Week 6: Down w/ Nukes and Tribute to Japanese Heroes

Date April 2, 2011

Location: Greeley Square Park, NYC

Inspired by: http://storytellerscampfire.wordpress.com/2011/03/16/an-ancient-tale-invokes-todays-heros-in-japan/

Beautiful sunny Saturday afternoon, I was on the site, making the skeleton for the bird wings from plastic bottles. When Melanie entered, we put on the Japanese performer's traditional makeup mask.

Having never rehearsed, we waited to commence the performance, and our cue was Marceau entry into the scene.

The story is simple:

I began by asking, have you heard about the 50 Japanese heroes? Then I unscrolled the newspaper prop.

With the sky darkening (as if in synchronicity with what we were doing), I read the news report about the last attempt to cool down nuclear reactors, by a few brave Japanese heroes who through a maze, crawled in the darkness, approaching damaged reactors, exposing themselves to unusually high doses of radiation, in an uncertain attempt of preventing the world’s second-worst nuclear calamity from becoming even more dire.

I read the news drenched with emotion while Marceau echoed what I was saying.

A group gathered around. Mostly Japanese people, Japanese women with their children.

And as I continued on with the story, a Japanese businessman who had been listening looked me in the eye and his face crumbled. Without saying a word, he expressed all his emotions with intense grief, and pain. Very moved, I bowed my head, to take this emotion in--I paused fully knowing that I can only empathize with a nation facing a massive continuing catastrophe.

Then Melanie read the story of the Buddha born as a parrot who faced with a raging forrest fire returned time and again to the river to dip his feathers in the water and return to the fire to sprinkle drops of water on the blaze. The Eagle God seeing what the parrot was doing at first laughed and asked, "what are you doing little parrot? Go home, your task is foolish and hopeless. Stop now and save yourself."

Behind the scenes, Marceau interrupts and comes to me and says, "What are you doing?" Marceau unsatisfied by our reading and lack of experience as street performers, gives us advice on how to do this and that. And maybe we should do something else, some improve funny piece related to love. I said, "You are thinking too much! this is about love! It's not about sexual love! But simply love for our Japanese brothers." Marceau looked disarmed. And as we were about to commence our performance with him, Marceau was escorted out of the park by the park police. He dramatically exits talking about Shakespeare and Love! *Laughter*

So, Melanie and I continued on our brave performance.

The parrot (Melanie) says to the Eagle, "I don't need your advice great, shining eagle (cough, cough). I just need your help!!" Sprinkling water to the crowd.

The Eagle was moved by the parrot's bravery and he cried. The Eagle God's tears sent rain down to the forrest, quenching the fire.

Nature was with us on this performance. And as I said the Eagle God was moved to tears and "it rained" putting the fire out--I couldn't ask for any better display by nature as the heavens showered me with a brief 10 second sprinkling of rain?

We finished our performance, with a nearby band playing "and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea."

EXIT.