‘Miscellany’ Archives
Servant of the People, Gentle Giant, Drum Major, Foot Soldier, Peaceful Warrior, The Epitome of Service
By Trudy White, best friend and neighbor The epitome of service. A gentle giant, a peaceful warrior. After moving into her beautiful old Victorian home on Portland Avenue, Muriel decided to focus her attention on the culture of the neighborhood. Not pleased with what she found she decided to focus her attention into the Community. The streets and housing of West Phillips had deteriorated and become sick and wounded due to irresponsible building tenants, selfish landlords along with drug trafficking that caused crime to breed in the neighborhoods like the plaque. Unlike most of the area residents that were intimidated and fearful most of the time, Muriel Simmons decided to use her concerns and people skills to release the burden of fear in the Community and take back the streets of Phillips West! The task of making the Phillips Community better was an uphill battle but Muriel Simmons forged ahead with door knocking, phone calls, passing out flyers, thinking, [...]
Make MayDay Happen!
MayDay COMMUNITY MEETINGFebruary 12 is our community meeting, 7 PM at the Avalon Theater (1500 E. Lake Street), for sharing ideas, images, and themes for this year”'s MayDay. Please come. You can help In the Heart of the Beast continue this tradition for you and your community. Photo by Liz Welch Challenges of MayDay Need Your Ideas and Your Support By Sandy Spieler Dear Neighbors, I”'m writing about the MayDay Parade and Festival, specifically the situation for MayDay this year and into the future. I”'m the artistic director of In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre, one of the founders of MayDay, and one of the midwives of this event”'s artistic and community development for 39 years. It has been my great joy to work with so many wonderful people for so many years! Thank you! This year has me worried, though. As we crafted our theatre”'s finances for 2013, our executive director Loren Niemi suggested we not “do [...]
“IT”'S UP TO US!” May Day
By Sandy Spieler The Economics of MayDay: MayDay has miraculously thrived in somewhat of a “gift economy”””a mixture of monetary donations from individuals, combined with labor and vision donations from many, many volunteers, along with a cadre of artists and organizers hired for MayDay who blend countless hours of volunteer labor within their honorariums fees. Some questions you might have: Who Produces MayDay? In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre is responsible for the production of Mayday. It is a year-round process for our staff””fundraising, organizing, training artists, securing permits, with addressing logistical and creative questions that take all of our skills to support the community in producing the final event. ”¢ photo by Amy Wurdock How is the MayDay budget structured and why the reduction this year? EXPENSES: People and people services: (fulltime and part-time artists, organizers, [...]
