The Ships in the Night: Image as Guide — with Jessica Cerullo

Time: 2-4pm UK time | Location: Zoom

This workshop was based on the social practice art project, The Ships In The Night. Over the course of five months I sought out strangers in my seaside New England community who I perceived to be caregivers – nurses, crossing guards, therapists, arts administrators, elected officials, guidance counselors, teachers, custodians, parents, and even children themselves.

Subsequently, I met with 50 strangers and asked, What have you lost, gained, and learned during this pandemic that you don’t want us to forget? Together we co-authored a poem that sought to remember, reclaim, and frame our experiences in the hope of healing and connecting meaningfully. Michael Chekhov’s technique guided me in these interactions and in the subsequent performances for an audience of one, given to each stranger.

In this workshop for the Chekhov Collective, Jessica guided participants in exploring and practising approaches to careful and deep listening to each other, guided by and developing from the approaches discovered through the Ships in the Night project. Following this same principle of listening and co-creation, the workshop evolved in response to who was in the room.

This workshop was open to all, artists and humans, and no previous experience of Chekhov Technique was required.

Jessica Cerullo is an interdisciplinary theater artist and educator. Her work is often socially or civically engaged and is grounded in a variety of somatic and contemplative practices that seek to build capacities for empathy. She is the Artistic Director of MICHA, the Michael Chekhov Association where she recently edited the book Michael Chekhov: Lessons for Teachers, expanded edition and instigated the 2021 short film series The Michael Chekhov Community Performs the Archive.