RAT Hello to all Rats

["Devan McCoy" <devanmccoy@hotmail.com>]

Hello To All Rats,

My name is Devan McCoy and I am a company member of the theater group Sowelu 
in Portland, Oregon.  This is a note of introduction- I’ve recently found 
the Rat Network and would like to contribute to future conversations, so I 
figured a little back ground on Sowelu and our work would be appropriate 
before I opened my mouth on any given topic.

The Sowelu group of artist came together 1998 to form Sowelu Theater out of 
a shared belief that ongoing collaborative efforts will provide the 
strongest artistic voice and most rewarding audience experience.  Theater is 
not a solitary process; we see the art of theater as a force that rises up 
from the labors of dedicated craftsmen.  Sowelu was created collectively as 
a non-profit organization dedicated to the creation of viscerally engaging 
live performances contributing to the primal, spiritual roots of theater.  
Our mission is manifest in its commitment to an ongoing weekly ensemble 
workshop environment which cultivates and deepens a unique artistic approach 
and style born of the artists involved.  Our mission is also present in our 
dedication to the expansion of the national and international library of 
theater.  We create original works in our company and the development of new 
wok in conjunction with compatible playwrights who benefit form our ensemble 
process.

The artists involved share an aesthetic vision that incorporates physical 
movement styles with truthful emotional connections.  We tell stories that 
possess a mythic voice.  Sowelu endeavors to create a concrete physical 
manifestation of the vision of poetic-minded playwrights, which would 
challenge companies that are more traditional.  We use a blend of techniques 
drawn from Anne Bogart’s Viewpoints, Suzuki movement training, and various 
disciplines combined with the Sanford Meisner technique for truthful 
connection in the ensemble.

Sowelu, led by Artistic Director Barry Hunt, has completed three award 
winning and critically acclaimed seasons of provocative, visually 
stimulating live theater.  We make our home at The Back Door Theater located 
at 4319 SE Hawthorne Blvd. in Portland, OR.

We are interested in meeting and hearing from new playwrights.  We are 
interested in building ties between ourselves and other artists in an effort 
to welcome and host new work and bring our own work to new communities.

Myself, I am a company member of Sowelu who has worked in the Portland 
Theater community for seven years in all aspects of tech., performance and 
direction.

You all seem like cool people and dedicated artists.  I’m sorry to have 
missed the Philadelphia conference but I look forward to joining in the 
dialogues.

Glad to meet you!

Devan McCoy

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