Two Down, Two to Go . . .

So. Wow. Second rotation just ended, and yet we're already well into third rotation. Third rotation will give us a slight breather -- we have TWO weeks of rehearsal for this process, instead of one, so we have all the time in the world!

I was lab producer for second rotation, and I was so proud of the work that my colleagues put up. I had the amazing luxury of having not only a little more free time, but also the chance to watch three talented and different directors at work, at various points in the process. I watched part of each first rehearsal, early run-throughs, later run-throughs, dress rehearsals and performances of all three shows, and it was amazing to watch the shows develop, and the directorial minds behind these shows hash out the issues and challenges of each show. And the shows were as different as the artists involved: Michael directed Winnie the Pooh on the Kiddstuff stage, and Kate directed Metamorphoses, adapted from Ovid by Mary Zimmerman, sharing the Wedge with Kerry, was directed The Ugly One, a new play by German playwright Marius von Mayenberg. It was such a joy and a privilege to observe such different processes, and to have the opportunity to support these directors in their work. I was particularly honored on the occasions that a director sought my feedback, or suggestions on their work. There was also something incredibly liberating about this -- I could waltz into the room, watch some work, have one good idea, and leave the details to someone else -- something you can never do while directing. But more than that, I loved the chance to collaborate (even a little) with other directors, which is a rare and wonderful opportunity. Being a director can be very lonely -- you're always the only one in the room. Being here is a chance to have colleagues and collaborators on hand to serve as sounding boards. As lab producer, because I wasn't in rehearsal, this was a chance for me to be that for my colleagues, and it was fabulous. I felt welcomed into their rehearsal rooms, and loved watching the shows develop, and learn from each director's strategies for dealing with issues of clarity, staging, conceptualization and acting. So I ended this rotation with such a sense of fulfillment and pride, because I knew where this work had begun, and was so thrilled with the level the work had reached. Each director grappled with major questions of storytelling, clarity and conceptualization in his or her process, and each bravely made the choices that served the play and the production, even if it meant rethinking things fundamentally. I hope that Michael, Kate and Kerry will speak about these processes in their own words, but their work was a true inspiration to me this round.

I will say, however, that I'm thrilled to be back in rehearsal again. I'm embarking on that terrifying and thrilling journey: directing a children's play! It's a blast so far, although it's hard to know whether it will work for my target audience; it’s been a while since I was 5. But it's certainly fun to try to figure out what a five year old might find funny, or magical, or revelatory. I'll let you know how it goes!