Enlightenment
Machine #1
Empathy Art for People
to Combat Cruelty
Enlightenment Machine #1 is the first in a series of theatrical vignettes from KATLABS, Inc. Part street performance, part protest and all about a survivor healing from trauma with the help of others. The first performance took place on October 10th, 2019 in Union Square.
This piece was inspired by a poem written by Kat in 2016 called “Driftwood.” Using imagery from the poem, we created a short tale representative of Kat’s journey from when her trauma first occurred to her present day activism and advocacy.
Kat was influential in creating the costumes and directing the feel of the project, creating many of the props, including the protest signs, herself. Using sketches to describe much of the action and art, Enlightenment Machine began to take shape.
Text from Kat’s original writings
Polaroids from Rehearsal#1 In Union Square
Summer 2019
Poster for the Main Event:
Characters
Survivor
The Survivor is the protagonist and goes through a journey throughout the piece
The Keeper
The Keeper is a mystical guide who helps Survivor find her voice.
The Rabbit
The Rabbit character is our silent guide who helps us bring forth change from within.
Creatures of Cruelty/ Spirits of Learning
The chorus is a fluid group that begins as one thing and ends up another