Parallel plays from prison | Juan Carlos Meza and Nate Collins | TEDxSanQuentin

the Shakespeare for social justice

the Shakespeare for social justice director former in Shakespeare Company I

director former in Shakespeare Company I

director former in Shakespeare Company I am really lucky to get to do some great

am really lucky to get to do some great

am really lucky to get to do some great theater with all the individuals you see

theater with all the individuals you see

theater with all the individuals you see right behind me and many others over the

right behind me and many others over the

right behind me and many others over the years and we’re using Shakespeare to

years and we’re using Shakespeare to

years and we’re using Shakespeare to reflect on all our challenges how we how

reflect on all our challenges how we how

reflect on all our challenges how we how we Brown through our challenges and also

we Brown through our challenges and also

we Brown through our challenges and also how we can learn to make the best

how we can learn to make the best

how we can learn to make the best choices we can in the present moment so

choices we can in the present moment so

choices we can in the present moment so one tradition we have at lunch

one tradition we have at lunch

one tradition we have at lunch experience every year we use themes from

experience every year we use themes from

experience every year we use themes from the Shakespeare plays that we do to

the Shakespeare plays that we do to

the Shakespeare plays that we do to create original theatre in a process

create original theatre in a process

create original theatre in a process called parallel play original theatre

called parallel play original theatre

called parallel play original theatre based on our own life experiences last

based on our own life experiences last

based on our own life experiences last year here at San Quentin we did both

year here at San Quentin we did both

year here at San Quentin we did both Julius Caesar and Macbeth and I’m guys

Julius Caesar and Macbeth and I’m guys

Julius Caesar and Macbeth and I’m guys can you um tell the audience what are

can you um tell the audience what are

can you um tell the audience what are some themes that jumped out from those

some themes that jumped out from those

some themes that jumped out from those two plates be true hatred location

two plates be true hatred location

two plates be true hatred location deceit betrayal communication love

deceit betrayal communication love

deceit betrayal communication love deceit and much more anybody got a

deceit and much more anybody got a

deceit and much more anybody got a parallel play piece that you want to

parallel play piece that you want to

parallel play piece that you want to share tonight

Thank You 1c Joe ah my name is Juan

Thank You 1c Joe ah my name is Juan Segal I played Malcolm and Macbeth and I

Segal I played Malcolm and Macbeth and I

Segal I played Malcolm and Macbeth and I played Casca and the life and death of

played Casca and the life and death of

played Casca and the life and death of Julius Caesar and I noticed it in both

Julius Caesar and I noticed it in both

Julius Caesar and I noticed it in both of these plays you could tell a lot by a

of these plays you could tell a lot by a

of these plays you could tell a lot by a greeting you can tell a person station

greeting you can tell a person station

greeting you can tell a person station or relation to another person it can be

or relation to another person it can be

or relation to another person it can be a simple knot or it could be a kiss a

a simple knot or it could be a kiss a

a simple knot or it could be a kiss a kiss of tenderness or dead well we have

kiss of tenderness or dead well we have

kiss of tenderness or dead well we have simple we have readings around San

simple we have readings around San

simple we have readings around San Quentin also and I’d like to share some

Quentin also and I’d like to share some

Quentin also and I’d like to share some of them with you first

of them with you first

of them with you first so writing this how we greet people from

so writing this how we greet people from

so writing this how we greet people from the streets

the streets

the streets hello’s right thank you make it today

hello’s right thank you make it today

hello’s right thank you make it today Thank You auntie town nice to see you

Thank You auntie town nice to see you

Thank You auntie town nice to see you nice to see you me and me well we depth

nice to see you me and me well we depth

nice to see you me and me well we depth a piece Jesus Roche we’ve been working

a piece Jesus Roche we’ve been working

a piece Jesus Roche we’ve been working on something pretty awesome guys again

on something pretty awesome guys again

on something pretty awesome guys again jumping beans in my elbows I got in my

jumping beans in my elbows I got in my

jumping beans in my elbows I got in my head

me and my boy Darsh we Top Gun and he’s

me and my boy Darsh we Top Gun and he’s the goose to my math goal it might be

the goose to my math goal it might be

the goose to my math goal it might be something like that though

bender heads the mighty Viking we toast

bender heads the mighty Viking we toast our companionship show

reaching we have a very secret one no

reaching we have a very secret one no fingerprints and there’s mad we have

fingerprints and there’s mad we have

fingerprints and there’s mad we have what we call the brokerage sub rum set

what we call the brokerage sub rum set

what we call the brokerage sub rum set bro Luke well Luke is kind of a Star

bro Luke well Luke is kind of a Star

bro Luke well Luke is kind of a Star Wars buff he believes in the force and

Wars buff he believes in the force and

Wars buff he believes in the force and all that stuff I don’t quite get it but

all that stuff I don’t quite get it but

all that stuff I don’t quite get it but it goes something like this this is the

it goes something like this this is the

it goes something like this this is the headshake

I just want to show you that one later

I just want to show you that one later and then their face the good evening

and then their face the good evening

and then their face the good evening thank you me banks what we invented what

thank you me banks what we invented what

thank you me banks what we invented what we call the so hard spirit hug and what

we call the so hard spirit hug and what

we call the so hard spirit hug and what this hug is is first you have to stop

this hug is is first you have to stop

this hug is is first you have to stop all what you’re doing come completing

all what you’re doing come completing

all what you’re doing come completing the prints up the other first step heart

the prints up the other first step heart

the prints up the other first step heart to heart and enjoy one breath

so I encourage you in bed greetings with

so I encourage you in bed greetings with your friends come up with new ones and

your friends come up with new ones and

your friends come up with new ones and and fun ones that show what a person

and fun ones that show what a person

and fun ones that show what a person means to you make that contact thank

so another very common theme in many

so another very common theme in many Shakespeare plays is that of love and I

Shakespeare plays is that of love and I

Shakespeare plays is that of love and I wondered for our finale here we could

wondered for our finale here we could

wondered for our finale here we could have a volunteer who’d like to share

have a volunteer who’d like to share

have a volunteer who’d like to share something you wrote around love in your

something you wrote around love in your

something you wrote around love in your parallel play

parallel play

parallel play yes awesome and I wonder if we could

yes awesome and I wonder if we could

yes awesome and I wonder if we could also share what value you got from

also share what value you got from

also share what value you got from writing your piece I thought so I had

writing your piece I thought so I had

writing your piece I thought so I had the opportunity to work in a visiting

the opportunity to work in a visiting

the opportunity to work in a visiting and that opportunity gave me the chance

and that opportunity gave me the chance

and that opportunity gave me the chance to see the difference between healthy

to see the difference between healthy

to see the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships and the role

and unhealthy relationships and the role

and unhealthy relationships and the role that I played in all of my ruined

that I played in all of my ruined

that I played in all of my ruined relationships and also what I wanted for

relationships and also what I wanted for

relationships and also what I wanted for my own relationships so that was great

my own relationships so that was great

my own relationships so that was great and to that I wrote the song it goes

and to that I wrote the song it goes

and to that I wrote the song it goes something like this when the Sun go down

something like this when the Sun go down

something like this when the Sun go down and the moon phase I’ll be standing

and the moon phase I’ll be standing

and the moon phase I’ll be standing there with my baby and give my final day

there with my baby and give my final day

there with my baby and give my final day whenever my final day Labor Day by my

whenever my final day Labor Day by my

whenever my final day Labor Day by my ways with you ba-ba-ba-ba my Sun Goes

ways with you ba-ba-ba-ba my Sun Goes

ways with you ba-ba-ba-ba my Sun Goes Down handle face I’ll be standing

[Music]

[Music] [Applause]