Day 2- Groundwork continues

Day 2.
We tell each other stories to survive.
We listen to the rhythms of people speaking. Loudly. Soft.
We sink into language that expresses things about ourselves that we could never think up.
We experience compassion.
We experience unity. A coming together.
We experience illumination.
We breathe together. Inspire. Together.
We trust silence, and listen more deeply.
We know something with no need to show something.
We can be in the moment, complete, still and active.
We say words that actually express how we feel.
We experience a framework within which to be ourselves more completely than in any other place or time.

These are just a few of the reasons why the theatre has claimed our company members. They spoke about  these personal things and others this morning as they began the assembling of their acting toolboxes with instructor Janet Zarish. The morning session began with a discussion of why we are who we are, as artists. As people who are moved together to express ourselves and express ourselves through this medium. And continued with the work of getting to know each other and the way we work. Everyone left energized and inspired.

Then a trek through the punishing heat--- it'll be cool tomorrow-- really. Maybe just 89 degrees.
Then a trek to our afternoon space where we had our first Repertory session with Company Producer and Rep Director Rod Menzies. This will be the touchstone of our work together, Three afternoons a week we will gather to work on new text, For our first week or so, we are working with Ensemble Studio Theatre playwrights who have work in progress that they are bringing in for our students to act, analyze and respond to, Dramaturg Jeffrey Sweet led discussions of Tom Rowan's play BURNING LEAVES. Le Shawn Holcomb, Melissa David and Stephen Wagner did cold readings from the play and then worked and reworked scenes as we all discussed the structure, content and forward movement of the story. Next up in Rep will be Betsy Robinson's play, GLADYS MAZURSKY.

Weekend plans are shaping up. Uprigth Citizens Brigade, a reading at PS 122, a new musical at York Theatre company and Dinner With Friends on Sunday with Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Donald Margulies.

Stay tuned.