Getting to do DBLSPK has made me a much stronger artist, and has allowed me to see the impact my work has had on my community and fellow artists.
— Garvin Chan
Lead Artist of DBLSPK: Year of the Frog
“ I've started to direct with more visuals in mind and with a sense of scale, trusting that making something visually striking is doable .”
Q: How did this program help your specific project take its next big step forward?
DBLSPK connected me with people who helped me visualise the play in a tangible manner, and along with providing resources, allowed me to experiment with how the play looks and feels.
Q: What was the most enjoyable part/ moment of the residency?
Actualising the design elements, figuring out the projections within the floating frames. Even before the week itself, being blown away by Starlynn's set design pitches to the point of it inspiring the parts that were missing from the script at that point.
“ It also connected me with a room full of Cantonese speakers, which was part of the purpose of my writing this play to begin with: to preserve the language and keep the language alive.”
Q: What is one new thing you tried, discovered, or figured out about your artistic practice while you were here?
I got to work with designers as a director, which has helped me begin to develop visually as an artist - I've started to direct with more visuals in mind and with a sense of scale, trusting that making something visually striking is doable (and proven by the designers that it can be easily doable and if not easy, can be worth it to make regardless).
Q: What would you say to artists who may be interested in applying to this program in the future?
Do it! It's so worth it to connect with the people and explore one's relationship to language. Getting to do DBLSPK has made me a much stronger artist, and has allowed me to see the impact my work has had on my community and fellow artists.
Q: What is the general vibe working with rice & beans theatre?
Fantastic! Super well cared for and supported.