Thoughts:

We are in that critical third week of rehearsal. The work is going well. This is our final week in the rehearsal hall before we move to the stage for Tech rehearsals. This is the week to do serious scene work and run-thrus for all five plays. The actors are working hard…making strong choices…discovering their characters…and telling the story. The shops are racing to complete their work that will support the storytelling. It is a creative whirlwind and everyone feels the pressure of the approaching “deadline.” AHH! the joy, excitement and challenge of “repertory” theater.

Steven Dietz arrived yesterday. He is working with Liesl Tommy and the cast of YANKEE TAVERN. Victor Lodato returns next week for final rehearsals for his play DEAR SARA JANE. Joey Parsons (Sara Jane) and I are looking forward to Victor’s arrival. His notes and feedback will be very valuable as we begin final run-thrus and Dress rehearsals. Eisa Davis arrives this weekend to continue her work with the cast of THE HISTORY OF LIGHT. Michael Weller and Beau Willimon have both checked in via email and they will return for Opening Weekend. All five playwrights will be in residence for the Opening.

I just learned that Todd London the Artistic Director of NEW DRAMATISTS THEATER in New York will be joining us for our Opening Weekend. Todd is a visionary and legend in the world of new play development. NEW DRAMATISTS is “dedicated to the playwright.” Eisa Davis and Victor Lodato are member playwrights at NEW DRAMATISTS. We have produced many NEW DRAMATISTS member/alumni playwrights at CATF. I value our long friendship and partnership with this extraordinary theater. I am thrilled that Todd is returning to Shepherdstown to see the work this season.

Please invite your social network to attend the 2009 Contemporary American Theater Festival July 10th to August 2nd. Please email a link to our web site www.catf.org and forward my blog to your friends.

Ed Herendeen

THE PROCESS CONTINUES

Sunday June 21st: Today is the first day of summer and our second full week of rehearsal. Steven Dietz arrives next week to work with Liesl Tommy and her talented cast for YANKEE TAVERN. Steven sent a revised new rehearsal draft  and has been sending re-writes to Liesl. We are looking forward to working with Steven on his script changes. This is what we do at CATF…we give birth to new work…we nurture and develop new plays. That process includes working collaborating with the playwright.

Eisa Davis was in residence for the first week of rehearsals for THE HISTORY OF LIGHT. We received a new draft of her play…yesterday. The script grows stronger with each new draft. New plays are produced without the safety net of tradition. We provide the writer with an opportunity to collaborate with a team of theater artists who are dedicated to developing their new work. We are looking forward to sharing this terrific world premiere with you in July.

Victor Lodato will return for Run-thrus and Dress Rehearsals in two weeks to prepare the World Premiere of DEAR SARA JANE.. We will work-thru the play for the first time today. Victor spent the first week in residence working with Joey Parsons (Sara Jane). His play is literally coming to life with each day of rehearsal. He has made some minor cuts and line changes to his script.

The process continues: the shops are building the sets, props and costumes for our five play repertory. The electricians are hanging the lighting plots and our sound technicians are prepping the theater spaces for performance.

Ed Herendeen

REHEARSAL JOURNAL

Wednesday June 17th:

FIFTY WORDS: Aaron Anderson, CATF Fight Director worked with us in rehearsal. He watched the cast run-thru Scenes 1. 2. and 3. Then he helped us choreograph the violence/sex scenes based on the characters’ intentions and objectives in the scene. We had a very physical rehearsal. Joey Parsons who plays JAN and Tony Crane who plays ADAM were “fearless” in rehearsal. We encouraged each of them to not “self censor.” “Don’t self censor!” We encouraged them to trust their  choices…to trust their intuition…to make bold…strong choices based on the given circumstances in the script. They were  “scary” good. Aaron took their impulses and created a wild, dangerous, erotic, passionate “physical vocabulary.” He set up a very safe environment for some dangerous choreography. He slowly worked through each of the physical moments in the scene with Joey and Tony. It was really hard work and the actors maintained a high level of focus and concentration. This was a very physical and athletic rehearsal. It was also fun…we had a “blast” getting down and dirty with the scene. At one point during the rehearsal Joey just burst out laughing…uncontrollably. It was an amazing release of energy. Aaron told the actors to “Give yourself permission to scare each other.” He told me to “push the actors to scare each other.”

     Jan:     …risk me, risk me, risk my saying no, risk my anger, my resistance. For once in your life take me on and win me.

 We were totally exhausted after this rehearsal…our adrenaline was pumping at a high rate…I was starving.  Aaron is a joy to work with because he understands how to collaborate with the director and the actors. He gets his ideas and inspiration from the actors’ choices. He helps me to tell the story with his choreography. We had a productive and exciting rehearsal.

Ed Herendeen

THE BUDGET

In a previous posting 4/15 I express my concerns about the current economic downturn and how it was impacting non-profit arts organizations… including CATF. I expressed that fiscal responsibility is a value that I hold as closely as artistic excellence. It is essential that we have a balanced budget this season. But the challenges that we are facing this year are enormous. We have seen major cuts in both state and federal grants. Individual and corporate contributions are down. So the pressure is on…and that pressure is keeping us awake at night. We are operating on a “bare-bones” budget…and we are watching every penny that we spend. At the same time we are committed to finding creative solutions…because we are committed to producing five excellent plays. I recently had to cut a major artistic element in one of our plays. This was a difficult…but necessary decision. It breaks my heart when I have to make cuts to our artistic programs. This is the reality that we are facing this season.

So if you are reading this and you want to offer any advice or words of support please do so… We will get through these difficult times because art can and will survive. We are all living in uncertain times. Art is more necessary today than ever. Because we are artists…we are emboldened with a new sense of spontaneity and creativity. We will not shy away from doing important work that matters. We will continue to ask the difficult questions. We will continue our search for meaning. We will continue to make theater that is like life itself: unrepeatable, illuminating and unforgettable. We will continue to create a theater company that is not afraid to take risks. We will continue to dream with ambition, creativity and a dedication to excellence.

I invite you to join me in this conversation…I invite your comments…your counsel…and your support. Please help me to nurture new work for the stage.

Ed Herendeen