"Returning to the Mother"
Conceived and Written (Copyright 2018)
by Angela Bennett
This environmentally themed musical show was originally launched as part of Atlanta's 7 Stages Homebrew Series and has had additional performances
at the Mask Theatre in Atlanta and most recently, at Get Off the Grid Fest.
"Returning to the Mother" is inspired by: "Mother Earth Spirituality: Native American Paths to Healing Ourselves and the World" by Ed McGAA, Eagle Man; "Spiritual Ecology: The Cry of the Earth" Edited by Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee; "The Findhorn Garden: Pioneering a New Vision f Man and Nature in Cooperation" by the Findhorn Community, "Coming Back to Life: Practices to Reconnect Our Lives, Our World" by Joanna Macy; and, Nature Spirits & Elemental Beings: Working with the Intelligence in Nature" by Marko Pogacnik
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Summary
The audience is visited by three spirits who represent indigenous goddesses that reign over elements of Mother Nature: Pele, the Hawaiian FIRE goddess of the volcano, creator/destroyer of the land; Mother Oshun, African goddess of all bodies of fresh WATER; and, White Buffalo Calf Woman, a goddess of the Sioux/Lakota nation representing all living beings of the Earth. These spirits have come, not only to praise and celebrate Mother Nature for all that she does to sustain us, but with important messages that will help heal and transform our relationship with Her.
"The stories, characters, and show is strong with the intention of offering healing and active movement towards coming together as humans to make decisions for the greater health of the planet. While it was whimsical and magical, it was grounded and focused; a hard thing to do in a concise and presentational style. Overall, the work was well received and their engagement with our community was phenomenal. I look forward to hearing how this show progresses and evolves throughout its lifetime."
(Heidi S Howard, Artistic Director, 7 Stages, Atlanta, GA)
SCRIPT AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
Below is an excerpt from the show's opening number "Indra's Net"
(the lyrics are from a hymn found in the ancient Sanskrit text: The Rig Veda)
Below is an excerpt from the show's opening number "Indra's Net"
(the lyrics are from a hymn found in the ancient Sanskrit text: The Rig Veda)
Video Clips from the first workshop performance below.
Mask Theatre
It became clear during the early stages of development that the use of masks in taking on the energy/spirit of these goddesses was integral.
Mike Hickey and Sandra Hughes of Gateway Performance Productions coached us in the creation and use of our masks.
(Below is our Pele Mask, goddess of FIRE : the destruction/death that leads to creation/new life)
"No mask can belong to us definitively or exclusively; masks belong to the divinities. They are symbols through which we communicate with the multiplicity of archetyple reality." (from Pagan Grace by Ginette Paris)
