The Crushing Edge

#3dreams

This blog is full of thoughts on leadership, art + directing so I'll give you excerpt from the origin pond on the upcoming Theatre Under The Trees preparation.  And a sneak preview of the logo process in process.

 

From the origin pond:

Just found a new to me amazing, simple + sweet web comic:  Extra Ordinary .  Has made me both smile and feel a little grim about how much time theatrical commitments took out of everything from early December 'til now.  Robin Hood lighting is done and done well, I believe, and the show opens this weekend.  I have decided to be more judicious choosing my collaborators henceforth.

So now I have about a month until A Midsummer Night's Dream auditions.  Which means I spent today  discussing Theseus and Act 5 with my Apprentice Director (A.D.) via text.  That seems to be the medium that suits us both.  Midsummer aka #3dreams doesn't feel like it cuts into my creative time because Theatre Under The Trees is what the rest of my year is planned around.  And I am happy to have an A.D. to collaborate with. He was an excellent Malvolio the first time I directed Twelfth Night, is a computer or web some sort of something by profession and I offered him the position unasked when he was telling me about getting turned down for a directing gig.  I think it's an opportunity to strengthen my program by involving someone familiar with Theatre Under The Trees (four shows over the fifteen years) and yet still new to the how does a director get a show on stage process.  We also talked scheduling today. Scheduling is a very important skill for any artist.

But #3dreams aside for a moment, I am finding myself wondering what (and if there actually exists) a project:  writing, animating, moviemaking, cartooning, painting, something that will attract my full attention and effort.  Plays have a closing date, a day to strike and move on to the next project.  I've always avoided more open ended commitments.  And not just out of fickleness or being easily distracted.  Total focus is scary. Yeah, basic excuse making 101.  The root of the problem.  Excuse making 201 progresses to:  I should be making ca$h instead of ___________.  Which is why I end up writing freelance articles and chatting up people on Twitter about blogging or photography gigs.  But these just interrupt EVERYTHING.

 

End quote from origin pond.  Continue meditation.  I find myself at the what to commit to intersection far too often and the scenery begins to turn from a vista to a fog that wraps itself around any vision of progress.  Reading a book by Tim Harford (Adapt:  Why Success Always Starts With Failure).  I find myself liking books written by practical economists who don't make their points academic.  I enjoy the thorough review of data and possibility.  Got dragged to a John Kenneth Galbraith speech in college by a stats major buddy, which is where I got my taste for the slant of the economist's perspective.  

Harford's book is getting put into the inspiration mix* as I consider the casting mix for this year's Midsummer.  I always err on the side of small children who want to do Shakespeare, but last year I padded the Watch numbers (Much Ado About Nothing) and there were too many crises of behavior.  So I have vowed not to pad the fairy numbers and to split the younger actors among the three groups.  This, of course, all depends on actual auditionees.  

*And why is Harford's book in the mix, I ask as I edit.  Because the influence of non theatre thinking is a good thing.  And because I'm serious about how I can make my program better and/or continue to evolve it in its fifteenth year.

I am hoping (and that's why this year's hashtag is #3dreams) to bring out the humor in the friction between the three separate groups:  Athenians, Fairies, Players.  I'm trying to approach it as 3 different plays, which may also help with the too much rehearsal downtime for actors not onstage problem.  The A.D. was planning to help alleviate downtime but now he's officially a Directing Intern since he accepted an assistant directing gig with the Artistic Director of DreamWrights.  It's his best path to directing a "main stage" show at DreamWrights so I'm glad for his opportunity, although I am going to try to make it so he's missed out on a lot of fun.  

I was spending a lot of time trying to conscientiously develop a "help him learn how to direct strategy."  Which is still in play because he's missing auditions + readthrough for the other show, so he asked if he could still help with mine.  So I have a directing intern for a couple of weeks.  Golly.

The logo design ties into the three worlds idea.  I'm trying to get something from all three groups into the logo, which led to this first effort.

 

 

 

Then I started rereading Northrup Frye on Shakespeare, which is what I'm using as my base research/inspiration text for this show.  Frye has a bracing, sane + simple take on reading, understanding and staging Shakespeare.  He made a comment about characters existing only in the world of the play they are in and I began thinking about the three worlds of #3dreams, Fairies surrounding, overseeing + affecting everything, ruling Athenians circling the simpler Players.  Which altered my thoughts on the logo.

 

Which gets us to here:  

 

 

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Which is about halfway.  

And I am all the way to needing a vacation, a bit early, thanks partly to my winter of other people's theatre.  Midsummer is an exciting prospect though.  I have always loved the play** and enjoy revisiting it.  It's a good touchstone for my development/current goals as an artist.  

  "Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword,
And won thy love, doing thee injuries;
But I will wed thee in another key,
With pomp, with triumph and with revelling."

Perhaps Theseus speaks of art, as well as wooing.  Good night!

 

 **Midsummer Night's Dream is the first play I ever remember reading, and I think I might have been in the 10-12 year old range.  Shakespeare*** has always been a writer I return to.

***and Edgar Allen Poe -- but that's another post.

LILACS

EARLY SPRING

Perhaps this needs to be a home for visuals with the occasional this inspires me rant.  Colors of early Spring have started, I'm finding this transistional period and the new growth sparking ideas. I am also turning into a yardworking fiend.  Me + the heavy duty pruning shears trimming the lilac, rose and forsythia.  Very satisfying.  Plus, flowers pushing through the ground (takes some moxie, that does) inspired an attempt at a t-shirt design, which then turned into an animation.  Next up, haiku perhaps.

Ah, Spring.

 

 

 

 

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

While I work on the long promised poetry post, here's some images from the still in the bit of a mystery phase iApocalypso experiment.

 

And a bit of seasonal silliness:

 

Like the style?  You might want to try the adventures of my crazy crushing cartoon band, Blink Kitty Love.  Or the iApocalypso Tumblr.

A NOVEMBER ROSE + WHAT'S STEWING

Howdy.  I'll give an asymetrical snow storm surviving November rose for starters.

 

 

And follow it with the latest from the origin pond since it has once again been too long since I've posted here:

 

 

 

Reading Retromania: Pop Culture's Addiction To Its Own Past.  Solid music references + author Simon Reynolds knows how to keep a discussion moving + interesting.  Enjoying it.  Considering who is innovating these days.  Also, Joan Jett is trying out new music in concert.  I've never had the anticipate a Joan Jett and The Blackhearts album thrill.  I think I'd like to.

Finally picked up Malinda Lo's Huntress but wasn't impressed.  Ok, girls kissing, but is that really the only reason people like it?!?!??! Very thin on plot and character.  Too simplistic for me.  Trying to figure a fictional way to get the taste out.  Gayle suggested Bellwether.  Read Bellwether if you haven't; it's a wonder.

Has anyone read the new Terry Pratchett, Snuff?  I'm curious but fear that some plot points might be off putting.  Pratchett can do that.  But mostly what he does is turn out comic gems so if I see it at the library I'll give it a try.

Tower Heist was mediocre, although I enjoyed Téa Leoni, Matthew Broderick and Casey Affleck's perfomances.  Rest of movie uneven.  Car out the window stuff entertaining.

Catching up on the sixth season of How I Met Your Mother, which we skipped last year in prime time.  Solid stuff. Chuck just makes me sad this year.  So much potential + comic talent wasted.  And why is only Chris Fedak talking it up.  Is the lack of Josh Schwartz influence part of the problem?

14% voter turnout on Tuesday.  Appalling.  Local write in city council candidate might have actually gotten enough votes so that's the excitement of democracy in action.  Of course, then he might get booted for a 20 year old drug charge, which is unclear legal language at work.  Ah, America.

Being impressed by hustle.  And considering how to be a bit more proactive about my own projects.  Jason Sadler's I Wear Your Shirt is selling next year's calendar now.  They wear shirts 365 days a year promoting businesses through social media.  It seems both an unusual + successful strategy.  And that's a lot of energy + personality to put into a business.  Lori Kirk of Cavata Clothing also impresses me with her get the brand out there + make something happen hustle.  I want to do a Boston T-shirt/music safari sometime.  Between Cavata, Declaration and Regan Smith Clarke, there's certainly some things to see. That's 20.  What are you reading/watching/thinking about?

 

 

And here's a rose photo that actually shows the asymmetry.

JETT OF FAME

Joan Jett's on the nominee list for the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame so this is good time for some photos + a quick list of what I learned from the  recent Joan Jett concert I attended.

 I like this photo because Jett's so in the zone.

 

 

THINGS I LEARNED FROM THE JOAN JETT CONCERT:

• Do something you love; it looks like a lot of fun.
• I do actually like Joan Jett's music, even the songs I hadn't heard before
• The best concerts can be just like really cool parties
• I was disappointed that I did not have a Joan Jett concert to go to the next night
• I need a different/better camera for people; sports setting on mine worked better at a distance so many missed/blurry closeups
• Jett leads an audience along with verve and humor; it was an impressive performance by someone who loves what she's doing and such a good time
• Kenny Laguna plays the keyboard and is a hard man to get a picture of (I was challenging  myself as a photographer.  I figured everybody always takes Joan Jett pictures, so I tried for some good shots of the Blackhearts)
• I can't buy a ticket to see Jett the Record Executive in action like I can Jett the Performer but I'd like to
• There was no merch in the $5-$10 range so I'll have to pick up something up online
• Still enjoying taking pictures as a flow experience, although I did try to balance photographer w/ dancing singing fan.  Had a blast as both.  Walked home after the concert, quite content, uploaded the photos, sorted through them + actually went to sleep with a relaxed, accomplished grin
• Joan Jett made me laugh quite a lot; I didn't expect that. 

Ok, that's a good quick list of of the top of my head bullet points.  Concert didn't inspire me to immediately pick up my guitar but it did inspire me to pick up pencil and paper and start a project.  Jett's an inspiration/example to so many people and she takes that responsibility seriously.  And on stage in concert and interacting with the audience, Jett had the confidence and air of a person doing exactly what she wants to, exactly how she wants to.  So while replaying the songs in my head, I tried to think what that would be for me.  And I'm working patiently (and working on patience is part of the work) on something fun, satisyfing, challenging and more personal than usual.  I think I prefer detachment (cue camera) but there are ways to make art/music/writing personal to your audience without getting the sense that people are invading your private life, which another equation Jett seems good at.  And an equation I need to crack because I think it's preventing people from caring.  (And how many times have I used the verb think...usual answer:  more than the verb feel or any of its synonyms.)

Ok, some more pictures.  I posted a set here, but you get three of my favorites that aren't in that.  

A conversation w/ guitars, from the encore

 

Looks like fun, doesn't it

Good night!  

 

P.S.  Interview w/ Joan Jett from the Morton Report ranges over many topics, including songwriting.

 

DETAILS + GEMS

Edges, crushing or otherwise, don't seem to be working for me right now.  They've been washing over me as I happily focus on the details of something I'm enjoying the experience of, whether an actor's timing of a speech, the syllables of a haiku (note to self:  do poetry post) or the best angle to have my camera at.  Since Much Ado finished, I have been in a funk, thinking about details, lost in future projects and remembering how much I enjoy being totally focused on a subject as I capture angles, breaths and moments.  Having a camera in my hand, taking pictures, changing angles, moving from pose to pose, from thought to thought, whenever this happens, it's such a flow moment. And a wonder.  So I borrowed a jeweler friend's stock, back porch and tried to sell her on natural light to remind myself.  It worked.

And Joan Jett and the Blackhearts are coming to town next week, which if you've read any of the earlier entries, you will realize is a fairly big event for me.  Jett's example has been daring/pushing me and now that my focus seems to be narrowing from the broad sweep of the crushing edge to the craftsmanship and beauty to be found in details, I'm considering bringing my camera along and seeing what happens when Muse and craft meet.  With me dancing occasionally probably, which is the part that worries me.  I'm not sure that's on my camera's skill list.  I'm hoping for hidden talents.

 

SUMMER UPDATE

 

Just add actors ; )  Have been neglecting this blog, but if you want an update on Much Ado About Nothing (#abouting) or what else has been going on, stop by the origin pond or follow me @mdnightmaverick.  

Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned.

SPRING

 

 

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Next, perhaps we discuss poetry.

 

LIVING INSPIRATION

All right, let's get back to leadership, creativity and directing.  Finished Living Opera by Joshua Jampol and it's due back at the library yesterday (I'm out of renewals).  I plan to buy myself a copy because it is going on the half a shelf of books that I pull out for inspiration when I'm starting a show.  Or hitting a roadblock in the middle of directing one.  

In Living Opera, Jampol interviews 20 opera professionals -- singers, directors, composers.  He doesn't use a set of questions; the conversations roam freely and take the lead from the performer speaking.  I was about a third through and it had been a lot of conductor/director talk when I went to see Black Swan.  Black Swan was an amazing performance and an intense experience, although I didn't get as weirded out as some because I wasn't putting myself in Natalie Portman's Nina toe shoes, I was finding myself considering the director's decisions, actions and motivations.  Then I came back to Living Opera and begin reading opera singers talking about how they worked with directors, developed their voices, guided their careers.  So I'm finding myself looking at things from different perspectives this year as I start prepping, considering the actor's angle, the audience's view.

Generally, I try to get actors to focus on the language and nod my head when they're talking about their character's emotions, backstory, etc.  I believe in the words, I believe the script is the only map you need.  This year, my big speech was going to be:  If you get the words, you can have the emotions.  And now, I'm thinking perhaps I should be listening instead.

I'll pull a line or two from interviews that are steeping.  Jampol doesn't really give enough introductory biographical details if you don't know much about opera so I was a little lost about who was who, but the conversations are lively.

 Robert Carsen, director (on three qualities a director needs):  

And a lot of patience, in every respect.  When people say that, one usually thinks thinks it means patience with other people being difficult.  I mean patience with the process.  To allow it time.

 Steeping.

Patrice Chereau, director ("on the stage director's role in opera") 

 My role is to find a way to transmit a work to the public...A group of people who put on a play is by nature a team, so you have an obligation to direct that team.  You're also a coach, or trainer, for them.  That means bringing them  as far as they can go with themselves, ensuring they can be as strong as they can possibly be.  

And this is the part that I'm really thinking about:

Along with that, I have to ensure that the public all look in the same direction and at the same thing on stage, and that they all understand the same thing.

That line is really driving my thinking.  I want to do a better job with the disgrace of Hero this summer (Much Ado About Nothing is this year's play).  I cracked much of the comedy last time, thanks to actors who Shakespeare had obviously written the parts for (our Dogberry was so funny and so different from any I've ever seen I gave her almost no direction at all because I did not want to ruin a gift from the universe.  This became a problem the next year when I started giving her detailed directions about playing Olivia -- also written for her).  So feeling confident about the comedy and knowing Merchant of Venice was funnier because audiences believed Shylock might get his pound of flesh, I want to make the audience cry for Hero.  Or cry for Claudio's stupidity.  

Emotions, I'm good at snappy patter and I cheat as often as I can by letting the actors have the emotions without deeply discussing them.  Actors will occasionally discuss their characters feelings anyway, but as I mentioned, I've spent most of my directing time focusing on language.  If you understand and use the language well, I like to think the emotions will break clear.  And the use of the verb "think" in that sentence indicates where I lean and why emotions are often the hardest part of the process/experience for me, both on and off stage.

So I am also putting Kasper Bech Holtens' (also a director) "Emotional Fitness Center" in the steeping brew:

In one evening, you go through in two and one-half hours what the rest of us spend our emotional lives living through.  That's why I say it's a fitness center.  It's a workout, intense and focused -- if you look for the emotional dimension and not the the realistic one.  Opera tries to show life as it is, not as it looks.

Focused.  And with the mad urge to see an opera.