365 Days

It's the last day of the 2006, and I'm finally getting to put some of my thoughts down from the whirl-wind week of shows from December 11th- December 17th.

Even before we read our plays for Week 5 of 365 Days/ 365 Plays, Andrew, Llysa and I thought it would be wonderful to present the shows in public places, speaking to the idea that 'Art is all around you'. After we had the opportunity to read through our seven plays we all agreed that our instincts were right, and that our stage would literally be on the streets, sidewalks, cafe's, library, etc...in Ballard.

While performing in public spaces you can always count on the unexpected to happen; we certainly did NOT expect to have so many special effects by Mother Nature! We had the usual rain and the cold of a Seattle December; however, that was joined by the monster wind storm on Thursday the 14th. Half of our cast couldn’t even make it to the performance location due to power outages and flooding! However, we kept firm to the motto of “show up and work with what you’ve got” and we glad that we did! (As were our audience members from Thursday night who showed up in full waders and boating gear!)

December 11th: What do you see? Was perfect for a cafe location. And thankfully right at the hub of downtown Ballard is the lovely Cupcake Royale. With the blessings of the manager there, we were able to set up camp every night of our week (as well as have access to acquire a number of cupcakes and cups of tea while we were at it!)

As the week progressed more and more audience members came with the intention of following the plays, but we even managed to convince a few unsuspecting cupcake connoisseurs to grab their coats and follow along!

I think my favorite thing about What Do You See was our integration of one the constants "Action in Inaction" which began outside on the ledge attached to the main window and then wove inside and into December 11th's play.

December 12th: Jaywalking was one of my favorite plays from the start. With it's fun banter and joyous release followed by it's dive down into despair, it was wonderful doing it out on the sidewalk where three different crosswalks convened. We announced the play's title with one of the characters using sidewalk chalk to write the date and title on the pavement in front of the audience.

After a long moment of seeing each of the characters facing their demons, the audience was called across the street by a "spot-lit" umbrella and a portable boom box. As the audience crossed the street, (not jaywalking!) facts were interjected relating to things and events that have taken place on December 13th through the years.

December 13th: Learning English we had originally thought of staging in a mirrored stairwell a few buildings down from our eventual performance site. As our first choice was not available for our use, we thankfully found a second choice and with great results! The acoustics in this building were phenomenal!

Learning English was the first of our plays that we did a lot of collaborative work on as an ensemble. We did free write exercises that delved into our personal takes on education as well as what we felt we needed to learn most in life. These exercises helped to shape our 'prologue' for this play. This coupled with our gesture work and the setting in our stairwell next to the Chamber of Commerce gave this piece the timeless and endless quality that it asked for.

Although we had hoped to have an original tune written for the song included in this day's text, we discovered with a few creative repeats, the lyrics worked beautifully sun to the tune of "Hard Times".

December 14th: Hippy led the audience through the lobby of the Ballard Health Club and up into a bright yellow alleyway where one actress announced the day's play by holding a sign up behind her while she stood with her hands on her hips. Spectators were allowed an intimate scene made public, along with the gym members passing through the action.

December 15th: 1000 South Kelly we set outside the Ballard public library. It's a beautiful building with a number of odd shaped metal chairs just outside the main entrance. By adding in a table, some candle light and some classic music, we were able to create a beautiful dinner setting. Again we used collective gesture work created by the ensemble to demonstrate the perfect table manners of this family unit.

We also did another round of free-write exercises on this play’s topic of prison. The lists that the cast came up with were inspiring and had to be incorporated into the piece.

Introducing December 15th’s play was a 'on-site' reporter who at one point instigated a call to the son on his cell phone interrupting dinner. She lured him out of his nuclear family with different technology toys and distractions until, too late, he was able to see that he was a prisoner. The family continued with their dinner gestures, but with the absence of the son, the table also disappeared. And now replacing the son in his chair, a television demanded the family's attention.

On our transition walk to our next location we led the audience via a chorus of cell phone rings and conversations over the phone while carrying lit shopping bags. Once we arrived at the bus stop on Market Street, the actors all went into their 365 tasks (Inaction in Action). This continued until a bus pulled up to the stop and with it arrived our actress who performed December 16th: This Is Probably Not A Play.


She stood up on the bench under the bus shelter and was then lit by cell phones, ipods and a flashlight. The simplicity and honesty of the text set in the darkness of the bus stop was stunning.

Immediately after the last line of December 16th play we moved right into the third Constant "Remember Who You Are". Sitting under a blanket on the same bench was “someone”; ready to watch over “someone else” as she slept. At the end of this play, ‘someone’ led the group of onlookers into a version of the song “The prayer for the one” which speaks to seeing God in all of us.

During the song lit umbrellas were passed out to cast members and then used to lead the audience forward to our final performance. The cast talked with audience members about their holiday decorations and traditions as they walked together.

December 17th: Tree was performed in the park on the corner of Market and Leary. In it are some wonderful art sculptures of trees high over head. These became our backdrop and potential holiday decorations for our ending couple.

The rest of the cast stood silently facing the street while standing on the park benches that arced around the corner of the park. And when it came time for the carolers to sing…“Angels we have heard on high” came floating over the audience.

At the end of the text, all were invited to join in. It was a lovely way to end our week of performances, in song, in the streets of Ballard with friends and strangers alike.


I hope that our cast will have the chance to post their comments and their memories from this week. They were a fantastic group of performers to work with!

Happy holly daze

Llysa here.

Well, well, well... it's 4 months since we've posted... more than a season! Solstice approaches - we are mid-Hannukah, the 3 Wise Guys would be on their march following a star, theater simple has finished roaming Ballard with a our art-is-where-you-may-stumble-across-it take on Suzan-Lori Park's 365Days/365 Plays (I already miss the cast meet-up at Cupcake Royale and it's been one day) and Andrew is off at his Other Play - a radio-play version of It's A Wonderful Life, where he gets to delight one an all with his spot-on Clarence Oddbody, Angel Second Class, and Tommy, who "thcuse's" himself when he "buwps".

Can I catch my breath? No, not really. The Christmas Crush is upon us, I'm driving to California on Saturday, present-buying has me stymied, and I have friends who still don't have power after the Big Windy Blow here in Seattle last week.
Oh well. It will all work out.

Oh! Did I mention... we're also getting the company ready to go to New York to pimp our wares... AHEM - entice producers to purchase our performance services at the Association of Performing Arts Presenters conference in January,(and go to the Under the Radar symposium at the Public Theatre) and do runouts of 52 PICK UP in February and March, before we return to Australia with a fabulously expanded Trailer Tales (which translates into Australian as CARAVAN CHRONICLES) for the Adelaide Fringe! For those of you unfamiliar with either title, it's a family reunion disguised as an intimate park show.
AND, we get to figure out a fantastic roving component we are calling Park Bench, that will whiz around the city (somehow - it will be on a small trailer) and we'll get to have conversations, and hopefully collect stories about a variety of topics. And maybe even PODCAST them. (We'll let you know how that goes.)

My to-do list includes updating the website (!), creating updated posters for APAP(!!) and figuring out the myriad of details involved in we simpletons creating a flexible show that also has rotating cast members that are somewhat improv, but also scripted and rehearsed.(!!!!!)
And then working these faboo people so they and we are all comfortable and secure in what the show is about, that we can collectively handle whatever the public might 'gift' us. Lucky for us, we'll be filling a chunk of our dance card with the stalwart denizens of Urban Myth Theatre of Youth in Adelaide. And hopefully others. I think it very important to have a range of ages in a family reunion.

But my actual original point ~ before I got sidetracked by the DETAILS ~ was that in terms of art, I find myself only getting to be immediately reactive to what has just happened, instead of having any time to think, or consider. It's all Blurt and Run. I hate feeling like that. It's like... if I just could hop off the merry-go-round for a little while - maybe only one ride - I could catch my breath, or refocus my eyes.. (Also on the To Do list: See the eye doctor.)

Actually, I am quite looking forward to driving for a long stretch. Once in the car, I can totally yak away with Bill (cousin) for 12 hours+, one way, no problem. But he also has an artistic heart that has gotten squinched and sqooshed lately, and I bet, after we clear the mental lint traps of the fuzz we have been accumulating, there will be some interesting art/poetry/movie/theater/music conversation, as well as some interesting considering silences.

[But just in case, I'm bringing a full ipod. Sheesh.]

But - I want to consider in the more than 36 hours I will be driving back and forth to and in Northern California - where is that inner space of time and distance to look close and far away at Big Ideas? And if you have somehow lost an inner perspective, how do you get it back? (And I say this in full recognition that the last time I asked a question anywhere approaching this, the universe answered with a Bang and compressed vertebra. That was a very effective and sobering way to reset. I don't necessarily recommend it, but your mileage may vary.)

I am currently thinking about: time, space and family tradition/ritual.
Question of the moment - What's your favorite present you have bought for someone this year? Why?

thoughts on the oyster, friends and time

Well, well - it is nearly a week since the rampant creativity of an oyster bbq FUNdraiser - the 17th or 18th annual of the type for we theater simpletons. Fairly straightforward idea: throw a party, fire up several barbecues, make a bunch of food and invite friends to do the same, then add a keg of great beer, a few gallons of some infamous sangria, and 40 dozen oysters. Ask pasl to bring friends, more food, and something to toss into the piggy bacnk to help fund more theatrical escapades.
Repeat as necessary.
Andrew and I are of the opinion that a good party should always repeat, and have its variations. This year they were foodie and croquet. Lots more kids, a few less dogs, but wow- GREAT weather. (We'll put in our request for next year.

The hurdles this year were numberous, not the least of which was: WHERE THE HELL ARE WE GOING TO FIND OYSTERS?? A rare heat spell had temporarily closed ALL the local oysters beds - just as we made our order. But we found 'em, and we're keeping 'em a secret, or we might not have them next year.

many thanks, by hte way, to the sponsors of this years oysters (Mel Nyffler and DINETTE, the fantastic bistro on Capitol Hill) and to the sponsors of the BEER, which was a marvelous Maritime Pacific brew, courtesy of Lowell's in Pike Market, and Mark, their groovy manager. (Talk about knowing your audience - he knows from artists and beer, ohhhhh yeah.)

Llysa
who counts herself in the 'foodie' group. And who thinks Monique is right - we do theater merely so we can create art, make friends, then eat great, artistically inspiring food with our artsy friends. Ergo - making art and creating theater is ultimately just the mechanism... for eating! lol

Open a Page (August 1st)

Today's quote:

"Art, like life, is understood through experience, not explanations. As theater artists, we cannot create an experience for an audience; rather, our job is to set up the circumstances in which an experience might occur. Artists are always dependent upon the person at the receiving end of their work."

--Anne Bogart, A Director Prepares (page 69)


This passage speaks to one of theater simple’s core beliefs: that the audience is smart, and that they love the chance to use their own imagination to follow us into the worlds that we create.

It is very seductive to try and ‘explain’ while you are creating work for the stage. (“Will anyone get this?!?”) However, my favorite memories as an audience member have been when I’ve fought through a moment (sometimes longer) of disorientation and found myself not only enjoying an experience, but stumbling upon comprehension much like we do in life itself. And the chance to explore that journey with the other members of the audience is where the true magic is.

“The audience grows together and becomes a group. There is the impression of a journey undertaken together, and a goal achieved.” ---Alfred Brendel

Open a Page (or...Thoughts on a Random Quote)

“Generally speaking, we can conclude that tradition, in the sense we use the word, means “frozen”. It is a frozen form, more or less obsolete, reproduced through automatism. There are a few exceptions, such as when the quality of the old form is so extraordinary that even today life remains in it, in the way that some very old people remain incredibly alive and touching. However, all form is deadly. There is no form, beginning with ourselves, that is not subject to the fundamental law of the universe: that of disappearance. All religion, all understanding, all tradition, all wisdom accepts birth and death…”

Peter Brook, The Open Door (page 59-60)


To get us started off blogging away. I thought it would be fun to literally "open a page". So today, I picked up a book that I had been meaning to re-read and opened it to a random page from which I pulled today's quote.

So, do you believe that there is a fundamental law in the universe that speaks to everything's eventual disappearance? And what about tradition? It is a solid foundation from which to draw from that allows us to achieve without having to re-invent the wheel? Or conversely is it a shackle that prevents us from dreaming, seeing, learning, or communicating in new ways?

Mr. Brook is referring, in the passage, to the benefits of not being ‘tied’ to traditional forms of generating or performing theater. Taken out of context, we can have a little more fun with it and make it even more personal.

In reading this passage, I'm reminded of the many ways that we try to 're-invent' ourselves every day: How people see us, what kind of person we strive to be, what kind of health or shape we're in.... but I don’t know that who we were, or what steps came before our current destination ever truly disappear. (We may wish that some would, but these are usually the things that cling tightest to us!)

It’s my opinion that we need question our past. We need to truly understand our traditions and habits. Be it from our parents, our heritage, our religion or just the daily life patterns we’ve led for year after year, we still need to strive to reach higher, or at least outside of the zone where we are used to functioning. One of my favorite things that Peter Brook ever said was that…”we need to allow each other to fail gracefully” because it’s in these failures that grand ideas will appear.

This is just one of the reasons that I love theater, the creation, fruition of and eventual release of ideas and labor to whatever end. We hope for our ideas and labors to support the best and the brightest, the creation of the “Aha!” moment for every single audience member who comes to witness what we’ve done. But truth be told, those moments are few and far between, and they usually lie within a flower bed of compost ideas that doesn’t always smell sweet. ;)

So this returns to my thought earlier. I don’t believe that things ever disappear (even traditions) Instead, I believe that they fade or breakdown into a ‘mulch’ of sorts that help support other ideas or methods that are just starting to sprout.

And we feebly begin...

OK - months after I got all energized and created this(on my birthday no less) in Adelaide, Australia during our fringe time there, I am actually, for real and truly, POSTING to it. Lamely, feebly, and soon - much better. This is for all intents and purposes, merely a TEST.

So -

TEST.

One. Two. Zebra.

Thanks.

SOON - I promise - all sorts of mischief and creatively lazy plots will be revealed.

Llysa