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Cadence: Home
TE’A has been engaged in creating intelligent, humane, emotionally compelling theatrical performance pieces about the struggles and triumphs of our veterans as they make the transition from active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan to reconnecting with their friends, their families, and their former selves. In the two years since TE'A brought a workshop version of Home Front to the stage, TE’A has become an official project of Intersections International. This exciting partnership enabled TE'A to continue developing the characters, issues, and the artistry and texture of our theatrical performance piece. Home Front has been transformed into Cadence: Home.
In creating Cadence: Home, the TE'A Company conducted Insight conversations with more than 40 returning vets – learning about their decisions, their fears, their hopes and their dreams. We worked creatively and dramatically with the themes and issues they raised. Guided by our Insight approach to documentary-style theatre, we created a performance piece that offers an intimate, honest, and compassionate entry into the world of four veterans recently returned home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Cadence: Home traces their collective journey to reconnect with their friends, their lovers, and their losses. It offers dramatic insight into their cares, their courage, and the ghosts that haunt them.
Cadence: Home was created by Radha Kramer, August Dannehl, Nalini Sharma, Amanda Marikar, Joseph Reese and Chuk Obasi, with additional material by Michael Goldfried and Stefano Brancato. Alex Gemignani composed Cadence: Home's original score for trumpet, piano, and snare drum. The New York City premiere was performed by a cast of eight talented and committed TE’A Artists and co-directed by Michael Goldfried and Stefano Brancato.
Cadence: Home is a key part of a larger effort that we believe every American can get behind. This piece of Insight Theatre is our contribution to a larger strategic effort - spearheaded by Intersections International – to heal the domestic consequences of our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan by organizing events and by convening dialogues that help veterans and non-military civilians bridge the gaps in understanding, recognition and affirmation that separate them from each other and divide the Nation as a whole. See a description of Intersections' Veteran Civilian Dialogue here
It takes a village to welcome home our veterans, and we are committed to building our village through meaningful exchanges and the power of theatre.
Read what some people have to say about Cadence: Home::
"Brutally honest, genuinely moving and a fitting memorial for Veteran's Day."
"Last weekend, I brought 7 people to NYC who had never been. We saw the sights, went to The Lion King and to Cadence: Home. Many of them said the highlight of their trip was Cadence: Home."
"I enjoyed Cadence: Home and there were definitely times during the show where I saw glimpses of my self in the period from 2003 to 2006. Thank you for taking the time to do this right."
"Cadence: Home was extraordinary. It was more than stunning. It was hugely persuasive. It was deeply and intensively moving. It was timely as hell. It couldn’t have happened without superb casting. It was truly extraordinary."
MEET SOME OF THE COMPANY | VIEW PICTURES FROM THE SHOW
HOME/FRONT
The TE’A Project at Intersections International has employed its innovative, interactive, documentary-style approach to theatrical performance to create a new and timely play, HOME/FRONT. HOME/FRONT is a moving, funny, and deeply humane theatrical piece about the challenges and triumphs of American veterans as they come home after serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
HOME/FRONT offers an intimate, honest, and compassionate entry into the world of four Americans recently returned to New York from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The play traces the journey of each character as they reconnect with their friends, their lovers, and their losses. The audience travels with them, deepening its insight into their cares, their courage, and the ghosts that haunt them. The play presents these characters in their own terms—their flaws, their fears, their strengths, their triumphs.
The creation of this show began by gathering a group of talented artists committed to using the arts for peace building and conflict transformation. This new TE’A Company learned the art of creating powerful theatrical material through combining the insight approach to conflict resolution with interactive theatre techniques. Sitting down with scores of veterans primarily from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the TE’A Company members learned about the cares, the threats, and the meanings associated with being a veteran in the U.S. today. Basing their creative process on these insight conversations, the TE’A Company engaged in a collaborative, artistic endeavor that lead to the creation of our theatrical performance piece HOME/FRONT.
Every TE'A Project performance includes a "Third Act," a facilitated dialogue between the audience and the TE'A Company members.
MEET THE Company | view pictures from the show
Under the Veil: Being Muslim and Non-Muslim in NYC, post 9/11
TE'A, Under the Veil, a joint project of Radha Productions and Intersections International, and in local partnership with the NiteStar Program, focuses on the issues of being Muslim and non Muslim in NY, post 9/11. The Play, which is set in New York City, is timely, provocative, and constructive. It uses theatre, music, and spoken word to dramatize the everyday clash of cares and threats that divide Americans from each other in the wake of 9/11. But beyond dramatizing those barriers, it also functions dramatically to foster the curiosity, insight and compassion that audience members need to transcend them. Following this engaging interactive performance, the audience will participate in the “third act”, a facilitated dialogue that inspires curiosity and challenges our ways of thinking about and relating to each other.
The play was group devised by the TE'A Company NYC, under the direction of Cheryl Paley and Musical direction of Fred Johnson. Click here to read theatre director's notes.
Created in 2009, Under the Veil has performed in many private and public theatres and academic institutions in the region, including the premiere at Intersections International, Essex Street Academy, George Mason University, George Washington University, La MaMa Theatre, Madison Avenue Baptist Church, Pace University, Temple Emeth, and York College (CUNY), among others.
Read what some people have to say about The TE’A Project, Under the Veil:
"This was a beautiful example of good theatre. There were nearly 300 people in the audience... with standing room only. The scenes depicting various situations [were designed] to make us think about diversity, to make you angry, to make you see and question yourself. The audience was moved and educated into becoming better people. I can't begin to recount all that was said after the event, but it was truly life-changing." –Janice Cline, Coordinator of the Cultural Diversity Program, York College, CUNY
"It was an amazing success. The kids have been talking about it all week and the diversity lesson yesterday was richer than usual. We even had one girl who had never worn a head scarf before (who) came in with one yesterday, inspired by you!!!"
–Nora Madsen, teacher, Essex Street Academy, NYC
“Seeing Under the Veil … engaged me emotionally, intellectually, and creatively. Under the Veil is doing a great service to all Americans by addressing the feelings that fuel suspicion, hostility, and conflict between Muslims and non-Muslims.”
–Isabelle Legare, Youth Program Manager, United Nations Alliance of Civilizations
The TE'A 2011 Build the Peace Tour:
During 2011, TE'A will take its signature play, Under the Veil: Being Muslim (and non-Muslim) in America, post 9/11, on a tour of colleges, universities and other institutions in the North-East region. Click here to find out more.