[NEW EPISODE] The Intersection of Arts and Climate

Fridays 10:00am - 11:00am (EDT)

‍

EPISODE SUMMARY:

They'll learn about how storytelling and live performance can be impactful strategies to address the climate crisis.

Chantal Bilodeau is a Montreal-born, New York-based playwright, whose work focuses on the intersection of storytelling and the climate crisis. In her capacity as artistic director of the Arts & Climate Initiative, she has spearheaded local and global initiatives for nearly two decades, engaging theatre and educational communities, as well as audiences in the U.S. and abroad, in climate action through programming that includes live events, talks, publications, workshops, artist convenings, and a worldwide distributed theatre

festival. Her work has been presented in a dozen countries and translated into French, Norwegian, Greek, and Portuguese. She is currently working on a series of eight plays that look at the social and environmental changes taking place in the eight Arctic states. She is a Creative Core member of the Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics. In 2019, she was named one of “8 Trailblazers Who Are Changing the Climate Conversation” by Audubon Magazine.

Name of your organization: Arts & Climate Initiative

Website: www.artsandclimate.org

Facebook: @artsnclimate

Instagram: @artsnclimate

 #ArtsAndClimate #StorytellingForChange #ClimateActionThroughArt

Tune in for this sensible conversation at TalkRadio.nyc

Show Notes

‍Segment 1

Segment 2

Segment 3

‍Segment 4

‍

Transcript

00:00:48.450 --> 00:00:50.370 Tommy DiMisa: We are back philanthropy and focus.

00:00:51.080 --> 00:00:58.280 Tommy DiMisa: This is where I focus every Friday morning on meeting with a leader of a nonprofit organization. As I like to say, to help them tell their story

00:00:58.530 --> 00:01:25.620 Tommy DiMisa: and amplify their message. I call myself Tommy D. Well, everybody calls me that, but I also call myself the nonprofit sector connector, and every week on this show I have the honor and privilege to connect with another organization another leader with somewhere about 180 episodes of this show. I'm super excited. I had a meeting this week. There's a whole new thing, whole new project. We're going to be working on Tommy D on location, working in and out with a nonprofit organization. We're gonna turn it into a

00:01:25.620 --> 00:01:38.246 Tommy DiMisa: a show. It's going to be a web series. I keep putting it out there to the universe because I'm talking to people about it, and I want everybody to know about it. So you can say, hey, what's going on with that thing you were talking about? Because then you can all hold me accountable. I want to make a quick

00:01:38.570 --> 00:01:43.669 Tommy DiMisa: I want to make a quick acknowledgement. First.st Chantelle Bill, my new friend. Good morning. How are you.

00:01:44.030 --> 00:01:44.960 Chantal Bilodeau: Good morning!

00:01:44.960 --> 00:01:50.879 Tommy DiMisa: I just want to say, I I before we get into you, your you know, the organization, the great work that's going on.

00:01:50.990 --> 00:02:10.079 Tommy DiMisa: I feel it appropriate. Having been on your website this morning and having not done this, maybe one other time on this program. Have I ever done what I'd like to do real quick is. I used to go to a show early, Covid. It was called remote daily, and we would go to this place. It was a Zoom Meeting back when Zoom Meetings were, you know not ubiquitous

00:02:10.139 --> 00:02:21.276 Tommy DiMisa: and I would go, and there was a woman who I became friendly with, who shout out to Britt, we haven't spoken in a while, Brit Fan, but I I see what you're doing in the world.

00:02:21.720 --> 00:02:28.259 Tommy DiMisa: And she would do a land acknowledgement at the beginning of this show. And I noticed on your website this morning

00:02:28.340 --> 00:02:35.920 Tommy DiMisa: that there's a land acknowledgement right on the bottom of the website. So I thought it appropriate to do a quick land acknowledgement here on

00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:54.450 Tommy DiMisa: philanthropy and focus. So I'm actually coming to you from my attic, which is on the Long Island, the Long Island on Long Island, and I'm you know, the original indigenous people of this area. There was many, many tribes here on Long Island. The Canar sees the Rockaways, the Merricks, and Massapeake was. But where I come from, where I stand right now

00:02:54.540 --> 00:02:58.170 Tommy DiMisa: is the land that was originally inhabited by the Matinnocoques.

00:02:58.210 --> 00:03:04.319 Tommy DiMisa: so I would just like to acknowledge and pay respect to the Mckinnon Mctinnacock people who have stewarded this land

00:03:04.350 --> 00:03:32.640 Tommy DiMisa: and these waters through the generations, and I extend my respect and the respect of the people in my world, philanthropy and focus to all indigenous people everywhere. So I was inspired to do that chantel by your website this morning, and kind of put that and kind of you know I think it. It's only appropriate in some of the conversations and dialogues. I think we'll have this morning to do that this morning, so I just want to put that out there to the universe and and put those vibes out so.

00:03:32.640 --> 00:03:33.640 Chantal Bilodeau: You for doing that.

00:03:33.640 --> 00:03:48.120 Tommy DiMisa: Thank you and thank you for inspiring me to do that, because on your website I will read on your website. It says the arts and Climate initiative is located on the island of Manhattan in New York City. What is traditionally known as Manahata, and you acknowledge and respect the Lenape people

00:03:48.430 --> 00:04:04.980 Tommy DiMisa: right? Could they stew it at the Land of an end? So you know, so important that we did that. And I feel inspired and and hopefully, some folks who have never experienced that. I I hope I did an okay job at it this morning, but but always looking to grow and improve. So so thank you for giving me that opportunity to do that. So

00:04:05.430 --> 00:04:11.910 Tommy DiMisa: what I'd really like to do now is roll into what we always do on this show, which to me is.

00:04:12.490 --> 00:04:18.990 Tommy DiMisa: it's the fun of what what I get to do here, because I learn about somebody I learn about their background. I learn about their journey.

00:04:19.040 --> 00:04:24.890 Tommy DiMisa: and ultimately what took them to either take on leadership at a nonprofit organization

00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:35.390 Tommy DiMisa: or found a nonprofit organization, right? Or work programs in in a nonprofit, I mean, that's just the opportunity I get. But the story of the individual to me

00:04:35.390 --> 00:04:55.140 Tommy DiMisa: is is critically important to the story about the work they do with the organization. So, and people keep coming back and checking in and paying attention. So we must be doing something right. So we'll keep. We'll keep with that format. So if you would, my dear Chantelle, would you introduce yourself, please your your name, who you are in in the organization, and then let's dive into

00:04:55.580 --> 00:04:58.420 Tommy DiMisa: what happened. How did we get here? How did we get to this point?

00:04:59.080 --> 00:05:07.159 Chantal Bilodeau: Of course. I'm Chantelle Biledo. I am a playwright and the artistic director of the Arts and Climate Initiative.

00:05:07.190 --> 00:05:19.250 Chantal Bilodeau: which is mostly a theater organization. Our mission is to engage the climate crisis through storytelling and live performance.

00:05:20.560 --> 00:05:22.260 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I I tell you.

00:05:23.860 --> 00:05:38.020 Tommy DiMisa: I'm a bit of a storyteller myself, and and that's why I'm excited about this new thing we're going to do, which is going to be where I go out and spend a full day with a nonprofit. We get a lot of video and see a lot of me in the trenches, so to speak, about what's going on and kind of doing these.

00:05:38.130 --> 00:05:48.340 Tommy DiMisa: you know, Sidebar interviews with different people in the organization, because I think the work is what is most important to tell that story. So when you talk about telling stories as a playwright.

00:05:48.980 --> 00:05:50.930 Tommy DiMisa: you know, many playwrights.

00:05:51.530 --> 00:05:52.549 Tommy DiMisa: May just

00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:57.610 Tommy DiMisa: tell fictional stories, and yes, there's a message and things like that. But

00:05:57.800 --> 00:06:13.369 Tommy DiMisa: why were you drawn to this type of work with around the climate initiative and and telling these stories. What was it you know? And and how does that even turn into, hey? You know what we actually have to found an organization now like, where? Why does that even come up for you? Can you take us down that road.

00:06:14.290 --> 00:06:34.050 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah. So when I started as a playwright, I was writing, you know, plays about various topics like just any playwrights. And it was about 7 or 8 years into it I went to Alaska because I had a friend there who I'd never visited, and this was back in 2,007

00:06:34.477 --> 00:06:52.289 Chantal Bilodeau: and this friend runs an air taxi company out of Denali National Park. So I got to fly with him, fly over glaciers, mountains. I mean, it was pretty spectacular, and of course, it was very visible how the climate was impacting the environment there.

00:06:52.390 --> 00:07:01.250 Chantal Bilodeau: and also 2,007 was one year after Al Gore's documentary, an inconvenient truth. The 1st one came out. So there was more

00:07:01.714 --> 00:07:18.360 Chantal Bilodeau: talk about the climate crisis in in public conversation, and the combination of these 2 things made me think like, Oh, maybe you know, maybe I can do my part, maybe. And since since my skills is to write for theater. Maybe I can write a play

00:07:18.430 --> 00:07:32.869 Chantal Bilodeau: about this issue and since I'm originally from Canada, I and we have a huge Arctic territory compared to the Us. I started doing research there and then. I was lucky enough to be commissioned by Theatre Company

00:07:32.950 --> 00:07:43.619 Chantal Bilodeau: to go to the Canadian Arctic and see what was going on there, and that became the 1st of a series of plays about how climate change is impacting

00:07:44.406 --> 00:07:45.640 Chantal Bilodeau: the Arctic.

00:07:45.710 --> 00:07:46.930 Chantal Bilodeau: And

00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:55.570 Chantal Bilodeau: after writing this 1st play, which is called Sila that's an inuctitude word that means breath, air, wind.

00:07:56.129 --> 00:08:21.520 Chantal Bilodeau: and it's the basis of the cosmology and Inuit culture. It's where you come from and where you go back to. So this play, Sila. I spent several years researching it. And oh, and just to be clear. My plays are fiction. But they're they're fact based fiction. I guess. I like to say so. They're based on research and on things that are really happening. And then I turned that into fiction.

00:08:21.530 --> 00:08:23.849 Chantal Bilodeau: So after writing this 1st play.

00:08:23.880 --> 00:08:47.160 Chantal Bilodeau: I wasn't done. I'm like, Oh, I really like this topic. I like researching it. I like the people I'm talking to. I like the regions I'm seeing. How how can I turn that into more in a way that's cohesive. And so I, since there are 8 countries that are part of the Arctic, I decided, okay, I'm going to write one play for each country in the Arctic, and it's going to be called the Arctic Cycle.

00:08:47.480 --> 00:08:57.149 Tommy DiMisa: So the Arctic cycle. So so that's actually sounds like a pretty good move there. Because, does that mean you got to visit all these places in order to do some research for your writing.

00:08:57.600 --> 00:09:05.559 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah, I'm only halfway into into it. So I did. I'm working on the 4th country now. I have 4 more to go. But yes, I'm visiting each place.

00:09:05.560 --> 00:09:10.082 Tommy DiMisa: That's pretty cool, man. I like that angle very sneaky of you, Chantelle.

00:09:11.810 --> 00:09:16.275 Tommy DiMisa: I I want to go back. I I mean, there's so much here to talk about. I I just

00:09:16.850 --> 00:09:21.209 Tommy DiMisa: you said when you're in Alaska, in the air taxis. It was very visible.

00:09:21.310 --> 00:09:25.750 Tommy DiMisa: right that the that the glaciers were receding and obviously melting. And

00:09:28.150 --> 00:09:35.759 Tommy DiMisa: Were were you like, did you have any sort of scientific background before? This? Was this, at something that you had interest in, you know.

00:09:35.810 --> 00:09:45.390 Tommy DiMisa: planetary things, or geography, or you know, or climate was that, did you have interest there growing up even before you kind of got involved with this work.

00:09:45.990 --> 00:10:02.466 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah, I have no scientific background. But I've I've always been interested in the environment. I'm a big hiker. My father was a hunter fisherman like spent a lot of time outdoors and took me with him. He was also a bush pilot as a side

00:10:02.870 --> 00:10:05.920 Chantal Bilodeau: fly flying like small planes. Cessna planes.

00:10:05.920 --> 00:10:07.159 Tommy DiMisa: Oh, really. Oh, yeah.

00:10:07.660 --> 00:10:08.660 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah, so.

00:10:08.660 --> 00:10:11.029 Tommy DiMisa: You like those planes like, are you comfortable in there?

00:10:11.570 --> 00:10:17.969 Chantal Bilodeau: It makes me sick. But I I like it. Yeah, I'm not afraid. I just get motion sickness.

00:10:17.970 --> 00:10:20.840 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, it's it's the worst. Because, like we like

00:10:21.350 --> 00:10:35.990 Tommy DiMisa: you know, even when I take the kids to like Hershey Park in Pennsylvania, it's like I can't go on any of those rides. And ever since I was a little kid like I always got motion, sickness, and people go. Oh, are you scared? I'm not really scared. I just don't want to ruin my whole day feeling terrible for the rest of the day like that.

00:10:35.990 --> 00:10:36.500 Chantal Bilodeau: Right.

00:10:36.500 --> 00:10:38.083 Tommy DiMisa: It is, you know.

00:10:38.810 --> 00:10:43.859 Tommy DiMisa: and and I'm I've gotten like so challenged with it, like I don't even do well in the taxicab

00:10:43.910 --> 00:10:49.999 Tommy DiMisa: like my wife doesn't really drive when we're together. I drive because I don't like being driven around. It's like it's not.

00:10:50.030 --> 00:10:56.279 Tommy DiMisa: It's not a good thing motion, sickness terrible. And I for me it's not not something I've I've ever overcome.

00:10:56.300 --> 00:11:01.290 Tommy DiMisa: I don't know about you. But so, being in a tiny little plane, not the only time, I will tell you.

00:11:01.370 --> 00:11:02.690 Tommy DiMisa: We were in Canada.

00:11:03.400 --> 00:11:04.439 Tommy DiMisa: We were

00:11:05.150 --> 00:11:12.009 Tommy DiMisa: I used to work for a company called Adp, the big Payroll, you know National and Global Company, Adp, right? And we had

00:11:12.140 --> 00:11:18.280 Tommy DiMisa: my wife and I were with some friends because I'd qualified for President's club this year, and we were in Whistler, in British Columbia.

00:11:18.390 --> 00:11:24.680 Tommy DiMisa: and there was, I'd qualified for the trip, but I guess I did a little better, and I qualified for this additional couple of days

00:11:24.690 --> 00:11:26.319 Tommy DiMisa: in Victoria Island.

00:11:26.430 --> 00:11:29.539 Tommy DiMisa: and we flew in on one of these planes. It wasn't like a

00:11:29.820 --> 00:11:32.500 Tommy DiMisa: 2, 3 seater, 4 seater. It was like

00:11:32.550 --> 00:11:35.509 Tommy DiMisa: 10 people on the plane right, but it was a plane

00:11:35.550 --> 00:11:37.859 Tommy DiMisa: that landed on the water

00:11:38.090 --> 00:11:38.570 Tommy DiMisa: and.

00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:40.649 Tommy DiMisa: In in

00:11:40.690 --> 00:11:44.530 Tommy DiMisa: Whistler is unbelievable. And then, when we enter this Victoria Island.

00:11:44.720 --> 00:12:02.090 Tommy DiMisa: it was just like this green color, but not green, like the Long Island, you know, like the Long Island Sound, or or the Atlantic Ocean, by Long Island, but it was like a different color green. I don't know how to explain. It was beautiful, but I was okay on that plane. But who knows? I might have had a bunch of dramamine because I knew I was going on that plane.

00:12:03.150 --> 00:12:06.820 Tommy DiMisa: So so you you grew up going on those planes with your dad, though.

00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:08.110 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah, yeah.

00:12:08.110 --> 00:12:08.440 Tommy DiMisa: Pretty cool.

00:12:08.440 --> 00:12:15.309 Chantal Bilodeau: And they did land on water a lot of the time, because my dad liked to go to lakes that were only accessible by plane.

00:12:15.310 --> 00:12:22.459 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, how cool is that? That's that's pretty cool stuff, hey? Listen. I guess it. That's better than just going on a roller coaster and getting sick, I mean.

00:12:22.460 --> 00:12:23.110 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah.

00:12:24.270 --> 00:12:27.039 Tommy DiMisa: So we gotta we.

00:12:27.300 --> 00:12:30.450 Tommy DiMisa: I wanted to hit that part on the science, because.

00:12:30.630 --> 00:12:31.710 Tommy DiMisa: although

00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:54.169 Tommy DiMisa: you know, you don't necessarily have the scientific education or a background. I mean, this is our planet. Right? We. We started with that land acknowledgement upfront. Because I it's this is we only get one planet. I know our friend Elon is trying to make us a multi planet species and get us to Mars and everything like that. I don't think I'll be here long enough to experience that. But

00:12:54.770 --> 00:13:05.360 Tommy DiMisa: I think we need to, as a society, as a race, realize what we're doing and what we've done and what we have to do to to kind of fix and and pump the brakes on what we've done right.

00:13:06.110 --> 00:13:08.021 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah. And we also

00:13:08.900 --> 00:13:20.649 Chantal Bilodeau: oh, everything you say is true. But we also can't just focus on the negative. So I think we we have to recognize what's there and appreciate it and love it, and that that's going to make us want to protect it.

00:13:20.650 --> 00:13:30.610 Tommy DiMisa: I love that I love that. What a good thing you know, not just punitive like we screwed this place up. But look at how beautiful this is, and how do we conserve it and protect it, and honor it right.

00:13:30.790 --> 00:13:34.599 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah, and make it available to the next generations.

00:13:34.600 --> 00:13:35.663 Tommy DiMisa: You know I was

00:13:36.160 --> 00:13:37.830 Tommy DiMisa: we're going to go to break in a second. But.

00:13:37.850 --> 00:13:44.540 Tommy DiMisa: Jesse, I'm trying to remember who I was texting with. Oh, I know who it was. It was my friend Darryl. He's been on the show. Daryl and I were texting.

00:13:44.630 --> 00:13:45.790 Tommy DiMisa: and he

00:13:45.880 --> 00:13:48.689 Tommy DiMisa: he said, I'm going for a run in Central Park.

00:13:48.770 --> 00:13:53.709 Tommy DiMisa: and he texted me some pictures of like, you know what was going, what Central Park look at. And I said, You know

00:13:53.990 --> 00:14:18.529 Tommy DiMisa: it's so important that someone had the vision. When you go into Manhattan and you have skyscrapers everywhere. It was so important that someone had the vision to say, we have to put this sanctuary aside. We have to protect this green space, and because, if if not, capitalism might have come in and said, hey? We could put more bunch, more buildings here, right? We could develop this area. And and I think that's part of

00:14:18.570 --> 00:14:28.329 Tommy DiMisa: the education and and the honoring of of what we have here in nature is to say, like, we must protect this and honor it, and and be aware of that, we have to have it right.

00:14:28.580 --> 00:14:33.319 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah. And especially when we have something like Central Park, we recognize how much we need it.

00:14:33.320 --> 00:14:53.780 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, yeah, especially again, having, you know, living out on Long Island. I was. I was at an event yesterday, and we were helping this woman. She what one of my other adventures is the philanthropy network of New York, and we do volunteer events for businesses and and our clients employees get involved. Yesterday we had an event where we were collecting clothing

00:14:53.800 --> 00:14:56.289 Tommy DiMisa: or big brothers, big sisters of Long Island.

00:14:56.330 --> 00:15:02.450 Tommy DiMisa: and they're able to take that clothing and sell it to a thrift shop, a big thrift company.

00:15:02.470 --> 00:15:16.970 Tommy DiMisa: and it ends up being 1.6 million dollars a year to the budget of this nonprofit big brothers, big sisters, Long Island. That's not the story. But I always like to tell the whole commercial. But the story is one of these women. Her name's Rose, and I was helping her get the clothes out of the her car.

00:15:16.990 --> 00:15:19.240 Tommy DiMisa: and she had. She goes. Just don't take the beach chap.

00:15:19.270 --> 00:15:35.800 Tommy DiMisa: and I laugh because I travel with a beach chair in my car as well, because you never know, man, I may just run into some sand that I need to sit on. I mean, there may be some water that I need to sit beside. And and you know we're fortunate like that. But in the in other parts of really in other parts of New York. For sure.

00:15:35.800 --> 00:15:51.999 Tommy DiMisa: you know, it's it's not always a place where you can, you know. Kind of crash out by the water in the beach. So but we gotta talk more about that. Maybe later we're gonna take a quick break when we come back. I want to understand. You know you have. We can talk about the the 4 of the 8, or you're on Number 4. You're on country number 4 right now.

00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:52.570 Chantal Bilodeau: Yes.

00:15:52.570 --> 00:16:03.360 Tommy DiMisa: I want to talk about that. I want to talk about that that journey that you're on. But I also want to really focus on the journey that the organization is on, and I know there's when, because the way

00:16:03.650 --> 00:16:17.310 Tommy DiMisa: the way Chantelle and I met everybody is. Her organization was a semifinalist in the New York City. Imagine awards, and I get the incredible honor to interview people when they're semifinalists in the New York City. Imagine awards! And that's how we connected. So I know there's a

00:16:17.450 --> 00:16:32.929 Tommy DiMisa: every 2 years is a festival we're going to talk about. So there's so much to really uncover while we're here to take today together. And I'm like 3 min over on our 1st break, which is classic. That's how the show works. We're gonna take a quick break Chantelle and Tommy D in the attic philanthropy and focus right back.

00:18:43.250 --> 00:18:43.820 Tommy DiMisa: Back.

00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:44.600 Tommy DiMisa: My.

00:18:46.420 --> 00:19:07.700 Tommy DiMisa: I would just say this, Chantelle, I have no training as an actor, but if you ever just needed kind of a personality in one of your plays I would like to try out. I will. I I'm not so, Bougie. I will read for the part, you know. I don't expect any handouts, man, you know. But maybe I could be in one of your plays. No, you don't have to. I'm not putting you on the spot. Don't even don't respond, you know.

00:19:07.700 --> 00:19:09.439 Chantal Bilodeau: Respond right now.

00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:13.950 Tommy DiMisa: But one day, maybe we can. Maybe we can work together. That would be fun.

00:19:13.950 --> 00:19:14.720 Chantal Bilodeau: Sounds good.

00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:34.479 Tommy DiMisa: I'm a bit of a showman, I like to say, you know, like I I would like to be like PT. Barna one day, you know, like that, you know, like the greatest show. Alright. So let's do this. I want to read a little bit of your background, so you share it with us. But you're Montreal, born New York, based playwright, whose work focuses on the intersection of storytelling and the climate crisis

00:19:34.650 --> 00:19:36.579 Tommy DiMisa: in her capacity

00:19:36.670 --> 00:19:53.090 Tommy DiMisa: as an artistic director of the Arts and Climate initiative. She has spearheaded local and global initiatives for nearly 2 decades, engaging theatre and educational communities as well as audiences in the Us. And abroad, in climate action, through programming that includes live events.

00:19:53.250 --> 00:20:13.540 Tommy DiMisa: talks, publications, workshops, artist convenings, and a worldwide distributed theatre festival which we'll get into today. I was actually reading that to let people know. But I was also trying out for one of your plays when I read that. So I was trying to be very specific when I read and make the pauses in the right spots and stuff.

00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:15.376 Chantal Bilodeau: You did very well.

00:20:15.660 --> 00:20:23.150 Tommy DiMisa: Much. Okay, thank you for the compliment I needed that I need compliments. I need to. I need a shot in the arm every every now and again. So you know.

00:20:23.300 --> 00:20:29.939 Tommy DiMisa: this was something that came to you out of an opportunity like in nonprofit. We talk a lot about time, treasure, and talent.

00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:35.169 Tommy DiMisa: and what I was thinking when you know from your perspective is your talent is a playwright.

00:20:35.310 --> 00:20:40.890 Tommy DiMisa: You're a writer, you're a storyteller. You saw correct me if I'm wrong here. But you saw an opportunity

00:20:41.370 --> 00:20:51.520 Tommy DiMisa: that needed to be told a story that needed to be told that you said, Well, here's what I'm real good at. This is my skill set. Let me utilize what I do to tell these stories. I mean, that sounds like what it is right.

00:20:52.580 --> 00:21:01.000 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah, it's interesting. I would frame it slightly differently. You say I saw an opportunity. I and I would say I saw a lack of something.

00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:01.480 Tommy DiMisa: Wow!

00:21:01.480 --> 00:21:07.499 Chantal Bilodeau: You know, I saw something that should have been there that wasn't there, and so I decided to fill the void.

00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:09.000 Tommy DiMisa: I love that so

00:21:09.490 --> 00:21:10.900 Tommy DiMisa: responsibility.

00:21:11.050 --> 00:21:27.170 Tommy DiMisa: maybe not like like you, had the responsibility and said, This is not being done. I need to lean and do this thing. Yeah, I love that. Yeah, listen, gang. You want to change the world. Do yourself a favor. Change the world. That's how. Don't wait for somebody else to do it. Man, just do it. I love that.

00:21:27.170 --> 00:21:28.080 Chantal Bilodeau: Exactly.

00:21:28.080 --> 00:21:38.539 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, tell me some stories tell me like about when you know the travels and some of the the plays that you've written, and then eventually, I promise we're going to get into your more of the organization side. But I want to hear your stories.

00:21:39.124 --> 00:21:46.020 Chantal Bilodeau: I can tell you so. The the place that I have written the 1st one was about Canada, then Norway

00:21:46.596 --> 00:21:53.163 Chantal Bilodeau: then the us about Alaska, and now the one I'm working on is about Iceland and

00:21:54.560 --> 00:22:00.680 Chantal Bilodeau: so I'll tell you a little bit. I was just in Iceland this this year I went in February, and I went again and.

00:22:00.680 --> 00:22:01.030 Tommy DiMisa: People.

00:22:01.030 --> 00:22:01.580 Chantal Bilodeau: June.

00:22:01.580 --> 00:22:02.010 Tommy DiMisa: People, love.

00:22:02.010 --> 00:22:02.400 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah.

00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:08.139 Tommy DiMisa: Super. Everybody I talk to. We're going to Iceland like that's become like I. And I'm I gotta be honest, like.

00:22:08.450 --> 00:22:14.400 Tommy DiMisa: I think I remember, 20 years ago nobody was talking about Iceland. I feel like in the last 10 years, like everybody's going to Iceland right.

00:22:14.620 --> 00:22:32.339 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah, I mean, it's a super beautiful place. I think people are going because they want to see glaciers before they go. It's also an an easy place to get to from New York. So yeah, yeah, it's a direct flight. And it's, I think, 5 h. It's it's pretty easy. Yeah.

00:22:33.307 --> 00:22:37.690 Chantal Bilodeau: So the story about Iceland was that I heard

00:22:38.305 --> 00:22:44.080 Chantal Bilodeau: a few years ago that a there's a glacier in Iceland that was declared dead

00:22:44.572 --> 00:22:53.220 Chantal Bilodeau: from climate change, and it was the 1st named Glacier to be declared dead by climate change, and and a couple of anthropologists from Rice University.

00:22:53.866 --> 00:22:57.600 Chantal Bilodeau: Organized a essentially a funeral for that glacier.

00:22:57.710 --> 00:23:05.290 Chantal Bilodeau: and they put a plaque at the top of at the nearby, the glacier and so it made it. It became this big news.

00:23:05.360 --> 00:23:06.125 Chantal Bilodeau: And

00:23:06.900 --> 00:23:10.250 Chantal Bilodeau: I thought, oh, that! What a great idea!

00:23:10.400 --> 00:23:17.306 Chantal Bilodeau: What a great inspiration for a play! And they've essentially all done all the research for me. So

00:23:17.930 --> 00:23:28.779 Chantal Bilodeau: I started looking more into it, and I talked to these anthropologists who, it turned out I already knew, and I went to Iceland. To get a sense of the

00:23:28.970 --> 00:23:39.290 Chantal Bilodeau: the country, get a sense of the lore. They have a lot of stories there, and to be able to hike that glacier is in in an old crater

00:23:39.320 --> 00:23:49.179 Chantal Bilodeau: so, or that that what remains of that glacier so to be able to hike there and see it, and that's going to be turned into a play that's called Requiem for Glacier.

00:23:49.180 --> 00:23:50.940 Tommy DiMisa: Requiem for a glacier.

00:23:50.940 --> 00:23:51.600 Chantal Bilodeau: Yes.

00:23:51.600 --> 00:23:56.260 Tommy DiMisa: How, how long are your plays? Are they 3 acts? Is it, you know that.

00:23:57.108 --> 00:24:04.060 Chantal Bilodeau: No, they're most theater nowadays is under 2 h, so they tend to be 90 min.

00:24:04.060 --> 00:24:05.170 Tommy DiMisa: 90 min. Okay?

00:24:05.170 --> 00:24:05.830 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah.

00:24:06.730 --> 00:24:11.579 Tommy DiMisa: What would so requiem for a glacier? And that's you're working on that now.

00:24:11.840 --> 00:24:12.490 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah.

00:24:12.490 --> 00:24:18.770 Tommy DiMisa: Okay, what is that process like, I mean, how how long does it? I'm sure it's not an exact.

00:24:18.890 --> 00:24:22.690 Tommy DiMisa: Tommy. It's gonna take me 6 months to do this like, you know.

00:24:23.280 --> 00:24:33.260 Tommy DiMisa: what is the timeframe to write a play? And then what do you? Because I I've never really been involved. Actually I was alright. I fibbed a little bit in the 6th grade. I was the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz.

00:24:33.260 --> 00:24:33.950 Chantal Bilodeau: I want.

00:24:33.950 --> 00:24:42.100 Tommy DiMisa: Washington Street School in Franklin Square, out here on Long Island. So shout out to Diana Citarella, who was our gym teacher, who was

00:24:42.359 --> 00:25:11.049 Tommy DiMisa: who was in charge of that play. She was a good friend of mine many, many years ago, and I got to play the tin man in the 6th grade. So that was like, aside from what I do in the world, that was like my one role that you know, when I was actually on the stage. So I know that much about plays. But what does it take to? You know you have to write in individual parts right? There's dialogue. There's a storyline like without running a you know, a class for us here. But like, what does it look like? How do you even sit down and write a play.

00:25:11.990 --> 00:25:26.299 Chantal Bilodeau: You know, it varies from people to people, because I know playwrights who can write a play in a week, which is not my case it takes me. I'm a slow writer, and I need to let it sit with me for a long time. In in order to be able to write it.

00:25:26.800 --> 00:25:34.959 Chantal Bilodeau: So I do all the research upfront, and then I will write the play over the course of several months. Let's say maybe between

00:25:35.180 --> 00:26:01.749 Chantal Bilodeau: 3 and 6 months usually, and that will give me a 1st draft and then we do what we call workshopping and play, which means, having actors read the part, and then hearing it out loud for the 1st time, and you know it always. It's always different when we you read it on a page and you hear it. And when you hear it you you then you realize, okay, this part's not working this. There needs to be a little bit of this a little bit less of that

00:26:02.086 --> 00:26:10.170 Chantal Bilodeau: and then you work on that to to then create a second draft, and then the process moves along until you go to production.

00:26:10.520 --> 00:26:36.290 Tommy DiMisa: Is there always, though. See? Like I'm here. If I was writing a story right, I would write this this story, but with a play. There's dialogue, too, I mean, in a book there could be. There's dialogue right? But I'm wondering like, do you write a story? And then inside the store inside of the story you write like. Here's what this person said, and here's what this character said, is it that, or is it like that? 1st draft is like it's just start at the top of the page and keep writing like I'm curious about that.

00:26:36.570 --> 00:27:01.809 Chantal Bilodeau: It's all dialogue, so I don't. You know, I don't write. Some people write outlines especially when there's several collaborators on for musicals, for example, they'll write outlines. In my case I don't, and I don't necessarily write in order, either. So sometimes I can write a scene if I know, like this particular scene, for sure needs to happen, and it's in the middle of the play. I may start with that, and then and then go backwards and work to it. Yeah.

00:27:01.810 --> 00:27:04.304 Tommy DiMisa: So fun. That is so fun.

00:27:05.180 --> 00:27:06.660 Tommy DiMisa: I want to ask you like.

00:27:08.270 --> 00:27:09.260 Tommy DiMisa: does

00:27:09.420 --> 00:27:10.610 Tommy DiMisa: nature

00:27:10.900 --> 00:27:26.579 Tommy DiMisa: like have a part in most of these plays like. Is it representative? Oh, and I'm if that's the secret, then then tell me, say, tell me I can't share my secrets with you, but I'm like curious like does somebody play nature like? But it's a person like, is it personification of something.

00:27:26.930 --> 00:27:50.389 Chantal Bilodeau: You know, it's really interesting you asking that question because most people don't think of that. But yes, nature plays a part, and I give it different characters sometimes, like I have a play where polar bears have parts and talk. There's another play where sea ice is a character. Yeah. What else do I have?

00:27:51.340 --> 00:28:00.080 Chantal Bilodeau: Oh, there's another play where there's the whale as a character. So I tend to always have non humans as characters in in those plays.

00:28:00.350 --> 00:28:05.420 Tommy DiMisa: I love that because and and that resonates with me, and I haven't seen your plays, and I want to

00:28:05.777 --> 00:28:08.400 Tommy DiMisa: but it resonates with me. Because isn't that

00:28:08.420 --> 00:28:13.949 Tommy DiMisa: it isn't just us. It's not just you and me. There's other inhabitants of this planet.

00:28:14.060 --> 00:28:28.829 Tommy DiMisa: and they don't have the same abilities that we have like. If we're screwing this thing up for us, we're screwing them up for them, too, and they can't go, that's all good. I'll just move further inland. No, no, I live on ice, and there's less ice, and that doesn't right, and that I mean, I'm I'm

00:28:28.860 --> 00:28:35.309 Tommy DiMisa: I want to learn more and more about the work you and and the other collaborators and the other playwrights are doing, because.

00:28:35.608 --> 00:28:42.339 Tommy DiMisa: I'd like to become involved with what you're doing to help tell the story more so than just today. Chantelle, where I can say, Hey, look!

00:28:43.030 --> 00:28:51.010 Tommy DiMisa: This is what's going on. And and it's entertaining and educating right like. Isn't that the fun? Isn't that the cool thing like, you know?

00:28:51.360 --> 00:29:08.540 Tommy DiMisa: it's kind of like the trick of like Sesame Street, or something like that. Not to say that your work is like Sesame Street, but but it's the thing where like kids are learning. But it's like at the end of the Sesame Street episode. It was A and number 3. This was brought to you in part by letter A, and number 7 or number 3, or something like that, right? So it was. So

00:29:08.740 --> 00:29:19.820 Tommy DiMisa: I think it's so important that it's not just a story. But it's a story that has the impact. And that's, I think a large part of what the arts and climate initiative is all about. Right.

00:29:20.020 --> 00:29:20.790 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah.

00:29:21.620 --> 00:29:30.320 Tommy DiMisa: all right, we got to go to Quick break because I screwed up the 1st one, so I'll try to make the second one better, so we'll go to a break real quick. We'll hear some commercials. We'll come back. And let's take this into.

00:29:31.020 --> 00:29:46.579 Tommy DiMisa: how is this organization collaborative like, what does it actually mean? I know, when I looked on your website, there's other artistic directors. There's other collaborators. What is that community like? And when can I come hang out with you all because you seem like you're onto something that I'd like to be a part of. So so it's.

00:29:46.580 --> 00:30:03.259 Tommy DiMisa: I guess, in whatever order you want like. When can I come? Hang out with you all that could be one question. And then, but really, it's what does this community look like? And and I, I'm assuming it's not just the local community. There's outreach around around the planet, and then with the festival, and how we can all help out. How's that sound?

00:30:03.570 --> 00:30:05.779 Chantal Bilodeau: That sounds good. I'll tell you everything about it.

00:30:05.780 --> 00:30:08.429 Tommy DiMisa: All right. We'll be right back. That's the show. We'll be right back.

00:32:09.350 --> 00:32:09.750 Tommy DiMisa: Where.

00:32:10.130 --> 00:32:37.019 Tommy DiMisa: So we can make a musical, too. Chantel. The arts and climate initiative. So this is right off the website gang. If you're only listening and not watching arts and climate org arts, A, ND. Climate or G, the arts and climate initiative uses storytelling and live performance to foster dialogue about our global climate crisis, create an empowering vision of the future and inspire people to take action

00:32:37.070 --> 00:32:43.899 Tommy DiMisa: operating on the principle that complex problems must be addressed through collaborative efforts.

00:32:43.900 --> 00:33:13.240 Tommy DiMisa: We work with artists across disciplines and geographic borders, solicit input from researchers in the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences, and actively seek community and educational partners. Man, that sounds like collaboration. If I've ever heard it, I mean, that's that's what it is. Right. Let's bring the best minds, you know and create that, mastermind, and bring the people, you know, when when 2 or more minds get together, there's this additional mind that gets created shout out to Napoleon Hill. Think and grow rich.

00:33:13.240 --> 00:33:14.193 Tommy DiMisa: but it's

00:33:15.330 --> 00:33:42.199 Tommy DiMisa: This is an important conversation that we have to have right, and I love what you framed with me earlier this morning on the show here and said, You know, Tommy, it's not just the negative. We have to focus on the beauty and things like that right cause. I I think there is a you know we're we don't discuss politics on the show. I try to avoid it in my real life, not just on the show. But I there's this like, this thing becomes obviously politicized, this whole climate thing as well, which

00:33:43.110 --> 00:33:56.049 Tommy DiMisa: but we let's it's not about that it's about. Things are not going great in some of the decisions that have been made. And we have this beautiful planet. Right? So how do we continue to address and conserve this beautiful planet. So.

00:33:56.070 --> 00:33:58.249 Tommy DiMisa: Chantelle, what say you on that.

00:33:59.574 --> 00:34:08.179 Chantal Bilodeau: I think you're totally right. We. So the arts and climate initiative, we have various programs. As you read in the in the mission.

00:34:08.675 --> 00:34:19.614 Chantal Bilodeau: One of them, I is something that happens once a year, which I just finished in June. It's called the Incubator, and we bring together 20 people.

00:34:20.310 --> 00:34:45.219 Chantal Bilodeau: who are. When I 1st started this program, I thought, Okay, I'm going to bring together 20 artists. And then people would contact me and say, I'm a scientist. Can I participate? I'm an activist? Can I participate? So it's really open to everybody who's interested in thinking about the intersection of arts and climate and for a week. We it's a little bit of a think tank, slash workshop. And so for a week we think together about what this field is

00:34:45.615 --> 00:35:07.000 Chantal Bilodeau: what we, what impact we want to have, how we can increase our impact and how we can uplift each other. And again, this came about because, just like the organization, because I saw this is something I wanted for myself. And it just wasn't there. And so I I thought, Okay, I'll I'll just create it, and it'll serve me, and it'll serve other people at the same time.

00:35:07.960 --> 00:35:22.780 Tommy DiMisa: Isn't that? Isn't that the best stuff like I? I don't encourage everybody to go out and found a nonprofit organization. In fact, I would say to you, Hey, gang! If you have a great idea or a great program, there might be an organization you want to partner up with, I would definitely say that because there's

00:35:23.460 --> 00:35:45.210 Tommy DiMisa: and that's not to discourage somebody that's just to say, you know, we might be able to start on second base instead of in the batter's box. If there's something all right, that's a baseball reference, let's go mets. But like, if if we can collaborate, so maybe someone's idea is incredible, and you can partner up with somebody on it, right? But starting a nonprofit organization is not just like, you know.

00:35:45.270 --> 00:35:50.019 Tommy DiMisa: it's it's not no big deal. Now you're running a business just happens to have a nonprofit status

00:35:50.418 --> 00:36:17.280 Tommy DiMisa: but but on the other side, my other part of my brain says, Get out there, do the thing, try the thing. So you know. So in this case you saw this opportunity, and there was nothing fulfilling this need similar to. There was not now something fulfilling the need of what the planet needed. And you saw that opportunity to lean in right and and take on that I'll use the word responsibility of making this thing happen. So that's where the creation of this organization comes from. Yeah.

00:36:17.750 --> 00:36:25.440 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah. And the organization was really an extension of my work as a playwright. I wanted to give myself more power.

00:36:25.450 --> 00:36:44.016 Chantal Bilodeau: I think, to do things. And you know, in the in the arts funding world you can either get funding as an individual or as an organization. And of course, there's a lot more opportunities as as an organization. So that was why I went the nonprofit way. And it was.

00:36:44.360 --> 00:37:00.260 Chantal Bilodeau: It was also because I felt, okay. It's very nice. I'm a playwright. I put out these plays that take forever to write and to produce but we need a lot more people, a lot more voices. And again, I wanted to have a whole to create a whole community. Yeah.

00:37:00.550 --> 00:37:09.040 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah. So it's funny. Something's popping up for me. Because when we 1st spoke it was a bunch of months ago, and I'm not very good at closing windows on my computer

00:37:09.374 --> 00:37:20.600 Tommy DiMisa: and it's my computer says to me, some days, it doesn't really say this. But say, Hey, Tommy, d you. I'm gonna just shut down on you right now, because you haven't let me like take a break and shut down. And maybe it's that's an extension of my own

00:37:20.810 --> 00:37:26.720 Tommy DiMisa: brain and things like that. But there was a I had a website pulled up for howl round.

00:37:27.150 --> 00:37:27.620 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah.

00:37:27.620 --> 00:37:28.000 Tommy DiMisa: All right.

00:37:28.000 --> 00:37:28.520 Chantal Bilodeau: Yes.

00:37:28.520 --> 00:37:39.850 Tommy DiMisa: And that was like on my computer. And it probably still is, there's got to be 900 tabs open in different browsers on this computer right now, and that was something that you had shared with me on our meeting, which was months and months ago.

00:37:39.930 --> 00:37:49.180 Tommy DiMisa: And I want to talk a little bit about that, because that was just something that was very interesting. Is that is that a production company? Is that is that a way you get your work out there.

00:37:49.770 --> 00:38:18.310 Chantal Bilodeau: Howlround is they call themselves the Theatre Commons, and they have 2 parts. One part is a journal, and one part is a Holland TV they call. So they do a lot of live streaming. But the journal part is the the part that I am involved with, and that's I've been curating a series about theater. It's called the the series is called Theater in the Age of Climate Change for them, for I think 6 or 7 years something like that.

00:38:18.807 --> 00:38:24.839 Chantal Bilodeau: And I for it. It's published over the course of a week, and it's about 5

00:38:25.140 --> 00:38:31.559 Chantal Bilodeau: different artists who write about their own involvement. With the climate through theatre.

00:38:31.710 --> 00:38:32.370 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah.

00:38:32.520 --> 00:38:56.170 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I that's just it was something that was popping up for me. I knew I wanted to get it on the show, because I want to learn more about it and spend some time about that with you, because maybe because, as I was in a meeting about this on this new project I'm talking about. I was like, we're looking to get, what's this? Where do we go with it? I'm working with a production company. What do we do with this thing? Where are we going to go streaming? It is we're just going to do it on a Youtube. And like, there's so many different, you know, from a playwrights perspective.

00:38:56.720 --> 00:39:19.830 Tommy DiMisa: as I understand plays. It's live right? However, I'm assuming, like, you know, like you make a movie, or you make a TV show. And it's like, quote unquote in the can. Right? You make a play, you know. Well, we gotta make the play again tomorrow night, or we're gonna make the play next, you know, next Sunday at 8 pm. Right? Like you've created the work. But now we have to actually perform through the performance piece has that like.

00:39:21.490 --> 00:39:42.330 Tommy DiMisa: I I mean, I I know I could find a musical. I could watch guys and dolls. It's on. I have a CD of it. You know. A DVD. I can put plug that in right, or I can go see somebody do guys and dolls on Broadway. Right? So is that a thing where, like much of the work you and your Co. Collaborators do is is then recorded, and it's like

00:39:42.670 --> 00:39:46.190 Tommy DiMisa: accessible at different times when people want it like on demand.

00:39:47.040 --> 00:39:49.250 Chantal Bilodeau: No, it's it's only live!

00:39:49.250 --> 00:39:49.740 Tommy DiMisa: It is.

00:39:50.206 --> 00:39:51.140 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah, yeah.

00:39:51.290 --> 00:39:55.813 Chantal Bilodeau: And there, there are many reasons for that for that one being

00:39:56.210 --> 00:40:18.320 Chantal Bilodeau: that it's an it's a complicated agreement with the actors Union. And so, if you want to stream something, have it on demand. You have to have different contracts with the actors. Then if they're performing live. Yeah, we do have recordings most of the time for archival purposes. But this they're not available for just for public watching.

00:40:18.320 --> 00:40:26.980 Tommy DiMisa: I think that's even better, because that means it's in the real. You're in the moment like it's when it's happening, you know. And the cool thing that live is just so great because

00:40:27.550 --> 00:40:28.740 Tommy DiMisa: things happened.

00:40:29.340 --> 00:40:29.770 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah.

00:40:29.770 --> 00:40:30.730 Tommy DiMisa: Perfect, beautiful.

00:40:30.730 --> 00:40:31.520 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah.

00:40:31.520 --> 00:40:39.940 Tommy DiMisa: You know, it's not. It's like I caught. Okay, we'll start. We'll edit that up. No, no, this is it like these are live human beings like in front of you, and things are going to happen. Yeah.

00:40:40.290 --> 00:40:42.681 Chantal Bilodeau: And theater is is not

00:40:43.650 --> 00:40:51.019 Chantal Bilodeau: It's just not the same. If you watch it, you know, on the screen you don't get the same experience as if you watch it live. It's it's a live art form.

00:40:51.020 --> 00:40:57.150 Tommy DiMisa: I love that. Yeah, I I can't wait to come out to some of the work you all are doing. The thing I want to go to now is when we talked.

00:40:57.550 --> 00:41:00.840 Tommy DiMisa: you know, few weeks back couple. Maybe it was a month and a half ago.

00:41:01.242 --> 00:41:03.900 Tommy DiMisa: One of the things was, there was these.

00:41:04.220 --> 00:41:10.559 Tommy DiMisa: there was these plays that and this might be during the festival which we can talk about now. There was like

00:41:10.790 --> 00:41:12.649 Tommy DiMisa: there was these works that

00:41:13.050 --> 00:41:24.190 Tommy DiMisa: could be shared, and then people would perform them in like smaller settings. Can you? Can you know what I'm talking about? I don't apparently know what I'm talking about, so can you help me? Remind me and and the listeners what that was about.

00:41:24.460 --> 00:41:27.570 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah, yeah, that's a pretty good info, though. You, you remember. Well.

00:41:27.830 --> 00:41:28.330 Tommy DiMisa: Thank you.

00:41:28.330 --> 00:41:35.859 Chantal Bilodeau: So every 2 years. I run a I Co. Run a festival called Climate Change Theater action.

00:41:35.910 --> 00:41:54.550 Chantal Bilodeau: and this was founded in 2,015, with 3 other colleagues who now have moved on. And now it's become a collaboration between my organization, the Arts and Climate Initiative, and an organization called the Center for Sustainable Practice in the arts, and they are based in Canada.

00:41:54.950 --> 00:42:02.820 Chantal Bilodeau: What it is is we commissioned 50 playwrights from around the world. So all of the continents are represented.

00:42:03.070 --> 00:42:09.950 Chantal Bilodeau: We give them a prompt, and we ask them to write a 5 to 10 min play in response to that prompt

00:42:10.290 --> 00:42:19.839 Chantal Bilodeau: that gives us a collection of 50 plays which we then make available for free to anyone anywhere in the world who want might be interested in in organizing an event

00:42:19.920 --> 00:42:22.989 Chantal Bilodeau: during a certain time window which is in the fall.

00:42:23.110 --> 00:42:52.679 Chantal Bilodeau: So we create a kind of movement where you know I we were just talking about theater being live. So you don't you? You don't perform a play for 10,000 people right? Usually it's like, especially if you're a small organization, or just an artist trying to do it. You'll perform for 5,100 200, and it can feel very insignificant if you're doing that on your own. But if you have 200 people, you know, in 20 countries doing the same thing. And suddenly you're reaching 5 and 10,000 people.

00:42:52.740 --> 00:43:17.560 Chantal Bilodeau: It's a lot more exciting. And so that's this sort of movement that we want to create. And and we felt like, if we just give people the tools. These plays, which require no experience, that there's no limitation, you know. Some people have done them in their own backyards and read them with friends, and some universities will put them on their main stage, so people can do what they want with them.

00:43:17.890 --> 00:43:38.589 Tommy DiMisa: That's really cool. So they're they're short. So does that like, if you give that example of like, a university, might have them on their performing Arts center and have their drama group do that stuff? Do you find that if it was going to be at that level of presentation they would do a handful of these like little little vignettes. Little plays right? Like, you know, maybe we're going to do 10 right or something that yeah.

00:43:38.590 --> 00:44:04.250 Chantal Bilodeau: Exactly exactly. And then, as part of the presentation, we asked, because it's called climate change theater action. We asked that they include some kind of action as part of their their the show. So after maybe the plays, they sometimes they have a conversation with scientists or there was a a university in India. They went and cleaned out a river.

00:44:04.596 --> 00:44:21.220 Chantal Bilodeau: Sometimes they give. There's there's been a a group that has given money to indigenous organizations that take care of their land, or they'll give money to tree plants planting initiatives. So again, each group can decide what's more meaningful for their community. And they do that.

00:44:22.180 --> 00:44:30.958 Tommy DiMisa: That's so important, because that's the ripple effect. Right like this is important to educate people and to and educate them through this.

00:44:31.480 --> 00:44:32.910 Tommy DiMisa: this performance.

00:44:33.160 --> 00:44:41.569 Tommy DiMisa: and then it's now what what are you going to do next? And like as a ripple effect, you're seeing, you know I I in my mind now I've seen it as college students. So

00:44:41.590 --> 00:44:45.760 Tommy DiMisa: you know, I think it was at a college in India. Is that what you said that they clean the room.

00:44:45.990 --> 00:44:46.790 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah.

00:44:47.680 --> 00:44:48.810 Tommy DiMisa: game changer

00:44:48.890 --> 00:45:00.709 Tommy DiMisa: game changer. I'm inspired now to go out and do this thing because I just learned. And I realized, well, my hands can make a change on this planet. Let me get out there and clean this river. Let me get out and be involved.

00:45:01.380 --> 00:45:11.570 Tommy DiMisa: That's it, I mean, Chantelle. Thank you and thank you. We're not doing the show. But I must show gratitude now, because, like what you and your collaborators are doing is, as I say.

00:45:11.700 --> 00:45:16.393 Tommy DiMisa: changing the world. And I have this coffee mug around here, and it's a joke. It says,

00:45:16.840 --> 00:45:27.799 Tommy DiMisa: it's a joke, because it says no big deal, just changing the world because my cute little wink to the world is, it is a big deal, of course it is, and it's a big deal when these young people are now inspired

00:45:28.090 --> 00:45:39.999 Tommy DiMisa: from seeing these performances, from that festival to go out and change the world. It's inspiring for people to hear this story that we're talking about today to say, Hey, I can make difference in my neighborhood. I grew up in a generation. So I'm 46 years old. Right?

00:45:40.120 --> 00:45:49.520 Tommy DiMisa: I'm I'm not embarrassed to say what I'm going to say, because it's true, and I did it, and it was wrong, and I know as an adult that it was wrong, but I grew up at a time where people threw trash out of the window of your car.

00:45:49.850 --> 00:45:50.810 Chantal Bilodeau: Remember that. Yeah.

00:45:50.810 --> 00:45:57.279 Tommy DiMisa: I used to eat fast food, and then you'd wing the trash out the window, and I'm like, so I am. I'm a i'm

00:45:57.370 --> 00:46:02.150 Tommy DiMisa: embarrassed is a wrong word. I'm regretful that that was what went on in my life, and I did that.

00:46:02.290 --> 00:46:06.229 Tommy DiMisa: and like I see something blowing down the street. I pick it up now, you know. Go.

00:46:06.230 --> 00:46:06.660 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah.

00:46:06.660 --> 00:46:07.569 Tommy DiMisa: The trash.

00:46:07.780 --> 00:46:13.809 Tommy DiMisa: Beg, you know I but I remember that that was like a general. Now I see somebody do that. I'm like, oh.

00:46:14.060 --> 00:46:20.220 Tommy DiMisa: I'm like you still exist like they still have people like you that just throw your your soda cup out of the window.

00:46:20.280 --> 00:46:45.529 Tommy DiMisa: Unfortunately they do. There's people who still do it. But my point is, it's about change and evolution. And and when these people I go back to this story about India, now these young people go out there and they change the world based on the work they're doing. And if it isn't for people like you and your team, Chantelle, then the world doesn't change. So we're not done yet. But I want to say, thank you for just doing that, and acknowledge that because I know something about nonprofits.

00:46:46.580 --> 00:46:54.700 Tommy DiMisa: We don't always get enough gratitude for the work that's that's being done. And I wanted to say, like, if I'm at a gala, we'll go into a commercial a second if I'm at a gala.

00:46:54.760 --> 00:47:09.209 Tommy DiMisa: and somebody comes up to me to check me in, and I know they don't work for the organization. I know they're volunteering. I very deliberately say, thank you for doing what you're doing. Thank you for volunteering. I appreciate it because the volunteers often go unseen, too, you know it's important to acknowledge people.

00:47:09.220 --> 00:47:26.100 Tommy DiMisa: because guess what? They don't have to be there doing that. They they could be at their office running their business with their children. So they're volunteering. So make sure gang you. Thank your volunteers and appreciate that. We're going to take a quick break. We come back? I want to know. Future. How do we help? Who do you want to meet? How can I help? How can my network help?

00:47:26.370 --> 00:47:34.769 Tommy DiMisa: Obviously, we always going to talk about in our sector. But we need funds, Tommy, to run programming. Of course we do right? So we can mention that if you have any fundraisers coming up.

00:47:34.870 --> 00:47:50.559 Tommy DiMisa: In addition to that, you know, you might say, you know, Tommy, we need theater space. But you know what, Tommy, we need collaboratives who do this. And we need an organization. Does that? I'm going to let you think about that for the next 45 seconds, Chantelle, when we come back we'll talk about it. The show is philanthropy and focus. Your boy is the nonprofit sector connector. We're right back.

00:49:52.320 --> 00:49:54.100 Tommy DiMisa: Funny song. I love that song.

00:49:54.880 --> 00:49:57.790 Tommy DiMisa: I sing that song around my house sometimes.

00:49:58.150 --> 00:50:02.040 Tommy DiMisa: and it's it's important. The lyrics of that song are

00:50:02.260 --> 00:50:18.309 Tommy DiMisa: nonprofits need connections to move in right directions. And then, you say, cut through all statics right? Tommy, in the attic. But nonprofits need connections to move in right direction, shout out to Brendan, Levy, my good friend, I call Michael Brendan Queen's Chamber of Commerce, but he's also the lead singer in the band

00:50:18.310 --> 00:50:32.330 Tommy DiMisa: damaged goods, and that's critically important. Not that Brendan's in that band, but it's critically important to think about the connections, because the connections is where it all happens. It's all about the overlap of community. And where this all happens. So I put, I wrote down upcoming events, community

00:50:32.600 --> 00:50:45.579 Tommy DiMisa: and how to check in how to keep in in community with you and your organization. So we call this the Lightning Round Logan put in the chat that we were all, you know, talking, chatting earlier, the lightning round, so I call it, because I always wanted to be a game show host.

00:50:45.670 --> 00:50:58.979 Tommy DiMisa: and I was telling my friend who's the producer of what we're going to do up and coming the new show. He's like, of course, I could see you being a game show host. And I go. Well, yeah, that makes sense. So this is kind of like my little game show what's upcoming for the organization. Chantelle. I I know the the

00:50:58.990 --> 00:51:09.059 Tommy DiMisa: festival is is biannual, right every 2 years. But, like, what's upcoming are the fundraisers? How do we plug in? What's the community look like, you know, whether it be an online community or in person. Tell us about that.

00:51:09.890 --> 00:51:35.019 Chantal Bilodeau: The one thing we have upcoming, and unfortunately, I don't have the date yet. But, we're going to be launching an anthology which includes all of the plays that were written and produced in 2023 for that festival. And that's gonna happen this fall, and the best way to find out is to sign up for our mailing list which is on our website. There's a there's a contact button on the Arts and Climate initiative website.

00:51:35.170 --> 00:51:56.150 Tommy DiMisa: I may share that while you continue to talk I'll share the screen, and I'll show people while you're talking. So so thank you for that. You said you want them to follow. Get the newsletter right? So let me just yeah share that page real quick. While you're talking. So then let's so. That's a way. I mean, we talked about how around am I saying it? Right? How around or how around, how round? Right.

00:51:56.150 --> 00:51:57.330 Chantal Bilodeau: How wrong? Yeah.

00:51:57.330 --> 00:51:58.100 Tommy DiMisa: So.

00:51:58.504 --> 00:52:04.485 Tommy DiMisa: That sounds like it's certainly a place to be in community with folks like you all. But is there, you know?

00:52:05.980 --> 00:52:07.970 Tommy DiMisa: is there groups, is there?

00:52:08.524 --> 00:52:15.079 Tommy DiMisa: Facebook group, Linkedin Group, you know, like, Follow on Instagram, like, Where where do you want us to plug into what you're doing?

00:52:15.290 --> 00:52:20.620 Chantal Bilodeau: Yeah, we're on Facebook and Instagram, and again, arts and climate.

00:52:20.850 --> 00:52:26.139 Chantal Bilodeau: actually, arts and climates is our handle, not with the initiative.

00:52:26.140 --> 00:52:26.890 Tommy DiMisa: Okay.

00:52:26.890 --> 00:52:42.720 Chantal Bilodeau: On Facebook and and Instagram. You can follow us there. We also have a website called Climate Change theatreaction.com. That's for specifically for the festival, and you can see a lot of the events that have taken place.

00:52:42.800 --> 00:52:56.420 Chantal Bilodeau: You can also see there are some events that are taking place outside the festival. What we call Ccta fringe Ccta stands for climate change theater action. So you can see some of those there. And when we start

00:52:57.820 --> 00:53:07.109 Chantal Bilodeau: yeah, at towards the end of the year, beginning of next year we'll start gearing up for the 2025 festival which will be our 10th year anniversary. You can find.

00:53:07.110 --> 00:53:10.149 Tommy DiMisa: So I'm not going to miss one, so we didn't do one in 24. So we did.

00:53:10.150 --> 00:53:10.730 Chantal Bilodeau: No.

00:53:10.730 --> 00:53:11.870 Tommy DiMisa: 23, all right.

00:53:11.870 --> 00:53:12.400 Chantal Bilodeau: Yes.

00:53:12.400 --> 00:53:14.169 Tommy DiMisa: Do? We have dates on 25.

00:53:14.680 --> 00:53:25.170 Chantal Bilodeau: 25. 0, wow! So it's it's in the fall, I think, if I remember correctly, I think it's September 19th to to December 20.th Something like that.

00:53:25.170 --> 00:53:32.560 Tommy DiMisa: All right. Well, you'll we'll just have to come back, and you'll tell me about it, you know, as we get closer, and you know. Maybe in a spring or summer of next year we'll talk more.

00:53:32.560 --> 00:53:33.500 Chantal Bilodeau: Yes. Yeah.

00:53:33.500 --> 00:53:34.340 Tommy DiMisa: Absolutely

00:53:35.192 --> 00:53:42.380 Tommy DiMisa: all right, so that those are events. And then what if I want to see a play like? Is there something coming up

00:53:42.910 --> 00:53:55.779 Tommy DiMisa: at all, whether it be your work or somebody else's work. And I guess before you say that how often so you so the one you're working on right now is Iceland right? Which is referenum for a glacier.

00:53:55.890 --> 00:54:06.860 Tommy DiMisa: So when that's complete, what happens next like is you're going to. How often is it going to show. Is it just a small window that you can see the the performances.

00:54:07.550 --> 00:54:22.780 Chantal Bilodeau: Actually that play in December again, I don't have the exact dates, but in December there will be a showing of an excerpt and that play I'm working with a composer and a director. So there's going to be some music and we'll show, and that's going to be in New York City.

00:54:23.220 --> 00:54:31.000 Chantal Bilodeau: And again, if people sign up for our newsletter they'll find out about it. It's it's going to be in December.

00:54:31.466 --> 00:54:50.730 Chantal Bilodeau: In terms of. When things show, then it it depends like that play. We're not the arts and climate initiative is not going to produce that play because that's too big for us. It's it has to be a theater who's more established, and I don't have anybody who's who's like signed up for it at the moment, because the play is not written.

00:54:50.730 --> 00:55:01.090 Tommy DiMisa: But so then there's an ask. There's a direct ask that. Maybe there's a theater. There's a gang called the Astoria Filmmakers Club again. Not exactly what you all do, but adjacent to it.

00:55:01.380 --> 00:55:05.467 Tommy DiMisa: Excuse me, maybe there's some connections there. I have another good friend of mine who

00:55:06.580 --> 00:55:08.839 Tommy DiMisa: who's done some work with some.

00:55:09.300 --> 00:55:24.534 Tommy DiMisa: some networks and things like that, you know, just relationships in the space. Maybe we can look at leveraging. But that's what I try to challenge people with is that's what the direct ask is on on the show. It's like, what are you looking for? Who can we connect you with that sort of stuff like who's in the know about

00:55:24.800 --> 00:55:37.129 Tommy DiMisa: about what your needs might be. I'd encourage you so because we met through the Imagine awards the New York City. Imagine awards, are you connected through this organization we founded called the Nonprofit Resource Hub? Have we gotten you connected yet.

00:55:37.450 --> 00:55:38.070 Chantal Bilodeau: No.

00:55:38.070 --> 00:55:54.059 Tommy DiMisa: We're Gonna make that happen. I'll have our executive director, Alison Lafalida reach out and connect with you. It's free for nonprofits to be a member of it. And it's just that it's a resource group for nonprofits. We have over 425 nonprofits that are part of this community of what we're doing. So and it, you know.

00:55:54.510 --> 00:56:08.890 Tommy DiMisa: I think the other thing is tapping into the networks and saying, Hey, who do you know? And I'm sure you have a network already in the in the arts, but there might be somebody that we could be helpful with, and that's what I'm looking to do so. So what I would encourage you to do is is just

00:56:08.960 --> 00:56:28.740 Tommy DiMisa: send me more information when we talk again, like, Hey, Tommy, here's what we. Here's what we would need. The theater would have to be this big. I cause I don't even know what the parameters are on these things, you know. So you gotta educate me and some folks, and I'll I'll do what I can to help out. What else is there anything else that like you would want from us, and be aware of or know about, that. We can help telling the good work you're doing.

00:56:29.918 --> 00:56:39.129 Chantal Bilodeau: The other thing is, we're always looking for collaborators. So I'm talking to an organization right now which is going to be part of climate week. Nyc.

00:56:39.594 --> 00:57:03.679 Chantal Bilodeau: and they, you know, they reached out to us and they say, Hey, we may wanna include some artistic component in our talks, you know. Can we do something? So anybody who we have these short plays? They're easy to present. Sometimes it's a nice intro into something that's more heavy or more serious or more scientific. So we're always looking for people to

00:57:03.980 --> 00:57:10.109 Chantal Bilodeau: work with. So we can bring theater outside of the theatre into other types of environments.

00:57:10.110 --> 00:57:14.940 Tommy DiMisa: I I mean, thank you, because you just shared something. I googled it. Real quick climate week. Nyc. Is

00:57:14.970 --> 00:57:17.120 Tommy DiMisa: September 20 second through 29th

00:57:17.270 --> 00:57:21.130 Tommy DiMisa: organized by climate group. I mean, I didn't even know about that.

00:57:21.170 --> 00:57:32.589 Tommy DiMisa: It was like the final question I asked you. And now there's a whole thing now that I can talk about and and help expose, and if you're going to be there, I should leave. Let me know. Maybe we can kind of hang out there that day or those days. It looks like it's a week long.

00:57:32.590 --> 00:57:55.170 Tommy DiMisa: It's called a week, Tommy. It's called Climate Week. Not so. Listen, Chantelle below. My friend, I appreciate you. Thank you for coming on the show. Thank you for what you're doing in the world, and thank you for making the world a better place, and thank you everybody else for listening and connecting and helping this. You know this little salesman up in an attic without his dream. So everybody make it a great day. I appreciate it. Thank you, Chantelle. Bye.

00:57:55.170 --> 00:57:56.739 Chantal Bilodeau: Thank you for having me. You're welcome.