In the beginning there was The Tempest...and The Tempest was by Shakespeare and The Tempest was Shakespeare...he was with the Tempest in the beginning.
Okay, you'll have to excuse me - I'm new at this. I'm Jana, just one of the six Tempest Ladies, and I'm on a bus up to NYC on Sunday, February 28th, 2010. I've heard we have to say "twenty-ten" instead of "two thousand and ten" now, but I still say "two thousand and ten" in my head...Oh well. I am happy to report that I can figure out how to create a blog. This prevents me from claiming I am technologically inept, because...I'm not, as this blog would hopefully imply.
I'm not sure what is appropriate for a blog, but I hope you're reading it because you have an interest in us and in our work.
Let me start at the beginning of our Tempest process:
We gathered in our London flat just off the Marble Arch tube stop, near Edgeware Road (for all you Londoners) for a preliminary meeting. We were winding down in a semester abroad that had changed all of our perspectives on Shakespeare, acting, and life itself. We knew we didn't want to leave what we loved so much about the Globe Theatre's process behind, so we agreed to put up our own Shakespearean show, using the techniques we had learned while in London. This would prove to be tricky as we each only had a small window of time - three weeks - that overlapped in the coming spring semester, during which we could rehearse and mount the show. So while many of us were in rehearsal for other shows, we were meeting on the side, doing table work and figuring out our concept - costumes, props, lighting...etc, so that we could get right up on our feet as soon as the other commitments cleared up.
We decided we wanted the concept to be as simplistic as possible, going with the idea that in the end of The Tempest, Prospero is left with only his humanity, having given up his magic and releasing his spirit Ariel. So, we too, were left human, as actors, by the end of our show. We had very basic costumes - black capri pants and blue tee-shirts. We decided to give ourselves a challenge and to mix it up a bit by switching roles throughout the show - from scene to scene - and sometimes within a scene. To distinguish which character we were, we would wear a particular hat. Each character had a hat of a different style or color depending on who that character was within our concept.
I would go into the details of switching and the fun that evolved from it, but I think it's something that's better seen than described. We had such a blast with it and played with it in ways that really accented the state of the characters. If you come see the show in April or August, I know you will get a kick!
I think something that really blessed us through the process of the first production of the show was not only the fact that we could put up a full production in three weeks, but also the fact that we put up the entire production - on our own. This included directing, producing, and, of course, acting at least seven to eight different characters. I do need to mention we had a stage manager, Chelsea Jennings, who helped to keep us focused and on task during rehearsals, while also reminding us to take breaks...because, well, when actors work, they work and they forget about taking breaks. Holly, another Tempest Lady, was very insightful in noting that. I know during the first rehearsals - before we realized we needed a stage manager - we would be rehearsing and wonder why we felt so tired...then we would look at the clock and realize we'd been going for three or four hours straight. Another lesson learned - a stage manager is necessary - for everything - including one's sanity.
That's about the extent of our first production squished into a horribly short description.
I know the other girls will want to write and fill in the gaps that I left, as well as enlighten you on where our first production encouraged us to go and how we got the funds to go there. We also had a pretty exciting and unexpected run-in in NYC that I will let Stella tell you about.
Thank you so much for reading and please stay tuned.
