PROJECT KNOWLEDGE- Day 27

Day 28: Ken Davenport, Chris Elam and the Dzieci Theatre

Today was a big day for us in NYC, and a rainy one. NYC has rain on our schedule for our whole trip here... we're looking forward to Washington DC to get to see the sun again!

We started off our first full day in NYC at Ripley Grier Studios (one of the most popular places for auditions in the city) meeting and working with Matt Mitler and the ensemble of the Dzieci Theatre. They do fascinating work that is based on the work of Grotowski, and the concepts of Peter Brook's "Holy Theatre." In our 3 hours with them we were able to engage with them in an artistic exploration, learn a lot about their process and sit down with them over a pot-luck lunch to learn more about how their ensemble came together and how they function.

Next we headed over to the office of Broadway producer Ken Davenport. Ken is an inspiration to us for all of the work he has done in developing new shows (Altar Boyz, Awesome 80's Prom), for creating websites which bring together the theatre community (BroadwaySpace.com, DidHeLikeIt.com, & BestOfOffBroadway.com) as well as for all of his pioneering ideas and insights on his blog (TheProducersPerspective.com).

Ken's blog has had some inspired ideas about marketing, producing, and pushing the edges of theatre. Check out a couple of our favorite posts: Kenneth Cole, Pictures at "Hair", Airline Industry, & Critic's Poster

We got a lot from talking with Ken about the for-profit side of the theatre business, about how he's integrated technology into promoting and sustaining his theatre ideas, and about his process of creating and developing new shows.

Next we hopped on the train to Park Slope, Brooklyn to meet with Chris Elam of Misnomer Dance Theater.

We first heard about Chris in this brilliant speech by Ben Cameron- it's a must see (he talks a lot about Chris in the Q & A). After researching Misnomer, we became fascinated with Chris' work and all he's doing to bring technology into the arts. In fact he talks about it (after he dances) in his great TED talk. Check out the video!

In mid-April of this year he is launching the Alpha verion of his new project called the Audience Engagement Platform (AEP). In the website's words "AEP is an open-source platform that helps artists design and efficiently manage their relationships with audiences, while giving individual audience members exciting ways to interact with artists and the arts. AEP aims to extend the meaningful moment of the live performance and transform how art fits into our daily lives." AEP's intension is to give arts organizations (theatre companies, dance troupes, musicians, museums) a technology framework to engage their audience on the internet. We could all sense that the work he is pioneering with the AEP will make a big impact on the ways we will be able to connect with our local and world community in the future.

Chris opens the new season of Misnomer's dance on April 2nd at Symphony Space in NYC... so if you're in NYC check them out.

Today was a big day, and tomorrow could be even bigger with our "Words & Wine" artists gathering tomorrow night and our meetings with Todd London of New Dramatists, and Terry Greiss of the Irondale Ensemble.

PROJECT KNOWLEDGE- Day 26

Day 26: Curt Columbus & on the road NYC

Today we had an incredible meeting with Curt Columbus the Artistic Director of Trinity Rep. After speaking with Trinity actors yesterday and seeing "Dead Man's Cell Phone" last night, we were really looking forward to talking with Curt about all that is so positively working for Trinity... namely the resident acting ensemble which is something quite rare for professional theatres in America.

Curt has been the Artisic Director of Trinity since 2006 and since his arrival has moved the theatre to a more artist centered and community engaged organization. If a team is only as strong as it's leader, Trinity Rep is one of the strongest organizations we've seen. Curt's passionate yet selfless vision resonated with us on many levels.

An integral component of what we spoke about came back to a common theme from our latest talks... the idea of redefining success. Is it the money and the success, or is it the community connection, the depth of the work, and the ways you've educated and enriched ? So often theatres are held to the standard of measuring up to the ideals of money and fame, yet if a theatre's success is only measured by money and fame... then the organization it isn't serving it's true purpose within society.

We had an engaging conversation about his vision and philosophy about the artists connection. What was perhaps most encouraging is his commitment to the health of the lives of the artists in the company. He is committed to creating a family of artists that have the opportunity for a continuum of artistic work. Such a continuum allows each artists to grow in new ways, but also has the power to create a deeper connection with the community both onstage and off. Curt is an awesome guy and a true inspiration to all of us!

We had our breakfast meeting at this really neat restaurant called Tazza... if you're ever in Providence, Rhode Island check it out!

After our morning meeting we got back into the RVs and got on the road to NYC. One of the challenges of traveling to big cities is that we're often trying to figure out where to park our RV! For NYC we'll have our big RV in an airport parking lot, our smaller RV in a Jersey City RV camp, and then we'll be taking our luggage with us on the PATH train into NYC to stay with friends.

It's amazing how many little details come into play when planning a trip like this, but fortunately after 26 days on the road, our spirits are high and we're handling them well!

PROJECT KNOWLEDGE- Day 25

Day 25: Trinity Rep; Providence, Rhode Island

Today was a particularly exciting day as we ventured west from our RV spot and landed in Providence, Rhode Island. We had a packed day of scheduling that centered mostly around visiting Trinity Rep, one of the oldest resident ensemble theatres operating professionally in the United States.

While we have a meeting with artistic director Curt Columbus tomorrow morning, it was important to us to get to know some of the ensemble members in order to hear about their experiences working in a resident ensemble. Fortunately, several of the thirteen company members agreed to meet with us in between rehearsals and so at 1pm we sat down with Stephen Berenson, Mauro Hantman, and Joe Wilson, Jr. Sitting in one of the Trinity Rep/Brown Consortium rehearsal spaces, we talked about the journey that led each of them to Trinity Rep and a life committed to ensemble collaboration.

It was fascinating to hear their perspective as permanent ensemble members of such a successful theatre company. The notion of actors committing to companies and companies committing to actors is, sadly, an unimaginable reality for many artists. From the discussions, however, our enthusiasm for theatrical models rooted in resident ensemble work grew! It was inspiring to hear each of these men talk about the privileges of having an artistic home and the freedom it brings to the work. Moreover, many of them have settled down in Providence with comfortable and reliable incomes conducive to stability and even starting a family. Mauro and his wife, Rachael Warren, (another Trinity Rep ensemble member) are expecting a child and several other company members have children and growing families.

By the way... this is one of our best thinker poses yet!

After our first discussion we set ourselves free to get lost in the city of Providence! Last night proved to be a little rough as the larger of the two RVs ran out of propane and therefore the heat stopped working. Cut to Robert, Stephan, Leah and Randi huddled up in multiple layers to protect themselves from the coldest weather we've experienced so far. On top of that, Randi woke up to a broken phone and so she rushed to the Providence Mall in between meetings to fix the problem! The rest of us went our own ways and enjoyed the offerings of Providence.

The city is enchanting in many ways; the small town, yet urban feel is rich in New England history. We even found an incredible restaurant to satisfy our unique food tastes. AS220 Food is right around the corner from Trinity Rep and sports a wide variety of vegan and vegetarian options. On top of that, they serve primarily locally grown food and cook everything fresh in front of your eyes. What a treat!

After our break we met with Phyllis Kay and Rachael Warren, two female members of the Trinity Rep ensemble. They were kind enough to talk to us right before (& after!) their performance of Sara Ruhl's Dead Man's Cellphone. (which we had tickets to) The ladies filled us in on their experience of working with the ensemble and shared the men's enthusiasm for being part of an artistic family that is producing regular and reliable, quality work.

Between the two sets of discussions, we really got a great feel for the way Trinity operates as a professional resident ensemble and how the artists fit into that model. It was incredible to learn that the history of the artists actually outdates the majority of the senior artistic and management staff. So truly, the history of Trinity lies in its ensemble of artists, who have kept the unique aesthetic of the company vibrant throughout its many years of fluctuating operations. We also heard a lot of admiration for Curt Columbus and his strong and passionate commitment to strengthening the ensemble and recognizing it as the fundamental core of the work at Trinity Rep. We can't wait to meet him tomorrow.

From these meetings, we have gathered a lot of information on the logistics of operating a resident ensemble theatre company. (it's not impossible!) We have also heard about the challenges of working as a group, the importance of recognizing the group as the most important part of the work, and the absolute need for continual communication between company members to maintain a healthy and open atmosphere for optimal artistic success.

We wrapped up the day by attending the performance of Dead Man's Cellphone. I think we unanimously enjoyed the production. It was a really fun, comedic and entertaining take on a really good play that has a much appreciated relevance to our current world. If you're near Providence, check it out! If not, find your way to Trinity Rep if you ever wander through Providence. (or any part of Rhode Island, really...it's pretty small) You can undoubtedly sense the comfort between the performers and the vibrant artistic brilliance that permeates from just that. And stepping into the theatre, there is an undeniable warmth that stems from a history of commitment to a greater ideal. What a day!

PROJECT KNOWLEDGE- Day 24

Walden Pond and Edward P. Clapp

We were able to catch up on some must needed sleep before departing for Walden Pond in the late morning. All of us have been greatly inspired, both individually and collectively, by the works of Henry David Thoreau, particularly his classic, Walden, or Life in the Woods. Being that Walden Pond was so close to our afternoon meeting in Summerville, we simply had to take the detour. It was incredible to see, first-hand, the site where almost a century and a half ago Thoreau embarked on a two-year experiment in simple living. We had a wonderful time picnicking near the foundation remnants of Thoreau's cabin, and striking the thinker pose with a bronze replica of the man himself. We also signed a rock with one of our favorite Thoreau quotes for a rock garden that was formed as a living history of all the visitors who have flocked to Walden Pond. Here are a couple more of our favorite Thoreau quotes!

"Do not worry if you have built your castles in the air. They are where they should be. Now put the foundations under them."

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away."








We then got on the road to Summerville for our meeting with Edward P. Clapp who currently serves as a consultant for arts and arts education organizations while pursuing his doctorate at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. We were particularly interested in meeting with Clapp because of his 20 under 40 project. Concerned for the future of arts and arts education leadership, Clapp prompted all people under 40 to submit essays about new and innovative ideas and solutions to combat the impending problems that the arts sector in our country faces. People were inspired to submit due largely to the passionate essay he wrote entitled This Is Our Emergency, which has been a great galvanizing force for our own project. He has chosen twenty essays to publish in an anthology in the hopes that it will legitimize the talent of young leaders by bringing their ideas out of the margins and into the forefront of this dialogue. Though he couldn't share too much about the ideas, as the anthology is yet to be published, we were able to gain from him a deeper understanding of the factors that play into institutional dysfunction from a lack of cross-mentorship to the need to embrace the polymathic nature of our generation.

PROJECT KNOWLEDGE- Day 23

Day 23: New England bound... the day Zelda called!

After our great days in Baltimore, we had another early morning as our group prepped our RVs and got on the road toward Boston & Harvard University. We already miss the Baltimore house, but we certainly don't miss the rain and the mud in the RVs... you would laugh if you walked into one of our RVs, because we have piles of muddy shoes on the inside steps!

We had a great surprise today. While driving through Connecticut, Zelda Fichandler (one of America's living theatre legends) called Amy and Brad on the phone. Zelda co-founded (and for over 40 years was the Artistic Director of) Arena Stage in Washington, DC, which was perhaps the key pioneering theatre of the regional theatre movement.

Zelda (who is now in her mid-eighties) is a vital target for our project because of her wisdom, passion, and experience, as well as her encouragement for the next generation to take her legacy and evolve. It's sort of like... if you were calling for a change in the US government and you discovered that Thomas Jefferson was still alive, in his mid-80's, and writing about what those changes could be. Zelda to us is a vital link to our past and key inspiration for our future.

After gathering around Amy's cell phone and excitedly listening to her message as a group (yes, we're sometimes funny like that!), Amy was able to speak with Zelda and start a dialogue for meeting her.

It's hard to imagine that so many of the systems we now take for granted in the arts were once just ideas being imagined and explored- and not that long ago (Margo Jones in 1947, Zelda in 1950).

While we were in LA discussing our next steps as a company, it was several of Zelda's inspired articles calling for action that inspired us to take this trip across the country. Check this out.... she writes with such clarity and artistry, even her articles seem worthy of performance.

After hours of windy driving we arrived in Bellingham, MA (we can tell it's colder here!). We met up with Amy's brother Brian and his girlfriend Juli who were both specialists of ours during our project in Mexico last year (Brian a specialist in Neuroscience and Juliana in Psychology). Brian has been in Boston building his own company with his friend Wesley Clapp, check it out, it's pretty inspiring!

It's a cold night dark night at the RV park in Massachusetts, but we're excited for tomorrow; a trip to Walden Pond and our meeting with Harvard's Edward P. Clapp!

4$ Youtube/Facebook Challenge

At long last, here is the promised music video! We are releasing this to raise the remaining funds for our grassroots campaign. If our friends all give as little as $4 dollars and then pass the video along, we know we'll be able to meet our goal! So please watch and enjoy and share it with your friends! Thank you for your support!

PROJECT KNOWLEDGE- Day 19,20,21,22

Baltimore Benefit and Meeting with Single Carrot Theatre

We were finally able to take our first day off when we arrived in Baltimore. We spent the time with Brad's family and shared in some much needed home cooked meals!



The next morning we checked out a local theatre company, Single Carrot Theatre, that has made a huge splash in the Baltimore theatre scene in the short 3 seasons they've been in existence. We had a great meeting with executive director Elliott Rauh and blogger Chris Ashworth.
Elliott shared with us the incredible story of how the company was formed. The group's dedication and commitment towards creating their company and staying together (many of the current members had started the company when they were in college at CU Boulder) is truly inspiring to us as we embark on a similar journey. They also shared with us the funding and networking methods that have allowed them to begin to salary company members and fill their audiences to capacity every night! On a side note, they had an awesome alley behind their building that is dedicated to graffiti art...we got to take some pretty cool pictures there!





We spent the rest of the day prepping for our benefit performance later that evening. Adding to our eclectic collection of places to hold a benefit, we had it at the Babe Ruth Museum in Baltimore. As per our usual, there was a song and dance show, food and drinks, and the added bonus of admission to the museum. Thanks to Jon Weinman, Bev and Chip Weinman, and the Morris Weinman Foundation for their support and for making the evening possible!




And lastly, we closed out our time in Baltimore with Brad's uncle Jon and aunt Jan who are avid motorhome enthusiasts. Their knowledge and advice with regards to RV travel was invaluable to us in the planning of our trip. The grand majority of us had never dealt with motorhomes, so Jon and Jan's help drastically reduced the severity of our learning curve! They invited us over to see their motorhome, which just so happens to be larger than most new york city apartments. Needless to say, we were jealous of the spaciousness, and especially jealous that their toilet and shower are separate entities, whereas our toilet happens to be inside our shower...

We will be releasing a video soon that highlights the trials and tribulations of living in a motorhome, so stay tuned.

On our way to Boston tomorrow!!!!

PROJECT KNOWLEDGE- Day 18

Destination: Blacksburg, VA and Farmville, VA

Today we got on the road at 7:30 a.m. to get to our 9:00 a.m. meeting with Bob Leonard in Blacksburg, VA. Bob and his wife, Dora, so graciously invited us over to their beautiful home for a home-cooked breakfast of eggs, potatoes, toast, and fried apples! They invited Junior to come inside and make friends with their dog, Dave.

Bob works for the Department of Theatre Arts at Virginia Tech. He teaches directing and performance skills, with a particular focus on ensemble processes, collaborative creation of new work, and community partnerships. Our conversation centered on the collaborative process of ensembles and the challenges and advantages of maintaining a resident company of artists. Bob also shared his experiences in founding his own company, The Road Company, which was an improvisational theatre company active from 1972-1998.

Bob is committed to the development of strong networks of community-based professional performing organizations through his affiliation with Alternate ROOTS , the Network of Ensemble Theatres (NET) , and Community Arts Network (CAN). It was great to learn about the function of these organizations and the resources that are currently available to us in the field of community arts.

We had a wonderful breakfast, but at noon, it was time to part ways as Bob had to get to class and we had to get on the road to Farmville. Many thanks to Bob and Dora for their incredible hospitality!

About 3 hours later we pulled up to a parking lot on the Hampden-Sydney College campus where we were meeting with Claire Deal and her students.

Claire was actually Amy's High School Drama Teacher in Cincinnati, Ohio! Claire, the Chair of The Department of Rhetoric, is currently teaching an "Art and Activism" class at Hampden-Sydney. We met with her students and members of Hampden-Sydney's fine arts department for a lively discussion regarding the role theatre played in each of their lives. It was an incredibly inspiring and thought provoking conversation as we delved deeply into the reasons why theatre has or has not played a significant role in their lives.

After our talk, we joined Claire and her wife Bev for a delicious dinner at the beautiful Maxine's Restaurant in Farmville. We spent the night sharing funny high school theatre stories and philosophizing about the big dream! It was the perfect evening! Tomorrow we depart for Baltimore to get ready for our Baltimore Benefit and our meeting with Single Carrot Theatre.








It was Claire who truly instilled the love of theatre within Amy. If it wasn't for Claire's incredible and positive influence, Amy never would have pursued a career in theatre. And just for old times sake, lets look at a cute picture from our high school theatre days!

PROJECT KNOWLEDGE- Day 17

Day 17: Appalshop & The Roadside Theater

Today we woke up early from our beautiful Asheville campsite and got on the road to Whitesburg, KY to visit Appalshop. Check out our morning view!

Appalshop is a multi-disciplinary arts organization dedicated to capturing the stories and expressing the voices of the Appalachian community as well as other communities they collaborate with around the country and around the world. They really appealed to us because of their model of integrating different arts together toward social progress... through radio, music, filmmaking, photography, and theatre they have created rich and deep dialogues that bring the community together and enact social understanding and change. (for example, check out their Thousand Kites project www.ThousandKites.org)

We began our visit by meeting Andy Kachor, who took us into their screening room and gave us a private screening of the Thousand Kites project documentary called Up the Ridge. He actually gave us a good laugh by showing us this funny and somewhat creepy Russian video before we started too... it might give you a laugh.

It was a gorgeous day, so afterward we sat at a picnic table in the sunlight with Andy & Nick Szuberla (who actually co-created the Thousand Kites documentary) and had a wonderful talk with them about the structure of Appalshop, how the artists interact with the local community, how the organization approaches it's funding and financial challenges, and how they use their collective talents to make a difference with their work. Nick gave us tremendous insight into the process of how they function and how we can learn from their challenges and successes.

After our meeting, we hopped back in the RVs and headed to the home of the Roadside Theater (Appalshop's theatre company) to meet with two of the founders Dudley Cocke and Donna Porterfield as well as Artistic Associate Matt Salter. They are tremendously giving people and have been a huge inspiration to us in the ways they have uplifted communities with their work.

We began our discussion with a story circle (one of the techniques they use to develop their original shows). There are specific rules attached to the process, but the broad essence is that you pick a theme and then one by one you go around the circle and each person tells a personal story based on that theme. As the circle progresses the spirit of the group focuses and deepens. We had moving experience and by the time we were ready for our discussion we felt very connected with them.

We had a great discussion about their ideas on artistic excellence, about the ways they've used their work to diffuse conflict in a community, and about their financial model and the ways it would have to evolve in order to support our future. There was such a generous spirit about the time they spent with us, they are an inspiration.

After we said goodbye we walked back to our RVs and got on the road towards Blacksburg, Virginia for our breakfast meeting tomorrow with Bob Leonard, Associate Professor of Theatre Arts at Virginia Tech. These days are going fast!

PROJECT KNOWLEDGE- Day 16

Day 16: Professor Scott Walter's and his amazing theatre students at University of North Carolina Asheville

Wow! Day 16 was an AMAZING Day! Not only is Asheville one of the coolest cities in America, but the town is also home to a passionate University professor who is pioneering the way to great change and transformation in American Theatre. We had the most unbelievable day with Scott Walters, Associate Professor of Drama at UNC Asheville. We have been long time fans of Scott's blog "Theatre Ideas" which is based on a single premise: something is deeply wrong with the state of the American theatre, and without radical change it will continue its slide into irrelevance.

We met Scott for breakfast at Rise and Shine Cafe to discuss his innovative ideas. He recently was given the "Access to Excellence" award along with a National Endowment for the Arts grant. Scott is using his grant to help create a new model for regional and community theaters in towns with populations under 100,000. The project will include convening professionals to create the groundwork for a national organization to improve geographic diversity within American theater. Please check out his inspiring CRADLE project for more details about his commitment to "bringing the arts back home." Scott is also leading the conversation (along with Tom Loughlin) in Theatre Arts Curriculum Transformation at the collegiate level. Needless to say, our breakfast with Scott was intellectually stimulating and inspiring as we passionately discussed our high hopes for the future of American Theatre.



This great day got even better when we had the opportunity to speak with Scott's theatre students. We were highly impressed by the intellects of this awesome group! We had an amazing discussion regarding their hopes for the future as they prepare for a life in the theatre. It made us so happy to hear them talk about their commitments to creating theatre that will truly serve communities.




Undoubtedly, the work that Scott Walter's is doing in Asheville will pave the way for great theatrical advancements at a national level. We commend him for his pioneering vision and look forward to collaborating with him in the future!



We spent the afternoon exploring Asheville... one of the coolest cities ever! Everyone in Asheville is cool. The town is also very committed to local sustainability and health. We were in heaven! Many of us got our hair cut at the hip Ananda Hair Salon. Amy's stylist Jeremy said that he had gone on a 2 month road trip once to explore a new city to live in, but he returned from his travels having decided that no town was cooler than Asheville!!!! The night concluded with a great vegetarian dinner at Laughing Seed Cafe followed by some lively traditional St. Patrick's Day music by local musicians. We wish we could stay here a month, but it's time time to head off to Whitesburg, Kentucky to visit Appalshop and The Roadside Theatre!