PROJECT KNOWLEDGE- Day 69 & 70

Day 69 & 70: WE'RE HOME!!!!!!

May 9, 2010

Well, WE DID IT!!! After 69 days on the road we made it back home to Los Angeles, California where our adventure began on March 2, 2010.



All is gorgeous in sunny California. We spent the day unpacking. Junior is loving being back in her home, but often seems a little sad that she's not in the driver's seat like the good ole' days....



On Monday morning we drove to Cruise America and said goodbye to our "homes on wheels" that travelled us across the country as we learned invaluable lessons from some of the most prominent voices in American Theatre today. It was a bittersweet moment as Project Knowledge came to its final stop on the journey.



But now... we look forward to the future. We are so excited to be back in Los Angeles to assess all of our data and to continue to meet with more theatre leaders and arts organizations in Southern California. We are also excited to begin to create the groundwork for the next phase of our company's development. We cannot wait to share with you all that is on the horizon. Please sign up for our mailing list to stay up to date with our Transcendence Theatre news!

Thanks to EVERYONE who helped to make this project possible! We are unbelievably grateful for the support and encouragement we have received from around the world. We promise to put all of our knowledge to great use as we work towards creating a healthier future for American Theatre and the lives of artists!

PROJECT KNOWLEDGE Day 68

Day 68: THE HOME STRETCH (San Francisco, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo)

We are headed home! On March 2, 2010 we departed Los Angeles with 6 people (well, 5 because we picked up Stephan in Arizona), 2 RVs, one dog, and a big dream. And on May 8, 2010 after an invaluable 2 month cross country research tour we began the journey home with 4 people (Robert & Leah had to leave us a little early), 2 RVs, one really really really really cute dog, and an even BIGGER dream!

We drove our motor homes over the Golden Gate bridge on our way out of the town. The sight was truly breathtaking!



We had an awesome lunch stop in Santa Cruz, California to visit Amy's dear friend Elizabeth and her husband Doug. Amy & Elizabeth were performance apprentices for 2 years over 11 years ago (WOW!) at The Barn Theatre in Augusta, Michigan. We had a great time talking performing arts with this theatre couple! Besides both being performers, Elizabeth now works with Marketing & Special Events for Opera San Jose and Doug is a drama teacher at Archbishop Mitty High School.



Elizabeth and Doug also got a kick out of Amy's exciting hand gestures when she talks about the exciting future for Transcendence Theatre and all of American Theatre. Oh yes, it is time for Transcendence!!!!



After the best lunch ever we hopped into our RVs to drive to San Luis Obispo. After driving over 10,000 miles, you should have heard us scream when we saw the first signs for Los Angeles!



After a great final dinner in the adorable downtown area of San Luis Obispo, we headed to our last RV park stop for Project Knowledge.



We pulled up to Pismo Sands RV park to find out that our final stop had been voted the best RV park of the year!!!! AMAZING!!!!



We had a photo shoot to capture the memories of our homes for the past 2 months. Here's some behind the scene photos of Project Knowledge. Randi's going to miss her "table by day and bed by night"! Stephan, Brad, and Amy will always have fond memories of sleeping in their cab-overs! And Junior is going to miss the RVs most of all. She loved sitting in the front seat and keeping watch out the window at all our campgrounds across America. What an adventure!









Brad made a our final fire and we took a moment under the stars to share our favorite memories and all that we are thankful for in our lives and on this journey! It was the perfect ending to a perfect project. We settled in for our last night of slumber in our Rvs because tomorrow morning it is... LA or BUST!

PROJECT KNOWLEDGE Day 67

Day 67: Our FINAL Project Knowledge Interview on the road!!!! Arlene Goldbard... San Francisco, California

It is crazy to even be typing this, but today was our 42nd and FINAL meeting for Project Knowledge. Although we will be scheduling various meetings in the Los Angeles area upon our return, today marked our last discussion on the road. And wow... it was a memorable one.

We met up with Arlene Goldbard at her home in Richmond, California right outside of San Francisco. "A provocative independent voice for our times, Arlene Goldbard is a writer, social activist, and consultant who works for justice, compassion and honor in every sphere, from the interpersonal to the transnational.

Arlene’s essays have appeared in such journals as Art in America, The Independent, Theatre, High Performance and Tikkun. Her books include Crossroads: Reflections on the Politics of Culture; New Creative Community: The Art of Cultural Development; and Community, Culture and Globalization. Arlene has helped dozens of organizations to make plans and solve problems.

Amy first was blown away by Arlene's work after reading her keynote talk “Reframing the Role of the Arts in California” at The California Arts Advocates’ Visioning Retreat in January 2010. The entire speech was very moving, but this part really hit home with all of us in regards to reframing the role of arts and the funding that supports the arts in America.

"But the big frame we need now is this: that art is the secret of survival, that if our resilience,
creativity and future sustainability are riding on the stories that shape us, we had better invest in
our collective capacity to create and share stories."

It was an honor to have a chance to sit down and speak with Arlene. We learned so much from her unique insights and incredible wisdom. We enjoyed discussing the need to "reframe" the context in which we speak about art and the role it plays within the cultural development of a community. We were very intrigued and passionate about her mission to create a new WPA in America. You can learn more about the WPA by reading one of Arlene's most recent blog entries. However, here is a bit of information regarding this exciting period in the history of the arts in America.

"Seventy-five years ago, Congress passed legislation for the Works Progress Administration (WPA), a federally funded jobs program that helped bring about the type of national recovery the USA needs today. The largest WPA program was "Federal One," which employed artists to paint murals, make theater, document history, teach music, and much, much more. The first programs for artists began as part of general job creation, in response to skyrocketing unemployment in the Great Depression." The Federal Theatre Project, led by the legendary Hallie Flanagan, was part of FDR's WPA program.

Arlene feels that the time is upon us for a new WPA and she is working persistently, passionately, and patiently towards the achievement of this goal. We commend her for this incredible pursuit and we know that just like Hallie she will pave the way for great advancements in the cultural development of American society.

We thoroughly enjoyed discussing cultural policy & sustainability with Arlene as well as the unlimited possibilities that exist for the arts to advance the cultural development of communities during these changing times. We are very excited to read her book New Creative Community: The Art of Cultural Development upon our return to Los Angeles. Hopefully in the future we will be able to collaborate with this wise and forward-thinking mind. Our meeting with Arlene was the perfect way to end Project Knowledge! And she was ready to take her thinker pose photo!!!!! Thanks Arlene for an inspiring, intriguing, and delightful conversation. We are excited to see the evolution of all of your new ideas! What an exciting time it is to be a leader in the arts world during this critical and important period of history. The future is SO bright!



I think that the legendary Group Theatre of the 1930's would be proud of all of the "thinking" that has been going on across America as we traveled from one great theatre mind to another. This journey has undoubtedly changed all of our lives. The education we have received has been unique and invaluable. We look forward to assessing the information we've gathered and then create plans for a very exciting, theatrical, and healthy future for Transcendence Theatre! Tomorrow we will be driving half way to Los Angeles. We cannot believe we will be home in 2 days!

PROJECT KNOWLEDGE Day 66

Day 66: Travel Day down the coast of California & Happy Birthday Stephan!

It was an awesome day to travel down the coast to get closer to our meeting in San Francisco with Arlene Goldbard! May 6th was also Stephan's birthday! Our rides have been gorgeous as we drive through the majestic redwoods and we were completely in awe of the scenery in Napa Valley & Sonoma. We had lunch in the adorable town of Healdsberg, picked up groceries at a co-op in Santa Rosa, and cooked an awesome birthday dinner at our campground outside of Napa. We were able to sit around the campfire and celebrate Stephan's birthday and the success of our project as we head into home stretch! Our RVs will be arriving back in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon! Thank you to EVERYONE who has supported our mission and project. Without your support, our project would never have been possible. We look forward to putting all of our new knowledge to great use as we continue to build our company and develop our holistic technique. The future is so bright!!!! Tomorrow we are off to San Francisco for our final meeting on the road! Arlene Goldbard or bust!

PROJECT KNOWLEDGE Day 65

Day 65: Our visit to Dell'Arte in Blue Lake, California

Well, after 65 days on the road... we are headed into our home stretch! It was crazy and awesome to see the "Welcome To California" sign as we left Oregon and headed on our trip down the coast.





Our drive was astonishing as we passed by some of the most gorgeous blue waters. We were also blown away by the redwood forests. I mean... look at the massive trunk of this redwood tree! AMAZING!





We arrived in Blue Lake (which recently celebrated its 100th birthday as a city!) and headed straight to our meeting with Joan Schirle at the historic Dell'Arte International. Joan was one of the founding artistic directors over 30 years ago, so we were honored to get a chance to speak with her along our travels. Besides being an actor, director, playwright, teacher, and member of the Dell'Arte Resident Company, she also is The Director of The School of Theatre.

Dell’Arte International is the work of an extraordinary community of artists located amidst the majestic redwoods and rugged beauty of California’s North Coast. The uniqueness of this company makes them a destination unlike any other on the American theatre map. Dell'Arte specializes in physical theatre and has a training school that grants students an MFA in Ensemble Based Physical Theatre. Physical theatre is more movement based verses text based theatre, although the majority of works still have texts. Students study mime, clowning, Alexander technique, puppetry, commedia and so much more during their time at the school. Dell'Arte is also the only full time physical theatre school in the world with a professional company in residence that has deep roots in a local and regional community. The company has been touring original shows regionally and internationally since the 1970's. The are an acclaimed ensemble whose unique physical style reflects more than 30 years of collaborative creation.

Joan gave us a very cool tour of the school and we were able to say hi to a number of students who were busy working on their MFA thesis projects. She sat down with us to tell us the rich history of the organization as well as share with us the evolution of their training program. We were very interested in hearing about Dell'Arte's unique programming since they are the only physical theatre in the world offering an MFA where the degree is conferred by the school itself. We had a very interesting conversation regarding the challenges of running such a unique and community based company, but were also truly inspired by the growth of such a company since its humble beginnings.




We joined up with Michael Fields; founding member, producing director, and master teacher of the company. It was wonderful to sit down with him and Joan to learn more about the work of ensemble based theatre companies. We also discussed funding issues and trends during these changing times in American Theatre. We were thinking really hard about the great future for American Theatre... gotta love this awesome thinker photo!!!!



Joan then took us on a walking tour down the street to see more of the Dell'Arte studios and afterwards we kept talking at the local watering hole where we shared many more stories!!!! A good time was had by all!!!!



Thanks Joan for sharing your work and passions with all of us! Our time in Blue Lake was exceptional and we look forward to visiting Dell'Arte again someday!

Tomorrow is a travel day down the coast and we are then gearing up for our FINAL interview for Project Knowledge! WOW!

PROJECT KNOWLEDGE Day 63 & 64

Day 63 & 64: Exploring Ashland, Oregon & loving "She Loves Me"

It was wonderful that we had a moment to explore the town of Ashland in more detail. We are in awe of the 75 year history of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Along our travels, we've had many discussions about the mindset of "success" within the theatre field. There seems to be a barrier between the struggle to achieve "short term" success verses having a "long term" vision for success. We see all levels of success being wonderful and necessary within our field. However, our time spent in Ashland really gave us an immense perspective on the evolution of a long term vision for a company and community. Yes, it took years to build up OSF. Yes, it took a town coming together and it took artists & administrators pushing the boundaries over a long period of time to achieve the high artistic excellence and high business excellence that supports the festival today. But, it is amazing to see the result of such long term vision and to see that vision still continues to change and grow.

During our days in Ashland, we were able to talk to people in restaurants and in the park about their feelings toward OSF. It is so amazing to see what a big impact this theatre has had on the lives of those within the community and those who visit from all over the world.

Rona and Herb invited us up to their gorgeous home to have a dinner with Jay and Trish. We were able to learn more about their love for OSF. Rona volunteers with The Tudor Guild. The Tudor Guild is a non-profit corporation that provides services and financial support to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and its patrons. Volunteers run the gift shop as well as participate in other programs and activities that support the festival. Herb excitedly shared with us a copy of Angus Bowmer's Biography "As I Remember, Adam" which was given to him as a gift in 1975. The book details the founding and growth of the company that plays an important part in his and Rona's life since they have been coming to the festival for many years. Thank you Rona and Herb for the amazing meal and delightful conversations about theatre. And thank you Jay and Trish for being a part of our Project Knowledge journey! We love you and we can't wait to see you on opening night at our theatre! :)






The following day, we explored the theatre more and were honored to see an incredible sold out production of She Loves Me in The Angus Bowmer Theatre! Thanks OSF and Ashland for such a memorable visit. We learned so much! Tomorrow, we depart for Blue Lake Calforna to meet wth Joan Schirle at Dell' Arte. Only 5 more days left of our tour. WOW! What a journey!!!!

PROJECT KNOWLEDGE- Day 62

Day 62: Bill Rauch & Claudia Alick at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon

Today was an exceptional one! Ashland, Oregon is a beautiful and special town in southern Oregon which is the home to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF). In addition to employing over 100 artists every year, OSF is currently one of the largest regional theatres in America. To say that the festival resides in the town of Ashland is an understatement, the festival practically fuels the town and permeates the entire culture and sensibility of the area.

OSF was begun in 1935 by a man named Angus Bowmer. The story of it's inception is a remarkable one... involving a Chautauqua building, boxing matches, and a steady growth (check it out). From a beginning budget of $400 in 1935, today the festival now runs on a budget of over $26 million, and this year alone will have an attendance of approximately 400,000 people.

Our first meeting was with the Artistic Director of OSF, Bill Rauch. Bill took over the Artistic Director position in 2006, and has since shepherded gigantic strides in the success of the company. We were particularly excited to meet with him, because not only has he had a big impact on OSF, but he is also one of the founding members of the Cornerstone Theatre in Los Angeles, a groundbreaking theatre that has profoundly inspired us and which has come up in many of our discussions across the country.

In our research we discovered that one of the reasons that Bill and his friends began the Cornerstone Theatre Company was because in the 1980's they came across a stat that said that only 2% of the American public attended theatre. After graduating college Bill and his friends got into a van, traveled to different communities around the US, and made it their mission to reach out to the 98% of the population who were not attending theatre. Cornerstone has an unbelievable history and it was a true honor to be able to sit down and learn first hand from one of its founders.

We had an amazing meeting with Bill where he spoke with us about a lot of the successes and challenges he's experienced at OSF, as well as about his discoveries in founding, building, and growing Cornerstone to where he left it in 2006. Perhaps one of the most inspiring things about Bill is that even though he's running this giant organization with major money, esteem, and artistic merit, his focus still resides in reaching out to the minorities, the unheard, and the underprivileged.

Perhaps one of the biggest and most visible changes at OSF since Bill arrived has been the Green Show which is the free show that takes place each night before the shows on the festival outdoor stage. When he came into the festival, he changed the Green Show from a static show that remained the same all summer, into a performance opportunity for people in the community and around the world to show their work and be heard (which has brought performers from far and wide, and has greatly increased the attendence of the local community to the festival). Bill inspired us greatly as he passed on words of wisdom and advice to us as we found our own company. We will never forget this inspiring conversation for the rest of our lives! Thanks, Bill!

After our meeting with Bill, we went outdoors to meet Claudia Alick and sit on the stage where the Green Show is performed. Claudia is the Associate Producer/Community and is also the Curator/Producer for The Green Show. With her passion and dedication to diverse programming, she has been responsible for the success of the changes to The Green Show in recent years. These changes have been enthusiastically embraced by the community and it is also awesome that they are drawing more diverse audiences to OSF.

We first came across Claudia when she was named by TCG Magazine as one of the 25 theatre artists who will shape American Theatre in the next 25 years. Claudia has a brilliant and creative mind. We were enthralled listening to her speak about the future of American Theatre and how all of us can push the boundaries in how theatre integrates, involves, and inspires communities. We are incredibly excited to see her artistic and producing work evolve. She is also the Hip Hop Dramturg for OSF's Hamlet which is probably one of the coolest things we have ever heard! Thanks Claudia for philosophizing about theatre with us and challenging us to imagine new and exciting avenues for programming! We can't wait to come back and visit again someday soon!



After our two phenomenal meetings, we spent the day exploring the town of Ashland and learning more about the impact Oregon Shakespeare Festival has had on this beautiful community. Ashland is GORGEOUS. Walking through Lithia Park was one of the highlights of our stay! (Junior loved exploring the town!) And for dinner, we were lucky to meet up with Jay & Trish Dworsky who are 2 of our biggest supporters and friends from Punta Banda, Mexico! (We LOVE them!) Jay's sister Rona and her husband Herb retired in Ashland and are big fans of OSF. So it worked out perfectly that Jay could visit his sister and us on their vacation! We had an exceptional dinner at Thai Pepper. And of course, we had the best day ever and are looking forward to learning more about OSF during our stay tomorrow!

PROJECT KNOWLEDGE- Day 61

Day 61: En Route from Portland to Ashland, Oregon

Today was a beautiful travel day for us driving down through Oregon on Highway 5. Along with learning from all of our meetings and talks during our travels, one of the benefits of our trip has been the ability of our group to get the feel of the different towns and cities we're traveling through (as we don't have a permanent home selected yet for our company, we've definitely been keeping our eyes open along the way!).

Today was a success as we were able to spend the morning doing some work in Portland, the afternoon getting a feel for the city of Eugene, and then the night preparing for our discussions with Bill Rauch & Claudia Alick (of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival - OSF) on the way to Ashland. We've experienced some truly gorgeous drives and beautiful days in Oregon, we can't wait for tomorrow and our time at OSF.

We parked for the night at On The River RV Park in Myrtle Creek, Oregon. It was one of our most beautiful and favorite camp grounds yet! Check out their cool office, the 2 rabbits we befriended, and the mind blowing sunset we saw right outside our RVs! It was another best day ever and tomorrow is going to be even better! :)