Open Heart Arts Theatre’s experimental production draws us all into the circle

I'm not nervous," says Jammy Lo, of the imminence of her upcoming appearance in Conversations Around the Table."

It's a milestone for growth. Plus, it's my half birthday."

So she's doubly motivated.

Nervous? She's going to tell her story, or some part of it, in a play, or rather an experimental theatrical production at Theatre Aquarius, 190 King William, starting June 16.

Who wouldn't be nervous? She has, though, dealt with greater stresses than prospective stage fright so she's keeping it in perspective.

She is one of several people who have lived experienced of homelessness and addiction" and are taking part in Open Heart Arts Theatre (OHAT), which has been involving them and others in workshop activities around visual arts, pottery, improv, creativity, writing, music and, yes, of course, theatre.

I have difficulty actualizing my emotions - I've experienced significant trauma," says Jammy, without getting more specific.

While art can be hard it is not so hard as life, and she adds, it's a safe way for me to explore emotions."

Jammy, MJ and several others have been meeting at New Vision United Church, formerly Centenary, since April, working on and learning about art, such as figure drawing, theatre, dance and such. Before that, OHAT ran workshops in the fall.

Open Heart is a powerful initiative that asks of theatre, art and creativity itself: what does it mean if you're not immersed in your subject matter; if you're not bubbling up inclusively from the depths of the whole community; if you're disengaged from direct organic action toward social change?

Museums, galleries and soft-seated theatres are important, too, but this is or should be equally part of the adventure.

It is, according to its website, performances with a conscience."

Our performers are inviting audiences to join the conversation, asking How can we create the Hamilton we want to live in - together?' We're so excited to present this project," says Open Heart artistic director Kelly Wolf.

Kelly has long been passionate about integrating her work in theatre arts with the dramatic challenges of social strife and lived experience. This has resulted in performances such as 2021's Skip the Glitches Fringe play I Really Wish You Knew Me."

In our own way we have been building relationships between communities. Our ensemble is comprised of artists with and without lived experience of being unhoused, and what we have discovered through working together is that we are all artists with shared experiences of joy and pain, love and loss. It's so important to share these stories with the broader community in order to demystify the experience of being unhoused. This is what we hope people will take away from the show."

Jammy has been involved in Open Heart for a while now and not only comes to learn but also to teach dance, in which she has some background.

Of her upcoming performance, Jammy says, It is emotionally intensified. I end up picking music and powerful words - if a song can make me cry it has the capacity to move an audience. To levee people feeling something is the challenge. I'm trying to find my identity as a choreographer:"

MJ (Mynesha Fletcher), who has taken part in the workshops and will be part of the performance from June 16 to 18, says she was homeless for two years and has now spent a whole year housed.

When I first started to produce my own art it was (visual) art. The theatre art came after. It's a whole project to see what I can produce."

The upcoming production is the result of years of other community work, including Am I Helping?, a storytelling mixtape based on interviews with service providers; Empowerment Dance, a weekly drop-in class taught by Jammy after a period of mentorship with professional dancer and choreographer Josh Taylor; and the Creative Arts Workshop Series, ongoing weekly workshops where participants learn with a new artist each month.

The program has featured such teaching artists as Nancy Benoy, Kerry Turcotte, Carly Billings and Natasha Stavnitzky.

Much of the Open Heart work has been presented in collaboration with Keeping Six, a Hamilton community-based organization defending the rights and dignity of people who use drugs, formed in response to the opioid crisis.

Conversations Around the Table," built on five core stories, including one about overdosing, is a multi-arts, site specific outdoor performance, activating the spaces around Theatre Aquarius. It's being presented at the Theatre Aquarius' Brave New Works Festival, June 16 to 18.

Shows start at 5 p.m. each day and audiences are invited to come early to participate in a community arts activity and to stay after the show for discussion. Tickets are available on a pay-what-you-can basis, both online in advance or at the door.

It's put on with the help of Theatre Aquarius, the City Enrichment Fund, Hamilton Community Foundation and the Ontario Arts Council, as well as all the donors of Open Heart's Kickstarter Campaign.

For more, openheartartstheatre.com.

Jeff Mahoney is a Hamilton-based reporter and columnist covering culture and lifestyle stories, commentary and humour for The Spectator.jmahoney@thespec.com