January 15 Maryema

After flying into Ismir, Turkey's second largest city, around 9am, we met our guides and headed for Ephesus or Efes. Our first stop was at the Hose of the Virgin Mary or the Maryema. According to tradition, Mary the mother of Jesus came to Ephesus with St. John. She lived in this very small house until her death at 101.
In January the place was nearly deserted. According to our guide the house/ chapel is visited by over 5,000 pilgrims/tourists every day. The garden walk to the house was soothing as we listened to the birds singing in the olive trees. I felt this was an exceptional place. The house was very small, containing about 10 stools for those who wished to pray or meditate, a candle lit altar and gifts from three recent popes. I stopped and prayed at the altar and joined Jane in lighting candles at a shrine out side the chapel.
The walk way curved away from the house to a set of stairs leading to the path away from the chapel. At the bottom of the stairs was a very strange sight.The rock wall was covered, for lack of a better word with pieces of things that looked like feathers. We found wishes and prayers written on many different things: paper, pictures, socks, and shirt tags. Our guide said during the summer they burn the scraps of prayers and wishes every day which are then replaced by the same number the following day. As I told Jane, my mother, who passed away in July, has seven sisters still living. My aunties would love this sight. It was a great connection with my Mom and these great women.

Dolmabahce Palace

While visiting Dolmabahce Palace, the last palace used by a Turkish sultan, Jessica and Deanna spend some time in the harem wing. Jessica and Deanna are looking out semicircular stained glass windows toward the Bosphorus, to the entrance to the palace from the river. Through these windows the harem women could see who might be arriving or leaving the palace by waterway.

The women of the harem were not allowed to leave this wing of the palace, but could look through certain windows to see what was happening with visitors and the men of the palace.

On the wall behind Jessica and Deanna are similarly shaped windows with wooden lattice work. The harem women could look through these windows to view events in the Muayede Lounge, which was the location of important ceremonies hosted by the sultan.

The Underground Cistern was built by the Romans to provide a steady water supply to Istanbul if the city were attacked. When used, water filled the cistern to the top of the columns. The materials used were brought from pagan structures in conquered lands. With Christianity on the rise the pagan head structures of Medusa, which once stood at the entrances of buildings as guardians, were placed upside down and in the back corner of the Cistern. An idea of how they felt about the pagans.

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia has been a significant religious and historic site in Istanbul for hundreds of years. The building served as a church for 916 years, and as a mosque for 477 years. It currently functions as a museum, and visitors can see examples of both Christian and Muslim faith.

The Players

Deanna Downes, Director.
To fill up -- to be immersed in the people, food and culture of Turkey
To be inspired -- to accurately represent Turkish culture on the Waterman stage
To empty -- my thoughts and experiences into the imaginations of the students of the production
To inspire -- the students to create a theatrical experience of culture for the community of Oswego

Dr. Jessica Hester, Dramaturg. Jessica will be using her research in Turkey to help the production maintain a balance between honoring the text, reflecting key cultural moments, and supporting the unique theatricality of the production.





Kitty Macey, Costume Designer. Kitty is looking forward to seeing the Harem in the Topkapi Palace to help bring to life the women in Pera Palas. Fabric and jewelry are two of Turkey's exports, and are high on her discovery agenda.





Dr. Greg Parsons, Professor of History. Greg will be looking for things he can pick up as an historian to bring back to the production process and the students involved in the cast, crew, and his history classes.





Judy McCabe, Wardrobe and Costume Shop Supervisor. Judy will find and purchase textiles that provide audiences with the flavor of Turkish culture.






Jane Winslow, Professor of Broadcast Communications and Production/Documentarian. Jane is using her filmmaking skills to document the process of researching and preparing the dramatic context for this production. She is also the comic relief.




And introducing our fearless leader and tour guide, Adem. He's just hoping he can keep track of all of us.