We had the pleasure of sitting down this week with the talented and lovely, Pandora Scooter. 
before her upcoming show “Out Wordly Fabulous”, this Thursday and Friday (March 10th and 11th) at the Cross Roads theater in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Do not be surprise that the show reaches out to the GLBT community and beyond, written and performed by Pandora Scooter herself, directed by Cedric Hill, presented by “Fushicho Entertainment” and “‘To and Fro Productions”. And in their eyes,the experience that captivates the audience , tell’s the story of society bullying the homophobia and how it can be conquered through spoken word.
Pandora Scooter…A unique person, being self aware and being herself as her name shows. Pandora Scooter speaks moving words, sending chills through your body. An award winning speaker, the winner of Spoken Knowledge, 2008 DN Contest for her anti-racism pieces called “Other”, has had the pleasure of speaking all over the United States, from New York City to Boston, Virginia, San Francisco, and Texas to name a few talks about taking her show now on the road to the “bible belt” in America to expose a new audience to her words.
Pandora Scooter, able to be labeled under many categories, from mother to lesbian, atheist to American, never settles for labels and seeks to break the molds. Running an open mic for 8 years called, “Out in the Box” she does just that. In addition, she has a yearly show at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, called “Out Loud and Proud”. She is a Spoken Word artist endorsed by International Folk Poet Alix Olson. Pandora Scooter has chosen not to let life pass her by, but to take hold of culture and shape it into a better future for her family. Truly an inspiration to all the meet her, kind, generous and out spoken, nothing better then her own words can describe why she is a L3GACI.
After idle chitchat for a few moments and figuring out where to sit, we settled down to proceeded with the interview. Boisterous and proud she tells us of coming out, hopes for the future, and of her up coming show “Out Wordly Fabulous”. Were honored to present our words with Pandora Scooter, a true L3GACI…
If you could elaborate on the mission of yourself, Pandora Scooter, what you wish to represent, what would that be?
I focus on creating spaces where people are safe to be who ever they are and to let their true selves out, to go beyond the labels and the boxes that were put in place to be complicated, confusing, three dimensional, human beings that are as much as a mess as we all are. I hope, my goal is to represent permission for people to become in touch with compassion and their sense of kindness towards themselves and towards others. That’s really my goal, and the goal of outwardly fabulous, to get everyone in touch with passion and inclusivity. Compassion and inclusion is really what is going to make the difference in dealing with hatred, violence and homophobia.
I have been in theater or professional theater for thirty years; it has been a long time. I’ve been in the performing arts for a long time, I’ve written and performed and directed. I most recently decided to write and perform my own work because I feel like there aren’t enough voices out in the ether talking about inclusivity, talking about passion and inclusivity for everyone. I’m raising up my voice for that, I want to raise it out of the GLBT community and then spread it to the masses.
How has your writing progressed then from coming out as a gay women and then again when you chose to start writing and performing your own words?
I started writing and it was mostly about coming out and dealing about self-acceptance, something really difficult to do after living 30 years straight. It was more of a deal to come out as a performer and a writer then to be coming out as gay. I came out as gay and everyone was like ‘what else is knew’, nobody was surprised by that one. When I came out to perform that was different, I’ve always been back stage directing or stage management. I decided I’m going to write my own stuff and perform it too and everyone was like whoa! That was a big deal. So far is has been an amazing ride.
Talk about an amazing journey so far, tell us more about this show coming up now, does it get any easier?
This is the seventh show, No, every show is a monster and everyone show I was doing I wish I was doing the last show! (Followed by laughter) Then of course the next show I’m like “I wish I was doing that show!” I’ve written seven shows, and I have three shows that have legs, “Fear Junkie” “Samuraization” and this show “Out Wordly Fabulous”. I do have one called “Dumping”, that hasn’t been developed yet maybe it will come back, maybe it won’t. It is all about breaking up.
Gotcha, I bet we can all relate and love that one
Yeah that’s pretty much how it was everyone was like “Yeah!”
Now what sets this upcoming one apart from the other shows and concerts?
My concerts have been mostly about gay issues, however this is my first show that has gay material in it and it actually doesn’t have that much gay material in it. It has, mostly bullying material in it. More on compassion, for f**** sake! take it down a notch, lets remember were all people, teach the kids we’re all people.
Does this show have a little more personal meaning having an 11 year old daughter, getting to that age group where bullying is becoming more of an issue?
They’ve been in it for two years; yeah it’s been hard…
Wow, what would you hope then for her generation to gain from having this show for the older generations now
I would like the bullies to just stop bullying and get help. I would like adults to identify them as victims, identify bullies as people who need attention and need help, because people aren’t born picking on other people. This is pie in the sky what I would like…Pie in the sky I would like the bully to get help and learn to be loved, and be loved so they stop picking on other people. Pie in the sky, I would love for tweens and teen-agers to learn that bullies are people that are very insecure and who don’t have support. They are looking to increase their sense of power by picking on other people. You can undo that by simply… not ignoring them but calling them out and asking them what’s wrong. There really must be something wrong if someone is behaving that way. Of course, I say in the show “easier said then lived.”
How would you say to deal with people reacting negatively towards you… bullying you?
I’ve had people in my face and they have said all sorts of things. I take it all in, their rage, their anger and I ask them, if there is anything I can do for them. A lot of times its disarming, a lot of times they get angry, and that’s not my fault, it doesn’t impact me, and I want my daughter to have that kind of protection. I want the children and the youth and the young twenty something that come see the show to learn how to be protected from bullies in a human way. It’s not possible to ignore them, ignoring someone that’s being mean to you, that’s just bullshit. I don’t believe when people say, “I ignore them,” that’s crap. I believe you have to acknowledge what that person is doing, acknowledge that it hurt your feelings. I’ve gone to stores where I’ve been treated poorly and I’ve said excuses me u just hurt my feelings. And they stop dead. Who says that as adults, all they can say is sorry.
What do you believe is the problem causing society to act so, hurtful?
We’re emotionally illiterate in this country. I guess the goal is to raise the compassion literacy, the emotional literacy in our country, so people can feel safer to be kind. We’re so scared to be kind to each other.
It’s a good message what your portraying and trying to leave behind, it’s what most of us are scared to say
It’s time to learn how to engage in an ethical way. Everyone thinks you have to yell and scream and be angry. You don’t. You inquire, you can request, you can be gentle, you can gently correct, there’s all sorts of nuances. I don’t know if I’m the greatest model for nuances cause I’m kind of out there, but I do believe there is nuance, and I try to portray some of that in my show.
Sometimes you need to be out there for someone to get that statement. You need bold to make an impact sometimes.
LOUD is sometimes needed to get that message out! (Laughing over the statements made)
With that said are you a little scared to take this show on tour to the bible belt of America?
No.
Any mental prep to get yourself ready for this show going down south with it?
I’ve met such amazing people from Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky and Tennessee. I’ve met amazing people all over the country, and I know people are scared, but I know there are people who want to over come their fear. Who want to there to be more peace, especially for our children at school. I think many of us, no matter where we are in the country, want our children to feel safe. I don’t feel like I’m saying anything that radical. I think that its unfortunate that the mid west and the south are portrayed as being these people who are unfriendly to the east coast and the west coast. I think that its unfair, and its one of the reasons I chose to do this tour. I wanted to make a point we are all one country. I’m not successful if I’m only known through out the east and west coast. That’s not, success to me.
You could do a lot of good exposing people to your words. Would you want the bigots and people who despise you for coming to be there, to be able to expose and educate them?
I’m not in for a fight; I’m not looking to… enrage any body. I realize people are going to disagree with me. I realize that people are going to feel all sorts of things about the show and me. But just like I said about bullies, that says more about where they’re at, then where I’m coming from. I would love for people who don’t agree with me to come to the show, who are anti-choice, anti-gay, it would mean they are at least willing to give it a shot. Even if they’re shut down, they’re giving me the respect of their presence. That is a huge gift, it’s going to happen a millimeter at a time, it’s critical that we recognize that.
Thank you for your time to wrap things up, we always ask two things. With you and your show what are you doing to Create, Inspire and Evolve society?
Well I say please and thank you… I believe in being kind whenever possible. I believe it is impossible to be kind all the time, at least it is for me, and I do try to be kind as much as possible. I am creating work to inspire people I hope to feel better about them. To be closer to the authentic self, which I think creates the world to be a better place. I am constantly in touch with my senator and congressman (followed by laughter)… I’m raising an amazing little person whose going to make a lot of people very happy. I teach a lot of underserved children, through spoken word. I’m creating art that uplifts us and builds compassion and love in people. Which I think is helping to evolve society.
Now what are you leaving behind
My L3GACI… Two-cake it! A phrase I created for my last show. Two-cake it! means have your cake and eat it to.
Fabulous, I wish…
You know whenever you can, because people so often don’t believe they can have their cake and eat it too. There are sometimes when you absolutely can’t. More often then not, you can two-cake it! you can totally do it! I think that probably encompasses it all. I believe you can be incredibly successful and be incredibly generous. I think that my life has shown me that there are so many different possibilities. These forty years have been so full, just ridiculous, and I look at the next forty years like holy mackerel! Its just not stopping! (Laughing) It’s going to continue to get greater and greater. I feel more fabulous.
It is a lot of time to change the minds of others
Yeah! I’m blessed, so blessed. I’ve had people come to me years after they’ve seen me perform say they have come out, that their family has accepted them and they have a partner. It’s an amazing feeling. I feel so blessed and honored to be a part of the process.
For more info on her up and coming show “Out Wordly Fabulous”
March 10th and March 11th 2011 at the Cross Roads theater in New Brunswick, New Jersey
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