INSPIRATION AND DEDICATION: Lynn Manchise
Due to the unfortunate and preventable death of Ms. Manchise’s mother Lynn Manchise, Tara Gordon and Tina Manchise were forced to reevaluate the feasibility of continuing their work together in the city of New York. Manchise and Ms. Gordon began to work together artistically, developing a movement technique and practice, which became their Master’s thesi
s at New York University. A result of Lynn’s passing, Ms. Gordon and Ms. Manchise were faced with the possible necessity of relocating their professional home base, due to the needs of Ms. Manchise and her commitment to her family. In the midst of evaluating the feasibility of staying in New York City, Ms. Manchise serendipitously crossed paths with the Emery Theatre in Cincinnati, Ohio; it was as if though they were guided to her door. The Emery Theatre, dormant for over a decade, is a world-class theatre that was bequeathed by Mrs. Mary Emery to the city of Cincinnati to honor the city's timeless love for music. This acoustically-pure theatre in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine has been silent and vacant for a far too long. We, as The Requiem Project, believe in the resonance of voice, in the importance of listening, and in the resurrection of the energy of that which has been lost. The Requiem Project believes in the Emery Theatre. We believe that building upon our past (singularly, collectively—both literally and metaphorically) is an investment in a more inspired future for us all. Most specifically, our vision is a requiem for Lynn Manchise, Mary Emery’s gift, and the Emery Theatre herself. In her lifetime, Mrs. Manchise was an advocate for social awareness and change through her belief in others. She recognized the voice and soul in each person she met and she lived as an example to all who had the pleasure of her presence. Lynn listened, to both those who had much to say and to those whose voices were seldom heard. She invested in helping others to believe in themselves and did so with an unparalleled grace. Lynn made the world a better place through a life led with exquisite dignity, compassion, and extraordinary grace. Lynn listened. To voices both loud and soft. To what you can see and what you cannot. She heard. She loved and was loved. She is our inspiration and it is our deepest desire that her message lives on. Through Lynn Manchise’s inspiration, we see that a building is more than seven floors, that a theatre is more than a place to watch things happen and that a stage is more than a place upon which to stand. We see that our community is more than the sum of our fears and its soul depends upon our trust and belief in one another. We see that our bodies are more than our parts alone and we know that her heart, yours, and ours weighs more than the simple sum of 245 grams.
