As I am writing this, The Ireland Project is shifting to the next phase of our artistic process. Since the group’s inception until now, we have interviewed numerous members of the Masters community to eventually create an original piece centered around the theme of “home.” But now that we have finished the interviews and written up the transcripts, our next task is to sift through these records with a fine-toothed comb and pick out recurring themes.

During our meeting time, everyone gathers around a Harkness table in the evening to read transcripts. One person will underline or highlight anything noteworthy, and keep a record of the sort of theme it ties into. When they are done, they pass it on to another group member who will do the same thing, ensuring that no potential material is left out. Up on the whiteboard, themes are written down once they are noted. If the same theme is found in another interview, then a check mark is made. From this, we’ll keep track of the most popular themes, and be sure to include them in the final piece.

The play itself will also be the culmination of a collaborative process. Individuals or sub-groups will volunteer to write small pieces, and as of now the show will most likely be a series of interconnected vignettes (although that is subject to change). The group as a whole will workshop everyone’s written pieces, with the liberty to add or subtract anything they please within reason. During the actual performance, we will broadcast the show to Ireland, where the students we’re working in conjunction with will then do the same to us. Altogether this will be about six hours of continuous theater.

What you have most likely heard about, however, is the trip to Ireland over the second week of spring break. For the most part, we will be in and around Dublin. Aside from doing workshops and other activities with the students in Tallaght, we will also visit places like Newgrange, Kilmainham Gaol, and a falconry center in Drogheda.

Altogether, the process is going to be long and arduous, but in the end we will make history for theater at Masters, since the project itself is an entirely new experience here. And since some of the main elements of our production are still up in the air, who knows what to expect come May 10^th.