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Catherine Kidd - Author
 Catherine Kidd: Writer's Workshop, April 2007
Catherine Kidd's “focus is voice, both spoken and written, and the notion that finding a true and passionate voice is at the heart of literary art”. One of Catherine Kidd's goals is to open up other possibilities for defining the practices of poetry and storytelling, experimenting with their relationship to other art forms, how poetry changes to become accessible to different audiences, how it can be visual, auditory, textual.
Bipolar Bear ? Sea Peach ? The Missing Ark ? Miss, kids books – no way! This was the reaction of some of my Secondary Four and Five students when they heard that Catherine Kidd would be hosting a writing workshop for them. But I wasn't kiddin' (no pun intended). Not surprisingly, the first reactions demonstrated first hand how some choose reading material or for that matter, are attracted to movies and even pizza toppings.
Dispelling myths was an easy task. The vibrant and eclectic Catherine Kidd did not stand on ceremony. Within minutes, she turned on the ghetto blaster and entranced students in a musical, storytelling performance. Catherine staged excerpts from Sea Peach, where her many voices, together with dramatic enactment, captured the interest and imagination of all who attended.
As Catherine states, “the work presented offers various possible contexts for discussion, from artistic process to the environment/zoology to the financial feasibility of living as an artist. Most secondary school groups are curious about all these things.”
Catherine Kidd's enthusiasm for her subject matter soon engaged students and she answered questions ranging from how she started to write, her writing process, and what her topics of interest are. Students were able to identify with the subject matter – Catherine's environmental concerns and man's obligations to the animal kingdom – and, I think, in the process, gained a renewed appreciation for their surroundings.
Catherine engaged students and led them through their personal writing process.
Students were asked to think of someone (an estranged friend or parent, distant friend, grandparent who affected their life, teacher, childhood bully, doctor, etc.), any creature in nature (e.g. soldier ant, bird), or anyone they would like to have a conversation with past or present. They were to write the dialogue that could take place between themselves and the chosen second character. Within minutes, students chose the person they would write to and started the process.
One of the students' concerns – and this I suspect is universal - was whether they would have to read the dialogues aloud. Once Catherine assured them that they were free to read or keep their thoughts private, students willingly wrote for about 15 minutes. The topics were as varied as the personalities in the room. Many students addressed sensitive issues and, though they did not have to read them aloud, wanted to share parts of their conversations.
Watching students' reactions to her presentation and listening to the after class discussions, the workshop with Catherine Kidd inspired students to record their thoughts and hopefully – one day – write their own stories for others to read and enjoy.
Catherine Kidd is a Canadian author/performer, actor, storyteller, and multi-media artist. Sea Peach is a CD/book collection of stories, and won the *MECCA Award for Best New Text in 2003*. Catherine Kidd may be contacted at downdogproductions@yahoo.com; or for information on Catherine's latest novel, visit www.conundrumpress.com.
Thanks to a grant from Culture in Schools program and The Association of Teachers of English in Quebec subsidy, students met with author Catherine Kidd and benefited from this workshop.
M. Eva
Teacher, HRHS
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