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	<title>Rivendell Theatre Ensemble</title>

	<subtitle>Our Blog</subtitle>

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	<updated>2012-02-15T14:20:13Z</updated>

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	<entry>

		<title>Creating Theatre - An Artist's Journey</title>

		<link rel="alternate" href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/blog/2012/02/creating_theatre_an_artists_journey/124/"/>

		<id>tag:rivendelltheatre.org,2012-02-15:/blog/124/</id>

		<updated>2012-02-15T14:20:13Z</updated>

		<content type="html"><![CDATA[<div id="c505" class="module module_text" data-position="0"><p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;By Susan Gaspar</p>

<p style="text-align: left;">When Tara told me about this year's <em><strong><a href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/fresh_produce_women_at_war/" target="_blank">Fresh Produce</a></strong></em>, I was immediately intrigued. I had participated in <em>Fresh Produce</em> events in past years and had always had an inspiring and invigorating experience, so I was pleased to again be a part of this annual Rivendell Theatre Ensemble tradition. And after our first group meeting in December, I thought about the themes surrounding women in combat and tried to find a way to do an interview with a female soldier, which we all agreed might be a good place to begin.    <br />

<br />

I thought of a woman I knew from high school---someone I had not seen or spoken to in almost 30 years. She had joined the Army Reserves after graduation, had and had later chosen to make the Army her career. We had recently reconnected via Facebook and when I found out she currently lives in Los Angeles, I messaged her about a short phone interview, describing in brief the Women at War project. She agreed. I prepared a series of interview questions---questions I thought might illicit detailed, emotional responses---so that I could keep myself on track during the phone call and hopefully get some rich, personal insights that could be later transformed into a series of theatrical &quot;moments.&quot;<br />

<br />

The phone call went well and she answered my questions as best she could, but I quickly realized that some of them didn't really apply to her, and that she had a different story to tell. I put them aside and just let her talk, and asked leading questions when necessary to fill in the blanks. In our time on the phone, I took several pages of notes, which were vital in creating the piece. The honesty and openness I received from a woman I had not seen or spoken to in so long was extremely moving. She was very passionate about the military and it was clear she enjoyed making it her life's work.<br />

<br />

But how to create something theatrical from it all? There was so much information, all of it interesting, but much of it was stream of consciousness so I worried I would be overwhelmed. I figured I had to choose one small portion that might connect with an audience and then somehow flesh it out so it would work for the stage. I decided to take a section from one of the soldier&rsquo;s stories about her family and write it down as though I was a reporter telling the tale to an outsider. <br />

<br />

The story dealt with the pressure felt by the soldier&rsquo;s family and her internal conflict every time she had to leave home to serve---having to say goodbye to her husband and children and taking on the non-traditional role of bread-winner. It was something about which I had never given much thought, because we almost always see men as the ones who leave, and they are made to feel OK about that---if not made to feel like outright heroes---because they are doing it for the good of the family. But when the roles are reversed and the woman is the one to pack a bag and leave behind a spouse and children, it seems they can be judged and even vilified. Why? What would cause this, and why would supportive, loving family members turn on someone that way during such a stressful time? It seemed worth exploring.</p>

<p style="text-align: center;"><img width="350" height="255" src="http://rivendelltheatre.org/_userfiles/image/SGaspar.jpg" style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;" alt="" /></p>

<p style="text-align: left;">Even though I was glad to have narrowed the interview down to something manageable, I was still worried it wouldn't translate theatrically and have the impact I'd felt as the story was being told to me. This was where <a href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/megan_carney/" target="_blank">Megan Carney</a> worked her magic. <br />

<br />

Megan is a theater artist with more skills and talents than I can list---and she has a keen eye for what will work in any given circumstance. I knew the minute I passed her my excerpt that she would know what to do to make it lean, precise, and alive. After some discussion, we decided to build three roles and found actors to portray them (one of whom ended up being me). We also chose not to write a hard script---we decided that since mine was the only character who really verbalized in the scene, and since I was comfortable with improvisation, we would just come up with a few scripted beats and see what happened. <br />

<br />

That approach is one of the reasons I love working in theater, and why I adore improvisation: &quot;Let's just try it and see what happens.&quot; I feel my heart skip a beat whenever I get the chance to create that way, so the rehearsal we had was very exciting. I can only hope that the other actors, the fabulous Rebecca Spence and Michael Szeles, felt the same. It was such a joy to be in the brand new Rivendell theater space that day, rehearsing what would be a one-time-only, who-knows-what-will-happen scene. And without Megan's guidance we could have ended up with a murky idea that never left the ground.<br />

<br />

Instead we found a rhythm for the piece, quickly embraced our characters and relationships, and let those be our guide and safety net. We were able to take one aspect of a specific past incident between people we don&rsquo;t know and breathe life into it in the present. It seemed like such a small, fragile idea----but it was one that we all felt should be shared. And it was so satisfying to be able to show just one of the struggles faced by women in the military in such an intimate way. <br />

<br />

I feel honored to have been a part of this year's <em>Fresh Produce</em>. The new theater is just what is needed to showcase all the dedication, skill and passion that is wrapped up in Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. The building and its occupants can indeed create magic, and hopefully artists and audiences will feel it for years to come.</p></div>

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	</entry>

	<entry>

		<title>A Proud Moment - A Hell of a Party</title>

		<link rel="alternate" href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/blog/2012/02/a_proud_moment_a_hell_of_a_party/123/"/>

		<id>tag:rivendelltheatre.org,2012-02-10:/blog/123/</id>

		<updated>2012-02-10T11:56:10Z</updated>

		<content type="html"><![CDATA[<div id="c504" class="module module_text" data-position="0"><p>By Trisha Hooper</p>

<p>&ldquo;Look out, y&rsquo;all&hellip; Rivendell is throwing a party!&rdquo;</p>

<p>I don&rsquo;t know how many of you have been to a Rivendell celebration, but in addition to producing important and thought-provoking work &ndash; we throw a hell of a party. Especially when we have the opening of our brand new, gorgeous theatre to celebrate!</p>

<p>For those of you who couldn&rsquo;t join us on Wednesday for <a target="_blank" href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/fresh_produce_women_at_war/">Fresh Produce</a>, you missed a night of good food and drink, good friends, good theatre and an amazing amount of good will. I feel so overwhelmed by the support people have shown us throughout this process &ndash; we absolutely cannot do what we do without an entire community of support behind us.</p>

<p>We were host to over 80 people on Wednesday night (psst&hellip; that&rsquo;s 30 over our seating capacity&hellip; we were PACKED!) and I truly feel it was one of Rivendell&rsquo;s proudest moments. In addition to showing off our fancy new digs, we got to share new and exciting work with our patrons, continuing the Women at War theme that we&rsquo;ve been exploring for the past few seasons.</p>

<p>The issue of Women at War is so very important to Rivendell &ndash; and it is becoming more evident everyday that women in the military have issues that need to be addressed on a wider scale. We are honored to help bring awareness to the community, and to be able to do it with help from some amazing female veterans. Emily Siefken is one vet in particular who has been working with Rivendell on the<a target="_blank" href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/theater_of_war/"> Theater of War</a> and Women at War projects. She had this to say about the event on Wednesday:</p>

<p>&ldquo;Thank you all for welcoming me with open arms, hearing stories of military women, and actually, wholeheartedly, caring about them&hellip;. You are doing profound work.&rdquo;</p>

<p>In addition to having a great party, we have more great news from Wednesday &ndash; the generous donations we collected at the event helped us meet the minimum qualification for the 2-to-1 matching grant we received from the <a target="_blank" href="http://gddf.org/">Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation.</a> Yay Rivendell, and thanks to everyone that contributed!</p>

<p>I look forward to many more parties and events at our new home &ndash; can&rsquo;t wait to see you there!<br />

&nbsp;</p></div>

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	</entry>

	<entry>

		<title>The Forgotten 1%</title>

		<link rel="alternate" href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/blog/2012/02/the_forgotten_1_percent/122/"/>

		<id>tag:rivendelltheatre.org,2012-02-06:/blog/122/</id>

		<updated>2012-02-06T19:00:56Z</updated>

		<content type="html"><![CDATA[<div id="c503" class="module module_text" data-position="0"><p>by Tara Mallen, Rivendell Artistic Director</p>

<p>Last month Rivendell was proud to partner with <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/">Goodman Theatre</a> and the <a href="https://www.nvam.org/">National Veterans Art Museum</a> to produce two evenings of <a href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/theater_of_war/"><em>Theater of War: The Female Warrior Program</em></a>. These evenings consisted of a reading of excerpts from Sophocles' <em>Ajax </em>with a woman in the lead role (played by the magnificent Elizabeth Laidlaw with a wonderful supporting cast comprised of <a href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/keith_kupferer/">Keith Kupferer</a>, <a href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/kathy_logelin/">Kathy Logelin</a>, Mierka Girten, Guy Massey, Rebecca Spence and Mark Montgomery), followed by a panel discussion on war and its effect on servicemen and women. Approximately 200 veterans and their families attended. You can read Trisha's post about it <a href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/blog/">here</a>.</p>

<p>As many of you know, the theme of war as seen through a woman's lens is one that Rivendell has been committed to exploring for several years now. As our soldiers come home from overseas, I'm proud of the public awareness Rivendell is creating around this important issue, beginning with our <a href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/trojan_women/"><em>Trojan Women Project</em></a> last fall, continuing with the <a href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/the_lonely_soldier_monologues/">Veterans Day Commemoration in alliance with the National Veterans Arts Museum</a>, then<a href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/theater_of_war/"><em>Theater of War</em></a> collaboration with <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/season/TheaterWar_GetInvolved.aspx">Goodman Theatre</a> last month, and culminating this Wednesday with <a href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/fresh_produce_women_at_war/"><em>Fresh Produce 2012: Women at War</em></a>.</p>

<p>As I prepare for this Wednesday's event, memories from our <em>Theater of War</em> panel discussions come back to me. One member of the audience, a veteran, spoke about how the play awakened some new thoughts in him about his war experience. He was amazed by how the play was written over 2000 years ago, but we still have not found a better way to manage conflict as a society other than by going to war. We are still waging war today, and it is still scarring our servicemen and women. Not only have we failed to find a societal solution to war, but we also haven't found a way to assimilate veterans back into our society when a war is over. He was also struck by the theme of suicide in the play, because that also continues to be a real problem with veterans today.</p>

<p>He went on to talk about how veterans make up about 1% of our society - a very small minority. Military culture is so different from civilian culture that they feel very alienated when they come return from active duty. They're in a cultural no-mans-land: they're not active servicemen, but they're not civilians either. They are in limbo, making them feel alone and misunderstood. This alienation makes it extremely difficult for them to deal with the psychological effects of war and the horrors they've been through.</p>

<p>Another audience member commented about the character of Ajax, who felt such anger in the play. Ajax felt keenly that his own army's actions were unjust, and went against what he thought to be right. His own army didn't keep its promises to him, and he felt betrayed by them. This audience member said he really responded to that because, as a veteran, he has a lot of anger, too. When asked by a panelist what his anger is about specifically, he answered that he is an Iraq war veteran, and that he just doesn't know why he went to Iraq; that perhaps they were there under false pretenses; that their mission was unclear; and that he didn't know if they were actually doing good or harm. So when he came back home, instead of feeling like a hero he felt ashamed. He felt betrayed by his country, and that made him really angry, just like Ajax. He's been back since 2005, and is a little less angry now than he was then, but says that he can gauge how long a veteran has been back from the war by how angry he is.</p>

<p>Their comments made me realize the absolute importance of events like these. Those of us who are not part of that 1% still need to shoulder some responsibility as our soldiers come home and try to reestablish their lives. I believe that the arts can try to bridge gaps within a community and heal wounds in a culture that might otherwise be impossible to heal. The<em> Theater of War</em> readings offered these young veterans a chance to express their feelings in a public forum, where they felt supported and understood. They helped make what is so invisible to so many, finally visible. And most importantly, they helped foster a hopefully ongoing dialogue,  so we all can begin to fully understand how to support our returning warriors.</p>

<p>I am so honored that Rivendell had the opportunity to be part of  such an important event and I am really excited about further exploring the unique challenges that face female warriors specifically in today's military. We look forward to sharing these women's stories with you through our FRESH PRODUCE: Women At War 2012 new play development series over the next few months.</p>

<p>Our first <a href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/fresh_produce_women_at_war/"><em>Fresh Produce 2012: Women At War Salon</em></a> takes place this Wednesday night. Tickets are sold out!</p></div>

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	</entry>

	<entry>

		<title>Why is AJAX still relevant? How can art help? </title>

		<link rel="alternate" href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/blog/2012/01/why_is_ajax_still_relevant/121/"/>

		<id>tag:rivendelltheatre.org,2012-01-26:/blog/121/</id>

		<updated>2012-01-26T13:20:24Z</updated>

		<content type="html"><![CDATA[<div id="c502" class="module module_text" data-position="0"><p>by Trisha Hooper<br />

Rivendell Administrative Assistant<br />

<br />

The story of Ajax can be so jarring and horrific at times that it is hard to see any real world connection to the modern day military and its soldiers. Hearing the descriptions of Ajax slaughtering and torturing the animals she mistakes for her enemies, one can&rsquo;t help but catalog and place this event in the distant, savage past. But what if the things Ajax experiences are still experienced by soldiers today? <br />

<br />

The last two Wednesdays, Rivendell and <a href="http://www.goodmantheatre.org/">Goodman Theatre</a> presented <a href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/theater_of_war/"><em>Theater of War</em>:</a> a reading of excerpts of Sophocles&rsquo; <em>AJAX</em>, followed by a panel discussion for veterans and their families. After participating in these events and hearing veterans speak about their own experiences at war, I can now answer this question. <br />

<br />

The rage Ajax, played by a woman in this version, experiences in the play does resonate and ring true to soldiers and veterans today. The idea of a &ldquo;kill switch&rdquo; that is instilled in a soldier, one that is difficult to turn off once it is activated, is present throughout history and is still real today. The most important part of counseling a veteran is de-activating the automatic response training they received in the military. <br />

<br />

This seems like an impossible task &ndash; when someone returns from their military service filled with feelings of anger, betrayal and shame, how are we, as a society, to help re-integrate them back into our world? How do we take this former civilian (who will never really return to civilian life, instead becoming a veteran) and allow them to resume their post-deployment life? And can art, in any form, help? <br />

<br />

The answer to this is closer than one might think &ndash; another thing I learned in the post-reading discussion was that Sophocles may very well have written <em>AJAX </em>and other plays as part of a re-integration ceremony for returning Greek soldiers. Through gathering together &ndash; soldiers and civilians &ndash;in the amphitheater, and by watching a play about the soldiers&rsquo; experience, Sophocles was allowing a dialogue to take place about the experiences of war, and also allowing the soldiers a feeling of honor and support from the community. In societies where there are established rituals to honor warriors, the instances of PTSD and other post-combat problems are much lower. <br />

<br />

A soldier&rsquo;s life is so drastically different than that of the average civilian. It sometimes seems like bridging the gap between the two is impossible. Can art help bridge this gap? I think so.</p></div>

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	</entry>

	<entry>

		<title>30 Day Challenge! </title>

		<link rel="alternate" href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/blog/2012/01/blog_30_day_challenge/117/"/>

		<id>tag:rivendelltheatre.org,2012-01-12:/blog/117/</id>

		<updated>2012-01-12T14:53:53Z</updated>

		<content type="html"><![CDATA[<div id="c494" class="module module_text" data-position="0"><h1><span style="color: #660000">Three Ways to Help Spread the Word About Our New Home:</span></h1>

<p>by Bernadette Rapante, Administrative Intern</p>

<p>What better way to start the New Year off than with a challenge! At our ensemble meeting this past Monday, we came together to brainstorm ways to get the word out about our beautiful new home.</p>

<p>Many ensemble members, friends, staff, and donors have been working tirelessly to get our new theatre space ready before our first public event on February 8th -- just 30 days from our meeting last Monday! Excited ensemble members have already taken to social media to get the word out over these 30 days. That&rsquo;s our first step, and you can help!</p>

<p>Here's how:</p>

<ol>

    <li>Check your <a target="_blank" href="http://www.facebook.com/rivendelltheatre">Facebook</a> pages to and make sure that you are a fan of the Rivendell Theatre Ensemble page by clicking the blue &ldquo;Like&rdquo; button in the top, right hand corner.</li>

    <li>Do you Tweet? Rivendell does! Follow us on <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/rivendellthtr">Twitter</a> and re-tweet when we post about updates on the building and our shows!</li>

    <li>How many people do you run into everyday -- smashed together on the Redline, on the elevator after work, that old friend you see in the grocery store? Tell them ALL what we are up to! It only takes 30 seconds to explain that we have a new theatre and where to find us! Invite them to our Fresh Produce workshop and celebration on February 8th at 7pm to be part of our first audience!</li>

</ol>

<p>We are moving in! 5779 North Ridge Avenue! Spread the word!</p>

<p><img width="400" height="299" src="http://rivendelltheatre.org/_userfiles/image/Rivendell%20Theatre%205775%20N%20Ridge%20ext5%20by%20Victoria%20DeIorio.jpg" style="margin-left: 0pt; margin-right: 0pt;" alt="" /></p></div>

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	</entry>

	<entry>

		<title>A Look Into the Scenic Design Ideas of Precious Little</title>

		<link rel="alternate" href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/blog/2011/03/a_look_into_the_scenic_design_ideas_of_precious_little/107/"/>

		<id>tag:rivendelltheatre.org,2011-03-29:/blog/107/</id>

		<updated>2011-03-29T14:28:34Z</updated>

		<content type="html"><![CDATA[<div id="c443" class="module module_text" data-position="1"><p>By Chelsea Warren, Scenic Designer</p></div>

<div id="c442" class="module module_gallery" data-position="2">

	<h4></h4>

	

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		<a class="gallery" href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/_userfiles/media/modules/gallery/c442/chelseablogpic07.jpg" rel="lightbox-c442" title=""><img src="http://rivendelltheatre.org/_userfiles/media/modules/gallery/c442/t_chelseablogpic07.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a> 

		</div>

<div id="c441" class="module module_text" data-position="3"><p>The director Julieanne Ehre and I, along with the rest of the design team, had many meetings in which we discussed the both the play, its message, and the design possibilities. Immediately the scenic arch within the story captivated me:  in the beginning scenes take place in pockets of western institutional isolation and as the play progresses the spaces blurred into a fluid psychological space. Moreover, the idea of the play starting off with isolated pockets of realism was inspired by the language machine at the zoo that is used to dialogue with the &quot;talking gorilla&quot;, in which language is fragmented. By the end of the play, language has moved deeper, beyond human constructs, allowing locations to blur from one to the next.</p>

<p>I became very excited about the experience of the audience to actor relationship when drawing the ground plan (or bird&rsquo;s eye view of the design). I realized we could create this total sense of enclosure by creating theatre in the round, with the audience helping to create a sense of a glass enclosure. Inspired by the research from a British gorilla enclosure, I made the simple gesture of the interior of the space a step down from the perimeter, helping to create an interior and exterior space for viewers. Many ideas were discussed in how to further emphasize the overall enclosure by having structure at the four corners. In the end, we landed upon air craft cable lines, which help out with sightlines and on the diagonal blocking which is beneficial to theatre in the round, and still gives the psychological impression of glass corners.</p>

<p>I also would love to say that one of my favorite parts of the design process is sitting in tech and getting to hear scripts over and over. I know that this might sound like a boring part, but when you have complex writing it can be thrilling. Getting to listen to <a href="/precious_little/"><strong>Precious Little</strong></a> for a week was awesome, each day some new concept or linking theme became apparent to me! Thank you to Madeleine for writing such an interesting provocative play!</p></div>

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	</entry>

	<entry>

		<title>Precious Little: In the Ape House</title>

		<link rel="alternate" href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/blog/2011/03/precious_little_in_the_ape_house/105/"/>

		<id>tag:rivendelltheatre.org,2011-03-26:/blog/105/</id>

		<updated>2011-03-26T13:27:25Z</updated>

		<content type="html"><![CDATA[<div id="c440" class="module module_text" data-position="4"><p>By <a href="/meighan_gerachis/">Meighan Gerachis</a><br />

(currently appearing as &quot;Woman B&quot;&nbsp;in <a href="/precious_little/"><strong>Precious Little</strong></a>)</p>

<p><img width="140" height="187" border="2" align="right" src="http://rivendelltheatre.org/_userfiles/image/preciouslittle/meg&amp;gorilla.jpg" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px;" alt="" />Observe Gorillas at the zoo?</p>

<p>Really?? What about tagging along on a police patrol ( throw in some target practice)? Or researching the Elizabethan curtsy (a notoriously stiff affair- the arms were stretched out to the side with the hands resting on the edge of the farthingale) That would be cool new stuff. One of the best parts of being an actor is getting to inhabit another skin, often using a factual, researched jumping off place. The zoo, though? I know all about the zoo.</p>

<p>OH NO I DI-ENT!!!</p>

<p>From the first time we went for the photo shoot, when we were lucky enough to be in the Regenstein Ape House before the zoo opened, I was affected in a way I could never have anticipated. I was so compelled by the way everything the gorillas did was &quot;uncontaminated by ambivalence&quot; as Ms. George says. I know about the bonds between humans and their domesticated animal friends, but this was different. I was always just a little scared, even though there was no possibility of them coming through the glass.</p>

<p>When I was 5, my father told me not to close my closet door when I slept, or else it would activate the elevator from hell and the giant grey apes with the red eyes would come up.  I think I've moved past that, because this fear was more of an excited eagerness to connect. In an instant, I understood this character I'm playing (Brodie) and why she returns to the zoo again and again to be with these creatures.</p>

<p>I went many more times and sat quietly, telepathically willing one to come over close and visit with me. It was rare, but when one would hang out next to me, I felt so comfortable and hoped the moment would linger.</p>

<p>We actors never really know what will turn the key and open the world of the characters we play. It can be a conversation, a piece of music, or a good sandwich. In this case, it was the sureness and serene beauty of the gorillas at the Lincoln Park Zoo that made me know why Brodie would seek consolation from them when she was so petrified of her own vulnerability.</p></div>

]]></content>

	</entry>

	<entry>

		<title>Precious Little is Such a Joy</title>

		<link rel="alternate" href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/blog/2011/03/precious_little_is_such_a_joy/104/"/>

		<id>tag:rivendelltheatre.org,2011-03-23:/blog/104/</id>

		<updated>2011-03-23T08:58:31Z</updated>

		<content type="html"><![CDATA[<div id="c439" class="module module_text" data-position="5"><p>By <a href="/kathy_logelin/">Kathy Logelin</a><br />

(currently appearing as &quot;Woman C&quot;&nbsp;in <a href="/precious_little/"><strong>Precious Little</strong></a>)</p>

<p><img width="107" height="160" border="2" align="right" alt="" src="http://rivendelltheatre.org/_userfiles/image/preciouslittle/Kathy%20as%20Dre.jpg" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px;" />It's has been such a joy working on <a href="/precious_little/"><strong>Precious Little</strong></a> with Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. Working on a new play is always such a wonderful experience, and Madeleine's script is funny and touching and her voice is so unique. It's also been so great to be back at the DCA Storefront Theatre. The Storefront Theatre is such a gift to the Chicago Theatre community. I first performed there in 2007 with Seanachai Theatre in their production of <strong>War</strong>, and I really appreciate how dynamic the space can be. For that show we were in proscenium, and for <a href="/precious_little/"><strong>Precious Little</strong></a> we are in the round.</p>

<p>The look and feel of both of those environments is so different &mdash; it's so wonderful to walk into a theatre that you've been in before and feel as if you are in a totally new space. It's also a great opportunity for smaller Northside-based theatre companies to reach out to new downtown audiences. Some of my favorite moments of this experience have been talking to audience members after the show who were really moved by the production, and to find out that this is their first Rivendell experience!</p></div>

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	<entry>

		<title>Precious Little's Stage Manager on Keeping Calm</title>

		<link rel="alternate" href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/blog/2011/03/precious_littles_stage_manager_on_keeping_calm/103/"/>

		<id>tag:rivendelltheatre.org,2011-03-21:/blog/103/</id>

		<updated>2011-03-21T12:00:27Z</updated>

		<content type="html"><![CDATA[<div id="c438" class="module module_text" data-position="6"><p>By <a href="/stephanie_hurovitz/">Stephanie Hurovitz</a></p>

<p><img width="150" border="2" align="right" height="169" alt="" src="http://rivendelltheatre.org/_userfiles/image/preciouslittle/stephbooth_preciouslittle.jpg" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px;" />Whenever a company takes on the production of a show, there are going to be difficulties.  Sometimes they are logistical things like, &ldquo;how are we going to make this dummy fall from the ceiling and scar the crap out of everyone?&rdquo; (a show I did in 2006).  Sometimes they are scheduling things like &ldquo;one of three actors was in New York when we got hit w/ a blizzard here that delayed her return flight-and our start of rehearsals by 3 days&rdquo; (you guessed it, <a href="/precious_little/"><strong>Precious Little</strong></a>).  And sometimes you are working on a brand new play, of which the writer lives in NY, and you have questions, almost daily, about the script.  (More on that, later.)  Every time, though, different personalities have to come together and somehow make magic happen on stage.  If a company is really lucky (and fictional), personalities blend like the flavors in a tasty, chilled mixed drink.  When this does not happen, it is often up to the stage manager to help maintain a calm, productive working environment, in which the actors feel safe enough to create, and the director feels like (s)he is in control.  The best way for the stage manager to do that, is not to freak out about anything, ever.  To the actors:  &ldquo;we may only have 4 rehearsals left before tech, and you may have only run thru the show once, but you know what?  I&rsquo;m not worried.  You&rsquo;ll be fine.&rdquo;  To the director:  &ldquo;we preview tomorrow and the actors are still calling for line, but you know what?  I&rsquo;m not worried.  They&rsquo;ll be fine.&rdquo;  So I guess what it really comes down to, when a stage manager has to keep everyone calm, is:  acting.  And here I thought I was a terrible actor.</p>

<p>To touch quickly on the aforementioned &ldquo;more on that, later,&rdquo; I want to tell you what it&rsquo;s like working on a new play while the writer resides across the country.  That may be a scary thought to some, but when Madeleine George is the writer, there is nothing to be afraid of.  It&rsquo;s not like we went to Madeleine every day and said &ldquo;here&rsquo;s how we want to improve your script&rdquo; and proceed w/ tons of changes.  We just had small suggestions, like changing things that came out of the actors&rsquo; mouths sounding awkward, or, since the play was originally written two years ago, can we change the main character&rsquo;s birthday so the math is still correct on her age?  But no matter what we threw at her, Madeleine was very receptive.  Sometimes she complied, other times she explained why she wanted us to keep what she&rsquo;d written.  It was very easy to work w/ Madeleine from 800 miles away&hellip;and even when she was in Chicago, it was still a pleasure.</p></div>

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	<entry>

		<title>Precious Little's Assistant Director Talks About Rehearsals</title>

		<link rel="alternate" href="http://rivendelltheatre.org/blog/2011/03/bernadette_raspante_on_precious_little_rehearsals/102/"/>

		<id>tag:rivendelltheatre.org,2011-03-18:/blog/102/</id>

		<updated>2011-03-18T13:05:04Z</updated>

		<content type="html"><![CDATA[<div id="c436" class="module module_text" data-position="7"><p>By Bernadette Raspante</p>

<p><img width="175" height="131" border="2" align="right" alt="" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 0px;" src="http://rivendelltheatre.org/_userfiles/image/preciouslittle/bernadette.jpg" title="Photo by Stephanie Hurovitz, taken at the Lincoln Park Zoo" />How often can one say that they spent a day of rehearsal at the zoo? Working on Madeleine George&rsquo;s play <a href="/precious_little/"><strong>Precious Little</strong></a> gave our cast and production team some exciting challenges. How do we create a space on stage that can be both a zoo and an office at the same time? How can one actress transform from a feisty older lady to a gorilla in a matter of seconds? What is the connection that the main character, Brodie, feels for the gorilla in the script?</p>

<p>We decided during a rehearsal that we had to go to the zoo to find out. As a cast, we walked into the Lincoln Park Zoo&rsquo;s Gorilla House and patiently waited for some small children to clear out of the way so we could spend time with some of the animals ourselves. Each one of us was there with a different task; Meighan Gerachis learned how to get close to the glass and not disturb the gorillas and how to be their friend. Kathy Logelin watched as other people watched the gorillas so that she could portray their reactions to the animals. Marilyn Dodds Frank moved from gorilla habitat to gorilla habitat studying the movements and gestures of each and every gorilla in the house. Julieanne Ehre and Stephanie Hurovitz watched the actors work.  A trainer came out to talk to us and we were able to watch the gorillas have their daily check up. Watching those women (interestingly enough all the trainers we saw that day were women as well!) interact with the gorillas was so interesting, they had their own form of communication with them and the gorillas seemed to understand the trainers perfectly. As I was watching the actors move through the gorilla house and connect with the animals and their characters I got caught up in and self conscious of (thanks Madeleine) the way I was or had been responding to the gorillas.</p>

<p>As a child I visited the zoo with my family many times, always with a large group of aunts and cousins. Watching the gorillas was fun, because they are so human-like, but I don&rsquo;t think I ever really paid enough attention to them. The same goes for the &ldquo;zoo goer&rdquo; that I was in high school and college. I was always with my friends and we would watch the animals, more closely than before, but there was always something else to talk about at the same time. This time, keeping the script and the personification that Madeleine George gave the gorilla in mind, my experience was completely different. &ldquo;Is this how all animals move?&rdquo; Says Brodie in one scene of the play, and though I&rsquo;ve been to the zoo, owned pets and met many large, dangerous animals in the wild, I never watched them the way I did that day. Or, I expect, the way I will the next time I go to the zoo or get stopped by a herd of buffalo on the road. The way we, as humans, communicate with animals is so interesting and complex. Madeleine&rsquo;s interpretation of that and Meighan, Kathy and Marilyn&rsquo;s enactment of it onstage is beautiful and stunning. I am so lucky to have seen the beginning of this journey through rehearsals and now to see the women on stage discover that connection again every weekend.</p></div>

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