Drama promotes dialogue on sexual orientation

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This article was published 19/10/2016 (2745 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Steinbach Neighbours for Community will look to build on the success of last year’s dramatic presentation, Listening for Grace, and July’s dramatics in the form of Steinbach’s first ever Pride march, as it presents Still Listening…Voices Among Us next weekend.

The show is based on a collection of stories from people living in Southeast communities, a broad cross-section of people who are part of the LGBTTQI* community.

“We have a very strong interest in trying to draw all elements of our community into a conversation, that’s really our primary interest,” said Val Hiebert, who took on a playwright role in weaving the experiences of 29 different people into the dramatic presentation.

Singers, directed by Millie Hildebrand, will also be interwoven throughout the show.

Storytelling is a valuable vehicle for conversation, says Hiebert, who hopes audiences see the truths that are borne out in the stories that are told.

“Their lives are filled with very complex challenges living in this community. There’s a lot of deep pain. There’s a lot of beauty. There’s a lot of grace and there’s forgiveness inside those communities. And there’s a lot of powerful stuff that our broader community needs to know about,” she said.

Starting conversations is what this event is all about, even amongst those who have been see to be in opposition to the LGBTTQI* community. Though there is opposition, more and more Hiebert says she senses a desire for discussion about issues of sexual orientation.

“I’m increasing convinced there are a lot more people who are very open to new information and greater understanding, who are quite willing to say ‘talk to me about this, I want to know about this because I am uneasy with the some of the stronger voices that are producing some pain’,” she said.

“We’re really looking to connect with what I think is a really large group of people in this area who do want to enter into real authentic listening conversations and see if we can’t find a better way than to continue to polarize.”

Those 29 stories, which Hiebert has used to create eight fictional characters, were drawn from three focus groups including parents of the LGBTTQI* community, parents and families, and finally allies. Though fictional, much of dialogue is presented verbatim, exactly as the stories were initially shared.

“It was amazing…these people…it was really raw and powerful. They all said that, after each focus group was done, we need more of these of conversations.”

That is exactly what Neighbours for Community hopes to accomplish as a next step, launching further conversations, not for productions, just for the sake of sharing experiences.

“It’s sort of like, when you hold an ethic or a moral and you believe in it very strongly and then you encounter someone’s life experience and suddenly your crystal clear moral ethic or stand…that story makes it complicated…your crystal clear way of thinking gets muddied by the real lived experience of someone,” said Hiebert.

Beliefs won’t change overnight, not with a theatre production or even a huge Pride march. Hiebert says they recognize this and are ready to continue their work slowly.

“We’re in it for the long haul,” she said.

“All social change is slow, if it’s real. it only has full traction if it’s a dance between changing people’s hearts and minds and changing laws and rules.”

For now, Hiebert looks forward to seeing what comes of next week’s production though she wishes everyone could have had the seat she had, hearing from those members of the LGBTTQI* community face to face.

“I wish everyone could have been a fly on the wall. They tell their stories better than I will ever be able to.”

Still Listening…Voice Among Us will be presented on Oct. 28 and Oct. 29 at the SRSS theatre at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and are available for purchase through the Steinbach Arts Council.