a city-construction-integration-model
"Isn't the unability to imagine the life
of the "others" the core of the conflict?"
____________________________by Sari Nusseibeh
1. JERUVILLE / intro
Fotos of JeruVille vol.1 in Düsseldorf
one level in a circular order
2. JERUVILLE / background
JeruVille was developed as vol.1 in Düsseldorf, Germany as a project of the youth-migrations-service of the Diakonie in cooperation with the Jewish Community, sponsored by the town of Düsseldorf, violence prevention, and the Stadtsparkasse (bank) of Düsseldorf.
The 35 participating youth came from very different social, cultural and religious backgrounds, which allowed for a rich material of contents and scenes and gave enough space for a productive friction.
Due to the quick group-building-process, which because of the rehearsal process has a lot to do with mutual respect and interest, the different experiences in acting, dance and music that some of the youth already had, could well be implemented within the work. A strong learning-effect happened which immensely influenced the self-confidence of the youth.
The relatively long but relaxed rehearsal period of about half a year with the last six weeks in the containers, had its climax with eight well visited shows happening within two weeks.
Due to the large success of JeruVille vol.1 on all levels: development of the youth, reaction of the audience and of the city as a whole, reaction of press and sponsors, we are planning to set up JeruVille apart from Düsseldorf, in other towns of Germany, Europe and the world - and with that give to the youth and their generation a space for self-manifestation.
currently in planning and development:
Düsseldorf, vol.2, opening 18. Juni 2010
3. JERUVILLE / how it works
A professional theater- and pedagogy-team assembles in a "casting" a group of 30-40 youth of different, widespread backgrounds. The "casting" is an open invitation to all youth, especially coming from socially difficult of with migration background with the interest in theater, film, dance, performance, music, etc. During the "casting" it should especially be made clear that "JeruVille" is a challenge that calls for time and commitment, so that from early on we can work on a stable group dynamic with as little fluctuation as possible.
The team presents to the selected group a prior designed general containerconcept and a theme, which mirrors clearly and strongly the reality of the youth. The theme at first is being discussed and fathomed. These discussions are going to be recorded for documentation, analysis and text generation. Already during these discussions the tendencies of the individual youth can be recognized: what touches them about the theme, where are their specific problems, or in which direction we could search in content or performance. With these insights the team constructs together with and for each youth a character that build within the group and container concept should give enough material for the youth to explore his or her themes forcefully.
With this information and worked-out characters, the first rehearsal process begins. Guided by the director, material for scenes is being found in improvisation and exploration of external textmaterial. This material is recorded and collected by an author, transcribed, cut and by the professional hand transformed into scenes hightened in its conciseness.
The emerged scenes are then in regards to the container space and concept pre-rehearsed in an external rehearsal space.
The following step then is happening when the containers are set up. The rehearsal situation is changing drastically. The youth suddenly realize that that, which started off in small single scenes, actually has a massive reality: the container town. A space that wants to be filled powerfully and that demands work, group dynamic and presence of every single one.
In this state the rehearsals as well as the group-enforcing measures, like watching movies or barbeque etc., are very important, since only a strong group can capture the containers as a town. Also, from this moment on, the permanent vivification of JeruVille is important, be it through rehearsals, through the team or communal "sit-ins", since the space is public and therefore through its mere presence not only marketing measure but also integrative factor for the entire neighborhood. With the easy and permanent exchange between passers-by and performers/team, the youth during the entire rehearsal process have to present themselves and their generation and through that develop a strong self-confidence. The passers-by start changing their view of the youth. A curiosity can be felt. Passers-by and other youth come closer, stay in JeruVille more and more, trying to integrate.
The rehearsals are being split into individual rehearsals and runthroughs and the close we get to the opening the focus shifts toward the runthroughs and the communal critique afterwards. The shows are being spread over several weekends, where it has shown to be a good idea having at least one show in the afternoon for the families with kids.
Stare, scream at the time
until it freezes in shock
- redemption or catastrophy?
by Byung-Chul Han "Duft der Zeit"
4. JERUVILLE / concrete concepts
#1 - generally
A container is a module in order to transport goods and people across border as well as, in todays time, to "store" people.
Also the theme of mixing cultures and migrationbackgrounds is not only set by the high number of actual border crossings, but is also massively influeced by the international connections lived in a local fashion. Culture is therefore influenced by different circumstances in each city, yet it is also internationally massively influenced by a new communication structure and -exchange, which is significantly formed by the youth.
Therefore: Youth (with or without a migrational background) are being "shipped" in containers out of which a modern container city is built, a "city of migration". The city is set up in a way that it forms a common construct, yet not all containers can be looked into from one spot. This results in a city dramaturgy and the audience is forced to go close to the individual containers and decide what to see. The young container inhabitants function and connect in a blind network that follows its own communication. At the same time, just as it is the custom in the streets, they present the audience their world, their generation, their coolness.
Which theme exactly is being dealt with has to be directly adjusted to the particular city and inhabitants as well as the selected cast. Possible themes are racism, generations, logistics, loneliness, mechanization, social layers, diverse group dynamics, new communication, friendship, love, parents' houses, languages etc.
The particular theme is then placed into a hightened context, a visualization, which allows for the audience to see and understand the complex reality of our youth and at the same time give enough space and possibilities to play for the youth. Contexts could be i.e. westerntown, filmtown, futuristic town, second life etc.
#2 - a concrete concept
THEMES: loneliness, changed communication, and self-expression
CONTAINER: Every youth is shipped in a container. The doors are closed. A team of architects is building from the arriving containers a modern migrant city along the lines of the new container cities in Hamburg, Berlin, Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The city is opened and in every container a young migrant is living, with international as well as national background.
THE LIFE OF THE YOUNG INHABITANTS: Inside of the containers, they are Cyborgs. They live in communication, connection, networking, cross-linking, exchange of information, game, but also emotions like love and mobbing. A changed communication. Outside the containers is the "desert". Leaving the containers, you have to present, act, show what you have. Hairgel, baggies or tight, the right walk, the right look, language, weapons. A western town in the modern sense. Every youth on our streets, a modern Cowboy.
But the layers between the Cyborg and the Cowboy are fluid. Not only is the world of the youth more and more inter-connected, but also the image of the Cowboy become more and more multilayered, internationally mixed and complex.
THE CONFLICT: The architects observe, analyze and conceptionalize the life within the container city, the life of the young generation, while the youth ignore this discussion and meanwhile deal with their life.
"They try to see it all so chemical,
instead of just simply living it. "
Zeyhun Demirov,
youth from Düsseldorf,
16 years old
In a more and more excessive effort of the architects to structure and analyze the life of the youth, their concept is being changed, restructured, confused and finally destroyed by the youth themselves. The youth want to be understood, but keep breaking out of the boxes into which they are put. They draw a scetch, which doesn't function along the ordinary lines. They build their own system. The connection, which at first can only be seen within the containers, eventually appears outside in the world of the cowboys. More and more they become a group, a city, a world, a society. The stand of the architects, since it has become superfluous, is being demounted and transformed into a stage for the western band.
"Either you get over you fear and live along in this new system, or you stay in your box-thinking and we will break your borders.
Because WE are the new generation."
Zeyhun Demirov, youth from Düsseldorf, 16 years old
Spaghetti Western meets Cyborg,
"show-off" meets changed communication,
the generation of architects meets the complex,
uncontrollable world of the youth.
FURTHER POSSIBILITIES
TO USE THE CONTAINER CITY
5. JERUVILLE / rehearsals
Generally the rehearsal times for JeruVille work well in blocks. Ideal are therefore for example holidays or long weekends.
A possibility would be a project in the summer holidays. In this case there should be a casting about 3 months ahead of time with 2-3 meetings between the casting and the actual beginning of the rehearsals, in order to start the process of building a group dynamic, acting / dance training and preparation of the theme. The containers should be put up 1-2 weeks before the vacation so that a first set up can start. The vacations would then be used for rehearsals. The shows would happen in the first weeks after the vacation.
A different alternative would be spreading the project over the year. Then the easter- and fall-vacations should be used as well as the long weekends. In this case the project would probably take between four and six months.
The number of shows depends on the city in which the contains are put up as well as the amount of press being placed. Former experiences should be taken into consideration. Yet there should not be more than three shows per week since doing a show is very exhausting for the youth and takes a high level of concentration.
All rehearsals contain language and bodytraining as well as games and ask for a concentrated way of observing and judging the scenes of others.
6. JERUVILLE / the team
the team consists of an organizing, an artistic, a pedagogical and an assisting part:
Production:
concept - Petra Lammers
Production national / international - plan K
Production Düsseldorf - Nina Rehberg, Youth migrations service of the Diakonie in Düsseldorf
Production Barcelona - Ariadna Esteve
Press - N.N.
Design Düsseldorf - Martina Kraayvanger
ArtisticTeam:
(especially the positions of set designer, author, sound, press and maybe partially dramaturgy should be local.)
director: Petra Lammers
choreographer: Alexandra Neumann (vol.1 & vol.2)
set: Saskia Vollmer (vol.1), Claudia Tolusso (vol.2)
costume: Kati Kolb (vol.1 & vol.2)
lighting: Jörg Paschen (vol.1 & vol.2)
sound: Dirk Beyersdörfer (vol.1)
author: Katja Vaders (vol.2)
dramaturgy: Bianca Künzel (vol.1 & vol.2)
technician: 2-4x for transportation, installation etc
pedagogical Team:
Düsseldorf:
Nina Rehberg
Hatice Karagöl
Assistant Team: consisting of youth
directors assistant
directors intern
set assistant
set intern
costume assistant
costume intern
sound assistant
lighting assistant
All communal jobs like cleaning up, plugging the lights, opening and closing the containers, setting up and taking down the sound equipment, are split among the group, in order to disburden the assistants as well as generate a communal atmosphere and push the team spirit.
7. JERUVILLE / press
Sensitive is to plan a press conference with setting up the containers, so that the rehearsals being open to the public become enough focus early on.
Also it has proven to be good mixing the distribution lists between cultural, social and maybe religious or group specific institutions. Also a wide range of press like print, radio and tv is helpful.
The position of the press referent should work closely together with the production/producer and ideally together with the press departments of the individual cooperation partners.
Also it is helpful to put up information material, also of the dramaturgical kind, on the containers during the rehearsal process. Passers-by always have many questions.
Due to the large attention of press and publicity the youth from early on have to teak a great responsibility. Carefully special constellations of youth are selected to attend different press events and interviews. The interviews are discussed afterwards in order to achive a quick learning process. Due to the high attention from and direct dealing with the press and public the youth loose all fear and become very precise and clear in their ideas about the concept, their work and the group.
8. JERUVILLE / technical rider
rehearsal space for the time before the containers are set up, minimum 15x7 meter
space for the container
• central, open
• connection to electricity
• toilets close by (or set up)
containers
• depending on the concept about 14-20
• depending on the concept, but mainly shipping containers of 6x2,50m
• 2 for electricity with the possibility to cut a whole of about 7 cm for the cable
• all other have to be set up with a whole of 0,5-1cm for electricity
electricity
• high-power split depending on light and sound,
• the splits can be placed in the two dressing room containers
• electricity in every container
• setting up electricity and cables should ideally been done by one (sponsoring) company
stock
• ideal would the if the production could have access to a furniture and costume stock as well as lighting and sound equipment.
transportation
• for furniture, material, costumes a vehicle would be useful
