Producing & contracting your solo show Panel

Congratulations to the All for One Theater Festival for it's 2nd successful year.  This year the AFO Festival was at the beautiful Cherry Lane Theater and had a great line up.  I loved performing as part of this festival at last year's inaugural opening.  I was also honored to be asked to speak this year on the panel that closed the festival called Producing and Contracting for Your Solo Show with fellow panelists Peter Ligeti and Jamie Cesa, moderated by Peter Breger.  It was interesting to hear their perspectives on how to get a solo show off the ground.  And it also made me realize how far RASH has come from the beginning and reflect on all the creative venues where the show has been performed.

Student response to RASH

Response/Review of Diversity Day from a senior student at Middlesex School who is going to Yale.

" After Tuesday’s assembly, the student body was a buzz about what was to come on the ‘finale’ of our annual diversity day. After having learned that we’d be watching a one woman play, I found myself mildly skeptical. As I sat down in the theater, surrounded in the crowded audience and looking upon the particular bare stage, excepting a trunk and a chair with knitting needles, the temptation to stare at my watch for forty minutes was bordering on the inevitable.

Then suddenly the lights went dark and Jenni Wolfson appeared on the stage, kneeling, reenacting her the moment when her life was almost taken by an impassioned rebel. Jenni’s play “Rash: What If Your Dream Job Could Kill You?” details her journey as UN human rights worker, “living and loving under fire in post-genocide Rwanda.” In an interview for the New York Times, Wolfson explained that she wanted “to give people enough insight to make an unfamiliar world familiar…[to get people] to step out of their comfort zone.” As I looked around the dark theater, I saw many jaws dropping to the floor as she moved around the stage. The urgency, the danger of her encounters made the performance immediate, even though the events had long since past. Thus, she brought the entire Middlesex community back to Rwanda with her, transcending reality and time.

When the lights came up, snapping Middlesex and me back to February 4^th 2012, I wondered what I was going to do having learned her story. I came to a number of conclusions. First, Jenni Wolfson is an extraordinary woman. She not only has the strength and smarts to live 12 years as an UN diplomat—three of which were spent in post-genocide Rwanda, but she also has creativity to write a play about it and the chutzpah to act out the one-woman show. Second, on a more personal level, as Middlesex students, we have a responsibility, the talent, and the resources to accomplish similar extraordinary feats. ....

In conclusion, Diversity day was not only a wild success but also an awakening to the depth of our community and the opportunities that lie in front of us all. After moments like we shared on Saturday, Middlesex students come closer to “finding the promise” in ourselves and in our peers."

Diversity day at Middlesex School

This is a nice write up of how the students at Middlesex explored identity through Diversity Day, with reference to both the talk I gave at their Assembly on human rights and video, as well as the performance of RASH and the Q&A that followed with the students.

And they quoted me in answering one of the questions  "You have a responsibility to know what is going on the world.  One day, you may be in a position of influence or power; use it wisely, take risks and listen to your gut.".

RASH at Middlesex School

This week I travelled twice to Concord, Massachusetts to speak and perform at Middlesex School - a highly regarded New England prep school.  I have never visited a boarding school before and was fascinated by the experience in contrast to my own public school experience in Glasgow.  On Tuesday I spoke at the morning assembly about the work of WITNESS and how the documentation of human rights abuses through video is changing the world.  Today I performed RASH at the school's Annual Day of Diversity.  I was amazed at how engaged and present 400 students could be at 10 in the morning! It was definitely one of my favourite audiences.  On both occasions, students had the opportunity to ask questions which were smart and thoughtful, and many of them came up to speak to me afterwards.  They were an impressive group in more ways than one and I really enjoyed meeting them.  I am so looking forward to performing at other schools in the future. Thank you so much to Brian Smith, the Acting Dean of Students & Director of Diversity for inviting me to share my experiences at Middlesex.   And thanks to Corinne Woods, our wonderful stage manager and to the team at All for One Theater Festival for helping to make this happen, especially Michael Wolk.
Here are some photos that I took whilst I was there.

 Arriving at Middlesex

 My first ever ride on a yellow school bus! Me with Corinne Woods, RASH stage manager

The dressing room.

This week at the All for One Theatre Festival

It's been a great week so far at the All for One Theatre Festival.  Today, JTA published a review of RASH and the background to the story.  On Monday, I spoke on a great panel with RASH director Jen Nails, and two other performers and directors called Directing the Solo Show.  Today I observed Matt Hoverman in action teaching a workshop called Telling Your Story: The Art of the Autobiographical Solo Show.  Tomorrow RASH director Jen Nails teaches a workshop called Solo Show Boot Camp. You've got to click on that link just to see the great photo of Jen!

You have three more days to catch some of the other shows at AFOfest and of course, yours truly, will perform RASH a final time on closing night at 7pm on 20th November.  Audience numbers are looking good and I'm really looking forward to it.  Afterwards, I will see P.J. Walsh's solo play: Over There - Comedy is His Best Weapon if you want to join me.  It will be an evening of war, although I know that Over There is supposed to be very funny and I'm sure having met P.J. that he will be wonderful to watch.  Where will you be on Sunday night?

Pre-show preparations

Chatting to Michael Wolk, Executive Director of the AFOfest before the show

Getting ready in the dressing room before the show

Talking to the tech team before the show

Warming up on stage before the show

 Jen Nails, RASH director (Right), Patrick and Corinne, Tech team (Left)

Opening night at the All for One Theatre Festival for RASH

Thanks Coco for taking the pictures!

Before, during & after

Thanks to Coco who came to the theatre to take photos of me as I was getting ready for the play, warming up on stage and greeting the crew last Sunday. See post above for a wee selection.  Thanks also to Mari and Richard for filming the show - they will be sharing some of the material on the WITNESS facebook page. It was a great performance and I've been so touched by all the amazing emails I've received from people over the last few days, some who I know and some who I don't. Thank you! One down, one to go!

WITNESS Jenni Wolfson!

Here's what the All for One Theater Festival blogged about yesterday.

An All For One shout-out to Jenni Wolfson, who tonight will be at her day job as Managing Director of Witness, which is throwing it's 7th Annual Focus For Change Benefit at Roseland.  In this video, Jenni talks about her show RASH and gives us a shout-out.


Jenni Wolfson //// All For One Theater Festival from All For One on Vimeo.

RASH in the news

Recently RASH got some press.  Check out this interview in The Local East Village. Gabbi Lewin asks me some questions about how I ended up in human rights and Rwanda, and how the play came into being.

Michael Wolk, the Executive Director of the All for One Theater Festival I'm a part of wrote a blog post about my double life that sometimes melds into one.

Superstars of storytelling

The All for One Theater Festival has just announced its launch on Broadway World. I'm thrilled to be counted amongst the "superstars of storytelling" and "the most acclaimed and heralded artists being presented in the Solo arena today".

"They are an intensely talented breed driven by the need to tell their stories to the world. Stories so dense in dramatic revelations as to require an unbroken trance-like connection to a willing audience.  There is a heightened sense of courage at play here.  These as are the rock stars of the theatrical world. On stage on their own, they can change your life in a riveting 70 minutes".

Read more here.

Buy tickets here. 

Tickets now on sale for RASH at AFOfest

Tickets are now on sale for RASH and all the other great shows, workshops and panels at the All for One Theater Festival. 
Buy tickets here

When: November 13th @6pm & November 20th @7pm
Where: Theatre 80 St. Marks (80 St Marks Place & 1st Avenue), NY
How: Buy $20 tickets online (smartypants!) or day of show at the box office (at your peril!)

Spread the RASH!
For regular updates, "like" our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/rashsolo

Meet the Change with Jenni Wolfson

Last week I performed an extract of RASH at the legendary Nuyorican Poets Cafe in the East Village. I also spoke about my philosophy of change and the importance of networking and community.  The audience was a group of young Jewish activists in their 20's and 30's that were brought together by Pursue, a partnership between AJWS and AVODAH.

If you have ever wondered why I do what I do, then wonder no more.  In preparation for the evening, I was interviewed by someone at Pursue and you can read it here
The evening was described as follows: 

Meet the Change with Jenni Wolfson: What Happens Next is Up to You! (Click here for more info)

She speaks truth to power – on stage, in the field (from Haiti to Rwanda), and from her desk. When it comes to “fighting baddies,” you’ll want her in your corner.

Click here to see photos of the event. 

It was a great audience. The folks asked lots of questions, and even the guy behind the bar asked a question!  Then Audrey Sasson who heads up Pursue let a fun networking activity.  I have since heard from almost half the audience which I think is a great sign that we achieved one of the goals of the evening - to encourage networking!  If you want a more objective overview of the evening, read the Pursue blog post.

RASH featured in All for One Theater Festival

RASH has been selected as part of the inaugural solo show theater festival All for One.  I couldn't be more delighted.  The festival's goal is to present "outstanding solo shows that inform and inspire, together with workshops and panels to enhance the development and appreciation of solo performance."

They have a very unique approach that I have never seen before.  Their festival line up is entirely curated - they select the shows rather than putting out a call for applications.  The festival is combined with workshops by some of the top names in solo performance. Their advisory board consists of an amazing array of talented people, including some of the top solo performers, such as Mike Daisey and Nilaja Sun.  AFO also aims to act as a curated gateway to a network of performing and teaching opportunities beyond the festival.

Last but not least, the team at AFO, led by Michael Wolk, are already a dream to work with.

So mark your diaries for November 13th and November 20th for Theatre 80 St Marks in NY, and stay tuned for more.  Tickets will be available soon.

X marks the spot: RASH extract up on YouTube TEDx Channel

I was delighted to find my performance at TEDxEast on the TEDxTalks YouTube channel.  It was an amazing experience to work with Julianna Wurm and the team, as well as to hear the other inspiring speakers and meet the TEDxEast Community. Warning:  This video is a spoiler alert for those of you who haven't seen the full play. Enjoy!

TEDx catches RASH

I'm very excited to be performing an extract of RASH at TEDxEast on May 9, 2011.  It will be at the Time Center in the NYTimes building which is a fantastic space. And for those of you who won't be there, you can see it on Livestream.

As with most TED events, the conference goers are a cross-section of technology, entertainment, design, philanthropy, activist & other oddballers. If you're interested in attending this one-day conference, you need to apply.The full program for TEDxEast should be up in a few days.


Having been to the original TED and TEDWomen, they are experiences that are unparalleled in the conference world. If you've never watched a TED talk, you should definitely check it out.  If you've watched them, feel free to share a link to your favourites.

RASH comes to its first high school - Trinity School

I left the house at 6:30 am this morning to go from Brooklyn to the Upper West Side to perform an extract of RASH to the students and faculty of Trinity School. When I left home, it was dark and all the cafes were still closed.  I never imagined I would be performing RASH at 8am before my first cup of coffee!  But there I was on stage in a lovely theatre in front of 550 students aged 15-18 years and the faculty. 

I only discovered after the performance (thankfully!) that the Trinity crowd is a tough one, but the feedback I received was overwhelmingly positive.  I was fortunate to have pleased both the students and the teachers.  Having gone to a pretty rubbish local high school, I was amazed and inspired to see a school like Trinity, both in terms of the students themselves, the faculty and the school program.  Just an example, almost every day of the year, there is a speaker or performer that addresses the morning assembly.  When I asked the Dean of Co-Curricular Learning if the students realize how privileged they are, I was pleased to hear a resounding yes. 

After my performance, I shared some personal anecdotes about my life in the field and the transition to WITNESS.  I showed a short video and talked about WITNESS, as well as my belief in the power of arts and human rights, whether it be theatre, video, photography etc to raise awareness and mobilize people to action.  There was only time for one question.  "Who are the most unlikely human rights abusers you have come across?"  I talked about some of the abuses that WITNESS is confronting right here in the US, abuse against the elderly, the existence of child trafficking and treatment of child prostitutes. 

I hope this is the first of many performances at schools.  This confirmed my strong belief that high schools are an ideal setting for RASH performances.  If any of you Trinity folks come across this blog post, please do let me know what you thought of the play.  And thanks for being such a wonderful audience.

What's next for RASH?

My 6th and last performance of RASH was only three days ago but already there are plans underway for future performances.  We are in discussions with a theatre festival in NY, with universities in the US and the UK and with Microsoft HQ in Seattle.  Over the next few months I will be contacting schools, colleges and universities in particular, to guage their interest in having RASH performed on their campuses followed by Q&A with the students.  I have also decided that I will try and get RASH published as a play so I'll keep you posted on that front.  I'll continue to update the blog and encourage you to "like" our Facebook page for faster updates too.

For now, and this will resonate more with those of you who have seen the show, I'm going to cycle in the park, go to outdoor musical concerts, spend more time with my family ....

The RASH audience - who are you?

One of the most amazing personal aspects for me performing RASH at the NY Fringe has been the audience. The word seems to have spread amongst human rights and humanitarian workers and many of them have been coming to the show.  I have received wonderful feedback from this group who are seeing a part of their lives and their stories on stage, and they are overjoyed that I am giving others a glimpse into our world.

Friends and colleagues have also been enormously supportive. It's wonderful to walk outside after the show and see my acting teacher; my doula; colleagues from WITNESS and other NGOs (thanks HRW!); the UN & UNICEF staff, even those with whom I worked in Rwanda and Haiti; neighbours; journalists; friends who were in my writing and acting classes; friends from my birthing and mum groups; friends of friends; other Fringe companies and of course the great Fringe audience.  I think that even my dentist came to see the show. And a training dog. Thank you to all of you who have been so incredibly supportive.

There were several people who came to see RASH who have lost their loved ones to human rights and humanitarian tragedies, and I was humbled that they came, and relieved to hear from them how much they loved the show. 

Who am I missing?

RASH named "Best Bet" and one of Fringe favourites by Theatre is Easy

The latest RASH review is out from Theatre is Easy. The have named it one of their "Best Bets" and highlighted it as one of the best 6 shows to see at the Fringe. Their BOTTOM LINE: "A not-to-be-missed, riveting first-person account of a UN worker's three years in Rwanda."

"Jenni Wolfson isn't a professional actor. Not that I could tell. She has such a mix of natural intelligence and charisma that you can't help but hang on to every word she says. Wolfson's monologues are supported by an emotional depth that only real experiences can provide, and she delivers such a multilayered performance that any trained method actor would be jealous. Nor is she a professional playwright. Not that I could tell. Her writing is crisp, clean and nuanced. She manages to pack more meaning into a single line than most writers fit into entire scenes.

Jenni Wolfson is in fact the real deal. Born and raised in Scotland, she likes to drink tea and knit, and has worked for twelve years in the most extreme conditions imaginable as a human rights worker for the UN. Most notably, she spent three years in Rwanda in the mid-nineties during the height of the genocidal conflict and survived to tell of it, if just barely.

But Rash, playing at the HERE Arts Center as part of the NY Fringe Festival, isn't a story of murder, pain and despair. Sure, these aspects make an appearance, either as documentary photos, or as facts stated with a jaded coolness so that they seem surreal. You can tell that Wolfson has been witness to things most of us could only imagine, yet she decided to tell the story by instead focusing on life. Maybe that's the only way to approach the potentially soul-depriving subject of genocide. Wolfson talks of love the way a teenager talks of crushes, and of family conflicts as if they could be summarized by witty one-liners. Or kidnapping and threats of death as if they are something she saw on television instead of experiencing firsthand.

Rash, a show whose title refers to a reoccurring stress-induced skin affliction that acts as a barometer of a current situation, is not depressing. Although it has its moments. Nor is it ultimately uplifting, although it has those moments too. In the end it's essentially a story about life and how it unfolds mostly out of our control.

I urge everyone to see Rash before it is too late. The still young Wolfson is far from retired and is currently the managing director of WITNESS, a human rights organization that promotes the use of video to document and eradicate human rights abuses. There is a small window of opportunity to witness an authenticity that is unparalleled."

World Humanitarian Day

Today is World Humanitarian Day. What does that mean?
It's a day to raise awareness of what it means to be a humanitarian aid worker and provide a window into that world.  What better way to celebrate than to come and see RASH which is my autobiographical solo play about my experiences working in post-genocide Rwanda.

World Humanitarian Day also honours those who have been injured or killed in their work.  Today I think about all the colleagues I have lost in the field. A portion of proceeds of RASH are being donated to Kenba La Foundation set up in memory of my friend Emmanuel Rejouis and his two young daughters Kofie & Zenzie who died in the Haiti Earthquake.

Watch this video and if you know a humanitarian aid worker, today is the day to give them a special hug.