Sunday, November 01, 2009
People In Groups
Hello everybody....here I am, back in the writing mode...on a rainy and chilled November 1st morning , snuggling in bed with husband and puppies... no sweeter cuddle can be found. And we gained, with no effort on our part, an extra hour to this day, which makes it even sweeter: it is now officially Fall 2009!!
We have earned this morning at rest because Peter and I just completed a two-day gathering at our Board of Trustees Retreat at the lovely Eastman House in Kingsport, Tennessee, at Bays Mountain, and everyone involved worked really hard! That alone was enough to impress me, but there were so many other things about this gathering that impressed, that I felt moved to write about it a bit...so , here we are.
People in groups can be many things: exciting (think of political rallies), INciting (think of pep rallies), scary (think of mobs), terrifying (think of lynch mobs), inspiring (think of really attentive theater audiences), awake ( a large class led by a brilliant professor) or asleep (same class led by a pedestrian one), happy (large weddings), stupid (think of bad versions of all of the above) and brilliant (a rally for an idea who time has come!),
comforting (a community after a disaster), or hurtful (mobs usually are).
I can honestly say that, except for stupidity, this past weekend's Board Retreat had elements of all of the above possibilities, and it was enthralling! This Board is a truly good gathering of people from all professional walks of life, with the only thing binding them together being an interest in this particular arts institution. So , you'd think that leading them to discussion and useful conclusions (which was wonderfully done by professional named David Mallett) would have been an impossible thing to do. But just the opposite turned out to be true: this group contracted and expanded, agreed and argued, laid down points, then backtracked and replaced points when necessary, kept to the disciplines gently put in place by the facilitator, and ate together, laughed together, met together, talked together in such a way that all voices were heard. All voices contributed.
Much like the brief time I spent being a Broadway Equity Deputy on AEA Council, I came away from this gathering very moved by the possibilities of human beings meeting together with a common goal. It was at times shocking how kind the group was, how concerned about the well being of others...i felt like I had been given a very large and loving gift to ameliorate the effects of certain tensions that entered the room at certain points...we have close-knit Staff, and i felt we were all taken well care of in this room we all shared....it is a loving Board of Trustees. And a damnably smart one as well! Such marvelous minds, from companies and industries all over our region...i loved getting to know so many I did not know before, and it helped restore my faith that people do care abut this particular arts organization...it became a wonderful example of people applying their specific expertise to areas I had always considered "arts" areas...my view was definitely widened , or should I say "views", since so many of my points of view went through deep change throughout this day and a half in a room with all these people.
I am honored to have been a part of it.
And I look forward to knowing these people better.
We have earned this morning at rest because Peter and I just completed a two-day gathering at our Board of Trustees Retreat at the lovely Eastman House in Kingsport, Tennessee, at Bays Mountain, and everyone involved worked really hard! That alone was enough to impress me, but there were so many other things about this gathering that impressed, that I felt moved to write about it a bit...so , here we are.
People in groups can be many things: exciting (think of political rallies), INciting (think of pep rallies), scary (think of mobs), terrifying (think of lynch mobs), inspiring (think of really attentive theater audiences), awake ( a large class led by a brilliant professor) or asleep (same class led by a pedestrian one), happy (large weddings), stupid (think of bad versions of all of the above) and brilliant (a rally for an idea who time has come!),
comforting (a community after a disaster), or hurtful (mobs usually are).
I can honestly say that, except for stupidity, this past weekend's Board Retreat had elements of all of the above possibilities, and it was enthralling! This Board is a truly good gathering of people from all professional walks of life, with the only thing binding them together being an interest in this particular arts institution. So , you'd think that leading them to discussion and useful conclusions (which was wonderfully done by professional named David Mallett) would have been an impossible thing to do. But just the opposite turned out to be true: this group contracted and expanded, agreed and argued, laid down points, then backtracked and replaced points when necessary, kept to the disciplines gently put in place by the facilitator, and ate together, laughed together, met together, talked together in such a way that all voices were heard. All voices contributed.
Much like the brief time I spent being a Broadway Equity Deputy on AEA Council, I came away from this gathering very moved by the possibilities of human beings meeting together with a common goal. It was at times shocking how kind the group was, how concerned about the well being of others...i felt like I had been given a very large and loving gift to ameliorate the effects of certain tensions that entered the room at certain points...we have close-knit Staff, and i felt we were all taken well care of in this room we all shared....it is a loving Board of Trustees. And a damnably smart one as well! Such marvelous minds, from companies and industries all over our region...i loved getting to know so many I did not know before, and it helped restore my faith that people do care abut this particular arts organization...it became a wonderful example of people applying their specific expertise to areas I had always considered "arts" areas...my view was definitely widened , or should I say "views", since so many of my points of view went through deep change throughout this day and a half in a room with all these people.
I am honored to have been a part of it.
And I look forward to knowing these people better.
Labels: Barter Musings
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Grey Skies Smilin' At Me....
....nothin' but grey skies do I see...yet another day of rain here..and whereas I am fully appreciative of the fact that our fields, flowers and farms need this water (and in fact there has been so much rain, that according the weather news we are in the surplus column for rainfall after too long a time of drought) I still feel under the weather this day....probably several reasons for that...
A marvelous - and I do mean delicious and interesting - dinner party last evening at the home of Linda and David W....out at their gorgeous home on Holston Lake...this home is particularly gorgeous because David's hobby (he's so good at it, it's rather humble to call it a hobby),is woodwork, and home construction,etc. And what they have done to this already charmingly "seated" house on a hill overlooking verdant farm fields and gentle hills, is so perfect and warm and charmingly detailed, it was a pleasure to be there, from the moment we walked through the doors. It had begun a drenching downpour of springtime rains by the time we were on our way out there, and though it is also springtime warm, the evening had the feel of early Fall about it, and a blazing fire was there to greet us immediately on entering their stunning living room. And the rest of the long, well-fed evening took its cue from that evident warmth and glow.
A marvelous - and I do mean delicious and interesting - dinner party last evening at the home of Linda and David W....out at their gorgeous home on Holston Lake...this home is particularly gorgeous because David's hobby (he's so good at it, it's rather humble to call it a hobby),is woodwork, and home construction,etc. And what they have done to this already charmingly "seated" house on a hill overlooking verdant farm fields and gentle hills, is so perfect and warm and charmingly detailed, it was a pleasure to be there, from the moment we walked through the doors. It had begun a drenching downpour of springtime rains by the time we were on our way out there, and though it is also springtime warm, the evening had the feel of early Fall about it, and a blazing fire was there to greet us immediately on entering their stunning living room. And the rest of the long, well-fed evening took its cue from that evident warmth and glow.
Delicious wines -a variety of them - scrumptious foods (they do this hors-d'oeurvres of warm marinaded olives sprinkled with orange zest and rosemary...astonishingly tasty and intriguing to the tongue...and the beef bourginon was astonishingly , ravishingly delicious. And a great Port with dessert, which consisted of ripened pears, stilton cheeses and chocolate macaroons!
Yummy! Such a well-fed evening!
So I am probably feeling the depressive effects of all that delicious wine!
Because I do feel rather low today: the world looks sort of shabby and grey..and my thoughts are much the same shade of shab.
Can't help it....it happens. But right now I am sitting in the dark brown leather chair with Cyrano at my feet , and we are watching the Avian Cafe 's bluebird customers nibble away at the seed in the feeder. It's a gorgeous sight: the dark pink of the weeping cherry blossoms punctuated by the electric blue glide of a nibbling jay and the startling red shock of a hungry cardinal....and now the sun is shining! YAY! Perhaps it will shine Easter into existence tomorrow. What a nice tribute. Bluejays and cardinals, when perched in the cherry tree together make a glorious summation on behalf of Springtime. I sit and wait for such pictures to compose themselves. I pray it adjusts my attitude and spirit.
Every so often, what we humans endeavor to accomplish both eludes and discourages me. Because we so often so very far off the mark....off goal....mired in drudging exhausted plodding, with edges blurring and minds numbing. Yellow leather gloves, cheerful and unexpected, are what is needed. Something to awaken the tastebuds for life, to shock the sleeping brain awake to possibility. Possibility. That's what is lacking lately. Oh GOd, there's another bright red cardinal...with that cunning little black bandit's mask on his tiny beaked face....he's very happy eating from the perfectly hung copper birdfeeder!
I'm rambling....perfectly fitting, considering my mood.
Labels: Barter Musings, Springtime in Virginia
Sunday, January 28, 2007
And Yet More About Barter
What happens when you work with the same company of actors for several years on end ?
Why is concept of "company" so appealing? ("Company" implies not being alone, so that is one benefit right away: when you "keep company", you are in a romance...."come keep me company" means "come on'na my house"....let's light a fire and talk about life..."COMPANY" implies warmth and companionship)...but in the theatrical sense, why "company"?
The art and business of theatrical acting is a complex and infinitely interesting thing to consider:
There you are, a person who has decided, for whatever reasons, to become an actor on the stage, and you go to school (hopefully) to learn how to do that in the best ways possible: you train your voice, your body, your mind and spirit to be the most fully communicative and expressive they can be....you know that the product you will be selling is you, you , nothing but you...miles and miles of you (to quote a musical theater writer of our day)...so, as a student actor, you dive in and rip it all apart in order to be able to put it all back together again in the strong, pliable, durable and yet sensitive ways you will need in order to succeed...and there you are, ready to walk into audition rooms, open and vulnerable, yet strong and willing to endure even not getting the job! An actor is contantly asked to be open, and yet still protective of the inner soft soul that fuels the art...open and closed at the same time...it is a Zen pursuit, if ever there was one...to be in the moment and rise above it at the same time...to take it personally,and yet not take it personally at the same time! This is a balancing act that never ends....UNLESS...
and EXCEPT WHEN YOU 'RE IN A COMPANY!
Because in a company like the Barter's, one of the few full repertory acting companies in the country, strangers become family, colleagues become fellow artists, known quantities, friends...the business of the art becomes the daily rehearsing of each project, and the pressure of getting the job is transmuted into the sheer joyous process of realizing the play ! Together, striving toward giving life to a work of art, not separately struggling to pay the rent!
So, right away, "company" implies relaxation of certain survival muscles....and the release of the energy inevitably trapped in those muscles....and, so...where does that energy go instead?
INTO THE WORK! And if there is one thing an actor lives for, it is THE WORK! Actor love what they do for a living, and a "company" like the Barter allows actors to do what they love.
Allowing actors to do what they love to do, which is creating theater for an audience, unlocks a number of magical doors for everyone involved, and the opening of those doors opens lives.
Why is concept of "company" so appealing? ("Company" implies not being alone, so that is one benefit right away: when you "keep company", you are in a romance...."come keep me company" means "come on'na my house"....let's light a fire and talk about life..."COMPANY" implies warmth and companionship)...but in the theatrical sense, why "company"?
The art and business of theatrical acting is a complex and infinitely interesting thing to consider:
There you are, a person who has decided, for whatever reasons, to become an actor on the stage, and you go to school (hopefully) to learn how to do that in the best ways possible: you train your voice, your body, your mind and spirit to be the most fully communicative and expressive they can be....you know that the product you will be selling is you, you , nothing but you...miles and miles of you (to quote a musical theater writer of our day)...so, as a student actor, you dive in and rip it all apart in order to be able to put it all back together again in the strong, pliable, durable and yet sensitive ways you will need in order to succeed...and there you are, ready to walk into audition rooms, open and vulnerable, yet strong and willing to endure even not getting the job! An actor is contantly asked to be open, and yet still protective of the inner soft soul that fuels the art...open and closed at the same time...it is a Zen pursuit, if ever there was one...to be in the moment and rise above it at the same time...to take it personally,and yet not take it personally at the same time! This is a balancing act that never ends....UNLESS...
and EXCEPT WHEN YOU 'RE IN A COMPANY!
Because in a company like the Barter's, one of the few full repertory acting companies in the country, strangers become family, colleagues become fellow artists, known quantities, friends...the business of the art becomes the daily rehearsing of each project, and the pressure of getting the job is transmuted into the sheer joyous process of realizing the play ! Together, striving toward giving life to a work of art, not separately struggling to pay the rent!
So, right away, "company" implies relaxation of certain survival muscles....and the release of the energy inevitably trapped in those muscles....and, so...where does that energy go instead?
INTO THE WORK! And if there is one thing an actor lives for, it is THE WORK! Actor love what they do for a living, and a "company" like the Barter allows actors to do what they love.
Allowing actors to do what they love to do, which is creating theater for an audience, unlocks a number of magical doors for everyone involved, and the opening of those doors opens lives.
Labels: Barter Musings
Friday, January 12, 2007
More, There's Always More....
....which is a reference to a lyric in the fabulous Bill Finn song "Holding To The Ground" from FALSETTOS....this morning, it has to do with all I have to say about Barter Theatre...BUT, it brings to mind the most wonderful time I had last week in the Steinhardt Studio of the wonderful teacher Dianna Heldman, who is, not only a superb and popular teacher, but Head of the Voice Program at Steinhardt...in her charge are both Classical and Music Theater track students, and I have rarely seen a teacher take more sincere interest in students than Dianna does in hers... her intuition alone is a tremendously valuable asset in a person in charge of the delicate training and processes of young performing artists...I like her very much, and value her as both a colleague and new friend. ANYWAY: since I've decided to take voice lessons from certain teachers in the Department, in order to gain a better understanding of what my students hear when they are in a voice lesson, Dianna willingly offered to teach me last week in her 9th Floor studio down on W.4th Street...James Cunningham (my valuable pianist from my classes, and also a new friend) was there to play repertoire for me, but the main bulk of the time spent was on sheer technique, and I learned so much....Dianna is a terrific teacher...and I feel confident that the care she and her colleagues take with those young voices is enough to establish them solidly and usefully in a long performing career....no pushing, no shoving of the voice into anything it is not healthy and ready for...but rather the gentle unfolding of the instrument as it is, allowing it time to grow as it will.....a deeply admirable and smart approach, especially in a business where there is so much forcing and pushing and shoving....again, at Steinhardt, it is all about process and patience.
...I was so lucky because, not only did I have the inestimable Dianna to teach me, but Michael Ricciardone,another master teacher in the Program, stopped by (we are all becoming such good friendly colleagues, and Dianna and Michael have developed a long friendhsip), and they were both coaching me at one point and I felt like an expensive car being taken care of by 2 Master Mechanics! When I began to sing "Holding To The Ground", we were all able to engage in such a creative conversation about emotion, its place in vocal production, how it overtakes a student (and me) and forces the voice to a pressured place, and how not to let that happen, but rather, how to keep the technique in place and get the fullest most expressive sound possible, riding the waves of deep emotion rather than drowning in it....an amazing understanding....It never fails to amaze me how much there is to learn!! And for that I am continuously grateful.
Speaking of gratitude: Janet M....thank you so much for your lovely continuing emails in response to my blog...I am deeply glad you enjoy reading it...and that your love for Barter Theatre has not waned...you are so right in your assessment that Barter is a unique and truly special place....As you read, beign with Rick and Amanda again was nearly painful it felt so good to see them....I guess we all need that place we yearn to be, and Barter is mine. Who knows, maybe one day again...meanwhile, I shall live in my memory and write about it all I can...
...I was so lucky because, not only did I have the inestimable Dianna to teach me, but Michael Ricciardone,another master teacher in the Program, stopped by (we are all becoming such good friendly colleagues, and Dianna and Michael have developed a long friendhsip), and they were both coaching me at one point and I felt like an expensive car being taken care of by 2 Master Mechanics! When I began to sing "Holding To The Ground", we were all able to engage in such a creative conversation about emotion, its place in vocal production, how it overtakes a student (and me) and forces the voice to a pressured place, and how not to let that happen, but rather, how to keep the technique in place and get the fullest most expressive sound possible, riding the waves of deep emotion rather than drowning in it....an amazing understanding....It never fails to amaze me how much there is to learn!! And for that I am continuously grateful.
Speaking of gratitude: Janet M....thank you so much for your lovely continuing emails in response to my blog...I am deeply glad you enjoy reading it...and that your love for Barter Theatre has not waned...you are so right in your assessment that Barter is a unique and truly special place....As you read, beign with Rick and Amanda again was nearly painful it felt so good to see them....I guess we all need that place we yearn to be, and Barter is mine. Who knows, maybe one day again...meanwhile, I shall live in my memory and write about it all I can...
Labels: Barter Musings
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
My Barter Rhapsody
.....in honor of its 75th Anniversary in 2008...and since the photo book they are working on needs my input soon, (I've been asked to send along fond remembrances, points of view, stories), I shall let this blog entry be the start of what i'll send...then, Jayne D. can choose what she wishes to choose to use or not.....
To understand my love for Barter Theatre, a love that transcends an actress' normal caring for a theater that gives her creative employment, it's important to understand my point of view about the art and institution of theater in general: I hold the view that "Theater" (with a capital "T") is essential to the health of a community, vital for the growth and conscience of any civilized society, and I hold that view passionately.
From the first time a person ever had an adventure and had to tell someone else about it ("hey, honey", the cavewoman said, "the kids were so cute today: one of them invented this funny round thing that makes my work so much easier...we decided to call it "wheel"!"...from the first time a person wanted to vicariously engage another in an experience, Theater was born and continued to live through the ages....it seeped into the souls of every civilization known to mankind, (and no doubt into many unknown as well)...anytime or anywhere there were people, rites that can only be called theatrical creatively sprung to life to serve the Community in various ways...man is infinitely inventive, so he even managed to create a connection between Theatre and the Divine in innumerable societies as well...I for one understand that, since another passionately held belief of mine is that Theater is a servant to all that is spiritual in man....to know oneself to be a person of the theater is like being "called" to do so. It is a "Calling". No doubt about it.
And every moment I spent at Barter (over a span of some 10 or 11 years, I spent 4 or 5 in beautiful Abingdon), felt like Destiny. It felt like it had a purpose. It felt like something important. Important for the Community in which we served, and important to us, of course, as well.
And, since I have to get down to NYU soon, I shall stop at this point and put some clothes on.
More soon.
To understand my love for Barter Theatre, a love that transcends an actress' normal caring for a theater that gives her creative employment, it's important to understand my point of view about the art and institution of theater in general: I hold the view that "Theater" (with a capital "T") is essential to the health of a community, vital for the growth and conscience of any civilized society, and I hold that view passionately.
From the first time a person ever had an adventure and had to tell someone else about it ("hey, honey", the cavewoman said, "the kids were so cute today: one of them invented this funny round thing that makes my work so much easier...we decided to call it "wheel"!"...from the first time a person wanted to vicariously engage another in an experience, Theater was born and continued to live through the ages....it seeped into the souls of every civilization known to mankind, (and no doubt into many unknown as well)...anytime or anywhere there were people, rites that can only be called theatrical creatively sprung to life to serve the Community in various ways...man is infinitely inventive, so he even managed to create a connection between Theatre and the Divine in innumerable societies as well...I for one understand that, since another passionately held belief of mine is that Theater is a servant to all that is spiritual in man....to know oneself to be a person of the theater is like being "called" to do so. It is a "Calling". No doubt about it.
And every moment I spent at Barter (over a span of some 10 or 11 years, I spent 4 or 5 in beautiful Abingdon), felt like Destiny. It felt like it had a purpose. It felt like something important. Important for the Community in which we served, and important to us, of course, as well.
And, since I have to get down to NYU soon, I shall stop at this point and put some clothes on.
More soon.
Labels: Barter Musings
