I have an idea for mixing up scripts the way that a rapper samples music. (Has anyone seen anything like this before?) Pulling old things along with new. I have always loved music that is mixed up really well. I think that it could be done with theater as well. Especially with street theater where you rely less on the props than you do on the quality of the writing and the performances. I don't really have any experience in the theater aside from attending and reading alot of plays and attempting to write scenes from time to time.

Now I am working on a project (eventually a non-profit org) that would work in community building in the more left leaning communities. I think that using street theater would be a very powerful tool in this. One question I have is if anyone has any knowledge about copywrite issues. Would we be able to pull scenes from old movies and plays without breaking any laws? Since it would not be for profit (and would it be OK if it was for donations?) would it be legal?

Can anyone come up with good mixes that would pull in as many people as possible? I am thinking that we would need to pull things from the popular cinema and theater to get more people paying attention. Imagine blending in one of Jimmy Stewarts scenes from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington with Sondhiem or something even more experimental and Avante Garde. If done right it could be amazing. But would it be LEGAL?>????

Show a progression of the american family with scenes from movies, theater and tv of the different timeperiods. Are they idyllic? Do they follow a pattern? Do we show them getting worse as time goes on? Do we show that they have always been screwed up? Mix up Long Day's Journey into Night with scenes from Leave it to Beaver. There are endless possibilities. I'm not saying that I have the writing skills to do this really well (although I will probably try at least) but we need to find a way to break through to the largest possible number of people. The project (The Open Minds Network) will help build up the liberal base inother ways be we also need to do more than just preach to the choir. We need to educate and I really think that Theater is under utilized. Not to mention that many people would not go. But if we TAKE IT TO THEM!

Let me know what you think. And if you want to get involved then stop by the REnaissance Farms tribe. (not it's not a medieval site)

Peace

Andy