RECIPE SHARED
This project is funded by a grant from Arts and Society. In order to learn and grow, we need your help!
To help, please fill out the short audience survey to give us feedback on your RECIPE SHARED experience:
About
Recipe Shared is a digital ‘docu-memory’ series inspired by the real-life interviews of seniors living in Denver’s eastside neighborhoods. Each story explores, in different ways, recipes for community. The short films combine interview transcripts, audio recordings, historical research, satire, movement, dance, and theatre to honor neighborhood histories through the personal stories of its residents.
To create Recipe Shared, Artibus met with seniors (through digital platforms) who were particularly isolated by Covid-19. The team conducted interviews and offered creative companionship. As originally envisioned, the goal was to produce a live theatrical performance together. Due to ongoing COVID restrictions, the project pivoted to film, which you are now accessing, right here!
Recipe Cooks
Core Cooks: Buba Basishvili, James Brunt, Nicole Dietze, Meghan Frank, Lynde Rosario
Video Chef: Mary Grace Legg
Collaborators: Soul Stories, Megan Williams and Atria Senior Living, Alicia T Smith-Young, Franklin Cruz, Adrienne Martin-Fullwood, Briannah Hill (they/them), and Dane Torbenson
Additional Casting: IDEA Stages
Website Coordinator: Dhruv Chanchani
Recipe Shared includes stories, audio recordings and transcripts from interviews with Ms. Versa Williams and Ms. Hazel Whitsett of Northeast Park Hill, Denver. We thank them for their generosity and collaboration.
This project was funded in part by a grant from Arts in Society.
In Memory
This project is dedicated to the memory of Frank Smith, who passed away from COVID in January of 2021, and was one of our interveiwees.
The Cast
CAST: James Brunt, Fronzo D. Gilkey, Kenyan James Bernard, James Thompson, Alex Romberg, Aaron Vieyra, Jeannene Bragg, Brianna Angela Sanchez Sisneros, Nicole Dietze, Roslyn Washington, Camryn Nailah, Tiya Trent, Zamira Webster, Daveon Webster, Niema Cruz Davis, Lisa Engelken, Elias Garcia, Kid Astronaut, Dane Torbenson, Alicia T Smith-Young, Franklin Cruz, Adrienne Martin-Fullwood, Buba Basishvili, and Meghan Frank.
Special Thanks
The Recipe Shared core cooks want to especially thank Danny Mazur and Shelsea Ochea at Soul Stories, Dhruv Chanchani, Megan Williams and Atria Senior Living Center, Denver Metro Community Impact, Darcie Ezell for introducing us to neighbors for interviews, and Natacha Dominique and the Dahlia Campus for Health and Well-Being for granting us access to their gardens for filming. Special thanks also to Yolanda Gottier, director of the Aging Mastery Program at the Center for African American Health, Jeff Fard and Brother Jeff’s Cultural Center for allowing us to film at the center, and Jeff Campbell of Emancipation Theater Company, Mark Pergola, and the Theatricians for offering resources, encouragement and guidance along the way.
Thanks to everyone interviewed, including Loretta V. Smith, Jewel Gaskin, Harold Newman, Carlos Castañeda, James Roy III, Beverly Grant, Debora Montoya, Frank Smith, Cherie Shaw-Robinson, Jim Cronin, David Cronin, and Andrew Lefkowits.
The Process
Core Cooks conducted neighborhood interviews that became inspiration for the final performance . The question often started, “What is your Recipe for Community?"
Art-pal (one-on-one) online weekly exchanges with artists and seniors. Pictured is a “Create a Story” session.
Hazel Whitsett of Northeast Park Hill, who ran the Northeast Women’s Center for many years, waves from her balcony for the final film.
“What does Care look like?” - Artibus explored the theme of care in online workshops for Atria Senior Living Staff and Caretakers durring the months of isolated caregiving due to Covid.
Interview with Ms. Hazel Whitsett who ran the Northeast Women’s Center for over 30 years.
Artibus story workshop lead by Nicholle Harris and James Brunt for the Center of African American Health “Aging Mastery” Co-hort
The Core Cooks met every week for six months (Lynde Rosario, Meghan Frank, James Brunt, Buba Basishvili, Nicole Dietze)
COVID-CREATIVE interactive performances for at Atria Senior Living.
Soul Stories Online live-stream “RECIPE for Community: Stories From Denver's Past” facilitated by Franklin Cruz with community elders Carlos Castañeda, Beverly Grant, and Debora Montoya.
RECIPE SHARED filming took place in May of 2021. Mary Grace Legg was the Video Chef.
