Daily Archives: June 22, 2008

quotes

i want them to give it to me

“The unusual thing about me as a choreographer is that I don’t start with movement. It’s because my pieces are always story-led. The movement doesn’t happen until we get in the studio. It’s very collaborative. I wouldn’t stand in front of the mirror working out choreography because I’m older now and I’ve got fantastic dancers who can do things I could never do. It’s their personalities I’m interested in so I’m not going to give it to them; I want them to give it to me.”

“If I stop and think about it, the satisfaction I get… well, I could die tomorrow a happy man. The journey is so perfect for me. It makes me less ambitious and more concentrated on what I really want, and that’s the company. That’s what I’ve always really loved, and what I’ve done since I was a kid. I used to get people from my street together to put on a show in the bedroom or the garden, and even then I’d call them my company.”

– Matthew Bourne, from an interview in the SCOTSMAN.
He seems so happy with his process and his collaborators.
I, too, could die tomorrow a happy man, were I a man,
(Beatrice: “Oh, were I a man!”…)
knowing about the collaboration about to happen today.

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theater

Liz Lerman critical response

Ethan shared this with me – it’s an interesting rubric for how to moderate discussion of a work in progress. I don’t know if I will use it or not – it depends on how many people stick around for the discussion, it may not be necessary.

I realized in reading through the script yesterday that there are a lot of deaths and a lot of endings – it’s kind of like Matrix 3 in that way. I expect that to be among the feedback – not knowing when it’s over, not knowing if it’s over, which is frequently a problem I had when directing.

Liz Lerman Critical Response

The responsibilities of the responders are twofold: 1) not to bring their own agenda to work they are responding to and 2) have a desire for the artist to do her/his best work. Responders are attempting to help the artist create her/his piece, not to create their own. It is important for responders, as hard as this may be, to not bring their own bias and expectations to the process.

The responsibility of the artist is to be honest and open. The artist needs to be in a place where they can question their own work in a somewhat public environment. Also, it is the motivation and meaning of the creator that is the basis on which feedback is given, so the artist should be very clear about her/his intent.

PROCESS STEPS

1. Affirmation and Observation
Responders give the artist either positive feedback about the work or moments that affected them. People want to hear that what they have just completed has meaning. The artist must work to really hear the comments. Responders need to try to make the palette of responses as wide as possible. Be specific and expansive in the use of vocabulary about the work.

2. Artist Questions Responders
Artist has the time to ask the viewers questions about the work. Be specific; nothing is too insignificant. The more the artist clarifies what s/he is working on, the more meaningful becomes the dialogue.

3. Responders Question Artist
Responders ask neutral questions of the artist about the work. It is very important not to be judgmental in the phrasing of the questions. This is a chance for the responders to help the artist step back and analyze the work. If given the chance, most criticisms can be stated or explored in this step in a neutral fashion.

4. Criticisms and Opinions
If there is a criticism that can’t be stated in the form of a neutral question, responders can express opinions about the work to the artist after they have asked permission of the artist. The artist is allowed to refuse at any time. The opinions should be positive criticism, based on problem-solving techniques. It may seem redundant to ask permission for every single criticism, but it is very important. This gives the artist control of this very sensitive step and creates a dialogue, albeit a very basic one.

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the chorus, theater

“today is gonna be the day…”

of the TO DIE IN ATHENS reading, this evening.

There are a lot of firsts here for me. I’ve had a lot of choruses in my life, but the music for this production is at a new level. The MOH&H music came close, but that was all improvised, so it wasn’t possible to have singing or the level of melodic specificity we do now. I’ve also never really strung sections from so many different Greek plays together in one spiderweb. And it’s the first time in a long time that a text I’m responsible for adapting is going semi-public. And it’s full-length. Although I am directing this reading, I see my contribution to this play as much more playwright than director. If I had been able to find someone else to direct it, I would have – and I’ll try to do that next time.

We have been working on this text, and this music, in one way or another, since February. I guess I’ve been on the script since November. This is the seventh draft, but only the 2nd to make it to a reading.

But I’ve been on the chorus since 1998. So, in that sense, ten years.

This is closer – every production gets closer – to what it should be, what it can be. I know it’s about the process, not about the destination. But it’s hard not to feel blisteringly excited about giving the chorus its music back. Its legs.

There are no professional destinations for this yet – and the translators’ rights muddle would be something else, if we were to try to really stage it. I don’t know what the next step is. I don’t care. It’s been a battle, and an honor, to try to get it this far. There will be another step, that’s for sure, but I won’t know that till after tonight. Chris keeps saying “When we record the album…”

“You go with head held high.” – the chorus, to Antigone.

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the chorus, theater

WCX, day 23

Day 23, Sat June 22
The day before the TO DIE IN ATHENS reading. Casting is finally completed, the script is done, the music is done. The work we have to do now is about stitching the quilt together.

Chris and I go to the theater and continue working through the rest of the show, stopping for every little thing that doesn’t make sense to us – every note, every stage direction, every transition. Hours. Some minor frustrations: a piano with sticky keys, a melody we thought we knew that we don’t, a section which, in retrospect, perhaps I could have cut. But we make it through. We psych ourselves out and get ready to start again.

When it’s done, we start the show again from the beginning – with me reading all the lines, and him playing all the music. I find myself getting overwhelmed by the language and actually acting, more than I have in years – trying to throw myself into Oedipus, Medea, and the others. I overdo it and have to pull back – I don’t have the vocal training to read, at full energy, and sing, for this long. But I wish I could. We stop a few times but not much.
Even with some stop-and-start it’s under an hour twenty.

Notes session and we’re done. We leave the theater after what feels like a lifetime. We are both exhausted, like running a marathon twice in a day. The show I was supposed to see this evening is sold out – the party I was supposed to go to is nearly over and miles away. No brain for anything else. We make it to the grocery store to buy food for the actors for tomorrow, and that’s it.

Collapse. Well deserved. Our of our hands.

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theater

LYDIA nominations

LYDIA, the show I assisted on in Denver, just got five Henry Award nominations (Colorado Theatre Guild) – for actress (both Onahoua and Stephanie), Ensemble Performance, New Play, Production, and Direction.

As long as we’re keeping score, SAGN at Portland Center Stage got Drammies for choreography, lighting, and set.

Some nice recognition for two really good productions.

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