March 18-22, 2024
This week the cast met for the first time to read trough the script. Some cast members were unable to attend this week, and some roles have yet to be cast. Lydia Crist led the cast through the read through, and began some exercises to help us learn to work together as a cast. The script we are using is very much a work-in-progress, and cast members are encouraged to share their ideas, concerns, questions, thoughts, etc so that lydia and the rest of the group may consider them. This “democratic” creative approach is very similar to what was employed by the original cast and crew of the film, “Salt of the earth” (1954)
Marc flacks, the “producer” of this project, mentioned to the cast that he would like to share materials to help enrich everyone’s connection to the stories we are telling with this project.
The Stories we are telling
the main story we are telling is of the successful strike against empire Zinc in silver city, New Mexico in 1952 led by local 890 of International union of mine and smelter workers.
But, indirectly, we are also telling the story of the blacklisted filmmakers who decided to make an independent film about the community that won the strike, and particularly about the women who led it.
music in our production
the idea to make the movie, “salt of the earth”, came out of a meeting between labor organizer, Clinton Jencks, and blacklisted movie producer, Paul Jarrico, at a 1952 gathering at San Cristobal Ranch, owned by jenny wells Vincent, a folksinger and activist. Jenny vincent worked to preserve the music and folk culture of New Mexico and music will be a significant part of our production:
Las Mananitas (sung here by Jenny vincent)
Music has always had a central place in the labor movement, and this production includes scenes where picketers sing labor songs to keep their sprits up and their solidarity intact:
The union is behind us/we shall not be moved
We shall Not Be Moved/No nos moveran
Salt of the Earth 2024 