Soundings

Beyond the Rainbow

This is a tale of the other. Things are changing and the LGBTQ communities that were formerly exiled are now, slowly, being noticed and accepted by the mainstream--whether or not these communities give a hoot about "normal" acceptance. Just because we live in a more open-minded era for gays, gender-benders, and women alike (and there are many who would find this idea contentious) does not mean that the turbulent story of how drag got to the spotlight should be glossed over, nor the deeply transgressive nature of gender-bending forgotten.
Lest the contemporary “it-gets-better” ethos rewrite a subversive history forged outside the norm and by those who have always felt different, Brittany Newell have sought to record the oral history of 7 dazzling American queens and gender-artists working today. What is the trajectory from misfit to show-stopper, fringe to the spotlight, boy to beautiful woman or creature? Is drag the sparkling manifestation of an less-pretty past, the alchemy of the alienated? In documenting their experiences, inspirations, and struggles as The Other, she hopes to pay tribute to the art of transformation, as perfected to an almost mystical degree by these 7 artists, gender-rebels, and visionaries. This is a tale of the other, the queer, the blunt, and the brave. Their stories go against the grain and beyond the rainbow.
Producer: Brittany Newell
Featuring: Macy Rodman, Peaches Christ, Alexis Blair Penney, Heklina, Sissy Spastik, Mathu Andersen, & Cher Noble.
Special thanks: to all the beautiful people and amazing artists who made this possible! The Braden Grant for the Study of Oral Narrative, the Stanford Storytelling Project, Ziva Schatz, and Eric Eich
Image via Ziva Scatz (of drag queen Alaska Thunderf*ck)
This work was supported by the Braden Grant for the Study of Oral Narrative. More information about the Braden Grant here: http://web.stanford.edu/group/storytelling/cgi-bin/joomla/index.php/grants.html

Travel: An Australian Anthem

What makes young Australians such eager globe-trotters? Aliza Gazek and Kelly Vicars swung on their packs and set off “down under” to find out. The travelers they met along the way shared stories of their adventures and offered surprising insight into Australia’s history as a nation, providing a trail of clues to why it’s so easy to find an Aussie backpacker in any hostel in the world.
Producers: Aliza Gazek and Kelly Vicars
Featuring: John Grant, Prashan Paramanathan, Ashley Carruthers, Theo Ell, Mel Ronca, Sandra Ronca, Aileen “Nan” Grant
Special Thanks: Andrew Todhunter and Jeanne Snider for their guidance, our generous Aussie hosts, and everyone else who shared their stories: Alex Dumbrell, Murray and Rosie Fisher, Robin Grant, and Paul Rowley.
Music: Rusted Root, Men at Work, Grizzly Bear, Norah Jones,
Sydney Children's Choir, Slightly Stoopid, River Ran, Enya, Lucius
Image via flickr
For more information about the Braden Grant for Oral Narrative: http://web.stanford.edu/group/storytelling/cgi-bin/joomla/index.php/grants.html

Improv in the Real World

There’s something special about theatrical improvisation. There’s a trust, a confidence, and a sense of risk that can help individuals grow and bring groups together. But what happens when you graduate and your source of improv (mainly, your college improv group) goes away?
In this piece, Mona Thompson, Stanford class of 2013, explores the concept of improvisation in the “real world.” Would it be possible to create a whole life centered around improv? And if so, would it be meaningful?
Producer: Mona Thompson
Featuring: William Hall, Dr. Nika Quirk, & Patricia Ryan Madson
Special Thanks: Charlie Mintz, John Lee, and everyone at Stanford Storytelling Project
Image via Flickr
For more information about the Braden Grant for Oral Narrative: http://web.stanford.edu/group/storytelling/cgi-bin/joomla/index.php/grants.html

Reimagining the 2002 Gujarat Riots

On February 22nd, 2002 a train carrying 58 Hindu pilgrims returning from Ayodhya was attacked by a group of Muslims, resulting in the death of all of its passengers. What followed was a series of violent, retaliatory attacks against Muslims in the state and the death of over 1,000 people.
In this piece, Stanford students Claire Colberg 14’ and Ravi Patel 13’ travel to Anand, India, to understand how these riots have affected Gujarat’s youth. Despite deep-rooted challenges, their conversations with both Hindu and Muslim students reveal the future vision of communal unity shared by Gujarat’s youth.
Producers: Claire Colberg and Ravi Patel
Featuring: The students of D.Z. Patel High School, D.N High School, the Hanifa School, and the Chaortar Institute of Technology - Changa.
Special Thanks: Andrew Todhunter, Kiran Patel, and all the students who shared their stories with us in Gujarat.
Image courtesy of Claire Colberg
For more information about the Braden Grant for Oral Narrative: http://web.stanford.edu/group/storytelling/cgi-bin/joomla/index.php/grants.html