The Cast and Program of Hungry Machine

Cast members in alphabetical order:
Hope Armijo, Laurel Butler*, James Camancho, Samantha Emord*, Mia Jumbo*, Adrian Martinez, Chantel Purcells, Sabri Sky*, Santiago Trujillo, Hassina Youssaf, Safia Youssaf*, Barbara Wilson*
Instructors/Directors: Anna Saggese and Riti Sachdeva

*Indicates member of Research Service Learning Class Hunger: A Theatrical Expression

Thursday, May 1, 2008
Outch'yanda Performance space
Albuquerque, N.M.

Program
(See write-up about play in Bread blog)

"One in three New Mexicans face food insecurities"

With this sentence, the class began a journey of discovery. We wanted to know what food insecurity is, who feels it, what it looks like, tastes like, where it begins and how to combat it. Through the research process, we started to unearth our personal relationships with food. We saw how food is an integral part of family, culture, survival and saiety. We looked at a lack of food and its impact on the individual and our larger communities.

Then we wrote.

As we shared our writing we noticed interesting connections. Most of our main characters are women. A few are pregnant women. We realize a definite connection between food and mothers. Most of the monologues address topics that evoke a multitude of responses: anger, grief, fear, and even laughter. This performance is testimony to our process of uncovering the very complex truths about hunger in our state and in our world.

RUNNING ORDER
1. Tomato Love Letter Full Company

2. Dear Ancestors by Sofia Youssof

Machine -Gender Discrimination

3. Eggsong (Salt of the Earth) by Laurel Butler

4. Taa Nil: Blue Corn Mush by Mia Jumbo

Food Survey

5. A World Apart by Barbara Wilson

Machine - The Vulnerability of Children and the Elderly

6. Hungry Clowns II by Laurel Butler

Intermission

7. Vomit by Mia Jumbo

Machine - Poverty and Powerlessness

8. Genetic Engineering by Sam Emord

Machine -Violence and Militarism

9. Fruits of an Ancient Land by Sofia Youssof

Machine -Racism and Ethnocentrism

10. The Calculated Dance of Hunger by Sabri Sky