2023: Revival

Letter from the Director

In January 2020, I found out I was given a part in TINAPAS 2020. I couldn't be more excited but by March, TINAPAS was the last thing on my mind. In the next years to come, our whole campus seemingly forgot about TINAPAS. Still, I remained dedicated to student advocacy through my involvement with other initiatives related to public health, social justice, and student government.

In April 2023, I was reminded of TINAPAS when my now trusted mentor and friend, Dayna Campbell, asked what happened to it in an off-handed comment. With just a semester left before graduating, I felt compelled to make sure TINAPAS comes back to our student body before I leave. I went about seeking advice and guidance in my other mentors, Professors April Sweeney and Meika Loe. I spent the summer planning and re-visiting the 2020 script. I dedicated August and September to organizing auditions and making plans so that the performances would happen before I graduate.

The task seemed impossible at many points; my original plans for a 15-person performance over Family Weekend quickly fell apart as very few people showed interest in being part of the cast. By mid-September all I had left were my fading inspiration and a team of four: myself, my dear friend janiiya hart '23, and two amazing underclassmen who were to become dear friends in just a short few weeks, Amanda Ariunzaya '27 and Reem Numan '26. In our team of 4, I found all the inspiration we needed. TINAPAS 2023 was a labor of love and of togetherness. Once we were all together, it was clearer than ever before that TINAPAS has a message to deliver to the student body that must be heard. A message that is relevant after a full decade, to current students and alumni alike.

In re-imagining the script and the project for our small but mighty team, a lot of creative changes were made. I am beyond grateful to my team and all of my advisors for making my vision and our collective values shine through this installment of a beautiful, heartbreaking, and important tradition. TINAPAS 2023 may be my goodbye to Colgate but it is a "hi again" to the student body who can use it to imagine and paint a picture of our lives, experiences, and stories to be heard and seen by the full campus community. I can only hope that it can carry on for years to come.

Parna Shakouri '23

TINAPAS Director '23

The Production

The director, Parna Shakouri '23, began working on reviving the project in April 2023. Professor April Sweeney from the Theater Department became the primary advisor and later the faculty advisor guiding Parna through TINAPAS as an independent study course in the department.
Professor Meika Loe from the Women's Studies Program advised the project in relation to its history and legacy.
The production was financially sponsored by the Office of Student Involvement. The OSI Director, Dayna Campbell '16 was a co-director of TINAPAS 2016 and spearheaded administrative support for the project as well as the Inter-Group Dialogue-style discussion following each of the performance.
The project was further supported by various other campus departments including Haven, Counseling and Psychological Services, Dart Colgrove Commons, FSEMs, Hancock Commons, the Inter-Group Dialogue Council, the LGBT Department, and the Office of LGBTQ+ Initiatives.

The Performances

This Is Not a Play About Sex 2023 had three performances in different spaces across campus: the Edge Cafe, the Pinchin Hall Lobby, and the Women's Studies Center Lounge. To give TINAPAS back to the student body, we had to bring it into spaces they occupy and to disrupt the silence that has taken over the campus since the pandemic.
The performances occurred on December 1, 4, and 5 at 5:30 pm and gathered over 100 audience members in total including faculty, staff, and students.

The Gallery

I can’t express how proud I am of the artistic and theatrical choices that were made in TINAPAS 2023. As someone who has had the opportunity to watch, co-direct, and stage manage previous versions of this project, I can say that I was deeply moved by the care and emotion that was brought to project. The 4-person cast provided a level of intimacy that was effective in the multi-location format TINAPAS can continue to interrupt space.

Dayna Campbell '16

TINAPAS Director '16