COVID-19 Memory Project

About

HEC-Media, Schankman’s St. Louis: COVID-19 Stories Turning into a Play

COVID-19 has changed how we live, work, play, learn, and connect. Stories of daily life today are already radically different from daily life over a year ago. As part of our role to connect our community through storytelling, Metro Theater Company launched a program during the pandemic – to hear from you about your experiences, emotions, and hopes during this time. The COVID-19 Memory Project will give people of all ages and backgrounds a place to share their perspective today, ultimately creating a digital record that we can share together in the time to come. Your story, however seemingly mundane, may help another family heal. Please consider sharing it with us. Metro Theater Company will use these stories as inspiration for future storytelling, and share with partners like the Missouri History Museum who are interested in documenting the lived experiences of all of us during this exceptional time.

Here is what we created in June 2020 from your thoughtful submissions.

How to participate

Think about how the pandemic has affected your daily life. Here are a few writing prompts to get you started:

I woke up this morning and then…
Today I discovered…
I stay connected to friends and family by…
I’m frustrated because…
I’m worried because…
For fun, I try to…
I wish…

Create your response with words, videos, photographs, drawings, music, sound, movement, and more.

If you have an image you would like to share, please email it to us at community@metroplays.org.

If you are sending us a written piece, please use the form below. Thank you for participating!

Submission Form

By submitting your content, you give Metro Theater Company permission to distribute the work in any media in edited or full form. Metro Theater Company will adhere to your request to remain anonymous if indicated in the submitted form.

Recent submissions

I'm frustrated because...
I'm not sure.
I just am... words cannot describe what I feel within the soul of this old tree
My mind is constantly swimming while the physical instrument stays still.
I don't want to lose them.
Breath falls short -
I panic... again.
The wave hits harder this time.
I want so much more than I can get or give right now
Within the sea of tumultuous blue and green and yellow and red -
I still feel sadness
Falling without a bottom to land on- when will it end -
there is no end in sight
500 Channels with nothing to watch
500 books lacking the motivation to read.
It comes in bigger waves ----
And then -I fight to find the hope ...
I am okay.
The family is safe.
The food is enough
And we are together
I smile as I come up for air.

— Kary D.

I'm a teacher. I've been an elementary school teacher for over 30 years. Every day, my ears were filled with the sound of children's laughter. Children's voices asking questions. Children's voices having silly arguments. Children's voices singing their favorite artists's songs.

My socially distanced, child-free home...
is very, very quiet.

I miss their beautiful noise.

— Ruth G.