After The Storm

After the Storm, a documentary film scheduled for release later this year, captures the heartwarming, inspiring, hurting-to-healing story of a group of young people in New Orleans in Hurricane Katrina’s wake. It’s also the incredible tale of how artistic endeavor, creativity and music can restore a community’s spirit and rejuvenate its faith and hope.

It all began when New York-based writer James Lecesne, choreographer Gerry McIntyre and musical director Randy Redd embarked on a journey to New Orleans to see how they could help in the storm’s aftermath. The artists quickly discovered St. Mark’s Community Center at the edge of the historic French Quarter. It had been hit hard and forced to close, leaving a tremendous hole in the neighborhood’s heart.

A Higher Calling

Back in New York, funds were soon raised to turn on the electricity, make structural repairs and bring back a small staff. The center re-opened in August 2006, and the young people of St. Mark’s once again had a safe place to meet.

But the artists creative juices were flowing. Surely there was more they could do. A lot more. Not only did the facility itself require care and attention, but the younger members of this close-knit neighborhood needed “refurbishing” too. They needed to feel that they were part of a re-energized community, one that was on the upswing and destined to be stronger than ever.

The artists envisioned an enterprise that would be larger than the kids themselves, one that would give them a new purpose, a fresh reason to discover and grasp the fact that their lives have lasting value. The answer was simple; it was artistic; it was brilliant: The kids of New Orleans could put on a few performances of the Tony-nominated musical, Once on this Island. Writers Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty readily and generously offered the rights to their musical and their support of the project. Gerry McIntyre, a member of the original Broadway musical company, readily agreed to direct the production.

A Perfect Match

The artists chose Once on this Island because the musical was a perfect fit with what had happened, and what they hoped to accomplish by bringing it to New Orleans and involving young people in its production. Written much before Hurricane Katrina, Once on this Island closely parallels not only the physical disaster of a tremendous storm, but also the mental, emotional and spiritual needs of those left in its wake. The musical is set on a mythical Caribbean island after a devastating hurricane. Its lead character, Ti Moune, is a black peasant girl who has survived the storm and must now discover her purpose in life.

Dubbed After the Storm, the feature-length film of the musical documents the New Orleans production from the auditions through the performances (Feb. 23-26, 2007).  It is dedicated to restoring and revitalizing St. Mark’s Community Center, the people it serves and New Orleans itself.

To that end, the non-profit (501C3) After the Storm Foundation has also been created—to collect and channel funds (raised in part from the showing of the film) back into the New Orleans community, and especially to underwrite projects and organizations devoted to the community’s youth. The film will also be used as a springboard to launch a nationwide program to encourage high school drama clubs and community theaters everywhere to raise money for already existing relief organizations in New Orleans that are working with children and the arts.

Telling Their Stories

As the creative experience has unfolded, the young actors (all from New Orleans) are sharing— in the theater and on film—not only their musical and acting talents but also their personal stories of how they are surviving in present-day New Orleans. The film follows these kids even beyond St. Mark’s, as they rebuild their world and begin again to find meaning and strength in their lives.

The focus of the film is not on the storm’s devastation, but rather on how these “storm-tossed” teens are getting on with life after having lost just about everything. After the Storm documents the story of a people and a city that is beginning to piece itself together.

The New Orleans production of Once on this Island, and After the Storm (its story on film), together demonstrate the ways in which art itself can be used as a tool for healing and growth—both productions are fine examples of the triumph of the creative human spirit that resides in each of us.