Peace Out!
Saturday October 16, 2004
7:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Center of Creative Arts (COCA)
524 Trinity Avenue in St. Louis, MO

Give Peace Out! a Chance
Submitted by Janet Vigen

"One of the most culturally significant artistic events held in St. Louis this year."

That's how Joan Lipkin describes Peace Out!, an interactive performance event to take place on Saturday, October 16, at the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) in the University City Loop.

Lipkin, Artistic Director of That Uppity Theatre Company, predicts "it's going to be huge."

She conceptualized this project in partnership with local poet Deborah Stoddard. The two first joined artistic forces a decade ago in "After Rodney," a poetry performance group about race and racism, in response to events surrounding the 1994 riots in Los Angeles.

Ten years later they are together again, this time responding to the war in Iraq. Late last spring, urged by the need to do something to oppose this conflict and war in general, they came up with a way to promote peace as they knew best: through artistic _expression. Thus was conceived Peace Out!, a one-night-only arts happening resisting the violence of war.

From the beginning, time was an essential element. This event is scheduled one week after the presidential debate at Washington University in St. Louis and just over two weeks before Election Day. "We're in a tenuous position," explains Lipkin. "We will never be at this particular political moment again."
To take advantage of this moment, Lipkin sees Peace Out! as an opportunity "to get people thinking about peace, how to commit to peace, how they can have a role in bringing peace about."

Their specific inspiration comes from texts on the Poets Against the War website ( http://www.poetsagainstthewar.org ). Founded by poet Sam Hammil in response to receipt of an invitation to the White House the morning after he read of the President's proposed plans for an attack on Iraq, the site now includes approximately 16,000 poems. Stoddard is among the poets published on the site. She and Lipkin have chosen 20 poems to be featured during the central performance aspect of the night.

It was a careful, deliberate selection process. "We passed over longer poems for shorter pieces that could be staged through the means of dance and performance," says Lipkin. All of the poems fit within an overall theme. "We wanted to craft an emotional journey of experience, centered around the stages of grief: shock, disbelief, anger, sorrow, negotiation, reconciliation and hope."

Lipkin has invited local choreographers, directors and composers to present staged interpretations of the poems, each extending from two to four minutes for the mainstage performance. Each poem will be projected onto the stage wall as it is presented. This performance will take place at 7 PM and repeat at 9 PM.

Beyond the staging of work from Poets Against the War, Peace Out! is designed as an interactive event with hands-on activities and various modes of _expression. In COCA's downstairs studio, a politically-themed poetry showcase at 7 PM will be curated by Word in Motion, the collective that produced the National Slam Festival in St. Louis this summer.

This showcase will feature St. Louis poets, including Shirley LeFlore, Michael Castro, K. Curtis Lyle, Jane Ellen Ibur, Mama Blue, Darlene Roy, Lavelle Wilkins-Chin, Fo Feet and Jeff Hamilton. Following the showcase, aspiring poets and performers are invited to take part in an open mic session at 9 PM.
"This is a really strong opportunity for St. Louis poets to have a voice," says Lipkin. "We're creating a balance of energy between established and emerging artists."

In addition, attendees may choose to to create their own poetry by writing haikus and displaying them for others to read.

Other activities include making origami camels or cranes, browsing the Peace Boutique, and visiting tables staffed by various peace and social justice organizations. "We are giving tables to progressive organizations," says Lipkin, "with the stipulation that they must be there in person, to emphasize the interactive nature of the event."

More than a dozen progressive organizations are co-sponsoring the event, including Veterans for Peace, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Equal Housing Opportunity Commission, Human Rights Action Service, St. Louis Justice and Peace Shares, Instead of War Coalition Group, Women in Black, Peace Economy Project, the ACLU, PROMO, and United Healthcare Justice Fund, among others.

Peace Out! also is co-sponsored by KDHX FM 88.1 and dhTV: Community Media in St. Louis. dhTV will provide anti-war films and video clips to run throughout the event.

"We want people to have a really multifaceted experience about peace," says Lipkin, "poetically, performatively, visually, informationally and musically."
In fact, music will be an integral part of the evening. As they arrive, guests will be greeted and "drummed in" by Joia's Rick Kramer, and others. Inside the art gallery, attendees will find an area dedicated to music. Here, they may sip coffee while listening to the sounds of Gen Obata, who also is curating. Other featured musicians include City Folk, Mary Sparks and Jan Marra.

On the mainstage, Mitsu Saito and John MacEnulty will provide transitional music between the poetic performances. Even one of the poems has been set to music by Carol Schmidt (of Jasmine fame), who will perform the piece with Lydia Ruffin.

The peace-oriented tone of the event will be evident immediately upon entrance to the Center. "Visual artist Elisa Forgelman is creating an exciting environmental installation," notes Lipkin, "so that the space is transformed from the time people enter the doors."

To soothe appetites, food and beverages will be available at a reasonable cost. Affordability is key to this event, according to Lipkin. "Most everyone involved is donating their time."

Tickets may be purchased at the door. They are free for veterans and $5 for seniors, students, people under 22, people with disabilities, and self-determined low-income. Tickets are $10 for the general public.

A core group of women, ranging from Jamie Cendroski, a 23-year-old graphic designer, to Hedy Epstein, an 80-year-old Holocaust survivor and peace activist, have worked to organize this event. Their goal, according to Lipkin, is to "galvanize young voters into realizing they have a voice and to create awareness that there are a lot of ways to promote peace and justice in our community."

Lipkin emphasizes the unique nature of Peace Out!: "Sometimes people hear about an event after it's over and then want to attend the next performance. This event will never be repeated."

Doors open at 6 PM, with the first performance beginning at 7 PM and a second performance at 9 PM. Activities continue until midnight.

"Spend the entire evening or just stop by for a while," encourages Lipkin, "but go."

For more information and to volunteer, call That Uppity Theatre Company (314-995-4600).

This article © 2004 Janet Vigen, all rights reserved.