Jigsaw Nation
In 2006 I was asked to create a
visual interpretation of Jigsaw
Nation, a theater piece performed
by the Relentless Theatre
Company. The artwork evolved
after watching workshop
performances of the piece and with
feedback from the Company’s
writers and producers.
Jigsaw Nation is presented as a
series of overlapping monologues
culled from hours of man-on-the-
street interviews that address the
question, “What does American
mean to you?” and thereby
creating a rich tapestry of stories
that reflects the American
experience.
"It's all about celebrating the
American spirit," explains
Relentless Theatre founding artistic director Olivia Honegger. "Although Americans are able to make their
voices heard through their right to vote, many feel their feelings fall on deaf ears. Responses to our question
have included words like 'freedom,' 'racism' and 'independence,' and have expressed such emotions as pride,
fear, and confusion. We try to reach out to every demographic, and voices heard in the play range from that of
a ship's captain living in Brooklyn to a survivor of the Cultural Revolution, from a U.S. solider in Iraq to a first
generation [East] Indian."
The New York Sun wrote, "Jigsaw Nation draws its considerable power from the startling immediacy of real
people's speech. As the five simply dressed actors turn from veteran to teenager, immigrant to red stater, the
script's uncanny ability to deliver the original voices intact makes the characters crackle with life."
I layered text within the artwork to suggest the multiplicity of voices within the play. The portraits are both
individual and universal, as is the American, and human, experience. Relentless Theatre is using this piece in
their promotional materials as they tour nationwide.
To learn more about Jigsaw Nation and the Relentless Theatre Company, visit www.relentlesstheatre.com.