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BACKSTAGE Insights into the gifts theater offers off the stage Jayhmes: 'Theater has given me the freedom to physically and emotionally act out any emotion in any situation, and not be considered insane, and not be locked up for it' Comment By Evalyn Hansen DailyTidings.com By Evalyn Hansen Posted Jan. 7, 2015 at 7:19 PM By Evalyn Hansen Posted Jan. 7, 2015 at 7:19 PM » RELATED CONTENT • Oregon Shakespeare Festival designer for a half-century says he's still learning... • Theater is an act of co-creation • In the theater, the audience is part of the show • On the stage, anything can happen • Figuring out the character can be a bit of a puzzle » Social News Jesai Jayhmes was recently introduced to local audiences with Ashland Contemporary Theatre ’s memorable performance of Jane Anderson’s “The Quality of Life.” Jayhmes is well known for his transformational theater workshops. We met recently at Namaste Café in Ashland. This is the second of a two-part interview. EH: What was your first exposure to theater? JJ: My parents were involved in theater. We often had rehearsals of community shows in our living room. They always tried to get houses that had attics, so that the four of us kids could do what we wanted up there: paint on the walls, hang plants, and hang lights upside down. They’d give us old clothes for costumes. When I was 18, I decided I wanted to get good at acting. Acting led to directing, writing, teaching and training speakers. It was out of the decision to be an actor that the other things evolved. It’s an argument for allowing your kids to follow their passion, whatever it is, and not get hung-up on the job description. Who knows what value it is? EH: Is there an existing play that you would like to do right now? JJ: There’s a play that I wrote called “Conversations With Willie.” It has been fully produced 15 times. It began as a satire on “Conversations with God.” We actually billed it as “Conversations with God” meets “The Vagina Monologues.” I loved what it caused in the audience afterwards. We created it as a forum for conversation. It was facilitated to ask the audience what they could speak to in their own experience. Strangers (who never thought they would be speaking out) were speaking to challenges with their own personal intimacy, sexuality, codependency. Those were the themes of the play. There are some theater events that I would like to create, inspired by Greek theater, a kind of epic, mythic, retelling of the biblical “Revelations.” It’s not the past story that we need, it’s the story that can support our evolution into the next step. I’ve been scouting the places where that kind of event could be staged. I’ve trained people in using landscape and zip-lines. It is in-between Cirque du Soleil, theater performances, and epic storytelling. It’s very physical. The transformational theater classes and the company that I’m helping to create may be the first step of a larger scale project. EH: What has theater done for you? JJ: Theater has given me the freedom to physically and emotionally act out any emotion in any situation, and not be considered insane, and not be locked up for it. Once in a while I’m actually paid for it as well. When I’m teaching or working with people, I remind them that there’s a safe place called theater where they can let anything out. Once they do, the release is huge and profound. Healing is not necessarily the aim. Healing is a byproduct of being able to make an impact on others. Theater is a portal of freedom from self-imposed restrictions about what we feel is appropriate behavior; that being withheld can often cause illness, body aches and pains, or just a miserable or unfulfilled life. There’s personal growth and self-empowerment within it, but the aim for me is not that. The aim is inspiring and catalyzing other people, so once we get up in front of people and are fully committed, the act of that inspires other people. And that’s what appeals to me, to spark others to be: who they need to be, in whatever situation, and build community. It’s an important community building tool. That’s essential. — To find out more about Jesai Jayhmes, visit his website at: jesai.org . Evalyn Hansen is a writer and director living in Ashland. She trained as an actor at the American Conservatory Theatre and is a founding member of San Francisco's Magic Theatre. Reach her at [email protected] .   By Evalyn Hansen DailyTidings.com By Evalyn Hansen Posted Jan. 7, 2015 at 7:19 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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