Friday, May 1, 2009

The Empty Space

Professional TA Carla Ching blogs of life in the city and has a recent post about the challenges of bringing small works of theater into the classroom. 

Reflecting on a recent in-school performance of a piece adapted from Sandra Cisnero's novel The House on Mango Street, Ms. Ching writes "I am trying to figure out how to make it easier for people that aren’t regular theater goers.  Children and adults.  How do we get them to lean in and believe?"

Whoa. I have exactly the same question, and no answers, unfortunately.

She goes on:
The beauty of theater is that it can happen anywhere.  With very little.  But what we ask of our audiences is hard.  To be in the moment.  To imagine.  To believe.  But, when all the magic is in order, we are all there, imagining, together.

I like the image of the audience leaning in. That's how you know.

Also: Peter Brooks - The Mahabharata



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