CROSSING THE THRESHOLD ACROSS THE COUNTRY: BY LANA SUGARMAN, ENSEMBLE MEMBER

This past year has included two cross country moves for me, moving from North Canton, Ohio to Morris, Minnesota, now landing in Buffalo, New York. Two of the things that have kept me grounded during this time are continuing as an Ensemble Member with Seat of the Pants and the practices of the Michael Chekhov Technique. The motivation for the moves was a combination of a shift in marital status (yowza!) and teaching opportunities in academia (huzzah!). I am now an Assistant Professor of Theatre at University at Buffalo.

Having bopped around the country, I value the creativity, care, and process-driven environment that Seat of the Pants cultivates. Having been a part of our Season Selection Committee it was so rewarding to fly back to Ohio every 4 months to see the plays I had read come to life in such a rich, full-bodied way. (Three cheers for the University of Minnesota’s excellent funding for creative research that allowed me to travel back so often.)

One simple tool that we use in Seat of Pants rehearsals is called Crossing the Threshold from the Michael Chekhov Technique. We take a moment to pause, breathe, notice where we are starting from, and acknowledge our ordinary, everyday self. Then, clapping our hands, we warm them up and bring that warmth to the center of our chest, activating our Actor’s Ideal Center. We remind ourselves that we are creative artists. Then, waking up our imagination, we envision a threshold in front of us. This can be a chalk line, a door, an extravagant archway- something to cross over or through.

On the other side is the Creative Artist Space. This is a place you want to be! You can fill it with whatever energy, playfulness, focus, or support you might need that day. And then in your own time, you Cross the Threshold, and let it affect you somehow. Once there you can greet your fellow artists with some gentle eye contact, radiating warmth to the ensemble. (There are different approaches to this exercise- this is often how I lead it.)

I have been surprised by how much this exercise resonates with students from Kent State to U of Minn, and now at U at Buffalo- it shows up in most journal entries and student evaluations as a powerful tool-one they will carry forward in their work as artists. It also helps me as a professor on challenging days. An intentional stepping into the space.

In the way that Crossing the Threshold creates a creative container for working together, I feel held in a similar way as a human and artist within the Seat of the Pants Ensemble. Our dialogue, growth, and heart as a company inspire me and provide a steady artistic ‘home’ while my personal home space has shifted. See you on the other side…