On the seeming looseness of it all

Posted on by Dale

To many of us, it may seem that we’re going down a fuzzy road to nowhere. What is all this “explore x” and “discuss y“? Why doesn’t someone just pick a play and let’s do it?

We lucked up with Mame in pulling together a cast in which there were no weak links and everyone seemed to understand without being told what we were doing. What we’re trying to do here is to take luck out of the equation by forming an ensemble: a group of actors who speak the same language.

That doesn’t mean that we all have to use the same strategies, tools, or preparations in what we do. It doesn’t even mean we all have to agree. What it does mean is that all of us can understand the different ways we all work, and there will be some commonalities of approach, since we will all work together.

It may also be a little scary/frustrating/puzzling that we don’t seem to have a clear path. Relax and trust us: this is one of those “the journey is more fun than the destination” situations. Something good will come of it. We will get somewhere. In fact, we’re going to go lots of places.

Some organizational suggestions

Posted on by Marc Honea

Dear Fellow Company Members,

There. That was easy. Say it and it’s so. Now we’re a company. I propose we meet and talk about how best to bestow our gifts on the Newnan-Coweta theatre scene.

The only really insanely ambitious part of this would be the first meeting since it would be best for all interested parties to attend and there is no such thing as a perfect time.

Here’s my suggestion about how this first meeting might work. The how is easier to think about than the when: Continue reading “Some organizational suggestions”

What I think this group should be and do

Posted on by Dale

I think this group should be a collaborative study group:

  • We should meet on a regular basis, with an agenda for each meeting that we’ve agreed on beforehand.
  • This agenda might have a focus on a particular acting exercise, or scene work, or discussion, or improv, or acting style, or vocal work, or any combination of the above.
  • Every member of the group can propose an agenda. All proposals are equal: like Marc says, we can vote on what we want to do next, and we can take our time about getting around to everything on our list.
  • Membership of the group should be porous, especially if we use space at the Newnan Theatre Company. Members of the group should feel free to audition and perform with NTC’s regular season, and regular NTC members should feel free to join us. No pressure, and no rivalry.
  • We should try to perform something once a quarter. Once a year, it should probably be something as big as Mame and performed in Wadsworth Auditorium.

Discuss.