Through support from the Williston+ program, which connects the Williston community with professors at the Five Colleges,  we were able to host some of the Pioneer Valley’s most creative theatre minds in our Play Production course last Friday. The class, which focuses on directing for the stage, explores what it means to be a theatre artist and offers students a chance to develop an artistic perspective while examining how that perspective adds to contemporary theatrical practice. Daniel Kramer, Chair of the Smith Theatre Department and Associate Artistic Director of Chester Theatre, Priscilla Kane Hellweg, Executive Artistic Director of Holyoke based Enchanted Circle Theater and Hampshire College professor, and Eric Henry Sanders, playwright and Hampshire college instructor, engaged students in a lively, honest, and passionate conversation on these very topics.

When I set out to gather this group together my hope was that they could bestow terrific practical knowledge about directing to our students.  Mr. Kramer brings years of experience directing award-winning theatre, Ms. Kane Hellweg’s nationally recognized  community-engaged theatre company has been transforming lives for nearly forty years, and Mr. Sanders’ plays have been produced all over the world.  Who better than this group to share the how-to of directing  with my students?

What unfolded was even better than that. The visit evolved from a panel to a robust conversation between students, teacher, and visitors that examined the essence of why we do theatre. It all came down to something very simple- storytelling.  Mr. Kramer spoke of the potential for theatre to create “empathetic imaginations” when actors inhabit characters unlike themselves, Ms. Kane Hellweg discussed how her work creates a permeable boundary between audience and performers that empowers audiences to become actors in their own narrative, Mr. Sanders conveyed the inherent power that storytelling has to change the way we examine our world when we include multiple perspectives. They agreed the keys to finding success in the theatre- and by success we are not talking about how lucrative our work is, but rather how transformative the work is for audiences and artists- is a spirit of giving. Without prompting, these visitors spoke a truth I hold very dear about creating and performing theatre- you must connect, collaborate, and give through the act of storytelling. Without these elements your piece will not touch hearts, change minds, or even entertain.

In reflecting on the panel, my students had a renewed sense of the importance of theatre, but more specifically a more clear picture of why they are so passionate about it. One student said “It is important to keep perspective on the reasons… you do something in order to have clarity in your work.” With that spirit they headed off to lead rehearsals for Theatre Lab, a collection of student-directed one-acts to be performed in February.

As part of our Winter Trimester production “Theater Lab,” I’ve asked Noah Jackson ’15 to write three posts about the process of producing a play from his perspective as a first time director and costume designer.  He has written the first of those and I have included it below.

– Charles Raffetto

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I stared at the script blankly as if it were a pure white canvas ready to be transformed into a masterpiece. Everything from lights to sound and costumes went running through my mind as the prospect of a play turned into a reality. With the script as guidance, I was going to form a small piece of theater into something that was completely and totally my vision. These feelings were daunting to say the least, but I am sure my experience was one similar to what most first time directors go through. 

Through Theater Lab, a new after school program option accessible during the winter trimester, students gain insight and experience relevant to every facet of creating drama including designing, directing and acting.  I was one of the four students to take up the task of directing a small, three- to four-page play chosen through options given to us by our producer Charles Raffetto. 

It is fair to say that, through my experience as a director, I have gained a new-found respect for the resident Williston Theater Director, Emily Ditkovski. Directing has entailed so much more than I could have ever imagined and has been very different from the stereotypical “sitting in the audience with a megaphone shouting orders” archetype that people may think of when the word director is used. In fact, directing is such an interconnected experience when it comes to having to work with others. Through Theater Lab I have had to collaborate with student light designers, set designers, costume designers, stage managers and actors. It has been a very interactive experience in that we all work together to bring to fruition each others ideas. 

Overall, Theater Lab has been invaluable in guiding me to become a better director. There is no better experience than just throwing yourself into a project and doing the hands-on work that you need to know how to do. Even in the one month that Theater Lab has been going on, I have run rehearsals, built cohesion within the cast and blocked an entire short play. In the end Theater Lab has given me the tools to tackle the once daunting prospect of creating a Theatrical piece of art. – Noah Jackson ’15

While winter is usually a time for curling up with a favorite book and a warm blanket or binge-watching shows on Netflix, the Williston theatre is bustling with energy, excitement, and the sound of power tools and sewing machines. Between rehearsals for  Theatre Lab (our student one-act festival) and our spring production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It, each week there are over 50 people working about 25 hours in the theatre.

Needless to say, we don’t get out of the building much this time of year, but it works out fine for us when the temperatures are sub-zero and the sun barely shines. If you happen to find yourself in Scott Hall in the afternoon you are likely to discover a building teeming with small pods of actors, directors, designers, and stage managers working on one of the five one-acts that will make up our Theatre Lab performance.

If you head into the scene shop you will see technicians building walls, ramps, and doorways for the modular Theatre Lab set. Making your way into the very back of the building, you will see a costume shop exploding with fabric and the sound of multiple sewing machines going at once.  If you stumble into the building after dark you will hear the raucous laughter of actors finally getting Shakespeare’s bawdy jokes or (in a more focused moment) actors flipping through the First Folio to get a better sense of Shakespeare’s text, and of course, a stage manager meticulously recording everything.

We are excited to keep you posted on all of these events, not to mention the great things that are happening in classes (even more Shakespeare!) . Check back soon for an in-depth look at our first few rehearsals for As You Like It.

Enlightened.

Burning social commentary.

Universal truths.

These might not be the first words that pop into your head when you hear the word  “comedy” but students in Acting II have a different take on things. For the past three weeks we have been studying comedy. Yes, this is actually a thing and it consist of more than sitting around watching your favorite Saturday Night Live sketches. It is as complex, intricate and challenging as tackling Hamlet (well, maybe not as complex, but definitely as challenging!).  Comedy has rules and traditions. If you follow them you will likely end up with people describing your work as “enlightened” or containing “burning social commentary” that highlight “universal truths” while clutching their stomachs because they are laughing so hard. At least that’s what happened in our class on Wednesday.

Acting II students were charged with crafting original sketches using the foundations of commedia dell’arte as a guide. Commedia was born in Italy during the Renaissance. Its raucous, bawdy, and highly-physical comedy provided the backbone for every comedian who followed. The primary goal of commedia was to challenge the status quo and unearth universal truths about social norms. I was curious to see what social norms our students would tackle and what elements of commedia they would utilize. It would be impossible for me to summarize their work- comedy, in its essence, is of the moment- but I will give you some highlights…

• The American Melting Pot compared to rainbow sprinkles
• Politicians speaking gibberish
• A reference to the famous Red Sox player A-Rod
• A veterinarian providing childbirth advice
• Multiple references to reality television

Through these outlandish situations universal truths about American politics, major league sports, the politics of flying, and the value of family were unearthed.

Beyond creating our own sketches we looked at theatre traditions from the past and present, across the globe and in our backyards, that share connections with commedia. Kabuki Theatre, the Peking Opera, Bread and Puppet Theatre, and the San Fransisco Mime Troupe utilize physicality, stock characters and other traits of  commedia in their work. At the end of class today students concluded that this kind of storytelling is universal and links us as human beings across time and space. Pretty enlightened, indeed.

Over the past few days students in Acting II have been experimenting with the ideas of commedia dell’arte and the connection it has to comedy produced today. For their current project students are being asked to create and perform a short sketch utilizing at least three elements of  commedia. So far they have come up with some pretty intriguing ideas- corruption in sports, infantile behavior among politicians, the universal fear of flying, and the facade of family loyalty.  In true commedia fashion they are creating outlines for their scenarios and will soon embark on the task of using improvisation to bring the pieces to their feet.

Leadership is something educators hold dear. We are constantly thinking about how to encourage it in our classes. In seventh grade theatre, leadership happens  many different times throughout any given class period. In fact, we start each class with a warm-up led by a student. Their charge is simple, yet deceptively complex: lead a five minute exercise that engages the whole class  and utilizes four main theatre words: focus, imagination, physicality, and voice. Sometimes students choose games that I know, other times I am learning them for the first time along with our students. Regardless, it is not difficult to turn the classroom over to my students. They are eager to take the reigns and do so with gusto.

Last Tuesday a student taught “The Martha Game” to her peers. She started by explaining how the game works. Students begin the game in a line facing the playing space. One player at a time steps into the playing space and strikes a pose. He or she announces who they are and what they are doing. The next player must follow suit, adding to the picture already established.  This continues until all players have added to the picture. The pace is fast and lends itself to spontaneity- not to mention that it hits all the elements of the theatre needed in a strong warm up. Our leader decided to add an additional collaborative component to the game for our second round- the person who follows you now announces who you are and what you are doing. This addition utilized one of my favorite elements of the theatre- Follow the Follower. This might sound like an oxymoron, but it’s a key element in theatre-making. There is no singular leader. We each follow each other, building on what has come before, similar to the improv. mantra “Yes, and…” In making this adjustment to the game, our teacher for the morning encouraged us to learn from each other and see the importance in the exchange of ideas. It was a perfect way to start the day.

You might wonder why nearly 20 students are sporting evening wear on a cold, rainy Thursday in October. If you look across campus you might spot someone in a suit (equipped with a bow tie) or a fancy black dress. Why? The answer: opening night of All My Sons. In keeping with theatre tradition, cast and crew dress up on this important day.

At last count we have 10 seats left for tonight’s performance. We will host the 11th grade who are studying the play in their English classes. They’ve been using a study guide created by the dramturge for All My Sons, Nick Dalzell ’15.  We’re curious and excited to see what they think of the show.

Are you coming to opening night? What are your thoughts on the show? Let us know in the comments below!

Director’s note: The cast and crew started tech week today and we began the morning with a hair tutorial. Resident costume designer Ilene Goldstein explained not only how to do the hair but also the cultural importance of each curl, part, and pin.

The Williston Theatre presents “All My Sons” from October 23-October 25, 2014. Read more and reserve your tickets online.