Acting

Called to Heal a Broken World — A Skit

Set:
On stage a big 6’x6′ paper with the Earth (“big blue marble”) on it

Speaker 1. and Speaker 2 walks on stage to a PODIUM on the side — They take turns starting to read a statement of the purpose of the gathering or something else, within 10 seconds, no more,
2 status quo Climate Change figures come on stage. They are under gray sheets (like Halloween ghosts, labeled “climate change A-okay”) with big grins cut out of red felt or paper velcroed on.  They have box cutters and scissors and start to slash the world and rip it apart.

From the back of the auditorium (each side, some could be sitting in back seats) other cast members (the crew) rise and start shouting:  “STOP,” “Stop the destruction,” “Stop, you destroyers of the environment,” “Stop [the greenhouse gases, the fracking, the depletion of the ozone layer, etc.].”
(they run, maybe in slow motion, to the stage but do not get there until the world is in a myriad of pieces.)

Climate Change (CC) folks:  move to the edge of the stage as everyone frantically struggles to try to put the world back together meanwhile CC folks nod, clap approvingly.

Speakers:   “wait, stop, this isn’t going to do any good. As soon as we get it together they are just going to rip it up again. That is their whole purpose for being.” CC folks nod, clap approvingly.

Speakers:  “It will only work if we can get to the root of the problem.” (or whatever else would work for a lead-in)

Everyone (the crew): improvised discussion

Speaker: “So it is agreed that 2 of the crew will be the repairers (choose the oldest) and will take the pieces to the back and try and put it together while the rest of us consider …..?”
these 2 crew members walk aimlessly, act confused, and wander a bit but other folks help collect all the pieces and point and help them off stage.
—————————————
Speaker 1: “So what are the root causes of this destruction?”
“Power, domination control of the earth, the environment, the world”
Speaker 2: read from Genesis about dominion over and control
Speaker 1. “The need for power over, control and domination, whether over the earth or other human beings”. this affects how we deal with people too, people right here in our community lead”
Have members who are people of color share their experience as people of color”
Start and end with, in unison: “if you don’t think this is your problem think again”
Speaker 1or 2. “power over that we exhibit in how we deal with other people is mirrored in how we exploit the environment.”

Speaker 1or 2. “We need to work on ourselves, our family our meetings.
We invite people to a period of mourning for the earth, for the destruction, for all the exclusion of people’s, for the dreams that have been shatter by racism and other oppression  (after 1minute) We invite people to join likeminded people in the room ___ “for mourning our complicity” raise pieces of paper that form a banner that says “(We all said while signs were raised)
“for MOURNING”
“our FAILURE”
“to address RACISM”

Speaker 1 or 2: Now let’s take a few moments to reflect on the following queries. We invite anchor group to also consider them (read slowly)
Do you reflect on your role in perpetuating a system of oppression?
Do you work on solutions to effect sustainability in your community?
How will these actions appear from the perspective of seven generations from now?
What is your vision of a healed earth?
(As these queries start to be read CC folks turn their backs to the  audience and turn their velcroed smile over to a frown.)
——————————————-
CC folks: “I’m going away, I’m disappearing  (do a wizard-of-oz witch-melting thing)

Cast members rise and while going back onstage improvise “Ha-ha-ha global warming undone. let’s celebrate, dance, (they encourage people to dance and sing)
While this is going on, CC folks get out from under sheets turn the sheets over and one is happy sun, the other happy moon one goes to one side of stage one on the other.
Cast members:  “So, how is the world? Is the world repaired? What’s happened to the world?” look around
The repairers are helped onto the stage come out with the ripped up world fixed, taped together (actually have two worlds)
Cast members #1 group (in unison): “how could you do that so fast?!?”
Cast members #2 group: (in unison)  “it was easy. (the repairer turn world around on the back of the world is a picture of a person (composite of all differences).

All Cast members: (in unison) “We healed that one person and we repaired the world.”

All gather in line on stage for the curtain call.

———————-
For an encore, if there is time:
The Battle for Turkey Creek: How residents of the historic African American community of Turkey Creek, in Gulfport, Mississippi, formed an unlikely alliance to protect their land. Daily Show correspondent Wyatt Cenac tests a theory: that birds are treated better than black people in Mississippi.
………………………………..
Epilogue:
During the time set aside for mourning:
One person’s experience

In the hallways laughter, prancing footsteps, a giggle. All as I sat and mourned our failure to end racism in our religious society. Tears made rivulets down my cheeks for it had been announced to all that we would be setting this time and space aside for MOURNING our FAILURE to address RACISM yet I was alone.

Alone with the grief, deep sadness for our brothers and sister of color and all they had to endure both within our Religious Society and in the outside world with no compassion, understanding from our supposed spiritual community, or the comfort such shared awareness brings.

On the walls around this room set aside for Friends of color were pictures of famous black men and women. Inspirational quotes, strong faces enfold all who enter. An anchor group had met there earlier in the day. RSEJ had asked them to consider the devastation endured by people in our family that were victims of racial oppression. We had passed out sheets with queries to every group. Instead, all the anchor groups, even this one with those beautiful faces, spent time on FUM policies

Slave Owners Are in Your Pocket

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Facts rocks with sun

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Appropriation / Aggression

White Privilege / Supremacy

Slave Owners Are in Your Pocket

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Freedom and Justice Crier

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Dear White People

Being Allies

James, Rachel, Dragon

Reparations

Three Candles

Spiritual Foundations

Dear White People

Being Allies

James, Rachel, Dragon

Reparations

Three Candles

Spiritual Foundations

Assessment Tools

History

Appropriation / Aggression

White Privilege / Supremacy

Introduction

Wood Stack Definitions Menu

Definitions

Facts

Maps

Dear White People

Being Allies

James, Rachel, Dragon

Reparations

Three Candles

Spiritual Foundations

Slave Owners Are in Your Pocket

Public Displays

Theater PTown

Performance Art

Maze

Workshops

Freedom and Justice Crier

Activist Resources

Assessment Tools

History

Appropriation / Aggression

White Privilege / Supremacy

Introduction

Wood Stack Definitions Menu

Definitions

Facts

Maps