We are the music makers – August 2019

Playing For Change Day: 為世界而奏

Walking into a Cafe, gallery, restaurant, or a bar, no matter the music you’re listening to is light piano, vivid modern song, or pop music with strong beats, you might not know the meaning of the lyrics, but guess everyone has the experience that the mood goes up and down through the music surrounding you. This is the magical and beautiful part of music, it bridges the gap of language and connects different cultures.

Mark Johnson, the founder of ‘Playing for Change’, brought the music he captured in the street to a small town in South Africa, which he described as the saddest place he’d ever seen. Then Mark and his team found a space in a random backyard, set up all their simple instruments and started their performance. Interestingly, those people of the town where Mark felt was full of despair started to awaken, transferring their identities from audiences to performers, everyone gathered together happily due to the music, dancing and singing;

‘It went from so sad to so happy, and the only thing that changed was the music.’ Mark said; Because he witnessed the power of music, Mark and the team got more invested in this, and built the first ‘Playing for Change School’ in that town. Today, the Playing For Change Foundation has founded three music schools, running many music programs across different countries, breaking the conflicts of language or cultures, and continues to share music to every corner of the world.

21st of September is Playing for Change Day 2019, all the musicians and music lovers will celebrate this special day around the world, and in Taipei, so does Red Room! We have two programs – STJ & STW to fulfill everyone’s day. Come join us!

More info:
Stage Time & Juice: https://www.facebook.com/events/2329531804041391/
Stage Time & Wine: https://www.facebook.com/events/488989408583080/
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by Peirong Li

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Stage Time & Wine

“Sometimes i just need to be cathartic.
Thank you for making it possible”

Isaac spoke these words as he set up to play a set on the stage at the August Stage Time & Wine… and then his songs told the rest of the story. Following Isaac, Owen’s soft and gentle voice cradled the silence in the room. At the Red Room, listening is something we take rather seriously. This culture of listening has become a part of anyone who steps into the space. As Owen finished his set, Addi, Host Stage Time and Wine Host, said, “If you are broken inside, it’s the right place to be.”

August was also a celebration of Sue’s birthday- so thankful she chose to celebrate it at the Red Room with her daughter Anjoli and her joy (Sujoy). Sue’s song, accompanied by Anjoli on guitar, picked up the energy in the room, like a skip and a jump. Anjoli followed with 2 original songs and then Marina, Red Room’s Reeves, picked up the guitar and sang a few songs. In her words…

It was my first time performing alone in front of a real audience. I was nervous. I usually only play and sing in front of my friends or partner. Playing the guitar and singing is something very personal to me, it used to me my private diary who I could talk to in my bedroom. After playing on stage that night and hearing the feedback from the audience was amazing, especially knowing that they have felt emotions or it made them feel relaxed. That was a total new feeling for me, which I loved! It’s making me want to share even more with them. So thank you.

Looking forward to hearing more of your music, Marina.

Even amongst this beautiful music, there are words, deep feelings and fears, that are shared, and heard. Life’s difficult moments become softer and slightly easier to bear when such deep sharing happens.

A mellow music night, a rich experience. Special in these cozy settings, sharing that is raw, unpolished, and real. And the red room listens. We are carried away with the words and the music, the vibrations enhance the energy in the room, taking us to a place where imagination lives and the world ceases to exist, even if only for one song.

As Bob Marley so aptly put it, “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.”

August 2019 Red Room Reflections

By Empress

From Stage Time and Wine July 2019

In the summer of 2018, I came to Taiwan for a sabbatical from a comfortable life in Southern California. Most people know me professionally as Professor or Dr. Fu. Those who know me well have been known to refer to me as “Empress,” a nickname affectionately given to me by friends during a travel abroad program in Taiwan. Empress personally believes in radical self-expression and enjoys bringing this out of others as well. Red Room has become like a second home for Empress in Taiwan, thus complicating the original plan to work on a textbook as Visiting Professor of NTU while learning Mandarin and rediscovering my roots as an ABT (American Born Taiwanese).

Although I’ve had a passion for the performing arts since my youth, my parents usually discouraged my pursuit of the arts (even threatened to stop supporting my college education when I declared my intentions to double major in psychology and theatre). Be careful what you wish for, as I offered an intention to the universe that I would love to meet fellow creatives and perform during my sabbatical year in Taiwan (prior to flying out, I had already begun scoping out potential venues for a multicultural improv troupe that I formed back in Los Angeles: Stinky Tofu).

On September 9, 2018, I volunteered for WARMs Suicide Awareness Day as a photographer and realized what a special place the Red Room was. Later that month, Formosa Improv Group (FIG) would begin hosting our Monday evening open practice bilingual improv workshops for the community as well as hold our debut performance – our first of many future monthly mainstage shows to follow. As a dancer, it meant a lot that my first time dancing in Taipei during this past year was to learn Irish folk dancing in the Listening Space. I began to feel like part of the Red Room family when given the opportunity to assist with the Diwali (festival of lights) celebration. Since then, I became a Red Roomer. I was proud to be able and sing a couple of times during Taipei’s longest standing open mic: Stage Time and Wine (including during my last Stagetime and Wine appearance in July 2019 when I sang “Bridge Over Troubled Water” as a duet with Tobie Openshaw). I loved working with an all-female cast during one of the Taipei Shorts “Your Country Needs You.” Shashwati was such a supportive director and the rest of the cast were a delight to play with.

I loved White Rabbit, Red Rabbit! (photo credit Tobie Openshaw)

One of the theatrical challenges that i will cherish forever was the opportunity to be in “White Rabbit, Red Rabbit,” the secret one-person play when the actor is handed a script in a sealed envelope before a live audience. It was also during this time that I realized the lengths Red Room goes to protect their own, making me forever grateful to literally be allowed a safe space to play.

FIG was my first opportunity to perform at Red Room! It was only fitting to celebrate my birthday there…

Red Room provided the space to collaborate with others for performances such as when FIG worked with 23 Comedy’s Sam Yarbs to help a family in need with a benefit evening. Likewise, i was honored to share the stage with talented musicians and storytellers during Black Lives Matter Taipei at the Red Room.

It made sense for this feminist to observe International Women’s Day by helping to coordinate Celebrating Women in Taipei. I got to meet incredible women through the programming that Roma had pulled together. Likewise, friends I’d grown to admire for their own talents thankfully agreed to participate by boothing (did you make a tiny hat or upcycle a. T-shirt), demonstrating products for her pleasure, co-creating a safe space for a sex-positivity writing and arts workshop that would culminate in Taipei’s version of the Vagina Monologues. CWT was one of my most memorable events during my year in Taiwan.

Did you know that Taiwan had its very own regional version of Burning Man? Red Room made this possible by giving Burners in Taiwan a safe space to meet on a weekly basis in order to prepare for Spark (a pre-burn event in April) as well as Turtle Burn (Taiwan’s fully fledged Burning Man Regional Burn in June). I was proud to be a part of a community trying to promote principles intended to improve our ways of living.

Children’s Theatre Summer Camp

Stage Time and Juice has always had a special place in my heart. Ive been grateful to its coordinator, Carol Yao, for entrusting FIG to perform at three Stage Time and Juices. However, even more meaningful was the opportunity to directly work with select actors to bring to life four of Aseop’s Fables, courtesy of Ruth Giordano’s adaptation. I originally went into psychology to work with children. Therefore, i enjoyed teaching basic foundations of self-confidence, communication, collaboration, etc. through Stage Time and Juice’s Summer Theatre and Arts Camp. I loved working closely with Qori Moore and Carol to help the children flourish after all of their hard work during the week-long summer camp.

The Bloom Within IV event was my last time performing at the Red Room. This was especially meaningful since Empress debuted at the 2018 Bloom Within. Last year, I tried my best to give life to the lived experience of someone who would become one of my dearest confidantes in Taiwan. This year, I dug up the courage to share my own lived experience as a loved one who tries to cope with the effects of mental illness of a close family member. Art is such a cathartic vehicle and I wish to thank the Red Room for providing a unique space to explore such personal issues.

One day I wish to have a wellness center that will similarly allow others to experience healing through expression, community, creativity, etc. in a safe space. I will incorporate many of the things I’ve learned during my time as a Red Roomer, including empowering members of the community to co-create the change they would like to see in the world. Naturally, I hope to be able to partner with Red Room for future wellness-related activities.

I’d like to thank the Red Room for embracing Empress and her ideas. I look forward to returning one day to the Red Room in order to create, perform, collaborate or volunteer again.