Carissa Halston @carissahalston - Tumblr Blog

Thanksgiving Casseroles by Region

Thanksgiving 2007, back when I could still digest turkey… It’s almost Thanksgiving in the US, so I asked my dearest friend to help me invent casseroles that epitomize the season. In the name of inclusion, we decided to go by region, but since we’ve only lived in four states together, things may have gotten a bit out of hand for the regions we’ve never visited. That said, it’s all done with love.…

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#casserole #casserole recipes #cooking #holidays #regional cuisine #Thanksgiving

Work and work

I’m immensely grateful for the good things that have happened to me this year. In March, I received a place at the Writers’ Room of Boston (which, if you’re in Boston, is a great resource downtown for writers seeking a private place to work). In April, I received word from one publisher that my story manuscript is on their long list of possible titles to add to their catalog next year, and this…

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How to Use Language to Resist

I’m not a member of Sioux Nation. My great-grandfather was half Muscogee. His mother and her parents are listed on the Dawes Rolls, the “Indian” registry last updated in 1905. Another term for members of Muscogee Nation is Creek. Most people know creek as another term for stream. I grew up in a small suburb in Pennsylvania, with easy access to creeks and clean water. The Standing Rock Sioux…

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#nodapl #orwell #politics and the english language #real news

Cast interview for White Rabbit Red Rabbit!

Less than two weeks until opening night of White Rabbit Red Rabbit and I couldn’t be more excited! Also, nervous. Also, scared. But mainly really excited. I took part in a cast interview over at the Aforementioned blog, going over my introduction to the show, and how I’m preparing to perform a play I’ve never seen or read: The bond between the audience and the actor is the work. By that, I mean…

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#Aforementioned Productions #boston theatre #OBERON #WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT

ap-apt

WRRR Cast Interview: Sam Cha

Just a few more weeks until our production of White Rabbit Red Rabbit comes to OBERON!

We recently checked in with cast member Sam Cha (who’ll perform on Wednesday, November 16) to see how he was preparing for the show.

So much of White Rabbit Red Rabbit is a mystery. You can’t read the script, can’t memorize the script, can’t rehearse anything. We, of course, love the idea—but what makes this sort of risk attractive to you as a performer?

a) Performance is about being terrified and then turning that terror into something useful. (For loosely defined values of “use.”) When you can’t prepare for the performance, you’re even more terrified, and so, in theory, unless there’s a sort of terror-singularity thing happening, where you accelerate into terror faster than you can accelerate out of it, you’ll be a supernova of sublimated fright. This doesn’t attract me, per se, but it strikes me as something I’d definitely like to try.

b) Ever stand on the edge of a subway platform and think I’m definitely not going to jump, but what if my body has other ideas?

c) On roller coasters, I always envision the freak accident: the arm lopped off, the tongue bitten in half, the g-force induced heart attack, etc. I love roller coasters.

The possibilities that accompany performing a work you’ve never read or seen are wide open. What are you most excited about?

I’m not sure, so I’m going to be oblique.

I wrote in college. Then I stopped. It was years before I managed to write anything that wasn’t a close reading or an annotated bibliography or a prospectus. When, eventually, I did write a poem, I went to an open mic. I was feeling lonely. There’s this wonderful moment that happens and then passes—I think probably at the speed of sound–where the words leave your mouth and they haven’t quite registered with the audience yet—and you feel kind of weightless, like school’s been cancelled and you have the day off, like maybe you don’t have to be human anymore, you can just be a thin membrane, like the one in a kazoo, buzzing with air.

On stage, you’ll be holding a script and reading the words as you’re about to speak them. This setup could be limiting. How do you connect with an audience when you’re constrained in these ways?

I’ve never actually interacted with an audience in any other way.

I think of it as an opening-up, I guess. A signaling of vulnerability (which I guess in my head signals honesty signals authenticity signals look people something here is actually happening). (This doesn’t mean you’re actually vulnerable, of course, but you have to look like it.)

Are there any other steps you taking to prepare to perform White Rabbit Red Rabbit? (Reminder: Googling is against the rules.)

My friend Jade is feeding me these improv exercises. Also, monologues. Lots of monologues. Also, I plan to go to the Cantab and recite other people’s poems on the open mic. Will any of this help? I don’t know! I haven’t Googled anything.

Outside of this show, what else are you working on creatively?

Right now I’m working on a long poem that is sort of a riff on a couple of lines from Wordsworth. So far it’s about: the garden of Eden, procrastination, the sudden death of one of our neighbors, chessplayers in the Harvard Square Pit, and the shape of tragedy. If it sounds ADD, that’s because it is—when I write, I waffle between trying to leave almost everything out and trying to put everything in, but on balance I’m really mostly a collector, a magpie, going from shiny thing to shiny thing, in the hopes of making some kind of memorable temporary (slash temporal, I guess?) pattern.

Read more about Sam and the rest of the cast at the WRRR page. To see Sam in White Rabbit Red Rabbit, head over to OBERON and reserve your seats for Wednesday, November 16!

WRRR Cast Interview: Sam Cha was originally published on Aforementioned Productions

carissahalston

Sam’s answers to these questions delight me.

It would delight me even more to see you at OBERON on Wednesday, November 16, when Sam will perform this amazing play.

And if you can’t make it that night, come see me perform on Monday, November 14. And if you can’t see me or Sam, come see Jen Taschereau on Tuesday, November 15.

Regardless of which day you choose, you’re guaranteed a once-in-a-lifetime performance. You don’t get many guarantees in life, and this one’s pretty cool. So, come on, Boston. Meet me at OBERON and let’s find this play together.

#white rabbit red rabbit #boston theatre #oberon #club oberon #sam cha #aforementioned productions

ap-apt

WRRR Cast Interview: Jen Taschereau

With less than a month to go until our production of White Rabbit Red Rabbit,we wanted to ask our cast members how they’re gearing up to perform a show they’ve never read or seen.

First up, we have Jen Taschereau, who’ll be performing on Tuesday, November 15.

So much of White Rabbit Red Rabbit is a mystery. You can’t read the script, can’t memorize the script, can’t rehearse anything. We, of course, love the idea–but what makes this sort of risk attractive to you as a performer?

I love challenging myself as a performer with tough scripts, whether it’s the language itself or themes that are difficult to tackle. I’m also very big on physically seeing how far I can push my body and mind. When Carissa approached me with this project, just the description terrified me, so I knew it was the right project for me to say yes to. I haven’t been on stage in three years, so coming back to something that forces me to jump in with no time for questions seems right. I also love connecting with the audience as a performer, and I imagine I’ll need them immensely the night I get to read WRRR for the first time. I believe the audience members who sign on for this kind of evening of theatre are also there to make connections. It’s the perfect relationship.

The possibilities that accompany performing a work you’ve never read or seen are wide open. What are you most excited about?

I’m just excited to actually read the script! I’m dying to know what’s inside that envelope. I’m excited to see how I react to it for the first time. How the audience reacts to it. And how that shapes the evening.

I’ve thought about this a lot. I’ve done staged readings before, but I’ve known the script and had time to get familiar and comfortable with them, so it’s easy to build in moments to take your eyes away from the paper and make audience connections. I have faith those moments will be found in the moment of WRRR. I don’t know how to describe it in words, it’s just a feeling I have. I have to be completely receptive and exposed and vulnerable up there. That state of being alone is going to open the door for connections, I believe.

Are there any other steps you taking to prepare to perform White Rabbit Red Rabbit? (Reminder: Googling is against the rules.)

So far, I haven’t done anything to prepare because, to be honest, I’m not sure what that would be outside of any dramaturgical work. And I’m not allowed! I have been following this instruction so much that outside of the description Aforementioned gives of the play, I know nothing. Normally, I would be researching the time and place of the script, the author’s life, anything I felt was relevant and needs my attention. Instead, I’m completely in the dark. It feels both odd—like I’m being a lazy actor—and liberating—like I’m being told, “Don’t worry, just do this.”

I do plan on taking a few pieces of text, poetry maybe, or a book I’m unfamiliar with, and doing some out loud reading on the spot for some cold reading practice.

Outside of this show, what else are you working on creatively?

If you had asked me this question three or four years ago, I would have started listing off a season of projects (3-5, maybe more depending on the year!), but I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus from creative work these days—though I guess that’s not true. I’ve been teaching in Newton for 11 years now, and I write or adapt a show for about 70 children every year, which I then direct, music-direct, and produce. I have an amazing team behind and beside me. This year, it’s a crazy version of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, adapted from the brilliant mind of Matthew Woods and his ensemble of artists over at Imaginary Beasts. I also spend many hours a day making up crazy stories and voices for my five-and-a-half-month-old son. So I guess the creative juices haven’t stopped flowing, really!

To see Jen in White Rabbit Red Rabbit, head over to OBERON and reserve your seats for Tuesday, November 15!

WRRR Cast Interview: Jen Taschereau was originally published on Aforementioned Productions

carissahalston

Boston friends, you need to see this show.

The conceit: there’s no director; there are no rehearsals; there’s no set.

Each night, a different actor takes the stage and gets the script in a sealed envelope. They read the script for the first--and last--time for the audience, and everyone discovers the show together.

Jen is amazing and if you’re free on Tuesday, November 15, you should be at OBERON so you can see her perform.

(Also, if you can’t make it on Tuesday, I’m performing on November 14. And if both those days are out, Sam Cha is performing on November 16. I’m about to repost Sam’s interview, which is awesome because he’s awesome.)

#white rabbit red rabbit #boston theatre #oberon #club oberon #jen taschereau #aforementioned productions

ap-apt

Help support Aforementioned

Last Friday, Oct 7, we—Carissa Halston and Randolph Pfaff; cofounders, editors, and publishers of Aforementioned Productions—were in a car accident. The car was a rental (we were going to a friend’s wedding), and while we have collision insurance, we don’t have liability insurance.

Neither of us have been to the hospital, though we both sustained minor injuries. But one of the reasons we didn’t go to the ER is we honestly can’t afford it. We pay for our insurance entirely on our own (that is, not through an employer).

And we pay for Aforementioned the same way. With the exception of preorders, we pay for everything on our own. We’ve worked for free for eleven years, and we’ve lost money every year. We produced 24 online issues of apt in the first five years, and five years of weekly content after that. Five years of Literary Firsts. Nine books over six years. Hundreds of writers’ work: edited, proofread, designed, packaged, published, hosted, curated. For free.

We know we’re not alone in this. We know how it goes: non-profits are labors of love.

The problem is we suddenly can’t afford ours.

And the fact is: we are Aforementioned. If we run into a financial problem, it makes it nearly impossible to continue funding AP.

Since starting in 2005, we’ve never asked for financial assistance. We’ve never had a fundraiser. We’ve always paid for whatever we needed on our own. Over and above donating thousands of free hours, we’ve paid for web hosting, printing books, paying apt contributors, shipping materials and shipping costs, business cards, advertisements, book release parties, attending trade conferences, exhibiting at book fairs, travel and lodging for both, etc.

At this point, we’ve invested tens of thousands of dollars into AP. And despite that investment, it’s still really difficult even asking for help. We wouldn’t do it if we thought we could avoid it. But right now, we need your support. We need help paying for the projects we’ve committed to producing in the next three months.

Namely, a very large expense: we’re producing a limited run of White Rabbit Red Rabbit at Oberon in November. The show will cost more than $4500 to produce.

We’re also publishing Krysten Hill’s monumental debut, How Her Spirit Got Out, in December. And in January, we’re putting out the seventh print annual of apt.

These are expenses we had accounted for—until last Friday.

To be clear, these projects are going to happen regardless of how much money we raise, but the truth is that future projects are in jeopardy because of the car accident.

We don’t want Aforementioned’s successes to be contingent on our financial situation. We’re looking into possible ways to secure financial stability once we get out of this rough patch, but in the meantime, if you have the means to help out, we’d really appreciate your support.

HOW CAN I HELP?

If you’re in the Boston area, the best way you can support us is by buying a ticket to see White Rabbit Red Rabbit. The show is running Nov 14, Nov 15, and Nov 16. Tickets are $20-$30. And if you need a reason to see the show, just check out the press and the cast.

HOW CAN I HELP IF I’M NOT IN BOSTON?

If you’re not in Boston (or can’t make the show), you can still support us in four ways:

1/You can send us a tax-deductible donation via GoFundMe! No matter how small (honestly), we appreciate every donation. And if you’re really committed to helping us out, you can even set up a recurring payment.

2/You can preorder Krysten Hill’s urgent, necessary debut, How Her Spirit Got Out, which Jill McDonough praised: “These poems are a middle finger tucked into the hip pocket of your favorite dress.”

3/You can subscribe to apt: three years for just $30! And issue 7 is shaping up to be great–with work by Joanna Ruocco, Sonja Condit, Gregory Crosby, and more!

4/You can buy back issues of apt or any of our critically acclaimed, award-winning books!

I DON’T HAVE A LOT OF TIME. CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME THE SHORT VERSION?

If you’ve ever enjoyed any of our books, or a story or poem or essay at apt, if you’ve ever attended a Literary Firsts reading, or one of our book release parties, if you’ve ever come to one of our events and had a really great time, we hope you’ll support us now that we need it most.

And if you’ve already ordered a book or bought a ticket to WRRR, thank you. We couldn’t continue running AP without your help.

With immense gratitude,

Carissa Halston and Randolph Pfaff Co-Founders/Editors Aforementioned Productions

Help support Aforementioned was originally published on Aforementioned Productions

carissahalston

Dear friends,

Two weeks ago, Randolph and I were in a car accident. We walked away from it with minor injuries (minor, albeit painful injuries), and we’re doing okay.

But the money we’d put aside for upcoming Aforementioned projects (namely, our production of White Rabbit Red Rabbit next month, Krysten Hill’s How Her Spirit Got Out in December, and apt 7 in January/February) is now going to go toward repairing the damage done to the car in front of us.

In the eleven years that we’ve been running Aforementioned, we’ve always paid for our projects out of our own pockets, and we’ve always worked for free. It’s weird and difficult asking for help now, but we don’t want to give up our company or the work we believe in.

I hope you’ll consider helping Randolph and I during our emergency fundraiser. We’ve raised almost $2,500 during the first week and a half, which we’re so incredibly grateful for, but it’s just short of half of our goal.

Every donation is tax-deductible and goes directly to AP projects (meaning it goes to the AP bank account), so any contribution goes to keeping our books in print and on shelves, and our theatre and events on stage.

And even if you can’t help us by donating or buying a book or a theatre ticket or a journal subscription, we’d both be so appreciative if you could spread the word on this. Every method of support helps.

Thank you so, so much.

Humbly,

Carissa

#Aforementioned Productions #How Her Spirit Got Out #Krysten Hill #lit #poetry #poems #theatre #fiction #literary journal #apt #weekly apt #Randolph Pfaff

Bisexual Awareness Week (Year/Life)

Did you know bisexuals have a pride flag? It’s like we have our own sovereign nation!

I just posted this on Twitter, but wanted to expand on it a bit:

Since it’s ‪Bisexuality Awareness Week (hug your favorite bisexual!), I’ve been thinking about erasure, denial, visibility, and biphobia.

Just in case you didn’t know it, bisexuals walk among you. I’m one of them. You probably know others. You may have mistaken us as gay or straight because of the relationships we were in. But regardless of who a bisexual dates, that doesn’t erase or invalidate their bisexuality.

That said, there are a lot of people who believe that monogamous bisexuals have “made their choice.” When bisexuals choose a partner, that can lead to people assuming that we’ve finally decided which orientation we “prefer.” We’re finally going to be gay or straight.

But bisexuals aren’t gay or straight. We maintain the ability to feel attraction to all genders, regardless of who we’re currently dating/in love with/sleeping with.

In Mallory Ortberg’s Dear Prudence column last week, a lesbian wrote to ask if her friends were right to say she should be jealous because her wife is bisexual. Her wife had been engaged to a soldier, who then died while serving, and she understandably still grieves that loss. Thankfully, the woman writing in said, “I think this is biphobia,” but she still asked, “…should I be jealous?”

Ortberg handled it well, of course, but this woman’s friends’ insistence points to a deeply held belief that extends to all couples, which is: when we’re in relationships, we can’t acknowledge attractive people we aren’t dating, nor mention that our hearts can still engage.

Because if we mention these things, that’s an indication of wayward behavior, even though we haven’t done anything. We’ve only acknowledged that we can see and register the other people that still exist even while we’re in relationships. But let’s think more about why we can’t say, “I think [that person who isn’t the person I’m involved with] is attractive.” It’s because we’re all so fucking sensitive about thinking we’re “the one.”

Don’t get me started on the mythos surrounding “the one.” It’s all bullshit. It’s for people who think relationships don’t require work. Our egos have such immense capacity that we think that our partners aren’t allowed or inclined to notice what other people look like.

Full disclosure: When I was 18, I started dating this guy who emotionally wrecked me. And that wreckage began when he mentioned a girl he found attractive, and I crumbled like a leaf. I beat myself up over it and jumped to conclusions. From “WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?” to “IS THIS BETRAYAL?” to “I’M NOT ENOUGH.” etc.

I wish I could’ve told my younger self: “You have so much growing to do.” Because his comment didn’t mean anything and it certainly wasn’t betrayal. He did a lot of other dishonest things to me, but that wasn’t one of them. And of the other things he did, that comment hurt me the least.

NB: That partner was bisexual but afraid to say so. The closest he ever got was, “I used to think I was gay,” to which I literally screamed, “ME TOO!” It was such a relief to tell someone. But it was just a half step. Because (gentle reminder) being ‪bisexual isn’t the same as being gay.

But being bisexual is a scary proposition because there’s this notion that follows couples everywhere: if you talk about your capacity to notice other sexual beings who aren’t your partner, you’re telling them they’re not enough for you.

And friends, that is fucking bullshit. Because it amounts to telling bisexuals to NEVER say “I’m bisexual.”

Because of someone’s ego. Because people confuse acknowledging attraction to other people with genuine infidelity. And because people think that saying “I’ve slept with men and women/am attracted to all genders,” means “I’ll sleep with anyone!” which means DANGER.

But promiscuity is only dangerous when we don’t talk about it (e.g., the current state of emergency in Saskatchewan because of recent uptick in HIV cases). Also, telling someone they should be ashamed of expressing their attraction to others is dangerous. And given the prevalence of the belief that bisexuals only communicate their bisexuality to gain attention (how shameful), that might explain the high rate of depression and suicide among bisexuals, especially women.

The bottom line here is that I know it’s hard to not be hurt when the person you’re with acknowledges someone who isn’t you, but worrying about past experiences (or measuring up [a.k.a., The Chasing Amy defense]), and thinking potential is the same as action is unfair.

It’s like saying, “I think that house is pretty,” when you and your partner have recently bought an apartment. Committing to one space doesn’t negate your ability to admire the architecture of another space.

Or, here’s a more realistic scenario. You have two potential paths: 1/Your partner says, “Hey, that person is attractive,” and your feelings are hurt but you get over it because you’re both adults and you know and trust your partner. Or 2/You tell your partner, in any of a number of ways (verbally telling them, giving them an ultimatum, shaming them in front of other people, shaming them in private, physically threatening them, physically abusing them, assaulting them, etc.) that since they're committed to you, they're not allowed to mention anyone else, including statements of fact about their orientation, as if that implies anything beyond capability. And, as a result, they close themselves off to everyone, including you.

Which would work better for you? Which is the easier scenario?

There’s a ton of awful shit that might happen in life. (Cue the list of 108 things that could [but probably won’t] kill you). But just because you could OD on zinc, that doesn’t mean you should avoid it or force it into hiding or deny that it’s even real. (Just like bisexuality, zinc is a very real thing.)

Denial hurts. Being told you don’t know your own mind hurts. But it hurts exponentially more when it comes from someone you care about. So, as a reminder—not just this week, but every week, in perpetuity—don’t police your bi friends or your friends who love them. Don’t call bisexuality a phase. Don’t say it isn’t real.

And if a friend opens up to you and says, “I’m bisexual,” regardless of their history, you only need to do one thing: believe them.

#bisexuality #Bisexuality Awareness Week #BiWeek

Boston: Come see me perform WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT on Nov 14!

Just in case you haven’t heard, there’s a top-secret show called WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT. It’s by an Iranian playwright, Nassim Soleimanpour, and he wrote it while he was forbidden from leaving Iran.

The reason it’s top secret is that none of the performers have ever seen or read the show. Every night, one actor gets the script in a sealed envelope. And then they read it for the first and last time in front of an audience.

I am in awe and terrified of this show.

So, on November 14, at 7:30pm, I will perform WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT.

I made this promo image. I hope you love it like I do.

If you’re in the Boston area, I hope you’ll come see me. And if you can’t make it on November 14, I hope you’ll come to one of the other performances. This limited engagement is only running for three nights (Nov 14-16), so get your tickets while you can, and I’ll see you in November for what promises to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

#Aforementioned Productions #boston #Cambridge #Nassim Soleimanpour #OBERON #theatre #WHITE RABBIT RED RABBIT

Wearing an Invader Zim shirt to a venue where everyone else is wearing soccer gear makes me feel like I've missed an integral cosplaying memo.

themassreview

“For me, that’s the heart of great fiction: in the face of trauma (a disease, an injury, a paralyzing memory, an incapacitating fear), risking emotional or physical safety in order to attain connection is not just hopeful, but life-affirming. That’s the best work fiction does. It reminds us of all the ways life redeems us, even as it tears us down.”

Read 10 Questions for Carissa Halston (@carissahalston) on our blog now. Her working title, “Emergency Exit,” can be purchased on Amazon or Kobo.

carissahalston

❤️❤️❤️

pumpkinspicepoet

Every time I hate my body I remember that there are millions of old rich white men who benefit from my self hatred and if there’s one thing I hate, it’s old rich white men so I snap out of that shit instantly cos I ain’t EVER giving them the satisfaction.

y0ulittleshit

Oh my fucKING GOD

looktothe-mountains-and-sky-dea

Wait stop this is a game changer.

someofthisrumham

i have reblogged this 4 times; i have thought about this every fucking day

Randolph and I are going rollerskating on Thursday. Despite my outfit, I honestly don't want to get hit.

bisexual-dragons

I love doing the October is not the 8th month of the year analogy with biphobes who insist bi= attracted to only 2 genders.

Because they inevitably point out history. They point out how it WAS the 8th month, but then 2 months were added to the calendar which bumped it back to the 10th month of the year

Well this is the perfect example of how definitions change. And the prefix argument falls flat on its face.

October was, at one point, the 8th month. Hence the octo prefix. It was then changed. But do we change the prefix to reflect that change? No. It’s still October.

Just like bisexuality once meant encompassing two sexualities (homosexual and heterosexual). That’s where the bi in bisexuality came from. Now the definition is two or more to reflect our growing understanding on gender.

Definitions change. Things change. But we keep the name because of the history surrounding it.

Stop obsessing over prefixes.

bisexual-dragons

@anon