came to AS220's artist-in-residence program with an idea for an operetta concerning the memory function of the brain, that was tentatively titled "Beyond the Beyond (a good old-fashioned thriller)". I had been thinking about the piece for several years and had written extensive general notes about it, and in the year prior to the residency I had performed two work-in-progress showings at the Phat Tuesday series curated by Boo Froebel (at Dixon Place in New York City and Galapagos in Brooklyn). I knew I wanted to explore the general themes of memory, heritage, and possibilities for change in one's identity through the story of a woman who suffers from severe memory loss and embarks on an investigation of her own history, only to find it might be better left un-remembered. The plotline I had in mind was that the lead character, a neurologist investigating the screening process of the memory in an age of ever-increasing sensory input, would use herself as a case study and "accidentally" undergo a mystical transformation into an entirely new, unrecognizable person, thereby finding herself at the center of a web of intrigue, suspicion and unexpected glory."

With this piece, I planned to continue to develop a unique style of storytelling, which I had explored previously through my work with a collaborative theater group called Transmission Projects and with the operettas "Bullseye (a lamentation of one sad night)" and "The 21st of May", the latter of which I performed in Providence in 1995. In these pieces, themes are explored and a story is told through a series of songs, monologues and dances. For this piece, I wanted the structure to be more like a concert or a slide demonstration than a theater piece, in that the texts, dances, costumes, props and lights would be presented as peripheral to the songs and/or slides they would accompany and introduce. Thus I hoped a story would emerge in a non-linear manner, through an accumulation of sometimes contradictory details and philosophical speculations, and through the more ephemeral and emotional communication of music, a structure appropriate to the theme of memory.

During my stay at AS220, as I further developed my ideas, I began to do research about the memory process, the after effects of incestuous abuse, and the crossroads where these two areas meet : the ongoing "memory wars" over the debatable possibility of the blocking out and later retrieval of repressed or blocked memories of traumatic events. With the help of this research a narrative began to develop in sometimes unexpected directions, and gradually I fleshed out the plotline and content of the piece, writing texts and lyrics for songs. Meanwhile, I took piano lessons from Keith Munslow (2nd floor studio) and guitar lessons from Spogga (3rd floor resident) and refreshed my accordion studies with Alec Redfearn (former AS220 resident). I began writing songs and rehearsing them with local musicians, including Shawn Wallace (staff member), Pam Murray (2nd floor studio), Matt Everett (former AS220 resident), Keith Munslow, John Oles, Jeremy Woodward (Neo-90s Dance Band member), Margie Wienk, Michael Jeffries, and Joel Thibodeau. Throughout my stay I attended numerous shows in AS220's performance space and was inspired and influenced by the diversity of the music and performances I heard and saw.

Over the course of my first six weeks here I did three work-in-progress performances of material as it developed. I also performed songs as part of the Fools Ball fundraiser, opening for Plymouth Rock, where I met local singer Maria Ventura, who ended up singing the part of Seymour Saymour in what is now titled "Accidental Nostalgia (or, How to Change Your Mind : A Self-Help Manual for Psychogenic Amnesiacs)". When I had assembled a rough version of the entire piece (17 songs, 5 sections with 5 respective costume changes, 2 hour-long acts, with backup music recorded, instrumental parts for live musicians, several dances, slide projections and set pieces), I began working with Kristen Lapham (Trinity Rep) on costumes and with Vanessa Gilbert (Perishable Theatre) on help with staging and direction. I also learned how to screenprint from Marcella Kroll (third floor resident) who helped me make posters advertising my final work-in-progress performance. Pam Murray made the slides that were part of the show, and Tom Sgouros (2nd floor studio) loaned me a slide projector. Matt Obert (3rd floor resident) created a beautiful book cover for the set piece of the book around which the narrative revolves.

I performed the final showing of the piece on Friday May 31st, following a set by The Eyesores, which was videotaped by Michael and David Udris (www.udris.com). Because the show turned out longer than I had anticipated, the second half was postponed until the following week and was performed on Wednesday June 5th.

During the development, creation, and performances of this piece I was aided immeasurably by the generous and influential support of AS220's staff and artists. Many, many people gave generously of their time and creative energy and the work blossomed within this fertile and supportive atmosphere in a way it could not have otherwise. The creation of this piece would certainly not have been possible without the support of AS220.

With a rough draft of "Accidental Nostalgia" now completed and videotaped, I will begin applying for further financial support in order to bring it to fruition, and when it reaches a performable stage I will approach venues in New York City and elsewhere in order to plan for a fully executed production. Once I have fully completed the piece, I will return to Providence and present it again in its entirety.