It seems to happen every time. As I work through ideas, problems, tasks, and challenges, I have to make quick decisions about people, set, characters, costumes, props, etc.

What I love is when those quick, intuitive decisions are confirmed by the “theatre gods”. For example: I had decided that Apemantus has a baby tree that he carries with him much of the time. I had decided that that tree should be an oak. I liked the symbolism. The decision definitely made sense from our character discussions and with my concept.

What was fun was to discover that the text actually has references to oaks. Maybe I remembered them subconsciously or maybe it was just one of those fun intuitive connections. Whatever the “cause” the result… pleases me.

After the story about the silo came out a couple of weeks ago, the Spokane paper used us as one of their new quiz questions:

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/feb/19/thats-news-to-you/

Kinda fun, eh?

Update – 1 November 2011 – And the videos are now up. Take a look and judge for yourself.

“He’s walking over here,” Crystal said.

“I was here hundreds of times over the years,” said the 70+ year old man standing now in front of me. “When I was a farmer.”

“Oh,” I said, wondering if he was annoyed with our plans for the silo or… “Take a look inside if you want.”

“You’re the guy in charge?” he asked. “The guy they did the story on.”

“Yep,” I answered, still wondering.

“It’s a great use for this place,” he said.

I was relieved. We chatted a bit longer. He said that he was happy that we were going to put it to good use. He said he was going to come see the show. I told him I was glad that he thought it was a good use of the building. “I really want to kind of give the place back to the community and to people like you in some way.” I think he smiled.

“The acoustics are something,” he said. “Good for the storm though.”

After a little more back and forth, he said ”I’m glad you’re doing this.”

I was SO glad to hear him say that. And I told him so. And then I told him “I really mean that, you know.”

“The Tempest is my favorite play,” he said as he started back to his car.

“You coming to the show?” one of us asked.

“Oh, I’ll be there,” he threw back over his shoulder.

I think the shine from my smile could be seen in Lewiston.

I’ve done so many new things in service to this show that to list them all would be challenging – and boring – but I’ll give you a few good examples.

1. Designing, engineering, constructing, hanging and generally wrangling 1600 square feet of canvas for a “sky” over our playing space. The acoustics of the silo are the major challenge for this production and this canvas sky is a partial fix for that challenge. It’s not perfect, but hey it’s art.
2. Building 32 audience risers for a true round theatre. Lots of calculations, cutting and a buttload of screws.
3. And this is my favorite. Vacuuming. Yes, I’ve done some vacuuming in my day, but I can safely say that repeatedly vacuuming the 2800 square foot concrete floor of a grain silo is  not something I ever thought I would do in my life.

I love theatre. I love what it does for our audiences. I love what it does for me and my collaborators. It’s the one place in my life where I relish new experiences. And this production is FULL of new experiences.

Collaboration.

Then I worked with Prospero and Miranda on Act I, Scene 2. Tonight, I also had my friend, long-time collaborator and movement coach for the show, Crystal Bain at rehearsal along with my lovely friend and assistant director, Lanny Langston. And I discovered how much easier this all becomes when I have more eyes and ears watching and listening. Easier AND more productive and creative. It was a glorious rehearsal full of insight, discoveries and solved problems.

Collaboration.

Our art is best when it is collaborative. It’s also more fun that way.

And even better, the guy who is going to install the front door came by. He’s going to put it in tomorrow.

AND electricity installation starts tomorrow too.

Very good progress.

And on we go…

The meeting was so much fun. So energizing. So inspiring.

Why? Because it’s the process- the creative process in collaboration (as my friend Kelly Q would say, in communion) with fellow artists – that evokes the art and the heart out of the words and fabric and light and wood and sound.

As I was sharing my thoughts about the show with Misty and Adriana, I almost felt transported, certainly inspired (anew) to create with these people.

That process of creation in communion is why we do what we do. No, not every moment is like that, but the most important moments are. And those moments are what keep us going – paying bills, renting porta-potties, fighting schedules and rigging a hundred yards of fabric.

Those kids today had it right. The process is what’s important. The process gets us from the first seeds of the idea for a show, through the building (characters, costumes, sets, it’s all built), to the audience. And then the audience becomes the next part of the process, inspiring us (anew) to create THIS performance for THESE people.

I do love to be reminded why I do what I do.