WHAT WE CARRY
A documentary theater project honoring veterans and refugees, “What We Carry” seeks to illuminate the human impact of war through personal storytelling, art, and community dialogue. This immersive performance breaks open the silences surrounding war, displacement, and the invisible systems that govern lives. An unfolding of stories that challenges us to look past the lines drawn by war- and toward the people on the other side.
We are grateful to have received a grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts to create a groundbreaking documentary theater production that honors the lived experiences of veterans and refugees from the same conflicts.
Directed by: Polina Smith
Choreographed by: Natasha Adorlee
Interested in telling your story? Schedule a 1:1 interview here.
For inquiries please email: Polina@crescentmoontheaterproductions.com
INTERESTED IN BEING INTERVIEWED?
Schedule a 1:1 interview with Polina here
DIRECTORIAL TEAM
POLINA SMITH - Director
Polina Smith is an award-winning artist whose life's work is deeply rooted in her family's refugee experience. Her husband and his family fled Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion and were granted asylum in the United States, a personal connection that has significantly influenced her mission.
In 2019, Polina founded Crescent Moon Theater Productions (CMTP) with a vision to create original, thought-provoking performances that harness the power of art to inspire social and personal change. Since its inception, CMTP has produced a series of captivating works across the Bay Area, including venues like Dance Mission Theater, CounterPulse, PianoFight, and the Tenderloin National Forest.
From 2008 to 2018, Polina gained invaluable experience with The Medea Project: Theater for Incarcerated Women under the mentorship of Rhodessa Jones, where she discovered the transformative power of documentary theater. In 2016, she spearheaded CounterPulse Theater's first annual Blessed Unrest festival, which featured over 30 artists dedicated to art and social justice. Polina also curates art for the annual Bioneers Conference and brings joy and insight to audiences with her clown persona, Dr. Schmidt, who humorously claims to hold 49 PhDs.
Polina's work in the arts and social justice has been recognized with several notable awards, including a National Endowment for the Arts Grant, California Arts Council Impact Grants, Zellerbach Family Foundation Community Arts Grants, and the Tanette Goldberg Memorial Scholarship. Her work continues to shine a light on important stories, bringing them to the stage with passion and creativity, and she remains deeply grateful for the opportunity to make a meaningful impact through her art.
NATASHA ADORLEE - Choreographer
NATASHA ADORLEE is an Emmy Award-winning choreographer, filmmaker, composer, and educator in San Francisco, CA. A first-generation Asian American woman, she was the final Artistic Fellow with Amy Sewiert's Imagery. Natasha began choreographing in 2014 while maintaining an award-winning dance career with Robert Moses' Kin, ODC/Dance, Kate Weare and Co., and The San Francisco Symphony. After winning over ten international awards for her acclaimed short film "Take Your Time" in 2018, she has been a sought-after filmmaker, choreographer, and composer ever since. After attending SUNY Purchase and graduating from UC Berkeley, Natasha was invited to join ODC/Dance. As a performer, Natasha has danced a vast repertoire of works and contributed original choreography, sound design, and art direction to over 20+ ODC/Dance repertory works. In addition, Natasha has created over 20 original dance-based works- spanning stage, film, and immersive performance mediums. Most recently, she was commissioned to create for Joffrey Ballet's Winning Works, Kansas City Ballet, BalletX, Ceprodac (Mexico), Kawaguchi Ballet (Japan), Ballare Carmel, Ballet22, and Imagery. In addition to working for dance companies, Natasha has created original work for Pixar Animation Studios, Occulus, National Geographic, and New Yorker Magazine. Natasha founded Concept o4 to create multimedia dance-based experiences advocating for more accessibility to the arts. Awarded an NEA Grant, Dresher Fellowship, and Jacob's Pillow Choreographic Fellowship and multiple commissions for new works in 2024, Natasha is pursuing a prolific creation period while sharing her deep knowledge of movement and film with the greater community through Dance on Camera workshops. She is also an Artistic Advisor for Ballet22. Read more: natashaadorlee.com
