By Julien Tuast

March 25, 2019

For us, “Encounters” was a special project. It was a chance to creatively express our ongoing issues. With the help of an enthusiastic director, we were motivated to bring forth works we were all proud of. These impactful pieces and poems were performed by the beautiful and diverse cast of students from GCC, Japan, and Curaçao.

The pre-show, “Letter to Quilen,” kicked off the main show. The main show consisted of five short pieces: “Sisters”, “Summer Storms”, “Boulder Holder”, “Save the Date” and “The Unspoken 200”. There were also six poetry interludes, one before each piece: “The Name”, “Reality Is”, “Ocean Angel”, “Afternoon”, “Dark Song” and “Mi Lenga (My language)”.

The lineup for the show was as follows:

Pre-Show

• “Letter to Quilen” – by Ro’shunda Dickerson

Show

• “The Name” – by Minashita Kiriu (poetry interlude)
• “Sister” – by Kita Mehaffy
• “Reality is” – by Julien Tuast (poetry interlude)
• “Summer Storms: They were Dancing” – by Jaisey Bates
• “Ocean Angel” – by Sagawa Chika (poetry interlude)
• “Boulder Holder” -by Crystal Jackson
• “Afternoon” – by Sagawa Chika (poetry interlude)
• “Save The Date” – by Caity-Shea Violette
• “Dark Song” – by Sagawa Chika (poetry interlude)
• “The Unspoken 200” – by Ehinomen Okojie
• “Mi Lenga (My Language)” – by Julien Tuast (poetry interlude)
• “Summer Storms: I Had a Dream” – by Jaisey Bates

Everyone gave their all in every performance. We are happy that so many people gathered to watch the show and witness the passion we crafted into our pieces. For those who’d never had the chance to participate in a performance of this type, “Encounters” was a genuinely unique learning experience. We are all incredibly grateful to those who came out and supported us, and hope they left the theater with a spirit full of enjoyment and a mind full of thought.