ECD Travel Grant Recipients Responses From #LMDA19
by Jihye Kim
What happens if a room full of dramaturgs encounters a problem? Or a set of pressing questions? How would dramaturgs solve the problem? What would the energy in the room feel like?
I had the pleasure of witnessing a variety of answers to these questions this 2019 LMDA conference in Chicago; perceptive yet calm eyes with swift hands and feet, inquisitive smiles in the eyes with ready-to-dive torsos, a settling realization of the urgency of the problem and hands moving busy on the notepad dissecting, digesting the problem, to mention a few. Seeing different dramaturgical processes from a diverse group of dramaturgs itself was a great learning opportunity.
2019 LMDA Conference: Crossing Borders, Pt. 2: Action in a Time of Division was my first ever conference attendance. I fully plunged myself into the conference via volunteering and participating in two sessions as a presenter, dancing in and out of the boundaries my multiple roles has enabled me. It was nerve-breaking to be a visible part of such a big event that attracts hundreds of not only dramaturgs and literary managers but also playwrights, directors, producers and artistic directors of theater companies across physical borders via HowlRound.
As a volunteer, I was happy to have a reason to meet and help people out, loosening tense shoulders together, creating and crafting a communal experience. At the same time, I was thankful to HowlRound for live-streaming and archiving selected sessions, so when my body called me up for some rest, I was able to actively utilize Quiet + Opt-out Room to calm my jet lagged mind.
As a presenter, I was glad my first-time presentation was done at LMDA. In Playwrights under the Radar session where I introduced Haejung Hwang, a calm and attentive energy in the Courtyard theatre supported my groundedness for that ever-lasting five minutes. It was also intriguing to get a taste of the relationship between each dramaturg and their playwright in relation to the style and story of the plays introduced. In the session where I presented Mothers to Storytellers: Devising Self in the Wake of Korea’s #MeToo, I was thankful to have an opportunity to share the story itself. Due to the confidential nature of the subject matter, the story itself can only be shared in the form of verbal story-telling in an environment where the sensitive
nature of the project was fully understood. And I was glad to have chosen LMDA to be the place to share what I witnessed. Not only the amount of respectfulness I sensed in the room, but also all the bursting encouragement I’ve received post-presentation reassured me to continue supporting these storytellers in the best of my capacity.
As a conference attendee, I was excited to be a part of nation-wide dramaturgical conversations. Particularly In Practice: Dramaturging New Work—I found it inspirational that an intra collaborator conflict could be resolved by sharing a meal together, rebuilding a communal space where everyone’s voice is heard. Furthermore, I feel very fortunate to have witnessed the Chicago Theater Artists, Activists and Advocates on Crafting Change session and to have met a group of courageous pioneers who are pushing the limit of hetero-masculine-normativity and white supremacy. To hear all the pressing questions related to the subject of race, power and gender encouraged me to not be afraid of asking sharp questions.
It has been a blessing to be a part of LMDA’s conference this year. I am a newly joined member of LMDA, and I am proud to be a part of the community. No matter where I end up residing next year, I hope to meet everyone back in Mexico City. Until then, hope you all have a peaceful and productive year!
Originally published in the June 2019 Newsletter
