Climate Collaboratory – OVERVIEW

Thank you for considering what role you might play in devising “Climate Collaboratory: The Musical.”  We’re looking for people who can bring their own creativity into the mix.  I hope that each of you will find something in our multi-faceted collaboratory that makes your heart sing! 

I have written out the Climate Collaboratory program in four levels (below).  It helped me to spell out the full project this way, so please forgive me if this is way more detail than you want or need!  Take what you like and leave the rest.

The Climate Collaboratory is a pilot project of We, the World and the University of Florida Extension.  I am copying Jennison Kipp, state director of the Sustainable Floridians Program; Rick Ulfik, founder of We, the World; and Angie Terrell, who is working with our planning team on the Alachua County portion of the program.

Sue

The Climate Collaboratory

It will be helpful to think of the musical at Star Center Theatre as part of a statewide program that takes place on several levels.  The children’s story and musical develop month by month as the centerpiece of a community-wide climate conversation-to-action program.  Age-appropriate activities for children, youth, adults and elders take place in homes, schools and communities.

• Level 1 – Climate Collaboratory – Scripted Conversation Starters
  I co-host a monthly live stream show for We, the World, a nonprofit networking organization based in New York.
  • I’m writing the script with the Alvarez kids (ages 13, 11 and 9) and others.  In August and September, they read scripts for Acts 1 and 2 — so far without the music.  
  • These are the scripts and recordings so far.  
    To hear the music I hear, follow the links in the scripts.
    
    

August – ACT 1 script – Code Red for Humanity

The Earth is changing — the Tree of Life is in danger.  Pacha the Dreamer and Paco the Realist set out to make the world work for all living things — that’s 100% of humanity and the community of life on Earth, our home.

– recording

https://www.facebook.com/rick.ulfik/videos/556788868853385

September – ACT 2 script – Gardens of Global Unity

We’re planting Seed ideas in the Gardens of Global Unity, where all things are possible.

 – recording https://www.facebook.com/thewecampaign/videos/375015054174073

October – ACT 3 draft script – Blueprint for a Better Future

The leaders of the world have set 17 Global Goals for 2030.  We use them to play the EarthFlash! Treasure Hunt.
– to be broadcast in mid-October

• being developed in bi-weekly meetings with Angie Terrell, overseeing development of the musical play for April. 
  
• Monthly installments of our collaborative storytelling adventure engage children, youth, adults and elders in the climate conversation for 2021-22.
• The monthly themes are described in this article.
• We have not yet promoted them in Alachua County, but plan to start with the Interfaith Climate Group, United Nations Association, and several schools.

• These will be used in schools and community organizations to inspire creative expressions and climate action.
• NOTE:  We are also talking with people at Pacha’s Pajamas (the prequel to our story) about an animated 3-min trailer for the musical, with elements of this video.  We envision a full-length animated film by 2025.  (Remember, we’re in the Gardens of Global Unity, where all things are possible!)
  

• Level 2 – Climate Collaboratory – The Musical
  This is a condensed version of our collaborative storytelling adventure, presented in a series of live and online events.  The idea is to make a one-hour live musical stage production that tells the story of the full community-wide climate conversation-to-action program and engages audiences in the next stage of the journey On the Road to 2030, 2050 and Beyond — in the style of the Wizard of Oz..  It’s told so simply a child can understand and participate in it, finding their own creative expressions and climate action.
  
  • Local – Alachua County is our demonstration center for the community-based pilot program with UF/IFAS Extension. 
    • Star Center Theatre and Caring and Sharing Learning Center showcase their original live production, which becomes a model and centerpiece for the state and global program.  (Think of the Mouseketeers on the old Mickey Mouse Show, asking kids to send in videos of their own creative expressions and climate actions — as seen in Pacha’s Connected Dance (LINK))
    • Other school and community theatre troupes perform their own scenes based on what is happening in their part of the world.  These become eligible for the global live stream presentations during Earth Month (March 21 to April 22).
      
  • State – The Alvarez kids in Broward County are the main storytellers for the Florida Climate Conversation-to-Action Program.  Our intention is to reach out to several county extension agents in the Sustainable Floridians network.  They can participate in small or large ways.
    
  • National eXtension_______survey of climate program ______
    
  • Global – We, the World hosts the year-round live stream program with global partners.  Adrian Alvarez has done live stream events with Unity Earth (at 01:35), Earth Charter International and the United Nations.  We will partner with these and others for the Global NatureFest in March and April 2022.  This will be presented as live-stream programs with supporting in-person events and educational activities from March 21 to April 22.
  • NOTE:  About the music
    • Most of the music already exists, as seen in our Musical Menu.  
    • Original compositions using quotations from Martin Luther King, the Earth Charter and other Words of Wisdom are encouraged. -zzzzzzzzzzzzzz LIST Words of Wisdom
      
• Level 3 – Climate Collaboratory – Community-wide Climate Conversation-to-Action Program
• A series of age-appropriate activities, events, workshops and educational programs for different audiences are published in the e-magazine, EarthFlash! Printernet Gazette.  The musical storyline briefly mentions these real-world activities, giving children a sense of being part of a global movement.  These are some of the existing programs:
  • Crafting Our Climate Story – weekly meeting, collecting stories of individuals, groups and organizations working for the common good.
  • Roving Reporters (in planning stage) – youth interview elder activists
  • Building Community in a Changing Climate – monthly interfaith devotional and climate conversation – virtual and community-based.
  • Gardens of Global Unity – project incubator with monthly live stream showcasing Seed Ideas growing from vision to reality.
  • EarthFlash! Making the Games Club – creating an Escape Room experience in a game show format, featuring Sustainable Development Goals as the keys to escaping the climate calamity and making the world work for all living things — that’s 100% of humanity and the community of life on Earth, our home.  The game show is a central feature of the musical.
    
• Level 4: Production Team
  URGENT NEEDS:  We’re looking for people who can and will
  • bring the collaborative storytelling adventure to life as a hybrid theatrical performance, with live and virtual elements
  • for an animated trailer and full-length film.

It may be that all this will be possible next year.  This year we do what we can with what we’ve got.  We have LOTS of work to do in the next few years if we’re going to prevent the climate catastrophe.  I’m convinced that it can be done best through the arts and entertainment

Thanks for joining us on the Road to 2030, 2050 and Beyond!