Five of my favorite letters in the world of Bradley University are these: OTEFD. They stand for the Office for Teaching Excellence and Faculty Development. This office offers financial support in the form of grants to students, faculty and student collaborative efforts, and faculty research and professional development efforts.
As the work I will be doing this summer is most certainly both research and professional development, it seemed worth a shot to apply for support. I write up a proposal, lay out my action plan and timeline, gather the requisite letters of support from my chair and dean, and submit the application.
Then, I wait...
OTEFD has supported many of my department's projects in the past. It is for that reason that I am both hopeful and cautious. Will this be the time when they say "Alright you theatre people, no more!"? This project will help me grow as a director, as an actor, and as a teacher of acting, voice, and career preparation; it will grow the network and reputation of Bradley University. They have to support this, don't they?
In the meantime, we work our way through auditions for RAGTIME, which I direct in the fall, I plan for a Meisner Master Class, Libby performs her cabaret, and we attack final exams.
Auditions go extremely well. I'm as prepared for these as I've ever felt. I've wanted to direct this play since Libby bought me the Doctorow novel a few years ago. I'm seeing people in roles very easily. People are giving very strong and well-prepared auditions and call backs. I love this piece and can't wait to work on it. Every time I sit down to read, visualize, or listen I cry at least once. Granted, I am a fairly easy cry. When all is said and done, the cast of 35 emerges. The design and music teams are set and strong. I have an experienced senior stage manager. My daughter will play Little Girl. And guest artist Tommy Rapley of House Theatre of Chicago fame will choreograph and conduct a workshop in ensemble and physical/devised theatre. I know. Seriously. I am thankful for the chance to lead this journey.
Into finals. Again, the students deliver. Many of them playing with more heart and imagination than I've seen yet. The Chekhov final--a showing of act two and part of act three of THREE SISTERS--is particularly outstanding. These students came together as an ensemble and changed the air in the room that day. The weight of the given circumstances dropped in and people truly fought for what they needed. I was moved and proud.
Libby, my wife of fifteen years this summer, has created a cabaret called I'M HER BOOBIE: THE REALITIES OF NEW MOTHERHOOD REVEALED IN SONG. She performed it downtown last year at Peoria Cabaret Theatre and gives a brilliant, confident performance this time around as well as she performs for a women's gathering at The Journey Church in East Peoria. It is a joy to watch her do this show. The crowd is warm and responsive. Through her stories and fully-acted songs, I am reminded of the power of theatre as I watch the women in this room realize or remember that they are not alone as mothers. Her message is so important and she shares it with passion.
I get the student group set and begin to mentally prepare for teaching a two week Meisner Master Class after graduation. I love teaching the Meisner technique. This will be my fourth time leading this kind of workshop at Bradley. At it's heart, it is a series of structured improvisations that lead the student through personally meaningful experiences of each of the building blocks of a scene. Most importantly, however, it teaches actors to LISTEN. To listen with their blood. Legend has it that Sanford Meisner, member of The Group Theatre and longtime teacher of acting, was lying in a hospital bed, thinking about actors and what drives him crazy about them. It finally hit him: they don't listen! When onstage, they don't listen deeply enough to one another. They aren't as fully present and connected as they could be. Meisner then began to construct the exercises that would come to be known as his technique.
When the students are ready and earnest, the work never fails to deepen listening, strengthen imagination and will, and even improve the quality of relationships. The students have discovered that the most important person onstage is their scene partner. Translate that work to relationships and the result is better communication. The difference between trying to be interestING and being interestED. The latter makes for better acting and better relationships. Thanks, Meisner. I'll come back to you soon.
Life is so full that I actually forget, from time to time, that I am waiting to see if I have been awarded the grant that will provide enough support to cover room, partial board, and transportation for the American Players adventure. I think more deeply about the financial realities of summer if I don't get this grant--that is, Libby reminds me that we still don't know how we're paying for this!--and I remember to check my e-mail more frequently.
I open my computer while students are taking the written portion of one of the acting finals. I see the magic word in the subject line of an e-mail from OTEFD: AWARD!
Once again, God provides a way. Thanks to George, Jeff, and OTEFD, the award will support my work at APT to the tune of exactly what we need. Knowing that the finances are now in place, I can begin my preparations in earnest.
So, what exactly does that mean? How does a director prepare? How does an actor prepare?
Tune in next time as I strive to find my sea legs.
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