LUMIERE (SF), Bethany Cobb (UC Berkeley), Paula Findlen (Stanford University), Geoff Marcy (UC Berkeley), George Hammond (SF attorney and author), and Alex Filippenko (UC Berkeley).

WHEN:       8pm to 10:15pm, Friday, October 2, 2009
                  10am to 12noon and 1:30pm to 4pm, Saturday, October 3, 2009
       
WHERE:     Herbst Theatre
                  401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco
 
TICKETS:   $20 - $100
                  Tickets are available through City Box Office at
                  415/392-4400 or online at www.cityboxoffice.com
                  Group tickets: info@humanitieswest.org