THEATRE

Theatre aids youths in processing climate change by Charlie Smith “It’s really important to me that we’re Since its inception, Some Assembly has all aware of our boundaries and that we be enabled more than 2,500 youths to perreally mindful about what we say and what form in front of more than 30,000 audiwe do to protect ourselves,” Methot says. ence members. The society partners with “I strongly believe that we can address the Vancouver Coastal Health, which proseriousness of issues while not putting our- vides counsellors and clinicians to support selves into vulnerable situations.” youths in need of help. As a graduate student, Methot first used Uprooted features Haley Christenson, theatre to process difficult issues in a play Raylen Adriano, Rune Campbell, Fox Hunt, Ben called Treated With Tango. “I wrote it to honour my friend [John Gauthier, Mitch Broome, Ron MacGillivray, Ciara Wilkinson, John Aung, and Veronica Johns. g wanted to celebrate his life,” Methot re- Uprooted can be viewed at someassembly.ca. calls. “I also wanted to address the stigma At 3:30 p.m. on Saturday (October 17), there will S ome Assembly Arts Society’s latest play, Uprooted, opens with a love letter to the Earth. Cowritten and acted by youths between lawyer Michael Doherty and Wilderness Committee campaigner Peter McCartney. “We had our regular rehearsals and workshops with Zoom,” Methot says. “We Cowritten and performed by actors between the ages of 13 and 20, Uprooted delves into how the characters feel about a pipeline project on traditional Indigenous territory. Photo by Emily Cooper. attached to AIDS and I wanted to promote awareness and dialogue about the issue.” be a virtual question-and-answer session. Send questions to info@someassembly.ca. the ages of 13 and 20, it revolves around a didn’t miss a beat, actually.” group of young campers near Chilliwack. The young people eventually formed

“It happens to be on some land leased by their own bubble and rehearsed in the one of the youth’s parents,” playwright and Vancouver Opera’s space. The play was director Valerie Methot tells the Straight filmed at the York Theatre. by phone. “And these parents also are Trauma isn’t a new subject for Methot. heading a contract for tree removal so that As a result of her experiences as a young a pipeline could go through there.” person, she founded Some Assembly Arts

Another one of the youths is Indigen- Society with the Roundhouse Youth Theous, and because he spent a great deal atre Action Group in 2002. The goal was of time there with his grandparents, he to nurture youths’ artistic expression using feels that the site is sacred. That sets the theatre to process trauma. stage for the young actors to explore how “I certainly used art to help me work it feels to be uprooted in the midst of a through my traumatic situations—and it’s traumatic climate crisis. been really helpful,” she says. “I’ve also had

Greta Thunberg certainly has become this incredible force of inspiration and energy for young people to express themselves, which has helped greatly. – playwright and director Valerie Methot

To reinforces this story line, Methot intersperses multimedia presentations, including a video clip of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg speaking at the Vancouver Art Gallery.

“Greta Thunberg certainly has become this incredible force of inspiration and energy for young people to express themselves, which has helped greatly,” Methot says. “Because I strongly believe in the importance of processing concerns and using one’s voice to express these concerns.”

To enhance the play’s accuracy, the youths received script assistance from experienced climate advocates, including Ecojustice key adult allies in my life who helped me express myself through art.”

Methot emphasizes that she has no interest in traumatizing audiences. This is why she balances her productions with beauty, hope, and humour while raising awareness about serious issues.

She also stresses the importance of creating safe spaces for youths. This is accomplished through an artistic methodology that she developed as a master’s student in UBC’s theatre department.

A key component is a “meeting agreement” in which participants define their boundaries in advance. St. Louis] who died of AIDS, and I really