Twelve Moments of Brevity Spread Over One Year

A year-long series of enacted readings by Michael Swaine

Twelve Moments of Brevity Spread Over One Year

From February 2013 through February 2014, Michael Swaine read and performed short text-based work at Southern Exposure. Each piece folded into a separate concurrent program or existed on its own.

Part 1

Saturday, February 23, 2013, 2:00 - 5:00 PM
In conjunction with Respiration Society: a club for breathing bodies

Part 2

Wednesday, February 27, 2013, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
In conjunction with How to Move a Mountain

Part 3

Thursday, May 30, 2013 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
In conjunction with Reverse Rehearsals

Part 4

holes that gather us together
Thursday, June 27, 2013, 1:00 PM
With artist and dancer Paul Benney, Michael Swaine performs holes that gather us together on the sidewalk outside the entrance to Southern Exposure. Wear your button-up shirt to participate in this action.

Part 5

One Blue Rope
Friday, July 12, 2013, 5:00 PM
Michael Swaine enacts One Blue Rope on the sidewalk outside the entrance to Southern Exposure. In this piece, rope is the physical connection between the audience and the reader. Together we turn a white rope blue.

Part 6

Extension
Saturday, September 21, 2013, 6:00 PM
In conjunction with Southern Exposure's 39th birthday block party, Michael Swaine ties together visitors and many extension cords. Participants are invited to bring their own extension cord.

Part 7

Without Rope
​Wednesday, October 30, 2013, 6:00 PM
Michael Swaine leads his audience through what we can do when we don't have the rope we need. The audience is asked NOT to bring rope.

Part 8

How Was Jamaica?
​Tuesday, November 26, 2013, 7:00 PM
Oh, it was lovely. I hope to go back someday.* Michael Swaine enacts a rehearsal for failure, or a failure of a rehearsal.
* Borrowed from Cooley Windsor without his permission.

Part 9

One Thing Becomes a Second
​Wednesday, December 18, 2013, 7:00 PM
Michael Swaine substitutes one thing for another, asking, "What happens if you don't have the thing you need?"

Part 10

To Shorten Our Words
​Wednesday, January 22, 2014, 7:00 PM
Michael Swaine addresses the cumbersome nature of language by shortening our words. Some examples of abbreviations used: SCI for scissors or science, LAN for land or language & ABB for ABBA or abbreviation.

Part 11

Brevity: A Group of Readers
​Wednesday, February 12, 2014, 7:00 PM
Michael Swaine with Nancy Au, Nona Caspers, Kyle Metzner & Jared Roehrig
Michael Swaine and four Bay Area writers read and perform brief texts in an evening that explores how much we can say without saying much.

Part 12

Twelve Brief Moments: Reading & Publication Launch
Wednesday, March 5, 2014, 7:00 PM
Michael Swaine presents his final moment of brevity and reads the introduction to Twelve Brief Moments a publication of all twelve collected moments of brevity.