Gratitude and Rest sometimes deserve capital letters.
These tri-weekly letters take, on average, four minutes to read, so thanks Reader, for taking the time to be with me and my creative practice. |
Act One, we tumble into the well of gratitude…As many welcomed the new year cozily at home a week ago, I was with the motley crew of individuals who were crazy enough to bring You, Me, and the Woodsmoke to the stage. We built a climbable tree, covered the floor in 486ft3 of recycled rubber mulch, pitched a tent countless times, lit a 19th-century train depot as if it were a campsite, and hung speakers with plenty of cables. Hence, the sounds of the forest surrounded us. Pizza, fruit, Chinese food (thanks, Stephanie!), coffee, and Twizzlers fueled our long days.
It took sixteen artists to build a world. Each generously supported their colleagues while they toiled away at the part of the project they held. When Rachel needed help weaving a tree, we approached her with open arms. When Tayva needed perspective on a lighting choice, we turned to her with eyes alert. Collaboration isn’t everyone having a hand in everything. It is trusting the skill and vision of each artist as they take their moment to be the leader. Together, we achieved something far greater than the sum of its parts. My gratitude is insufficient. My awe is immeasurable. And you know what? Between you and me, now that I’ve seen what can be done with kind, respectful, joyous creators…just watch this space! I’ve got plenty more worlds I want you to enjoy!!! ACT TWO, when a grand idea emerges…Truth comes from the collision of different ideas, and theater plays an essential role in showing us that truth, says legendary artistic director Oskar Eustis. For me, dialogue writing is a civic act serving a more robust democracy. That’s all I have on that idea for now, as I better get back to the voices in my head; I have rewrites to do.
“In the late 6th century BC, the idea of Western democracy was born. It was a very partial and flawed democracy, but the idea that power should stem from the consent of the governed, that power should flow from below to above, not the other way around, was born in that decade. And in that same decade, somebody -- legend has it, somebody named Thespis -- invented the idea of dialogue.” ACT THREE, we rest…I am exhausted. It turns out that three months of intense focus on a project the magnitude of You, Me, and the Woodsmoke hit my creative limit. Rest is good. It’s necessary, in fact. So, I’ll take a deep breath; you can join me if you like. In…and…out. That felt good. Let’s do another. In…and…out. I’m off for a walk. Happy New Year! Catherine P.S Beautiful behind-the-scenes photography by Dan Derby. Learn more about his work at danderby.com |
