Highlights from the “Voices From Chornobyl” anniversary reading at the Deaf West Theatre in North Hollywood, April 26, 2009. Shot and edited by Lysandra Petersson. Featuring the talents of:
Vasily Shimansky..…..Bradford Beacom
Anna Sushko…….Enci
Grigory……..Aaron Lyons / Brian M. Cole
Sergei Gurin……..Shawn MacAulay / Tyrone Giordano*
A Solitary Human Voice………Kristin Mochnick / Catherine MacKinnon
Katya Shimansky……Kappa Victoria Wood / Evelina Gaina
Writer and Director: Cindy Marie Jenkins
Inspired by the book Voices From Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexievich
Published by Galina Dursthoff, Inc.
Getting the word out and organizing readings in the U.S. Readings are free in April but are able to be free anytime so long as it serves a charitable or educational purpose
Compiling a Study Packet for School Performances
Compiling a Pitch Packet for School Performances
Coordinating a Kick-off Anniversary Reading for our cast (whoever is available) to perform on the Anniversary this year (I’ll be sending out more info on that soon)
A list of Chernobyl Charities in the U.S.
List of Chernobyl Charities outside the U.S. & U.K.
Photocopying Assistance for Scripts to be mailed to interested charities/groups (both monetarily or compilation)
Mailing Assistance (both monetarily or compilation)
Planning for a fundraiser this summer, to fund our own VFC presentations
Compilation and Maintenance of Mailing List
Compilation and Organization of Costume & Prop Stock
It is hard to condense all of the events from this past weekend into one email, but here are the highlights.
Over 100 delegates from Chernobyl Charities in the UK and Ireland saw our Demo Film and heard the idea for the Anniversary Readings.
The Workshop for “Commemorating the Anniversary,” which I facilitated, had many more attendees than had signed up, after they had seen the Film.
All of the charities involved are excited and interested in utilizing the play for the Charity’s benefits.
2009 will be the true beginning, but many were encouraged to read the play aloud at their Board Meetings, and get started sooner.
A woman formerly on the Examination (Education Board) Board is looking to put a Special Adaptation for Primary Grades into the Examination Curriculum, either for Health, Science or History classes, or all
The UK Anniversary Readings will be integrated into every Charity’s “Remember Chernobyl” festivities, and after my presentation, a Charity Delegate pledged the first 5,000 pounds towards a full-time National Coordinator for such readings.
By the 25th Anniversary, these readings should be worldwide and create an event that will make Chernobyl more than just a footnote on the news.
The DVD will be used as a vehicle to interest more families in hosting “Holidays” for children who are ill due to the effects of radiation.
And I’m extremely open to other people’s ideas and suggestions.
