I’m pretty confident in myself. Sure there’s the whole social anxiety thing but once I get used to a place and its people that tends to let up a little. I am uncomfortable around men. I just am. I don’t know the reason for it, but I just have trouble completely relaxing in the company of men. It’s something that has gotten better in the past few years. I know who I am, I know what I am good at, I know that I am intelligent and well educated, and I have confidence in that intelligence and education. At the same time I am not ashamed when there are things I don’t know. I am human, and while I am well educated, it’s just not possible for me to know everything. I like to learn new things and explore new possibilities, new ways of thinking. I don’t mind, when in conversation with people, admitting that I don’t know what someone is referencing, saying I’ve never heard of a topic, a person, a piece of music, a type of food. As such, while I may question my worth in beauty on occasion, I don’t usually question my worth in personality, humor, intelligence.
And yet . . . there are some men out there that take my feet out from underneath me. My friend Kat never seems to have this problem. She can enter into intellectual debate on any topic with any person. She seems to get better at it and enjoy it more when she is having this debate with someone she likes. I like strong personalities, she’s one of them. Normally I am not so bad at this sort of debate myself. I was vice president of the speech and debate team in high school after all. For some reason, despite my knowledge of my own self worth, on occasion I meet a man that makes me feel like I don’t know what I am talking about no matter what subject we are on. These men are rare, but they are out there. They have this effect on me through no fault of their own, but none the less, they are there. It just sucks that these are usually the men I find myself most drawn to. So basically I get drawn to them, and then I can’t speak around them.
I live with a bunch of girls, so there has been plenty of relationship talk throughout the summer. The majority of us are single, so that leads to lots of conversations about what we want: Out of a man, out of a relationship, out of life. I went to an all women’s college, so I’m used to these situations, I’m used to there being a lot of estrogen in the room. It’s not all we talk about. We talk much more about theatre, and art and life. But on occasion we talk about boys. Last night was one of those times. Three girls, sitting around, talking about relationships till ungodly hours of the night, and then watching girly movies. I love nights like that. I love expressing my femininity and bonding with other women. I do not think this makes us weak, on the contrary, I think it is our bonds with each other that makes us strong as women.
One of the greatest parts of working at this theatre is that it is run by some very strong, outstanding women. With Anne, Joanne, and Jodi at the helm this theatre has weathered storm after storm. These women are remarkable, unbelievable. They were a big part of my decision making process in coming here. I was doing research on this theatre and said to myself “wow, look at that. 3 women are at the head of this place. That is just fantastic” and then I get here and I meet Debra at the head of the education department. That woman . . . inspires awe in me. Marcia’s head of Devo, Ruth’s taking care of everything on the production end, and so many other strong, talented women giving their all (and that’s a heck of a lot) to make this theatre become the best that it can be. That is incredibly refreshing. I just can’t express enough how wonderful that is, as a young woman, to come and see this many incredible women running the place.
This world has come a long way. This society has come a long way. The tides are changing and will continue to change. I would like to be one of those outstanding female leaders. I want to be an outstanding leader because I am a woman. I want to be outstanding because of who I am, not just because I am a woman. I want to lead American theatre to a new greatness. I want to be an important part of that. It’s because of women like the ones at this theatre paving the way that I am able to believe that is possible.
And yet . . . every once in a while, I meet a man who makes me feel like I don’t know what I’m talking about. What does that mean? He’s not being a block head, he’s not trying to put me down as a woman, he’s not trying to do anything to me. He was just trying to have a conversation. But because I really dig the guy, I am suddenly unable to stand on my own two feet around him. Does this happen to anybody else? Did any of the women I just mentioned above ever experience this? Do any of them still experience it? I have trouble believing any of them do.
So I guess I’m just going to have to struggle through, and do my best to keep my footing. I’m old enough to be able to figure out how to do that, right?
~ Laura (Roux)
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Personal Responsibilty as Artists
I’ve been thinking a lot about “What I think Theatre should be?” Laura posed this question in our Showcase writing email. It was odd because this question seemed to be the easiest and the hardest one to answer. I have always believed that Theatre could really be anything! It can be whatever you want it to be. I’ve just never really thought about what I want from Theatre. I am one of those idealistic people who have invested all of their faith in the idea that Theatre can change the world. One moment can change another person’s entire perspective on the world. That’s all it really takes one moment. And for all we know that person, whose perspective is radically changed, could become President of the United States.
Brecht’s concept of “Epic Theatre” in particular really inspired me. He believed that Theatre should be more than entertainment and an imitation of life. It should present some sort of social or political ideas and allow the audience to make judgments on them. The goal is to make people walk away and want to do something about the current state of the world or their own lives. Brecht was a bit more politically motivated than I am, clearly. I would be ecstatic if a man saw Take Me Out (a good solid play about homosexuality) and walked out of the theater to call his son and tell him that he accepts him for who he is. (I mean that’s the best case scenario) In fact, I would be happy if people hate the show because it at least they were thinking! This brings me to my next issue: our personal responsibility as artists to put up good, thought-provoking and yet still entertaining work.
We are taught in life that with each year of our growth we will have more and more responsibilities. There is a point in an individual’s development when we realize that we can no longer allow other people to be responsible for our lives anymore. That means that when something doesn’t quite go your way, you don’t sit there and start blaming it on someone else or another unforeseen variable. You should assess the situation and find where you might have made a mistake or a misstep. This logic should apply to our art as well. I have learned in school that if the scene isn’t working you DO NOT BLAME IT ON YOUR SCENE PARTNER. If they aren’t giving their all to the work you talk to them or you work even harder to try and get something out of them. If you blame it on them you have already failed. I have found that some people have been blaming the recent decline in audience interest in Theatre is because: we can’t compete with the movies, or it’s too expensive. While these are good points, (I made them in my earlier blog, this is me talking to myself as well) what we should be doing is digging deeper and writing plays that can be entertaining but also make our audience think. We need make things more accessible to high school and college students (the people who will change the world).
But most importantly, I think that we, as young artists, have to take hold of our generation’s voice and use it. It is our personal responsibility to listen to our guts, hearts, and minds and put on work that we can walk away from and KNOW that we really made something there! That we created a piece of art that speaks to the up and coming leaders of the world. If we ignore what’s happening around us and to us, then we fail the scene, theatre, and the world. So I guess, what I’m saying is that the kind of theatre I want to see out there I one that voices my generation. And helps us figure out where we are going.
Brecht’s concept of “Epic Theatre” in particular really inspired me. He believed that Theatre should be more than entertainment and an imitation of life. It should present some sort of social or political ideas and allow the audience to make judgments on them. The goal is to make people walk away and want to do something about the current state of the world or their own lives. Brecht was a bit more politically motivated than I am, clearly. I would be ecstatic if a man saw Take Me Out (a good solid play about homosexuality) and walked out of the theater to call his son and tell him that he accepts him for who he is. (I mean that’s the best case scenario) In fact, I would be happy if people hate the show because it at least they were thinking! This brings me to my next issue: our personal responsibility as artists to put up good, thought-provoking and yet still entertaining work.
We are taught in life that with each year of our growth we will have more and more responsibilities. There is a point in an individual’s development when we realize that we can no longer allow other people to be responsible for our lives anymore. That means that when something doesn’t quite go your way, you don’t sit there and start blaming it on someone else or another unforeseen variable. You should assess the situation and find where you might have made a mistake or a misstep. This logic should apply to our art as well. I have learned in school that if the scene isn’t working you DO NOT BLAME IT ON YOUR SCENE PARTNER. If they aren’t giving their all to the work you talk to them or you work even harder to try and get something out of them. If you blame it on them you have already failed. I have found that some people have been blaming the recent decline in audience interest in Theatre is because: we can’t compete with the movies, or it’s too expensive. While these are good points, (I made them in my earlier blog, this is me talking to myself as well) what we should be doing is digging deeper and writing plays that can be entertaining but also make our audience think. We need make things more accessible to high school and college students (the people who will change the world).
But most importantly, I think that we, as young artists, have to take hold of our generation’s voice and use it. It is our personal responsibility to listen to our guts, hearts, and minds and put on work that we can walk away from and KNOW that we really made something there! That we created a piece of art that speaks to the up and coming leaders of the world. If we ignore what’s happening around us and to us, then we fail the scene, theatre, and the world. So I guess, what I’m saying is that the kind of theatre I want to see out there I one that voices my generation. And helps us figure out where we are going.
Safety and Instant Gratification
Hey guys, this shouldn't just be the Laura Blog. Could someone else please post something?
So a lot happened over the past week or so. Last week I spent some time in the same theatre with Christopher Walken and Joanne Woodward, watching them work. I also got to watch all the rest of the phenomenal actors on stage with them work, and was able to observe them having a lot of fun with their craft. We had our own play reading at the intern house last Tuesday, which was great, and I hope it started a tradition. I got to meet Gene Wilder, I got to meet Bill Haber, I got to meet and talk to a bunch of interesting people, I learned a lot of new things, I had fun. But surprisingly, the thing that affected me most was the midnight showing of The Dark Knight last Thursday night.
It’s not for the reasons you think. While The Dark Knight itself was a fascinating movie, the thing that stuck with me more was the conversation Holly and I had with one of the guys sitting in front of us while we were waiting for the show to start.
He was from Boston (not that that matters for the story), and he was there with some friends and we were all chatting about this and that as we waited for the movie to begin. Somehow we started talking about movie musicals, and that lead us to RENT the movie, and why it sucked and did horribly at the box office when the stage show is so fantastic. There are several reasons for this. The one I chose to harp on was the director. You don’t get the guy who directed Home Alone to direct RENT. You get someone like Spike Lee to direct RENT. And this guy I was talking to laughed, and then that got us onto Spike Lee, and he said Spike Lee didn’t like white people. Holly made the point that he also didn’t like ignorant black people. I made the point that most of us don’t like ignorant people, period, regardless of race. That brought us to the conversation on how to reverse ignorance and bigotry. I made the comment that I have tried with several people with out success, that some people just don’t want to open their minds. He said he didn’t believe this was true. Everyone really wants to have their minds open no matter how much they fight it initially. I thought this was really interesting. Holly and I asked him to please give us an example of this. So he started talking about today’s society being so focused on instant gratification.
WALL-E (another movie that has had a profound effect on me this summer) is a movie that demonstrates our societies demand for instant gratification. We see something, we want it, we get it. Simple as that. We have come to think that if we try something a couple of times and it doesn’t work this means it’s impossible. We have forgotten the art of wearing someone down. Of persistence. Of not giving up. (Which is bad, because you can bet the religious zealots out there have not forgotten). Of digging in, staying in the trenches, and really working for something.
This made me think. Just saying that you are in a safe environment doesn’t mean that you are. Just giving lip service to something doesn’t mean it exists. Maybe we are giving lip service to something we haven’t bothered to create. And maybe we haven’t bothered to create it because we are used to instantly getting things we want. For example, I can go on i-tunes right now, click on a button, and download the song Safety Dance instantly. Then it’s mine. I own it. I can listen to is whenever I want. But does that mean I really know how to do the safety dance? No.
These things take time. It takes time and a well thought out overview of things to create a safe environment. We have to know that everything we do, every activity, every word that comes out of our mouths is in service to this thing. Jodi came in to talk to the apprentices today and it was profound and wonderful. She talked a lot about staying centered, about knowing what you are all about and staying true to that, and making sure that everything you are doing is in service to that. It’s hard. It’s time consuming, energy consuming, brain consuming. But it’s worth it. This also ties in with Debra’s whole thing about the big picture. Sure we could do a lot of really cool things, but wouldn’t it be better if we could do a lot of really cool things in service to something? In service to something larger?
None of this is to say that something like creating a safe environment isn’t owed lip service. The power of positive thinking is a truly amazing thing, and so to just keep repeating the phrase “safe environment” is a powerful thing. Maybe if we keep encouraging it we can slowly build it anyway. A sort of “if you build it, he will come” sort of philosophy.Something else that Jodi said stuck with me. Well, a lot of things Jodi said today stuck with me, but here’s the one I’m going to harp on for the moment. There are certain things that have happened around here before we were fully ready, as an institution, for them to happen. That reminded me, strangely, of the movie Under The Tuscan Sun. A man in that movie tells the story that they built train tracks over the Swiss Alps before there was a train that could make the trip. They built it because they knew one day there would be a train that could do it. One day the train would come. So maybe we’re not ready now. But maybe we built it because we knew one day we would be. Because, maybe, in building the tracks first, we preemptively lay the foundation for what we would like to become, what we would like to happen. I mean, hey, once you found out those tracks were there, there was no choice but to build a train that could fill them.
Maybe we say we are in a safe environment to send the message that we need to create one. That it is important to create one. That it is our priority to create one. And that we’re in it for the long hall. We will stay here (or outside with our parking cones) until we get a safe environment, because we’ve built the tracks. So now we have no choice but to build the train.
~ Laura (Roux)
So a lot happened over the past week or so. Last week I spent some time in the same theatre with Christopher Walken and Joanne Woodward, watching them work. I also got to watch all the rest of the phenomenal actors on stage with them work, and was able to observe them having a lot of fun with their craft. We had our own play reading at the intern house last Tuesday, which was great, and I hope it started a tradition. I got to meet Gene Wilder, I got to meet Bill Haber, I got to meet and talk to a bunch of interesting people, I learned a lot of new things, I had fun. But surprisingly, the thing that affected me most was the midnight showing of The Dark Knight last Thursday night.
It’s not for the reasons you think. While The Dark Knight itself was a fascinating movie, the thing that stuck with me more was the conversation Holly and I had with one of the guys sitting in front of us while we were waiting for the show to start.
He was from Boston (not that that matters for the story), and he was there with some friends and we were all chatting about this and that as we waited for the movie to begin. Somehow we started talking about movie musicals, and that lead us to RENT the movie, and why it sucked and did horribly at the box office when the stage show is so fantastic. There are several reasons for this. The one I chose to harp on was the director. You don’t get the guy who directed Home Alone to direct RENT. You get someone like Spike Lee to direct RENT. And this guy I was talking to laughed, and then that got us onto Spike Lee, and he said Spike Lee didn’t like white people. Holly made the point that he also didn’t like ignorant black people. I made the point that most of us don’t like ignorant people, period, regardless of race. That brought us to the conversation on how to reverse ignorance and bigotry. I made the comment that I have tried with several people with out success, that some people just don’t want to open their minds. He said he didn’t believe this was true. Everyone really wants to have their minds open no matter how much they fight it initially. I thought this was really interesting. Holly and I asked him to please give us an example of this. So he started talking about today’s society being so focused on instant gratification.
WALL-E (another movie that has had a profound effect on me this summer) is a movie that demonstrates our societies demand for instant gratification. We see something, we want it, we get it. Simple as that. We have come to think that if we try something a couple of times and it doesn’t work this means it’s impossible. We have forgotten the art of wearing someone down. Of persistence. Of not giving up. (Which is bad, because you can bet the religious zealots out there have not forgotten). Of digging in, staying in the trenches, and really working for something.
This made me think. Just saying that you are in a safe environment doesn’t mean that you are. Just giving lip service to something doesn’t mean it exists. Maybe we are giving lip service to something we haven’t bothered to create. And maybe we haven’t bothered to create it because we are used to instantly getting things we want. For example, I can go on i-tunes right now, click on a button, and download the song Safety Dance instantly. Then it’s mine. I own it. I can listen to is whenever I want. But does that mean I really know how to do the safety dance? No.
These things take time. It takes time and a well thought out overview of things to create a safe environment. We have to know that everything we do, every activity, every word that comes out of our mouths is in service to this thing. Jodi came in to talk to the apprentices today and it was profound and wonderful. She talked a lot about staying centered, about knowing what you are all about and staying true to that, and making sure that everything you are doing is in service to that. It’s hard. It’s time consuming, energy consuming, brain consuming. But it’s worth it. This also ties in with Debra’s whole thing about the big picture. Sure we could do a lot of really cool things, but wouldn’t it be better if we could do a lot of really cool things in service to something? In service to something larger?
None of this is to say that something like creating a safe environment isn’t owed lip service. The power of positive thinking is a truly amazing thing, and so to just keep repeating the phrase “safe environment” is a powerful thing. Maybe if we keep encouraging it we can slowly build it anyway. A sort of “if you build it, he will come” sort of philosophy.Something else that Jodi said stuck with me. Well, a lot of things Jodi said today stuck with me, but here’s the one I’m going to harp on for the moment. There are certain things that have happened around here before we were fully ready, as an institution, for them to happen. That reminded me, strangely, of the movie Under The Tuscan Sun. A man in that movie tells the story that they built train tracks over the Swiss Alps before there was a train that could make the trip. They built it because they knew one day there would be a train that could do it. One day the train would come. So maybe we’re not ready now. But maybe we built it because we knew one day we would be. Because, maybe, in building the tracks first, we preemptively lay the foundation for what we would like to become, what we would like to happen. I mean, hey, once you found out those tracks were there, there was no choice but to build a train that could fill them.
Maybe we say we are in a safe environment to send the message that we need to create one. That it is important to create one. That it is our priority to create one. And that we’re in it for the long hall. We will stay here (or outside with our parking cones) until we get a safe environment, because we’ve built the tracks. So now we have no choice but to build the train.
~ Laura (Roux)
Monday, July 21, 2008
Things I've learned since I've been here
What I’ve Learned . . . Things that are different on my own ~
Sometimes you have to say things 4 times – as a stage manager – lessons from Cole on Scramble –
“I’m not saying 15 minutes 4 times. What I’m saying is ‘Shut up. I have something to say. And what I have to say is – we have 15 minutes.”
· I am healthier on my own
· And yet I smoke more (because I can)
· I am cleaner
· I take care of my personal stuff in a more timely manner
· Social anxiety does exist, I do have it, and instead of thinking of it as something that is curable I need to start thinking of it as something that I am going to have for the rest of my life, so it’s more of a continuing journey of the best way to deal with it, then it is “I have to fix this”
· I still can’t get to work on time. I need to work on it. I need to work on it in some other way than beating myself up because obviously it doesn’t work. Something else that doesn’t work is setting my alarm clock 3 hours early. Obviously I am not going to get up and go running and get some work done. One thing at a time. Let’s start with getting to work on time. Then let’s go to getting to work 10 minutes early. Then we can start setting the 3 hours early, running/swimming/working/cleaning/fixing lunch and dinner thing. However I still don’t know what the proper course would be. Do I just set the alarms that I have for the right time? Do I buy another alarm (or several)? How do I do this?
· I read people better than I think I do
· I have better teaching instincts than I think I do
· I really do have a lot of experience
· I really do know absolutely nothing at all
· I love my fellow interns very much
· I don’t trust as easily as I used to
· I really am almost 25. And almost 25 is a lot different than 21. It just really is.
· I still get home sick
· I sometimes, still, forget to breathe.
· I sometimes, still, forget to remember where I come from, that I have my own style, my own way of doing thing.
· The phrase “That’s the way I’ve always done it” is still a red flag, but it doesn’t mean that things that have worked in the past won’t work in the future.
· I listen to music more. It has a profound effect on me.
· I hate text messaging, but it’s my major form of communication with my boss
· I’m still just as lost about what path I’m supposed to take as I ever was. Coming here did not clarify that. If anything, it only confused me further. It has just reinforced the fact that I love teaching and I’m good at it. Great.
More to add to this list later
~ Laura J (Roux)
Sometimes you have to say things 4 times – as a stage manager – lessons from Cole on Scramble –
“I’m not saying 15 minutes 4 times. What I’m saying is ‘Shut up. I have something to say. And what I have to say is – we have 15 minutes.”
· I am healthier on my own
· And yet I smoke more (because I can)
· I am cleaner
· I take care of my personal stuff in a more timely manner
· Social anxiety does exist, I do have it, and instead of thinking of it as something that is curable I need to start thinking of it as something that I am going to have for the rest of my life, so it’s more of a continuing journey of the best way to deal with it, then it is “I have to fix this”
· I still can’t get to work on time. I need to work on it. I need to work on it in some other way than beating myself up because obviously it doesn’t work. Something else that doesn’t work is setting my alarm clock 3 hours early. Obviously I am not going to get up and go running and get some work done. One thing at a time. Let’s start with getting to work on time. Then let’s go to getting to work 10 minutes early. Then we can start setting the 3 hours early, running/swimming/working/cleaning/fixing lunch and dinner thing. However I still don’t know what the proper course would be. Do I just set the alarms that I have for the right time? Do I buy another alarm (or several)? How do I do this?
· I read people better than I think I do
· I have better teaching instincts than I think I do
· I really do have a lot of experience
· I really do know absolutely nothing at all
· I love my fellow interns very much
· I don’t trust as easily as I used to
· I really am almost 25. And almost 25 is a lot different than 21. It just really is.
· I still get home sick
· I sometimes, still, forget to breathe.
· I sometimes, still, forget to remember where I come from, that I have my own style, my own way of doing thing.
· The phrase “That’s the way I’ve always done it” is still a red flag, but it doesn’t mean that things that have worked in the past won’t work in the future.
· I listen to music more. It has a profound effect on me.
· I hate text messaging, but it’s my major form of communication with my boss
· I’m still just as lost about what path I’m supposed to take as I ever was. Coming here did not clarify that. If anything, it only confused me further. It has just reinforced the fact that I love teaching and I’m good at it. Great.
More to add to this list later
~ Laura J (Roux)
Friday, July 18, 2008
safety from the rearview
The Education Intern continues her thoughts ~
I was very blessed with the community theatre I grew up in. It was one of those magical things where all the right people came together at exactly the right time and created a place where a rag tag group of teenagers could safely explore their creative outlets. There was this group of about 15-20 of us that were at the theatre all the time, involved in everything we could get our hands on. We took classes together, we TAed (Teaching Assistant) classes together, we put on shows together, and in the end we hung out with each other. Of this group the majority of us still remain friends despite that fact that many went away to various colleges and jobs across the country (and out of the country). These are friendships that have stretched over 10 years and most of them I still consider my closest friends. I truly believe that this is a result of the type of environment we were put in together.
What you must understand is that most likely without the theatre we would not have been friends. Not just because we went to different high schools, but because if we had gone to the same high school we probably would not have associated with each other. My teachers and mentors at this theatre created an environment where none of us felt like we were in a popularity contest, we all felt like we had something valid to contribute to the group. We reveled in our differences. This was an environment where I was allowed to gape in awe at the kids who were montessori students, who were vastly more globably aware than I was and just had so much more knowledge than I did about what was going on in the world. These were the kids that held interesting discussions when they were in elementary school the day the Berlin Wall came down. I did not have to hide my zealousness to share in their knowledge. This was a place where the popular girl, the cheerleader type, could come and not be afraid to show her intelligence and not be judged because she had interests other than theatre. This was the place where the Irish catholic family came and invaded and taught us more about religion and philosophy than any class I have ever taken. This was where the gays and the lesbians came and weren’t afraid to be out. This is where the gang affiliated former striper came and was never judged. We came together and took joy and interest in our differences and reveled in the one thing that we all had in common. We all felt like outsiders. All teenagers feel like outsiders, but not here. Here we were on the inside. And the inside was a world we made together.
It was because of my teachers that we were able to feel this way. And it was because of this that I became passionate about teaching. I want to give this to other kids. I want everyone who desires it to be able to have this experience. It’s not about being famous (I discovered my passion and talent for teaching before I discovered I had chops as a performer), it’s about learning that the diversity around you is the biggest tool, the biggest key, the biggest gift you can be given. These things truly are life skills. I want to give teenagers a safe place to come, where they can – not just learn the skills needed to do theatre – be themselves. Where they can feel safe enough to be who they are; which, at that age, is probably the hardest thing they’ll ever have to do.
And I realized a while ago that this is not just important for your average teenager that feels like a freak. It’s even more important to the high risk kids. Think what theatre outreach could do if we could create this environment in the scariest schools, in the scariest neighborhoods, the neighborhoods where people are less worried about the arts surviving and more worried about their children surviving. Yes I am young and idealistic, but . . . just think about it . . . we could change the world.
Theatre should work for social change. The theatre was created at the same time and right next door to democracy. It was created to point out to everyone what it is like to walk in another person’s shoes. To the lowliest plebian to the greatest senator – if we could all just take a minute to see the choices that these people are faced with maybe we would understand more about how the world works, and would let this understanding inform our own choices. I believe that theatre, at its heart, should always be for enlightenment. I think that theatre education is an even more powerful weapon in the social change arsenal. Not just because we can create with these kids powerful theatre, but because coming together as a group in the name of the theatre can change these kids. And through them, the world.
I know, I know, idealistic dribble. But it’s what I believe. And it all has to do with the question. That question still being: How do you create a safe environment? Once again, more ideas on this later.
~ Laura (Roux)
I was very blessed with the community theatre I grew up in. It was one of those magical things where all the right people came together at exactly the right time and created a place where a rag tag group of teenagers could safely explore their creative outlets. There was this group of about 15-20 of us that were at the theatre all the time, involved in everything we could get our hands on. We took classes together, we TAed (Teaching Assistant) classes together, we put on shows together, and in the end we hung out with each other. Of this group the majority of us still remain friends despite that fact that many went away to various colleges and jobs across the country (and out of the country). These are friendships that have stretched over 10 years and most of them I still consider my closest friends. I truly believe that this is a result of the type of environment we were put in together.
What you must understand is that most likely without the theatre we would not have been friends. Not just because we went to different high schools, but because if we had gone to the same high school we probably would not have associated with each other. My teachers and mentors at this theatre created an environment where none of us felt like we were in a popularity contest, we all felt like we had something valid to contribute to the group. We reveled in our differences. This was an environment where I was allowed to gape in awe at the kids who were montessori students, who were vastly more globably aware than I was and just had so much more knowledge than I did about what was going on in the world. These were the kids that held interesting discussions when they were in elementary school the day the Berlin Wall came down. I did not have to hide my zealousness to share in their knowledge. This was a place where the popular girl, the cheerleader type, could come and not be afraid to show her intelligence and not be judged because she had interests other than theatre. This was the place where the Irish catholic family came and invaded and taught us more about religion and philosophy than any class I have ever taken. This was where the gays and the lesbians came and weren’t afraid to be out. This is where the gang affiliated former striper came and was never judged. We came together and took joy and interest in our differences and reveled in the one thing that we all had in common. We all felt like outsiders. All teenagers feel like outsiders, but not here. Here we were on the inside. And the inside was a world we made together.
It was because of my teachers that we were able to feel this way. And it was because of this that I became passionate about teaching. I want to give this to other kids. I want everyone who desires it to be able to have this experience. It’s not about being famous (I discovered my passion and talent for teaching before I discovered I had chops as a performer), it’s about learning that the diversity around you is the biggest tool, the biggest key, the biggest gift you can be given. These things truly are life skills. I want to give teenagers a safe place to come, where they can – not just learn the skills needed to do theatre – be themselves. Where they can feel safe enough to be who they are; which, at that age, is probably the hardest thing they’ll ever have to do.
And I realized a while ago that this is not just important for your average teenager that feels like a freak. It’s even more important to the high risk kids. Think what theatre outreach could do if we could create this environment in the scariest schools, in the scariest neighborhoods, the neighborhoods where people are less worried about the arts surviving and more worried about their children surviving. Yes I am young and idealistic, but . . . just think about it . . . we could change the world.
Theatre should work for social change. The theatre was created at the same time and right next door to democracy. It was created to point out to everyone what it is like to walk in another person’s shoes. To the lowliest plebian to the greatest senator – if we could all just take a minute to see the choices that these people are faced with maybe we would understand more about how the world works, and would let this understanding inform our own choices. I believe that theatre, at its heart, should always be for enlightenment. I think that theatre education is an even more powerful weapon in the social change arsenal. Not just because we can create with these kids powerful theatre, but because coming together as a group in the name of the theatre can change these kids. And through them, the world.
I know, I know, idealistic dribble. But it’s what I believe. And it all has to do with the question. That question still being: How do you create a safe environment? Once again, more ideas on this later.
~ Laura (Roux)
Ring Ring 4
Hey Bruce, just checkin' in . . . no we didn't do anything last night.
I was just wondering . . . does the theatre have caulking guns that we could borrow?
thanks, smooches, talk to you soon!
p.s. if you could avoid all calls from our landlord for a couple of days, that'd be great . . .
I was just wondering . . . does the theatre have caulking guns that we could borrow?
thanks, smooches, talk to you soon!
p.s. if you could avoid all calls from our landlord for a couple of days, that'd be great . . .
safe
A few thoughts from the education intern ~
How to create a safe environment. It's something I've been thinking about a lot lately. As an educator (of any kind) you can't do anything unless you first have a safe environment. By safe I mean both physically and mentally. If students fear for their physical safety how are they going to learn anything (check Maslov's heirarchy of needs)? So if you want to create an environment condusive to learning the first thing you have to do is make sure that the students are and feel physically safe.
Next you have to make the environment safe for them psychologically as well. Education, whether theatrical or not, is (or at least should be), about taking chances. If we don't raise our hands and take the chance that we might have the wrong answer then we won't learn anything. How can someone learn in a classroom where they are made to fear asking questions, speaking out, voicing their ideas? Just talking at someone doesn't cut it. You could lead a dictatorial type classroom in which all of the kids are perfect angels and never act out. Sure, great, but are they learning anything? How can you tell if all you do is talk at them and never let them talk?
People, in an educational setting, have to know that it is okay to fail. That we learn the most from our failures. That the bigger the chance you take the bigger the failure, and it should be better to fail fantastically than to never do anything at all.
I am speaking in pretty braod terms here. It's fairly cliche and stuff we have all heard before. But actually applying in a classroom or with a group of kids is much more difficult than it seems. I have always known that creating a safe environment was important, and by far one of the most important things to me as a teacher, but I am used to teaching at a place where said environment has already been created, supported, established, and I just have to continue that tradition in my own classroom. This is still hard, you see, but still easier than starting from scratch.
Here we have a group of teenagers, my ideal age group to work with. I think that they all feel physically safe. I don't think anyone in Westport, CT is worried about their physical safety (except when a pedestrian crossing the street). I don't think anyone in this building is worried about their physical safety, this place has been fully renovated, the roof isn't going to cave in, the stairs aren't going to collapse (all though one of the apprenti noticed that the elevator was over due for its inspection.
In our classes with these apprentices we keep telling them that they are in a safe environment, but I can't help but ask the question, are we talking about something that we have neglected to create?
Which brings me back to the question: How do you create a safe environment?
More thoughts on this topic to come.
~ Laura J
How to create a safe environment. It's something I've been thinking about a lot lately. As an educator (of any kind) you can't do anything unless you first have a safe environment. By safe I mean both physically and mentally. If students fear for their physical safety how are they going to learn anything (check Maslov's heirarchy of needs)? So if you want to create an environment condusive to learning the first thing you have to do is make sure that the students are and feel physically safe.
Next you have to make the environment safe for them psychologically as well. Education, whether theatrical or not, is (or at least should be), about taking chances. If we don't raise our hands and take the chance that we might have the wrong answer then we won't learn anything. How can someone learn in a classroom where they are made to fear asking questions, speaking out, voicing their ideas? Just talking at someone doesn't cut it. You could lead a dictatorial type classroom in which all of the kids are perfect angels and never act out. Sure, great, but are they learning anything? How can you tell if all you do is talk at them and never let them talk?
People, in an educational setting, have to know that it is okay to fail. That we learn the most from our failures. That the bigger the chance you take the bigger the failure, and it should be better to fail fantastically than to never do anything at all.
I am speaking in pretty braod terms here. It's fairly cliche and stuff we have all heard before. But actually applying in a classroom or with a group of kids is much more difficult than it seems. I have always known that creating a safe environment was important, and by far one of the most important things to me as a teacher, but I am used to teaching at a place where said environment has already been created, supported, established, and I just have to continue that tradition in my own classroom. This is still hard, you see, but still easier than starting from scratch.
Here we have a group of teenagers, my ideal age group to work with. I think that they all feel physically safe. I don't think anyone in Westport, CT is worried about their physical safety (except when a pedestrian crossing the street). I don't think anyone in this building is worried about their physical safety, this place has been fully renovated, the roof isn't going to cave in, the stairs aren't going to collapse (all though one of the apprenti noticed that the elevator was over due for its inspection.
In our classes with these apprentices we keep telling them that they are in a safe environment, but I can't help but ask the question, are we talking about something that we have neglected to create?
Which brings me back to the question: How do you create a safe environment?
More thoughts on this topic to come.
~ Laura J
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Theatre and Religion
I know these sound like sort of...conflicting topics, but I was thinking about something today and suddenly got philosophical (this is what happens when I get a real break between shows). I've been reading up on a couple of things about theatre management, and how a lot of the way regional theatres (like ours) function is based on a sort of tradition; it's just how it's been done for years, and that's good enough. I find this point fascinating, and even more fascinating is the commitment and struggle by some to make theatre relevant and accessible. I know Holly's posted about this, too, but it's curious to me that this is a similar issue that I've had with religion for years.
There are stigmas, accessibility and relevance issues associated with both, and I'm behind fixing both. I don't want to step on toes, I'm just telling it the way I see it having grown up in the church. I love my church, for example, I think my Pastor is one of the most brilliant, insightful men I've ever encountered, and just like with other occupations, there are those who were obviously called into this position and those who, well, should probably take a crack at something else. (It's like theatre in that, too: if you can see yourself doing anything else, you should probably do that). But there are things about the church that bother me, and this gets back to the accessibility thing.
In theatre the problem, I believe, is the idea that plays are high-brow entertainment, or campy; the idea people have in their heads of the average theatre-goer is, essentially, an elitist, and the same seems to go for the church, except rather than being a social elitist, it's a spiritual elitist, someone we don't feel we can measure up to, a Duddly Do-Right we can't relate to because we can't see their motives.
So, back to the crux of the matter: What I've seen in both worlds are those wonderful people who say "I don't care if this is how we've ALWAYS done things, I want to know how we SHOULD do things." These are the innovators, the people who set out to create a public forum, rather than a club, where everyone is invited, welcome, really welcome. Theatre and religion are both seen as archaic, vintage at best, but mostly irrelevant. The theatre kids and the youth group kids are always their own cliques in school, just like the jocks and the cool kids, but somehow FILM, with the exception of the film festival crowd (which is, ironically similar to the theatre crowd, but that's another discussion entirely) is as universal as music: there are genres just like theatre (and, heh heh, religion) but everyone can ask "what's your favorite movie?" without thinking about it, and engage in passionate discussion. When was the last time you asked a new acquaintance "what's your favorite play?" outside of the theatre lobby?
I feel like some of this comes from the way productions differ between Film and Theatre. In film, you don't do the same movie twice unless you're re-making it. In theatre, however, we are constantly reviving old shows. The production is nearly always different, and in many cases, still relevant no matter how many times it is done. Example: All My Sons. The show is specific in its time period and topics, but still rings with universal truths about honesty, loyalty, family, etc, despite being written over 5 decades ago! I don't know if it's just me, though, but it seems like the only new plays I ever hear about on Broadway are musicals like Wicked and Avenue Q. With regard to Wicked, I find it interesting to see a play based off of a book (by the way I can't stand listening to that show anymore...) when I've heard the advice from film professors and producers which says that it's easier to write a novel and have it made into a movie than to write an original screenplay which gets made. But I digress... the question I really want to ask is: is playwriting really dead? And I guess I can answer that question because I do know an amazing playwright from my school who wrote an awesome show which was produced on our mainstage and sold out nightly. So that gives me hope...
Back to my goal, and a goal I know I am not alone in, is to help make theatre, this wonderful world I've stepped into, more accessible to the average person. Financially I don't know how I can help, but I feel like the medium is one which is so unique, so immediate, so...real that it has the potential to touch everyone. Most people agree that going to see a musical artist live is an experience 10x more exhilarating than listening to/watching a recording. The same goes for a live stage performance. The experience is enveloping, 3-dimensional (move aside, IMAX, hi-def still can't touch live) exciting, organic, interactive....*phew*.
I think I just de-railed. I had more to write, mostly about being a control-freak, but honestly, I congratulate you if you made it this far. I'll save the control freak rant for another post, it's probably redundant for everyone reading this anyway...
There are stigmas, accessibility and relevance issues associated with both, and I'm behind fixing both. I don't want to step on toes, I'm just telling it the way I see it having grown up in the church. I love my church, for example, I think my Pastor is one of the most brilliant, insightful men I've ever encountered, and just like with other occupations, there are those who were obviously called into this position and those who, well, should probably take a crack at something else. (It's like theatre in that, too: if you can see yourself doing anything else, you should probably do that). But there are things about the church that bother me, and this gets back to the accessibility thing.
In theatre the problem, I believe, is the idea that plays are high-brow entertainment, or campy; the idea people have in their heads of the average theatre-goer is, essentially, an elitist, and the same seems to go for the church, except rather than being a social elitist, it's a spiritual elitist, someone we don't feel we can measure up to, a Duddly Do-Right we can't relate to because we can't see their motives.
So, back to the crux of the matter: What I've seen in both worlds are those wonderful people who say "I don't care if this is how we've ALWAYS done things, I want to know how we SHOULD do things." These are the innovators, the people who set out to create a public forum, rather than a club, where everyone is invited, welcome, really welcome. Theatre and religion are both seen as archaic, vintage at best, but mostly irrelevant. The theatre kids and the youth group kids are always their own cliques in school, just like the jocks and the cool kids, but somehow FILM, with the exception of the film festival crowd (which is, ironically similar to the theatre crowd, but that's another discussion entirely) is as universal as music: there are genres just like theatre (and, heh heh, religion) but everyone can ask "what's your favorite movie?" without thinking about it, and engage in passionate discussion. When was the last time you asked a new acquaintance "what's your favorite play?" outside of the theatre lobby?
I feel like some of this comes from the way productions differ between Film and Theatre. In film, you don't do the same movie twice unless you're re-making it. In theatre, however, we are constantly reviving old shows. The production is nearly always different, and in many cases, still relevant no matter how many times it is done. Example: All My Sons. The show is specific in its time period and topics, but still rings with universal truths about honesty, loyalty, family, etc, despite being written over 5 decades ago! I don't know if it's just me, though, but it seems like the only new plays I ever hear about on Broadway are musicals like Wicked and Avenue Q. With regard to Wicked, I find it interesting to see a play based off of a book (by the way I can't stand listening to that show anymore...) when I've heard the advice from film professors and producers which says that it's easier to write a novel and have it made into a movie than to write an original screenplay which gets made. But I digress... the question I really want to ask is: is playwriting really dead? And I guess I can answer that question because I do know an amazing playwright from my school who wrote an awesome show which was produced on our mainstage and sold out nightly. So that gives me hope...
Back to my goal, and a goal I know I am not alone in, is to help make theatre, this wonderful world I've stepped into, more accessible to the average person. Financially I don't know how I can help, but I feel like the medium is one which is so unique, so immediate, so...real that it has the potential to touch everyone. Most people agree that going to see a musical artist live is an experience 10x more exhilarating than listening to/watching a recording. The same goes for a live stage performance. The experience is enveloping, 3-dimensional (move aside, IMAX, hi-def still can't touch live) exciting, organic, interactive....*phew*.
I think I just de-railed. I had more to write, mostly about being a control-freak, but honestly, I congratulate you if you made it this far. I'll save the control freak rant for another post, it's probably redundant for everyone reading this anyway...
Hold your own Know your own name And go your own way And everything will be fine
If I were to sum up my scenic painting internship in one word it would be: lonely.
I am not trying to be depressing or anything but honestly, I spend more time alone than with others. I have found this to be a blessing and a curse since I do work better alone but I thrive off of energy that other people bring to me.
Recently, I was faced with a huge challenge when the one person I do see was off contract from the playhouse for two weeks. My overnight calls were not as enjoyable without my supervisor, Liza. I had to really push myself to get everything done before I freaked out from being all alone in a theater late at night.
It is a good thing I love making art.
Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to have the day off. I decided to use this time wisely and drive to Hartford, CT to wait in line for 8 hours for tickets to a Jason Mraz concert. I did not embark on this journey alone. Helen, Properties Intern, came along for the ride but stayed only a few hours since she had to go back to work. So there I was, in downtown Hartford outside of the Webster surrounded by strangers. I was, as per usual, all alone.
The concert was amazing and completely worth the long lonely wait. I was less than 10 feet away from Jason Mraz and could not stop smiling while he strummed on his guitar and sang for his hour long set.
I am looking forward to this evening in which Liza and I will continue to work on the set for Tryst. We have not been able to make much progress so far since the carpenters are still building...frustrating but at least I will not be working all alone.
Until next time...
-Kim-
I am not trying to be depressing or anything but honestly, I spend more time alone than with others. I have found this to be a blessing and a curse since I do work better alone but I thrive off of energy that other people bring to me.
Recently, I was faced with a huge challenge when the one person I do see was off contract from the playhouse for two weeks. My overnight calls were not as enjoyable without my supervisor, Liza. I had to really push myself to get everything done before I freaked out from being all alone in a theater late at night.
It is a good thing I love making art.
Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to have the day off. I decided to use this time wisely and drive to Hartford, CT to wait in line for 8 hours for tickets to a Jason Mraz concert. I did not embark on this journey alone. Helen, Properties Intern, came along for the ride but stayed only a few hours since she had to go back to work. So there I was, in downtown Hartford outside of the Webster surrounded by strangers. I was, as per usual, all alone.
The concert was amazing and completely worth the long lonely wait. I was less than 10 feet away from Jason Mraz and could not stop smiling while he strummed on his guitar and sang for his hour long set.
I am looking forward to this evening in which Liza and I will continue to work on the set for Tryst. We have not been able to make much progress so far since the carpenters are still building...frustrating but at least I will not be working all alone.
Until next time...
-Kim-
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Showcase
So the interns met with Debra today about the Intern Showcase. The long and the short of it is that we can do just about anything we want, within reason and a $500 budget. We elected Financial (Holly) and Production (myself) reps to kind of keep track of everything so we're not all pestering Ammie (our awesome Assistant Production Manager) about things all the time. We also decided to start ourselves off by compiling our individual goals into a list. Everyone's e-mailing me by tomorrow morning with their goals. I'm excited to see them! It should be interesting to see what we come up with.
In other news, my experience with Arsenic and Old Lace yesterday: The thing that made my day was showing Annie the wash we'd created, adjusting it for her in less than 5 minutes, and then hearing this: "Well that was easy!" Really, there's nothing better to hear from the Artistic Director than that.
Second kind of awesome moment was scampering through the light-lock to the lobby and almost mowing down Christopher Walken on his way into the theatre. That was kind of surreal, like "holy crap I almost knocked over a flippin' celebrity!" That would be my experience, of course: not an eloquent handshake and how-dya-do, but a klutzy, breathless passing. Oh well, such is my life.
Back to what I do,
Ashley
In other news, my experience with Arsenic and Old Lace yesterday: The thing that made my day was showing Annie the wash we'd created, adjusting it for her in less than 5 minutes, and then hearing this: "Well that was easy!" Really, there's nothing better to hear from the Artistic Director than that.
Second kind of awesome moment was scampering through the light-lock to the lobby and almost mowing down Christopher Walken on his way into the theatre. That was kind of surreal, like "holy crap I almost knocked over a flippin' celebrity!" That would be my experience, of course: not an eloquent handshake and how-dya-do, but a klutzy, breathless passing. Oh well, such is my life.
Back to what I do,
Ashley
Arsenic!
Last night I went with my family to see the wonderful reading of Arsenic and Old Lace. This play is particularly dear to me because I did it in high school, so I already knew all of the comedic moments.... at least I thought so. This reading was the perfect example of a great script and great artists coming together and creating a masterpiece of theater. Even though there was no set, light changes, sound effects, and blocking the actors kept the audiences eyes and ears directly on them. And it is also so refreshing to see actors HAVING FUN! I know how easy it is to get caught up in the "drama" of theater... trust me.
Recently, I have been in some kind of funk. Losing my faith in the public and their interest in theater. Last night renewed my sense of security in the general public. THEY DO WANT TO SEE THEATER! Granted.... Christopher Walken has to be in the play...... but that's OK! People laughed, they were entertained, and they even made friends! Three or four different people around me were laughing and chatting with perfect strangers and even getting each others numbers too!
So... more about the evening! First off, I want to say.... Noble Shropshire is a genius! I want him to father my children! (OK not really...) When he and Chris Walken entered, his presence and simple facial expressions blew me away. Anne and Joanne looked like they've been Martha and Abby for years. (I mean that in the best way possible. I don't think they've been killing old men for years.....) Their friendship and love for this play carried the reading! I Just want to say kudos all around to this amazing reading! If only you could put it on as a full production with the same cast!
Holly
RING RING 3
Hey Bruce! Just checkin' in... Why are all of the other interns confused by the crazy Connecitcut drivers? Oh! And do you know where I could get a a giant foam middle finger? Thanks! Hey this guy totally cut me off! Talk to you soon!
Recently, I have been in some kind of funk. Losing my faith in the public and their interest in theater. Last night renewed my sense of security in the general public. THEY DO WANT TO SEE THEATER! Granted.... Christopher Walken has to be in the play...... but that's OK! People laughed, they were entertained, and they even made friends! Three or four different people around me were laughing and chatting with perfect strangers and even getting each others numbers too!
So... more about the evening! First off, I want to say.... Noble Shropshire is a genius! I want him to father my children! (OK not really...) When he and Chris Walken entered, his presence and simple facial expressions blew me away. Anne and Joanne looked like they've been Martha and Abby for years. (I mean that in the best way possible. I don't think they've been killing old men for years.....) Their friendship and love for this play carried the reading! I Just want to say kudos all around to this amazing reading! If only you could put it on as a full production with the same cast!
Holly
RING RING 3
Hey Bruce! Just checkin' in... Why are all of the other interns confused by the crazy Connecitcut drivers? Oh! And do you know where I could get a a giant foam middle finger? Thanks! Hey this guy totally cut me off! Talk to you soon!
Monday, July 14, 2008
Ring, Ring II.
Hey Bruce! Just checkin’ in…Do you know off the top of your head many Mounties it takes to disassemble a hot air balloon? P.S. Is there any chance you have our passports on file? Thanks! Eh? Talk to you soon.
Let's rap....
After last weeks meeting/forum with Annie and Jodi a certain question has been running through my mind…
Why don’t more young people come to the theater?
It’s hard for me to answer that question because for the past ten years of my life I’ve looked forward to seeing a good play or musical. I go to school where drama students can see regional theater productions for free. And we take advantage of that! The only time I ever encounter non-dramas seeing plays are when they are required or some sort of extra credit. Which leads me to ask… “Is Theater that boring?”
Do we need to have the set blow up in order to get people to see a play? People will shell out $10-$12 on movies with no substantial plot line or thought-provoking message as long as there’s nudity or fire. Maybe it could be the fact that theater is so expensive now. Some tickets cost over $135. However, it’s a trial to get people to see a high school production that is the same cost as a movie!
Now how do we change this? I am not entirely sure. I think the biggest problem is that the arts have been cut from many schools in the United States, so the exposure to the arts (especially theater) that would normally rope kids’ interest is no longer present. Should we make it more accessible to them outside of school? How do we do that? I don’t know yet.
Holly
Why don’t more young people come to the theater?
It’s hard for me to answer that question because for the past ten years of my life I’ve looked forward to seeing a good play or musical. I go to school where drama students can see regional theater productions for free. And we take advantage of that! The only time I ever encounter non-dramas seeing plays are when they are required or some sort of extra credit. Which leads me to ask… “Is Theater that boring?”
Do we need to have the set blow up in order to get people to see a play? People will shell out $10-$12 on movies with no substantial plot line or thought-provoking message as long as there’s nudity or fire. Maybe it could be the fact that theater is so expensive now. Some tickets cost over $135. However, it’s a trial to get people to see a high school production that is the same cost as a movie!
Now how do we change this? I am not entirely sure. I think the biggest problem is that the arts have been cut from many schools in the United States, so the exposure to the arts (especially theater) that would normally rope kids’ interest is no longer present. Should we make it more accessible to them outside of school? How do we do that? I don’t know yet.
Holly
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Iron Mannequins
I just came back from watching Iron Man, and it sparked some thoughts about why I tell stories -- my place as an artist and accountability for the message I’m portraying.
Although I’ll admit that certain parts of Iron Man can only be referred to as awesome, I spent the much of the movie incredibly offended by the portrayal of Muslims and Middle-Easterners. A chunk of the movie takes place in Afghanistan, and the Afghan people are portrayed either as terrorists running shouting with turbans on their head and guns in their hands, as the heaven-sent sidekick who dies too quickly to be given three-dimensional qualities, or as goat farmers.
What the screenwriters did was incredibly smart…they were given the charge to create a world exactly like our own except with the premise that this Iron Man superhero exists. By using Afghan terrorists as the villain and Afghan civilians as the innocent bystanders, the screenwriters created recognizable stereotypes that tug immensely at our heartstrings. These symbols are incredibly powerful tools which make for thrilling drama.
However, if I’m a thirteen-year-old boy, chances are I’ve seen Iron Man and haven’t seen something like Babel, yet alone have any understanding that all Middle-Eastern (or Muslim for that matter) countries cannot be clumped into the same lump. Do we fly every thirteen-year-old boy over to Dubai and say look: Middle-Easterners run the gamut (just as Americans do) and also have sophisticated first-world cities and three-dimensional cultures/people?
Yes, this film is a product of our time, just as it was pointed out to me that Indiana Jones did the same thing with villainous Germans, but it doesn’t cease to make my heart pound a little faster as I’m watching the desert-scenes in Iron Man.
Art with a message. There’ve been several discussions among the interns about this very topic -- the catalyst seeming to be Jodi and Annie’s master class about season selection which touched on this very issue.
Art and entertainment are a huge part of my world. A huge part of the modern world. And evidenced by the fact I have been spurred to write these thoughts down, I am hypersensitive to the incredible power stories have.
In my life, I have chosen to be a storyteller. I am just beginning to understand that the ability to tell a powerful story is very different than the ability to tell a truthful story. Perhaps I’m still too young to have the cynic-bug buzzing in my ear, but I still believe that every artist has been charged to expose a little truth in this world. “Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth.” Pablo Picasso.
In her recent opening night speech for Scramble!, Annie (with a wink) quoted the old Hollywood adage: “If you want to send a message, call Western Union.” However, I think Scramble! does more than meets the eye when it comes to truth-telling. Bringing a group of people together to laugh at the absurdity of office politics and the irrationality of what we get worked up over on a daily basis…that’s absolutely a story worth telling. And you know what?...it’s fun. And when I (god forbid) have a thirteen-year-old son, I’ll certainly plop him down in a seat for a show that tells the truth with a spoonful of sugar.
There is a place for many disparate kinds of entertainment – truth wrapped in both colorful tissue paper and chain-link. But a blockbuster hit (that will be translated into every language this world has to offer) portraying something so blatantly and destructively one-sided, THAT I find simply…untrue.
What to do about it? I guess I'll keep telling stories. If you can't beat 'em, flood the system...
Amy.
Although I’ll admit that certain parts of Iron Man can only be referred to as awesome, I spent the much of the movie incredibly offended by the portrayal of Muslims and Middle-Easterners. A chunk of the movie takes place in Afghanistan, and the Afghan people are portrayed either as terrorists running shouting with turbans on their head and guns in their hands, as the heaven-sent sidekick who dies too quickly to be given three-dimensional qualities, or as goat farmers.
What the screenwriters did was incredibly smart…they were given the charge to create a world exactly like our own except with the premise that this Iron Man superhero exists. By using Afghan terrorists as the villain and Afghan civilians as the innocent bystanders, the screenwriters created recognizable stereotypes that tug immensely at our heartstrings. These symbols are incredibly powerful tools which make for thrilling drama.
However, if I’m a thirteen-year-old boy, chances are I’ve seen Iron Man and haven’t seen something like Babel, yet alone have any understanding that all Middle-Eastern (or Muslim for that matter) countries cannot be clumped into the same lump. Do we fly every thirteen-year-old boy over to Dubai and say look: Middle-Easterners run the gamut (just as Americans do) and also have sophisticated first-world cities and three-dimensional cultures/people?
Yes, this film is a product of our time, just as it was pointed out to me that Indiana Jones did the same thing with villainous Germans, but it doesn’t cease to make my heart pound a little faster as I’m watching the desert-scenes in Iron Man.
Art with a message. There’ve been several discussions among the interns about this very topic -- the catalyst seeming to be Jodi and Annie’s master class about season selection which touched on this very issue.
Art and entertainment are a huge part of my world. A huge part of the modern world. And evidenced by the fact I have been spurred to write these thoughts down, I am hypersensitive to the incredible power stories have.
In my life, I have chosen to be a storyteller. I am just beginning to understand that the ability to tell a powerful story is very different than the ability to tell a truthful story. Perhaps I’m still too young to have the cynic-bug buzzing in my ear, but I still believe that every artist has been charged to expose a little truth in this world. “Art is a lie that makes us realize the truth.” Pablo Picasso.
In her recent opening night speech for Scramble!, Annie (with a wink) quoted the old Hollywood adage: “If you want to send a message, call Western Union.” However, I think Scramble! does more than meets the eye when it comes to truth-telling. Bringing a group of people together to laugh at the absurdity of office politics and the irrationality of what we get worked up over on a daily basis…that’s absolutely a story worth telling. And you know what?...it’s fun. And when I (god forbid) have a thirteen-year-old son, I’ll certainly plop him down in a seat for a show that tells the truth with a spoonful of sugar.
There is a place for many disparate kinds of entertainment – truth wrapped in both colorful tissue paper and chain-link. But a blockbuster hit (that will be translated into every language this world has to offer) portraying something so blatantly and destructively one-sided, THAT I find simply…untrue.
What to do about it? I guess I'll keep telling stories. If you can't beat 'em, flood the system...
Amy.
A Strange Day for the Education Intern
There are those days in all of our lives when we get to experience feeling infinite, immortal even. And it is usually on those very same days when we also experience feeling incredibly helpless, mortal, small.
Any time you go to a new place and experience new things and people you're bound to go through a lot of ups and downs. Let me re-phrase that. One of the things I try to do in all of my classes is encourage everyone to speak for themselves (i.e. I feel, I think, I experienced this, I noticed that). So, I've noticed that when I go to a new place where I experience new things and new people I tend to go through a lot of ups and downs. Today was one of those days where I experienced both sides of the spectrum. It has left me feeling a little . . . lost, but amused.
Last night was opening and at the after party I had a lot of interesting converstations with people about theatre for social change and diversity in this state and in this country. That combined with some conversations I had with my superiors in the education department at the opening party left my head spinning. I went home and chewed on some ideas, and woke up convinced that I needed to make my voice heard on some subjects. So I went to work, spoke up on some ideas I had, and what do you know? I was heard. Isn't that amazing?
I taught my second clown class today. While there were some technical diffficulties (the ipod speaker I bought just before I came here is broken) and while the class had less people in attendance than I would normally like, I got to (finally) really delve into some concepts that I think are important. I was able to really start showing the apprentices what it is that I love so much about clown, and by association theatre. And it was amazing! It was fantastic! I learned so much about myself as a teacher and about them as people. And best of all? They had fun. They loved it! It was one of those moments that makes you feel like you're flying. It was one of those moments that makes you feel like you have touched the immortal.
Afterwards we did concessions and we listened to the symposium speakers, and that was great. Lots of new information, lots of ideas, lots more problems that I feel it is up to people like me to fix. And of course I have no idea how. But on a day like today, you just feel like maybe it's possible. Maybe it is possible for my generation to fix what's wrong with the whole system of marriage. Maybe it's possible for my generation to fix equality in the work place. Maybe my generation can fix family values in society. Maybe I can be a part of that. Maybe theatre is, or can be, or will be a key element in fixing those problems.
So I leave the theatre feeling high as a kite and yet that the weight of the world is on my shoulders, but optimistic none the less, and what happens? I have a flat tire. Great. I have to wait for the AAA guy to come and put my spare on because I don't have a tire iron. So that happens, I'm driving back my gimpy car to Fairfield, and I decide that this crappy situation means that I am intitled to some Arby's. So I pull into the Arby's, I place the order, I get to the window, the guy gives me my drink, I give him my money and I drive away. It's not until I've gone about 2 more miles that I realize I have driven off without my food. Now I don't know how many people are aware of this, but as interns at the Westport Country Playhouse we don't get paid very much. I am no longer in college, I am almost 25, I am no longer supported by my parents, so I can't call mom and ask for money when I need a new tire. So I was already calculating if I had enough money to buy a new tire, when I realize that I have just wasted 6 of my hard earned dollars on food that I drove off without.
You know what I did next?
I laughed.
I laughed all the way back to my house, all the way up the stairs, and laughed while telling the girls up stairs my tale of stupidity. So I thought, what the heck, lets continue the splurge.
I ordered chinese while we watched the second season of Weeds on DVD, then we went to the $4 movie theatre and saw Iron Man (my second time). Just an all around good night of hanging out with some people who I am really enjoying getting to know.
We were walking out of the movie theatre when my body decided it wanted to bring me back to earth yet again. I have what we would call a trick leg. My left ankle is fused at 90 degrees, and while normally this doesn't effect me (other than the fact that I can't wear high heels) sometimes it likes to remind me that I am not super woman. So tonight as this group of us are walking back to the house, I have to do what I never do, what I loathe to do, call attention to the fact that I am not perfect. "Hey guys, I'm having a problem, can we walk a little slower?" I opperate under a strict policy that I do not use my ankle as an excuse under any circumstances. I don't like to show pain, just like I rarely ever cry in front of people. So tonight I had to show weakness. Tonight I had to show mortality.
I don't understand why it should bother me so much when it is the human in us that brings us together. It is our mortality that makes us all the same. It is how we connect. It is how we endear ourselves to each other. I love the humanity I find in the people around me. Why would I ever hold myself to a different standard?
All this to say, that at the end of the night, I've hit another high. I've just realized that tomorrow I will be spending several hours in the same room with Joanne Woodward and Christopher Walken. The apprentices are going to be watching the rehearsal for Arsenic and Old Lace tomorrow and I get to be with them. Tomorrow, once again, this glorious opportunity that we call an internship is going to allow me to do something amazing. Tomorrow, for a short time, I get to brush against immortalty. So for tonight, I am going to close my eyes and breathe deeply. Maybe in my dreams the answers to all the heavier questions of today will be answered, but for right now I'm just going to breathe.
~ Laura (Roux)
Any time you go to a new place and experience new things and people you're bound to go through a lot of ups and downs. Let me re-phrase that. One of the things I try to do in all of my classes is encourage everyone to speak for themselves (i.e. I feel, I think, I experienced this, I noticed that). So, I've noticed that when I go to a new place where I experience new things and new people I tend to go through a lot of ups and downs. Today was one of those days where I experienced both sides of the spectrum. It has left me feeling a little . . . lost, but amused.
Last night was opening and at the after party I had a lot of interesting converstations with people about theatre for social change and diversity in this state and in this country. That combined with some conversations I had with my superiors in the education department at the opening party left my head spinning. I went home and chewed on some ideas, and woke up convinced that I needed to make my voice heard on some subjects. So I went to work, spoke up on some ideas I had, and what do you know? I was heard. Isn't that amazing?
I taught my second clown class today. While there were some technical diffficulties (the ipod speaker I bought just before I came here is broken) and while the class had less people in attendance than I would normally like, I got to (finally) really delve into some concepts that I think are important. I was able to really start showing the apprentices what it is that I love so much about clown, and by association theatre. And it was amazing! It was fantastic! I learned so much about myself as a teacher and about them as people. And best of all? They had fun. They loved it! It was one of those moments that makes you feel like you're flying. It was one of those moments that makes you feel like you have touched the immortal.
Afterwards we did concessions and we listened to the symposium speakers, and that was great. Lots of new information, lots of ideas, lots more problems that I feel it is up to people like me to fix. And of course I have no idea how. But on a day like today, you just feel like maybe it's possible. Maybe it is possible for my generation to fix what's wrong with the whole system of marriage. Maybe it's possible for my generation to fix equality in the work place. Maybe my generation can fix family values in society. Maybe I can be a part of that. Maybe theatre is, or can be, or will be a key element in fixing those problems.
So I leave the theatre feeling high as a kite and yet that the weight of the world is on my shoulders, but optimistic none the less, and what happens? I have a flat tire. Great. I have to wait for the AAA guy to come and put my spare on because I don't have a tire iron. So that happens, I'm driving back my gimpy car to Fairfield, and I decide that this crappy situation means that I am intitled to some Arby's. So I pull into the Arby's, I place the order, I get to the window, the guy gives me my drink, I give him my money and I drive away. It's not until I've gone about 2 more miles that I realize I have driven off without my food. Now I don't know how many people are aware of this, but as interns at the Westport Country Playhouse we don't get paid very much. I am no longer in college, I am almost 25, I am no longer supported by my parents, so I can't call mom and ask for money when I need a new tire. So I was already calculating if I had enough money to buy a new tire, when I realize that I have just wasted 6 of my hard earned dollars on food that I drove off without.
You know what I did next?
I laughed.
I laughed all the way back to my house, all the way up the stairs, and laughed while telling the girls up stairs my tale of stupidity. So I thought, what the heck, lets continue the splurge.
I ordered chinese while we watched the second season of Weeds on DVD, then we went to the $4 movie theatre and saw Iron Man (my second time). Just an all around good night of hanging out with some people who I am really enjoying getting to know.
We were walking out of the movie theatre when my body decided it wanted to bring me back to earth yet again. I have what we would call a trick leg. My left ankle is fused at 90 degrees, and while normally this doesn't effect me (other than the fact that I can't wear high heels) sometimes it likes to remind me that I am not super woman. So tonight as this group of us are walking back to the house, I have to do what I never do, what I loathe to do, call attention to the fact that I am not perfect. "Hey guys, I'm having a problem, can we walk a little slower?" I opperate under a strict policy that I do not use my ankle as an excuse under any circumstances. I don't like to show pain, just like I rarely ever cry in front of people. So tonight I had to show weakness. Tonight I had to show mortality.
I don't understand why it should bother me so much when it is the human in us that brings us together. It is our mortality that makes us all the same. It is how we connect. It is how we endear ourselves to each other. I love the humanity I find in the people around me. Why would I ever hold myself to a different standard?
All this to say, that at the end of the night, I've hit another high. I've just realized that tomorrow I will be spending several hours in the same room with Joanne Woodward and Christopher Walken. The apprentices are going to be watching the rehearsal for Arsenic and Old Lace tomorrow and I get to be with them. Tomorrow, once again, this glorious opportunity that we call an internship is going to allow me to do something amazing. Tomorrow, for a short time, I get to brush against immortalty. So for tonight, I am going to close my eyes and breathe deeply. Maybe in my dreams the answers to all the heavier questions of today will be answered, but for right now I'm just going to breathe.
~ Laura (Roux)
Electrics
So when they told me we were making an intern blog, I was skeptical. I'm Ashley, the lighting/electrics intern, and, as I've been told by a couple of the other interns, I'm a little rough around the edges. I'm kind of rude, not very tactful (my version of tact is simply not talking) but I figured I'd give it a shot and just remember to proof-read my entries every time, heh heh.
On to what I do: I pretty much shadow Jim, our House Electrician. Between shows we work 8-hour days taking one show down and putting the other show in the air; hanging lights, cabling, patching, cuing. Then we move into tech and do 16-hour days making sure the whole thing isn't going to burst into flame. That whole changover/tech process is done in the space of a 7-day work week. During the shows I run the board (I make sure the rig is working and then go to the booth and press GO for 2 hours.) It's a pretty decent gig, and I meet some interesting people, including New York designers and the local IATSE guys (not all guys; I've seen a couple girls!). I play with electricity and heights, and when I tell my mother about my day-to-day tasks, all she can say is "you're giving me gray hairs!"
Last night we opened SCRAMBLE! and it was pretty boss. Decent crowd, excellent after-party (we got to be outside this time; for Hot 'n' Cole it was raining so we were stuck in the lobby). The after-after-party at the Babe Bungalow (our affectionate name for the Beach House) ended with four of us girls zonked out on the couches upstairs in front of the TV with my Scrubs DVD still scrolling through Play All mode, still in our party dresses! Now on to the chill part of my job: the show calls. Speaking of which, I gotta go to one right now!
Edit later on: Matinees, as I'm sure everyone who's worked in theatre knows, are SO bizarre! The crowds are so different from the night crowds, and they tend to laugh at stuff I'd never even think was funny. Closing night is the same way, and when there is a matinee on closing day, you don't know WHAT's gonna happen! For those of you who are theatre-goers, this is me sharing the following secret: theatre is unique in that it's an interactive experience; you don't realize it from the house, but the audience has a lot to do with the energy on-stage. We analyze you just as much as you analyze the show! Wacky, I know, but that's also one of my favorite things about theatre, is that the audience isn't totally passive, they're part of what makes the show unique every night (and why companies run Preview shows (-; )
On to what I do: I pretty much shadow Jim, our House Electrician. Between shows we work 8-hour days taking one show down and putting the other show in the air; hanging lights, cabling, patching, cuing. Then we move into tech and do 16-hour days making sure the whole thing isn't going to burst into flame. That whole changover/tech process is done in the space of a 7-day work week. During the shows I run the board (I make sure the rig is working and then go to the booth and press GO for 2 hours.) It's a pretty decent gig, and I meet some interesting people, including New York designers and the local IATSE guys (not all guys; I've seen a couple girls!). I play with electricity and heights, and when I tell my mother about my day-to-day tasks, all she can say is "you're giving me gray hairs!"
Last night we opened SCRAMBLE! and it was pretty boss. Decent crowd, excellent after-party (we got to be outside this time; for Hot 'n' Cole it was raining so we were stuck in the lobby). The after-after-party at the Babe Bungalow (our affectionate name for the Beach House) ended with four of us girls zonked out on the couches upstairs in front of the TV with my Scrubs DVD still scrolling through Play All mode, still in our party dresses! Now on to the chill part of my job: the show calls. Speaking of which, I gotta go to one right now!
Edit later on: Matinees, as I'm sure everyone who's worked in theatre knows, are SO bizarre! The crowds are so different from the night crowds, and they tend to laugh at stuff I'd never even think was funny. Closing night is the same way, and when there is a matinee on closing day, you don't know WHAT's gonna happen! For those of you who are theatre-goers, this is me sharing the following secret: theatre is unique in that it's an interactive experience; you don't realize it from the house, but the audience has a lot to do with the energy on-stage. We analyze you just as much as you analyze the show! Wacky, I know, but that's also one of my favorite things about theatre, is that the audience isn't totally passive, they're part of what makes the show unique every night (and why companies run Preview shows (-; )
Friday, July 11, 2008
"Hey Bruce, Just Checkin' In..." EXPLAINED!
It all started when interns Christine Lucas and Amy Claussen needed to leave a voicemail for Bruce that went much like this:
“Hey, Bruce. Just checkin’ in…
Is it normal for the Norwalk bridge to be stuck in the up position?
P.S. is there any way a van could drive onto the train tracks?
Thanks! You rock. Talk to you soon!”
Yes…early on in our summer, the interns learned that when things go wrong at the Playhouse, who ya gonna call? Bruce Miller! (imagine the Ghostbusters theme)
It didn’t take long before a trend started…and WHAHLAH! Brucemail was born. Brucemail is much like a voicemail, except your call actually gets returned and requests get done efficiently (and with a Steaz). Better yet, if you don’t have a reason to actually call Bruce (or can’t get to your handy cellular because of badger infestation), brucemail can be uttered (or blogged) at any time at any moment. Don't worry...we all know the big man upstairs (in the production office) will hear.
But before you start brucemailling all over the place, you must take heed of the rules (VERY IMPORTANT! This is theater; it’s gotta have some structure…unless you’re in Germany in the thirties.)
RULES:
1) A brucemail must begin with “Hey, Bruce. Just checkin’ in.”
2) Somewhere in the brucemail, the brucemailler must ask for some kind of advice. For example: “Are ants in Connecticut supposed to have wings?”
3) Also in a brucemail, there must be a request for something from the Papa himself. For example: “Do you have the number for crane rental?”
4) All calls must be polite and end with a friendly goodbye as follows: “Thanks! (insert farewell of your choice here) Talk to you soon!
Here is an example of a perfectly-constructed brucemail:
“Hey, Bruce. Just checkin’ in…
Does Fairfield County have regulations on exotic imports?
P.S. the only leashes I could find are for the lapsapoos – anything bigger?
Thanks! Cuddles! Talk to you soon!”
Now the power is yours. Use it wisely, playhouse staff.
Amy.
“Hey, Bruce. Just checkin’ in…
Is it normal for the Norwalk bridge to be stuck in the up position?
P.S. is there any way a van could drive onto the train tracks?
Thanks! You rock. Talk to you soon!”
Yes…early on in our summer, the interns learned that when things go wrong at the Playhouse, who ya gonna call? Bruce Miller! (imagine the Ghostbusters theme)
It didn’t take long before a trend started…and WHAHLAH! Brucemail was born. Brucemail is much like a voicemail, except your call actually gets returned and requests get done efficiently (and with a Steaz). Better yet, if you don’t have a reason to actually call Bruce (or can’t get to your handy cellular because of badger infestation), brucemail can be uttered (or blogged) at any time at any moment. Don't worry...we all know the big man upstairs (in the production office) will hear.
But before you start brucemailling all over the place, you must take heed of the rules (VERY IMPORTANT! This is theater; it’s gotta have some structure…unless you’re in Germany in the thirties.)
RULES:
1) A brucemail must begin with “Hey, Bruce. Just checkin’ in.”
2) Somewhere in the brucemail, the brucemailler must ask for some kind of advice. For example: “Are ants in Connecticut supposed to have wings?”
3) Also in a brucemail, there must be a request for something from the Papa himself. For example: “Do you have the number for crane rental?”
4) All calls must be polite and end with a friendly goodbye as follows: “Thanks! (insert farewell of your choice here) Talk to you soon!
Here is an example of a perfectly-constructed brucemail:
“Hey, Bruce. Just checkin’ in…
Does Fairfield County have regulations on exotic imports?
P.S. the only leashes I could find are for the lapsapoos – anything bigger?
Thanks! Cuddles! Talk to you soon!”
Now the power is yours. Use it wisely, playhouse staff.
Amy.
A View From The Wings
I often wonder why I ever chose theatre, namely, stage management as a career path. As a recent college graduate I am quickly learning this business is difficult. There is little money, there is little certainty of employment and there is little stability. But then, there is always that moment...
An adreniline rush, butterflies fluttering in my stomach and a smile to myself backstage when I realize I am actively making my dreams come true. It is in that moment when I realize that stage managers and theatre technicians are magicians! Although we are unseen by the audience, we have the power to help them believe the unbelievable!
This moment was tonight just as the house lights went out. This moment happens in an instant and if I don't pause right then and there to take stock of and relish in the fire and passion I have for my work...I may never be able to recall it at the moment I wished I "had been a business major instead."
Julie*
An adreniline rush, butterflies fluttering in my stomach and a smile to myself backstage when I realize I am actively making my dreams come true. It is in that moment when I realize that stage managers and theatre technicians are magicians! Although we are unseen by the audience, we have the power to help them believe the unbelievable!
This moment was tonight just as the house lights went out. This moment happens in an instant and if I don't pause right then and there to take stock of and relish in the fire and passion I have for my work...I may never be able to recall it at the moment I wished I "had been a business major instead."
Julie*
This is just a test
Testing ...testing one, two ...
okay good.
Welcome, Fáilte, Benvenuto, Oideru, Willkommen, Zayt vilkum!
This is the blog spot for all 16 of the interns at the Westport Country Playhouse for the summer of 2008 (except for Kate who seems to have created her own blog). Hopefully by the end you will know each of us and can name all 16. Can I name all 16? Let's find out-
Laura Jernigan (that's me) also known as Roux - Education Intern
Megan - Wardrobe
Amy - Artistic (directing)
Helen- Props
Julie - Stage management
Holly - Finance
Josh - Development
Mike - Production
Brian - Production
Ashley - Electrics
Kim - Scenic Painting
Christine (Chris) - Stage Management
Rachel - Marketing
Sarah - Company Management
Kate - Administrative (I think that's wrong)
Kristen - Administrative
I think that's all of us. Got it? Good, you'll be tested later.
So we're going to try and tell you guys what it is like to be an intern here. Hopefully we will all be delightfully witty. Well, at the very least, entertaining.
And if you are wondering why we titled our blog "Hey Bruce, Just Checking In" you'll have to ask Amy. Maybe she'll even blog about it . ..
this was only a test
okay good.
Welcome, Fáilte, Benvenuto, Oideru, Willkommen, Zayt vilkum!
This is the blog spot for all 16 of the interns at the Westport Country Playhouse for the summer of 2008 (except for Kate who seems to have created her own blog). Hopefully by the end you will know each of us and can name all 16. Can I name all 16? Let's find out-
Laura Jernigan (that's me) also known as Roux - Education Intern
Megan - Wardrobe
Amy - Artistic (directing)
Helen- Props
Julie - Stage management
Holly - Finance
Josh - Development
Mike - Production
Brian - Production
Ashley - Electrics
Kim - Scenic Painting
Christine (Chris) - Stage Management
Rachel - Marketing
Sarah - Company Management
Kate - Administrative (I think that's wrong)
Kristen - Administrative
I think that's all of us. Got it? Good, you'll be tested later.
So we're going to try and tell you guys what it is like to be an intern here. Hopefully we will all be delightfully witty. Well, at the very least, entertaining.
And if you are wondering why we titled our blog "Hey Bruce, Just Checking In" you'll have to ask Amy. Maybe she'll even blog about it . ..
this was only a test
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