by Katie Hayes

December 17, 2010

The women sit in a loose circle, heads bowed, and thoughts contemplative.   Their sadness is masked by the determination of the performance they are about to give. Invoking the true-life events of battered women is an emotional process, to say the least, which is exactly what Pangea World Theater’s Breaking The Silence achieves.  It extends beyond the normalcy of “just a performance” and works cohesively with the Immigrant and Refugee Battered Women’s Task Force to create a workshop, inviting audiences to become more than just surveyors, but actual participants.

Nashad Muse works as both an actor in the BTS performance and an Administrative Assistant to WATCH, a Minneapolis organization that monitors cases in Hennepin County Courthouse of immigrant and refugee women who are victims of domestic violence.  “I think we’re kicking ass,” said Muse.

“We don’t want to be labeled an interest group with an agenda.”  Muse became involved with Breaking The Silence through WATCH, and has subsequently performed the piece three times.

In terms of her performance, Muse said, “I could do better but I’ve become more confident.” In addition to her administrative position with WATCH and her performance with BTS, Muse is a student at the University of Minnesota and a new mother.  Muse plans to be involved with Breaking The Silence in the future, however timing might be an issue.  “They shouldn’t have the performance on my final exam schedule.”

For upcoming productions, Muse hopes that people will “get the big picture.  It hasn’t reached its critical point yet.”  In her own performance, Muse would like more feedback from first time viewers.  “I would like to know how the play affected them and their community.”

The stories within the performance are all based on true events; “There was a testimony from a woman that stood up after the performance and said, ‘You’re telling my story.’  It was just horrifying,” said Muse.  “But I think the play really makes a difference.”

Breaking The Silence, formerly known as Journey to Safety, was created in partnership with The Advocates for Human Rights after a 2004 report revealed the interviews of more than 150 community leaders including judges, prosecutors, child protection workers, and advocates. The performance features five multi-lingual women who share the true interviews, meant to inspire and promote social change within the Minneapolis community.

For more information on how to participate in Breaking The Silence please call or email Katie Herron-Robb at 612-822-0015 ext. 1, katie@pangeaworldtheater.org.

For past publicity of Breaking the Silence,  click here.

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