I draw on my travels to India (twice), China (5 times), Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Borneo, and Mexico for source stories and masks. I have 28 years of experience teaching residencies to a variety of ages, Kindergarten-Adult. Every year I like it more. My theater experience includes acting and directing in the Twin Cities and being Artistic Director and theater teacher of Theater Nest, a south Minneapolis children’s theater company. I have co-created over 200 children’s performances about nearly every topic under the sun.

Learn more about Rhonda in her February 2015 Artist Spotlight interview.

Sample Programs: Customizable To Site’s Needs

Residencies

Chinese Monkey King Stories

Hear stories about Monkey King, a superhero from the Ming dynasty, and view authentic masks from China. Then create an original Monkey King story and masks to accompany it. I can also present a series of activities relating to Chinese culture including Chinese opera, mythology and festivals. Choose an area of learning best suited to your goals.

Masks & Curriculum

Creating papier-mâché and helmet masks can enhance the study of almost any subject. Choose a theme and create a story that incorporates each masked character. Workshops and residencies can be customized. Sample themes include: • Folktales from Somalia, Russia, Africa and more • World myth and creation stories • Rainforest protectors • Weather, geography, insects, songbirds.

Stories to the Stage

Improvise, rehearse and perform a story using a theme such as Shakespeare, mythology, social studies or math. I can customize this program to almost any theme. Develop problem-solving skills and learn how to build a supportive atmosphere that encourages teamwork.

Living Memory Theater

Rhonda Lund is an actor/director/collaborator on new works in theater in the Twin Cities. She also has 25 years of experience bringing theater to the larger world for exploration and enjoyment. Rhonda specializes in creating a safe and nurturing atmosphere where participants of all ages are free to express, explore, and have fun through the medium of theater. She has a life-long affinity for elders and their gifts, and excels at bringing their experiences, their wisdom, and their stories into the world of theater.

We talk, we share, we try theater games, we read parts, we make theater, all based on our own stories and experiences—making them into a living memory theater. The emphasis is on working together and sharing, as a way to reflect on aging. Shared stories or words are extended into exercises—expanding into “phone calls,” group stories, and scenes, where we take on the parts of the people in the story. We will look for the humor, the wisdom, the strengths, and the challenges of aging. We work together, we laugh, we share stories, we act them out, remembering who we were and sharing our experiences of aging, from the funny to the serious. Depending on the mobility of the group, work can be done from wheelchairs or at tables, to movement-based for a more mobile or mixed mobility group. The material we generate is then worked into a program so we can share the transformational power of theater with the community at the end of the residency.

Note: Materials and mileage costs may also apply.

Performance

Spider & Fire: World Stories & Masks

Learn about common mask-making materials and discover the purpose of masks in diverse cultures across the world. Rhonda Lund shares her personal journey in becoming a mask maker and avid mask collector. Marvel at the details and variety of the masks in Rhonda’s collection and take a chance at trying out a masked character’s persona. The performance culminates with a masked storytelling of a traditional folk tale.

Note: Companion residency workshops are recommended. For creating masks, see "Masks and Curriculum." For improvisation and performance basics, see "Stories to the Stage."