The Monkey Trap by Melia's Papa

No Sour Grapes

daveroom — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:35:01 +0000

I agree with you, I want to do it, now make me do it. ~ Franklin Delano Roosevelt to a group of reformers?

Though the juries still out on Obama,
there is one thing I can say for sure
We’re not stepping up.
We’re not in the streets, we’re not protesting.
We’re not taking a stand. Not like they did in the sixties.

Don’t get it twisted. Obama let us know all along that it was all about you… If we don’t collectively step up, no sour grapes at the end of his term.

===========================

So in the big scheme of things, what do you think Obama’s role is?
Rebuild ties with the world community with engaged diplomacy?
Retire the Bush Doctrine?
Lead us into a color blind society?
Or at least a new era of tolerance?
Usher in the green economy?
Put us on a path to eliminate nuclear weapons?
Solve our Health Care mess? Insure all Americans?

I say this in recognition that we are undergoing a shift. Obama didn’t make the shift. The shift made Obama. If this is true, what did the shift make Obama to do?

OBIZZLE: The Solo Performance Debuts Dec. 1st

daveroom — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:50:34 +0000

OBIZZLE is a solo performance that shows an exploration of Melia’s Papa’s roots and family ties triggered by the ascendancy of Obama. There are so many opinions on Obama and his Presidency, it can make one’s head spin. Melia’s Papa explores his own lineage and what it says about his understanding of who Barack Obama really is.

My show will be one of five 20 minute solo performances that were developed in Kamau Bell’s solo performance theater workshop. Cost is $10.

Tuesday, 1 December 2009, 7-9p
StageWerx Theater
533 Sutter St.
San Francisco, CA

FAN MELIA”S PAPA
If you want to help Melia’s Papa get his work out there, be one of the first 43 core folks to fan him at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Melias-Papa/135389803547?ref=ts

Conferences, festivals, fairs: Email daveroom@gmail.com to book Melia’s Papa

Monkey Trap Excerpt at Growing Resilience

daveroom — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:47:24 +0000

An excerpt of the Monkey Trap was highlighted at Bay Localize’s Launch Party for the Community Resilience Toolkit, Growing Resilience, on September 16th, 2009.

Why Melia’s Papa?

daveroom — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:05:37 +0000

My name is Dave Room
Some people call me David,
dahveed, Dee Room,
Dee Rizzle, Room, Rumi,
rheumatism, even romper
I identify as a black man
a person of color
and a citizen of the world
When I was young
the other black kids called me
banana man, yellow man,
piss colored,
light bright damn near white,
and my personal favorite Old Yeller
which recalls a Disney movie
about a boy and big yellow stray dog
in Post-Civil War Texas
The slurs stung me deeply
a transracial adoptee
with white parents
I struggled with identity issues
through college

But I’m clear now
My most important identifier
is Melia’s papa
She is my inspiration
and motivation.
She is the reason I am writing today.
Things about me
I used to be corporate
management consulting and then the internet
had dreams of a house the hill and semi-retirement at 40
now i work for pennies on the corporate dollar
at a nonprofit I co-founded
Bay Localize
I like hikes and bikes,
have a car but avoid using it
I think of myself a ovo-lacto-vegetarian.
But more than that
I am a Buddhist vegetarian
which means that I eat
whatever (within reason)
my host provides.
I do not watch television or have cable
I pick up trash at parks
If I am shooting some trash into a basket
I always pick up whatever I miss
and shoot again and again until I make it
Sometimes I dry my hands on my pants
Like growing food and medicine
and for Melia to see that
food comes from the Earth rather the store
I do yoga in room heated to 108 degrees

Blah blah blah
I could go on
But today really isn’t about me
Its about our children and nature
I think of kids and nature together
because they don’t have a choice in the matter
And its about you and what you do

The Monkey Trap debuted in Early July 2009

daveroom — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:44:09 +0000

The Monkey Trap debuted at the Oregon Country Fair and the Stagewerx theater in San Francisco. There were about 60 people in the audience on Friday 7/10/2009 at the Front Porch stage. About 30 people came to the Stagewerx performance. The Monkey Trap was first up.

Facebook Comments

“Thank you Dave for putting out an amazing performance tonight. Learned a lot about the Monkey Trap. I can’t wait to see the movie!”

“You did amazing i really enjoyed it”

“Dave, you rocked.”

“You were great — That was a gutsy, provocative, humorous, moving, deeply personal and creative invitation to social consciousness… Wow! Good for you! Good for us — thanks for sharing!!” ~Joy

“You put on a very impressive show…”