YEAR OF SISU - 2015 (Sisu is in the heart)

SISU  IS IN THE HEART

YEAR OF SISU - 2015 2/18/2015

PARK COFIELD

A couple of weeks ago, I became acquainted with Emilia Lahti, a researcher whose work revolves around understanding how individuals, groups and organizations grow from challenges and come out of hardships with a newly discovered sense of strength, purpose and adaptability.  She is a scholar of "sisu" and seeks answers to many of the same questions I  am posing with the SISU is in the Heart project. 

In ten days, Emilia will spearhead a global event titled, "Day of Sisu" in order to recognize and celebrate the strength that resides in all of us. The event will kick off at Korjaamo in Helsinki onSaturday, February 28th, and comes with an open invitation for people to host their own sisuesque events all over the world. You can check out more of the details hereand learn how to set up an event in your community. This event officially adds "sisu" to the Finnish calendar for the first time in its 500 year history and will continue to grow in future years-- it's quite the undertaking and pretty awesome if you ask me!

On Tuesday, March 10th, there will also be a global challenge called the "Hour of Sisu". Between 3 PM and 4 PM (your local time) Emilia is encouraging you to do one thing that you know will benefit you, but is something that you have been putting off. Maybe it’s something scares you but which will help you push your boundaries in a healthy, empowering way. The goal is to turn these boundaries (e.g. fear, uncertainty, complacency or desire for comfort) into frontiers.

So, what will I be doing to participate on the 28th? Two things! 

1) I'll be sharing a blog post compiling all of the definitions for "sisu" that I have gathered over the past year of research for the play. Want to contribute? There's still plenty of time. Send an email to: SISUisintheHeart@gmail.com with the answers to these two questions: What does sisu mean to you? Where do you get your sisu?  and I'll add your response to the list! 

2) I'm hosting a small personal gathering in Los Angeles, CA to dig a little deeper and to hear more stories of "sisu" from the Finnish American community and to hone in a little more closely on what it means to have "sisu" as an artist. Stay tuned for updates and details in the next couple of days! After the session, I'll share a re-cap with some thoughts (and possibly some video) from the session. If you'd like to attend, please drop me an email at: SISUisintheHeart@gmail.com 

If you've just found yourself on my site for the first time, please check out ABOUT THE PROJECT to learn more about the play I am writing about my family and my mom, who had more "sisu" than anyone I have ever met.

-PC 

P.S. Want to know more about sisu and how Emilia defines it? Check out her recent talk from TEDx Turku!

Park Cofield is director of theater and opera, a puppet designer, playwright, and community builder based in Los Angeles and Atlanta. His original theatrical projects and puppets have been commissioned by the Center for Puppetry Arts (the largest non-profit in the United States dedicated to the art of puppetry),Georgia Shakespeare, Art on the Atlanta Beltline (the largest public art program in the U.S.), Mammoth Lakes Repertory Theater, andGateway Performance Productions. 

He has a degree from Emerson College in Boston and has traveled extensively in Europe to study performance with Eugenio Barba and Odin Teatret. Park is most known for his bi-lingual stage adaptation of the classic film and book, The Red Balloon, produced by Théâtre du Rêve, Atlanta’s unique French-language theatre company which premiered in 2011 and was remounted in 2012 due to sold out performances and audience demand. 

In the fall of 2011, he was awarded the prestigious Altvater Fellowship with Cornerstone Theater Company, a leader in community based theater work in the U.S. During his time with Cornerstone, Park helped to produce Creative Seeds, a two week long festival to kick off the company's Hunger Cycle and worked as the project coordinator for Talk It Out: A Community Conversation to Fix School Discipline, a new initiative addressing suspension and expulsions in Sacramento. He also spearheaded community engagement efforts in Richmond, CA around healthy living and a vote regarding a tax on soda and sugary drinks.

His work with opera includes directing The Atlanta Opera’s educational tours for the past three years, including the first ever commission for the company, Rabbit Tales, an original opera based on the folk tales of Joel Chandler Harris. He has also assistant directed for Yuval Sharon, of Los Angeles’ newest opera company,The Industry. Park is also in the process of talking with composers about developing a series of new operas for young audiences.

This past November, Park directed the U.S. premiere ofZAGAZOO, written by famed children’s author and illustrator Quentin Blake. This show is currently available for tours in the U.S. and is featured on the website of Plays for Young Audiences. 

Park is also the Program Associate for Network of Ensemble Theaters, a national service organization dedicated to supporting and advocating for ensemble theater practices in the US. He manages and runs the NET/TEN grant program,  a funding program designed to support ensemble-to-ensemble knowledge, sharing and relationship building. 

He is a member of the Dramatist Guild and TYA USA, the US branch of the International Association of Theatre for Children & Young People.    

Read more about Park and see examples of his work at:www.parkcofield.com