« In the summer of 2013, one hundred Canadians in Victoria, British Columbia used theatre as a way to consider what it will take to reshape our country’s relationship with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people. From the Heart: enter into the journey of reconciliation was a interactive performance that invited eight people at a time to find their own way through the alcoves and chambers of a vast indoor labyrinth built from salvaged doors and windows, trees, and hundreds of meters of fabric. Along a journey lit by paper lanterns, the audience discovered a culturally diverse, inter-generational cast of community performers presenting songs, scenes, and art installations — all inspired by stories that had deepened their personal understanding of the lived experience of Indigenous people in Canada and the legacy of colonization. Director Will Weigler explains, « We welcomed audiences to be witness to stories from the performers’ own experience and from our country’s past that had moved them — stories that were very present and alive for us right now, as non-Native people in the 21st century. »

In his new book From the Heart: How 100 Canadians Created an Unconventional Theatre Performance about Reconciliation, Weigler tells the story of how the show was developed and what it was like in performance with detailed explanations of each step of the process, fully illustrated with photos and drawings. For those with an interest in reconciliation, this book offers a gripping example of how theatre can contribute to public dialogue in a creative and vital way. Community groups will be able to use the book as a model to create their own unique production of From the Heart based on the pilot project. »

For more information about From the Heart, visit www.from-the-heart.ca. To order your copy of the book, visit Strong Nations Publishing, or you may read the book online line HERE (click on the diagonal arrows lower right to see the full pages).

Posted with permission from Will Weigler