Street Theater
XR SFBay is a wonderfully creative organization that is passionate about climate activism. Our Street Theater Working Group seeks to expose the different forces at work behind the climate crisis through myth, drama and symbolic action. The troupe has a number of “characters” and performances which come out for marches, rallies, government meetings, public events and more. To get involved, mail us at theater@xrsfbay.org.
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Lamentors
The Lamentors express the collective grief, fear and anxiety we all hold in a world increasingly buffeted by climate catastrophe. They are dressed as mourners, in “sack cloth and ashes.” Their signs, pinned front and back, bear witness to the calamities of drought, fire and flood, brought on by fossil-fueled climate chaos. Head bent, eyes downcast, they move silently through the crowd.
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Dolores
Dolores is a 9-foot tall Lamentor puppet, dressed in the same costume as her smaller compatriots. Her face and hands are created from paper maché, her structure is built around a backpack frame, Strapped into the frame, the puppeteer can be seen through the burlap. As her arms open to welcome the crowd, Dolores draws eyes, cameras and attention to the Lamentors, encouraging people to come over and check out the action.
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Engager
The Lamentors raise awareness of the climate crisis. But the Engager takes the next step, inspiring our audience to get involved in climate action. Unlike Lamentors who are silent and still, the Engager interacts with the audience, reminding them that the grief, fear and anxiety expressed by the Lamentors is only the first step. “Action is the Antidote to Anxiety. Come join us!” She then hands out a 5×7, glossy card with photos of creative and fun climate actions, and points out the QR Codes that show how you can become a climate activist.
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Absurdists
This team has developed poignant and hilarious sketches which are presented at climate actions and beyond. A crowd gathers and is invited to join in the show.
Here are a few of the Absurdist skits:
Make Polluters Pay California Bear and the CEO of Oil, Gas and Planetary Death Inc fight over a Gazillion Dollar bill to see if Big Oil will pay into a superfund to clean up California’s climate disasters.
The Marriage from Hell A wedding ceremony between Exxon and CitiBank, officiated by the Devil, points out how bank financing makes pipeline construction possible.
Alternative Monopoly As Monopoly Ma’am rolls a giant dice, a Banker counts out squares depicting climate killing pipeline projects but also renewable windmills. What should the bank fund? Climate chaos or a green economy? The wrong decision can land the Banker in jail.
Puppeteers
Froggy jumps out of a pot of boiling water. A Purple Dragon is interviewed by a TV reporter. A lush Kelp Forest, in turquoise and emerald hues, floats gently down like a curtain with Salmon swimming through the fronds. These remarkable puppets spark our imagination, reminding us of the need to protect our planet.
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Xtractors
The dystopian character of the “Xtractor” represents the systemic greed of predatory, extractive capitalism. Dressed in gas masks and grey hazmat suits, the Xtractors roam through the world, seeking new resources to exploit. Their costumes bear the logo of a skull being fracked and their mantra is: “Extract, Consume, Deny.” Xtractors move in a staccato, robotic and glitchy manner, as if something inside or around them is unraveling or imploding. But behind their gas masks and mechanical behavior is a desperate, suffering human core.
Click this video link to see the Xtractors in action
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Get Involved
For more information about XR SF Bay’s theatrical troupes, reach out and drop us an email at theater@xrsfbay.org.