Once I have some kind of metaphorical thread to pull on, I can start crafting. As with a lot of other procrastinators I have to get something, anything, as a concrete starting point. (What was once, “down on paper”.) Accomplishing anything else flows from there. It’s much easier to revise and add, or even to throw out and start over than it is to get started in the first place.
Read MoreI heard a staged reading of First Snow months back. I loved it. My actor-and-very-smart husband loved it. Folks bantered about Chekhov (Anton) as a model or guide or inspiration where nothing really “happens” but Change hovers and there is A LOT going on. A LOT… The “slice-of-life/end-of-[something]” was captivating. The presence of “Something-Other/Bigger/Unknowable” fed my soul. So when auditions came, I showed up. And here I am. Grateful. Humbled. Excited.
Read MoreFinding balance is a moving target. Anyone who says they’ve “figured it out” probably isn’t telling you the full story. The reality is, most days I’m doing the best I can (at least I hope so), adjusting constantly, and giving myself permission to recognize when I haven't given my best, pick myself up, and try again. I read somewhere about the rule of Thirds. If you are working towards something you deeply care about, then you can expect
Read MoreIt’s that time of year when auditions are happening. Like many of you, I’m auditioning for shows. And like some of you, I’m also watching submissions and casting shows. So I thought it might be fun to share thoughts from both sides of the table - as a reminder to myself, as insight for those who are preparing to audition or making decisions, and perhaps even as a bit of helpful encouragement or butt-kicking. So, without further ado, some thoughts today for actors; the next installment will be for (casting) directors.
Read MoreYesterday marked our first of only two rehearsals for our next salon series reading… It’s always a gift to witness a new work being voiced aloud for the first time: inevitably, new shapes develop within the text, different themes find new emphasis, fresh kernels of universal truth emerge, clumsy bravery and brave vulnerability deepen the material, and a community of actors and creators bonds like family, united in the telling of a story. The sheer act of doing yields a harvest of inspiration.
Read MoreIt’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…Next year’s season has been agreed upon and released! These three plays have been at the top of our list for a couple years now, and we are so excited to get to produce them in conversation with each other.
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’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.
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