The space that defines the Sundance Institute Theatre Program is that precious wedge of time between "idea" and "production" when artists dream, leap into their discomfort, their unknown, and get closer to their vision. I believe that theatre artists tell the truth and so at Sundance, we become their stewards, assuring their safe journeys, and championing that their voices be heard. -Philip Himberg

Thursday, July 15, 2010

From one crab lunch

FROM RACHAEL FEILER (Proprietor of Diamond Beach Village)

I have known about Sundance for 18 months, the first and only time I have met anyone from Sundance was when I picked Roberta Levitow up in Lamutown by boat and brought her to Manda Island for lunch at Diamond Beach. We spent the day on Manda looking at various houses and Akili, Wayne MacGregor's dance studio, and then one year later I get an email to ask if they can book!

It is such an honor to host Sundance Institute Theatre Lab. Before they arrived I was very aware of what a huge deal it was for Diamond, Manda and Lamu to have Sundance hosted in this archipelago. Over the past week or so, having started to get to know the participants and organisers I am blown away by the talent and the beauty of the people surrounding me. As each day goes by I feel more and more 'blessed' as Phillip would say to host them and have them on Manda soil. To have these artists using a space that was created by my Mum, herself an artist, and to see Diamond 'alive' and being used by such talented people is really a joy to watch.

What really strikes me is the incredible amount of trust that has been put into me by Sundance. From one crab lunch 18 months ago they assumed I could  prepare lunch and dinner for 21 days for 21 people! So far no one has gone hungry but we are not Utar and never will be, I am sure Utar has it all wrapped up and the last thing to be thought about by the creative directors is catering and sleeping arrangements. Manda is a totally different story, supplies can be difficult, there is very little variety we can't just run to the shop if we forgot butter... that reminds me, I think we have forgotten butter...

It feels like we are celebrating Diamonds 10th Birthday in a way, to get to where we are now has been a lot of blood sweat and tears also a lot of laughing, swimming and meeting fantastic people from all over the world and it feels like those years where a build up to this. To have such a internationally-known company choose Lamu out of the whole of East Africa is quite something. To have them at Diamond is a feeling I can't put into words. If (god forbid) a tsunami took Diamond out tomorrow, or on the 29th July, I would feel content to at least say I had hosted Sundance Theatre Lab. 
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