It’s a week (and maybe a full month) like this one where being ensemble-based as a company has really proven valuable. There is A LOT going on, a lot of new ventures that require some creative planning, and thankfully we’ve got a model to handle it. From rehearsal to a reading to the launch of next season and all the gears moving in-between, this is one busy ensemble.
Read MoreWe’re still going to do three mainstages AND each of these mainstages will push how we bring process into production in some very different ways… We’re still going to do four salon series readings AND we’re thinking about new ways to include and generate process for the many playwrights that make this community such a rich hotbed of theatrical exploration and experimentation… We are opening up accessibility for actors to show us their best work from their comfort of their own homes and on their own schedules; AND if/when we do call actors in, it’ll be with a specific show in mind so that the in-person work can be explicitly tied to the text and process at hand…We’re going to deepen internal education within the company, teaching each other and stewarding interests in disciplines that extend beyond the kind of work an ensemble member might usually take on…
Read MoreWe try to keep our initial submission process as accessible as possible by offering in-person audition times and filmed audition submissions so that you can offer whatever suits you best. When it comes to callbacks, “play” is the name of the game. Much like our rehearsals, we don’t put a high value on being performance ready too soon. Rather, we take some time to play around with a scene in a bunch of different ways, trusting the energy of the room and the director to explore new opportunities in the text.
Read MoreWe’ve attempted to space [the Salon Series readings] between our fully staged productions; and in doing so, we have to keep the schedule for them to an efficient two rehearsals. This quick and dirty process has some challenges but also creates some fun opportunities for rigorous spontaneity.
The Nativity Starring Keisha Taylor: Keisha Taylor is a #GoodGirl. Or so she’s told when she’s cast as the Virgin Mary over her “fast” friend Trinity in their church’s Christmas play. But when Trinity announces she is pregnant by divine intervention, everything Keisha knows about faith and friendship is turned upside down.
Read MoreOn theme with our entire season, Amerikin was a play that asked of the audiences and of the characters to embrace an ending in hopes of finding a new beginning. Actually, Amerikin was full of endings: the end of relationships, the end of connections to a flawed history, the end of disillusionment…In exchange for all of these endings, there is, we hope, a glimmer of healing. Each character by the end of this brutal story has found a path toward healing - even despite tragic circumstances.
Read MoreThere are so many layers and things to consider when there is one set of keys and only a few days to get everything done. The coordination and teamwork that goes into these few days is truly mind blowing. Theatre is truly a collaborative art and cannot be done properly if not everyone is willing to help each other out in some way. Any theatre or production team has to believe that collaboration is important, but with Seat of the Pants we get an extra exercise in it by asking “Who has the keys?”
Read MoreAs Amerikin heads into it’s final week, we take a step back to appreciate the other work taking place within the company. Scott Has doffed a number of hats this year, and he’s only getting started…A new responsibility with this marvelous company has provided an opportunity for growth, not just to create a different skill set within the arts, but also to broaden my perspective and to view that art through lenses other than my default. Change may be a constant, but growth is the key.
Read MoreI have a profound appreciation when I see art that knocks it out of the park whether that company focuses on a specific method’s tools or not. For me, knowing more about various techniques gives me language to understand the moments I see onstage that leave me speechless. Tonight I had the pleasure of getting to see some remarkable beauty onstage, and in this post I’d like to share some love and make like the slogan of the NYC subway stations encouraging: “If you see something, say something.” Tonight I saw The Wolves at Dobama in Cleveland Heights.
Read MoreWhat I appreciate about this compression is that it requires clarity, curiosity, and a distillation of the themes and world of the play… In new play development we have the opportunity to nourish the seeds of a play, to watch it evolve, transform, expand or shed. Each actor and artist that comes into contact with the work contributes to its process.
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