Ju»t ou t ▼ m a rc h 18, 1 9 0 4 ▼ 2 7
Talkapella
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The genius behind talkapella shares the struggle o f creating
a new performance art
▼
by Mare Davis
oa Smith, creator of “talkapella,”
when the Oregon Citizens Alliance mounted its
which she describes as “contempo­
public attack on gay men and lesbians. She admits
rary urban storytelling for adults,” is
that Ballot Measure 9 sometimes made it scary to
busy rehearsing with B.J. Castleman
be an out lesbian performer. Even closer to home,
for a new show, which will open
a man who lived downstairs from her shot himself
March 25 at Dream’s Well Studio. “I’m in really
the head, and her neighbors fought so violently
jazzed,” she says.
that Smith says she couldn’t even be comfortable
Performance poetry is hot these days. With
in her own backyard. “It brought things home to
rap music, beat poetry and poetry contests called
me about the violence in the world. It was so right
“slams” playing to large audiences all over the
there in my face. The violence of the city and
country. Smith is
people’s lives sent me into despair. I didn’t know
encouraged about
if I wanted to participate anymore. I wanted to go
the future of her
off to a cabin in the woods and forget the city,
talkapella, which
forget talkapella.”
combines words,
Then her grandmother died, and Smith lost the
performance and
one person in her "blood family” who had sup­
electronic effects.
ported her as an artist “My grandmother always
“It could happen
asked me about my art and was always proud of
for me now,” she ________________ _____
me. She’d never even seen a performance, but she
says.
™
^
would periodically send me twenty bucks and
B.J. Castleman’s keyboards add synthesized
say, ‘Use this for the sh o w .’” W ith her
music to talkapella. Smith and Castleman first
grandmother’s death, Smith faced her first experi­
worked together on Artquake last year, and the. ence of losing someone close to her. “It changed
collaboration was so successful they decided to
my life. It made me think about my own life, about
continue. Now they rehearse several hours every
death. Everyone talks about the miracle of life, but
week, experimenting with music and text to cre­
what about the miracle of death? Why don’t we
ate new pieces for the
■ H B H H j talk more about this?”
show. Smith reads the
*
Smi t h began to meet
words to Castleman in
11,0 lK‘° P *0 S*R‘
to
her own natural rhythm.
give her work new en­
Castleman picks up the
ergy and confidence. In
feeling of the text and
the summer of 1993 she
improvises instruments
collaborated with dancer
and melody as Smith
and choreographer Judy
reads. "The thing that’s
Patton and sculptor Chris­
m ost ex citing about
tine Bourdette on a show
working with B.J. is that
at Portland State Univer­
we’re both very intui­
sity. Last November she
tive about our work.
and Castleman performed
Sometimes we just flow
together at the First Tues-
day Coffeehouse. “It was
together into the same
a full house and everyone
energy. We connect on
an intuitive level and the
loved it.” And Sm ith’s
mother was in the audi­
work really happens.”
ence. “It was the first
O ther tim es the
show anyone in my fam­
rhythm Sm ith e n v i­
ily had been to, so I was
sioned when she wrote
really excited about that.
the words doesn’t work
photo by unda kuewer I was never sure how my
for Castleman, so they
family felt about me. But after the show, after my
try out different rhythms and instruments until
mom got a chance to see what I ’ve been doing
both are satisfied. Castleman develops the type of
with my life, she was real supportive. She told me
sound, the kind of music and a general melody
how creative and courageous she thought I was.
line for each piece in rehearsal, but the spirit of
She said that, for the first lime, she understood
collaboration and improvisation continues into
why I did it— when she saw the audience and felt
performance. “B.J. says the easiest way for her to
the kind of energy that was there that night. So
work with me is for her to tune into the energy
that
gave me a little kick too, and an emotional
that’s coming from me. She improvises a lot
boost to keep on.”
during the show.”
Now, after a time of re-evaluation and rest,
The last few years have been difficult for
Smith says she has learned from the experience.
Smith, and she admits that without the help of
“I
need to recover. I need a personal life that isn’t
other performers and the support of her audience,
public. I need time to relax and rest, and I’m
talkapella might have died.
doing that now. Since I have this new lifestyle,
In 1989 Smith’s relationship of seven years
and I ’m taking care of myself. I’m a lot more
ended, and after years of sobriety, she started
productive.” She also feels the content of her
drinking again. “Drinking has been a lifetime
work has changed. “In the beginning I was fo­
struggle for me. I had been sober all the years of
cused on a particular topic, oftentimes a political
that relationship, but I couldn’t handle the pain of
idea. Now I’m searching for the meaning of life.
the breakup. Drinking was the only way I knew to
It’s a more spiritual quest I’m on. So the work has
take care of myself at the time.” Alcohol made it
become
more humanitarian, more hcad-trippy,
hard to stay focused and disciplined, but finally it
more Zen. I’m not trying to solve problems
was Smith’s work that sobered her up. “I don’t
anymore. I ’m asking more questions.” And she is
know what I would have done if I hadn’t had art
excited again about her future and the future of
to bring me back. It gave me a purpose. I zeroed
talkapella. “B.J. and I work well together. I’d like
in on the work to stay alive and stop drinking.
to work with other musicians too. I’d like to make
Now the high I get from creating art and perform­
the sound even more electric, maybe add electric
ing is my drug of choice. The adrenaline rush, the
guitars, percussion, horns and violins. I envision
high of experiencing the audience, the energy
a full band at some point, but always a focus on
that’s raised, that’s the drug I crave now.”
the content, the text, the sound of the words, the
By early 1991 Smith was sober again and
talkapella. I know this is something that will
happy in a new relationship she describes as a
grow.”
“place of resting.” But she faced a new challenge
Z
I)r. Patricia E. Iluff, D.V.M.
Dr. Jeffery Judkins, D.V.M.
Dr. Stan Wood, D.V.M.
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