Week One - Improvisation with Dennis Cahill

The first week also featured Improvisation workshops with Dennis Cahill from the Loose Moose Theatre Company out of Calgary. We had a great week doing Improv, even though the experience level across the participants was varied. Everyone dived in and pushed through their fears of performing without a script. 

Here are a few of the things that Dennis talked about with regards to Improv:

Defense Mechanisms - what happens to you when you fear something? Why is that thing in your head making you afraid? 

1. Thinking in advance - planning/intellectualizing. This keeps you safer but takes you out of the moment and then you are no longer present. 

2. Censoring/Editting - brains work fast. The interesting stuff is the stuff we don't censor. 

Mistakes can be twice as much fun if you just go with it. Don't place too much pressure on yourself to be good - just do it. 

During the week the participants explored control (speaking as one), advancing the scene (Yes, lets!), and status (Status Games) and much, much more. The improv workshops were great for developing skills in being Present as well as a terrific bonding exercise for the group. 

First Week - Rehearsal Prep with Tom Wood

In our first week, we had several sessions with Tom Wood regarding Preparation for Rehearsal. While the content was directed at actors specifically, I did find that most of it was translatable to the role of director. The key was 'Preparation'. That may make sense, but there are people who want to come into the rehearsal on the first day as a blank slate waiting for the director to fill them. While, that may seem ideal, it is simply not practical when one considers the limited time theatre companies have to rehearsal prior to presenting the show. Coming in prepared, but not locked in to choices, is a far better option to maximize the time for the best development of the work. After all, everyone has access to the script, so if that is the guide it certainly doesn't hurt to do as much work with it before rehearsals start.

To encapsulate some of the key points:
1. Learn your lines. These should not be learned with locked in choices, but the better you know your lines, the quicker you and the director can start exploring more interesting and productive choices. Identify the punctuation. There are a lot of clues for you as an actor inherent in the punctuation.
2. Figure out who the hero of the play is, and what your character is in relation to them. Are they a Helper or a Hinderer? Your character serves the play, not you as an actor. You will do better work if you ascertain what your function in the play is.
3. An evening in the theatre is not about the actors, or the director, or the designers - it is about the story that is being told for the audience. If the actors become the story, there is a problem.
4. When approaching the script, be an objective detective not a subjective actor. Figure out how to serve the play best and what the play actually is. Don't bring your personal baggage into the process.

There was quite a bit more in Tom's workshop, but these should give you a flavour of what we discussed and learned. Later I will write about rehearsal etiquette which has terrific tips for anyone in the rehearsal process!

Week One: A-ha! Moments...

I asked the participants about any A-ha! Moments they had in the first few days of the Program. The schedule is pretty relentless, but incredibly supportive, and there is a vast amount of material and tasks being asked of everyone, but there are also moments that click with you immediately.

"For me, my A-ha moment came in Voice/Text with Alison Matthews where she taught about the 3 Circles. You can find out about the 3 Circles, here. I realized that social media, where I spend a great deal of my life, is mostly circle 3 and 1. As Circle 2 is true engagement, this explains why we can sometimes get exhausted and overwhelmed by social media. A small observation, but one that for me, resonates. The 3 Circles, and the desire to be in the Second Circle made me think about how we approach the work we do onstage. It's easy to fall back on the tricks of the 3rd Circle, with volume and gesture and a large presence, but we miss out on really engaging with those we are telling the story to." - Kristen Finlay

"So far my mind has been blown at least twenty times. New images for breath that Ryan described, the magic of honouring punctuation, and the empowerment that comes with useful preparation are things I know will stay with me- just to name a few." - Julia Guy

"Most of my "aha" moments have come from improv class, where I've learned the value in "being average" and striving to play in the moment, without judgement, and without the nagging impulse to put forth the most clever, most unique, most self-affirming choices. Just being real and honest and in the moment seems to yield the most interesting, most real results." - Adam Sanders

"Nearly my entire career has been focused on new work and creation based performance and theatre. I'm lucky to have always had access to the playwrights of any show I'm directing, so specific approaches to text analysis have been eye opening and have allowed me to reflect, both positively and constructively, on the dialogue I exchange with a playwright throughout a process.  

Also...full disclosure: I'm a professional theatre artist, and I've never been very excited about Shakespeare. The past few days have made me realize I just never actually learned how to read it." - Beth Dart, Intern Director

"I've had a couple of big 'aha' moments already. One was having the simple discovery that not every main character in a story is the hero.  

As well, I was always terrified of improvising, and after doing a few of Dennis Cahill's sessions I felt a "I can do this!" moment. It was so great." - Emily McCourt

"What has been so inspiring is the talent and openness of my fellow participants. There have been times when I watched them with my mouth hanging open and thought, "How did they do that!?!"

I have also been so impressed with the dedication, knowledge and respect shown us by our instructors. No gurus... No one putting themselves above the work." - Stephen Gartner

"There have been many "aha" moments - being able to look at a text with new eyes and being given some tools to use in analysis of the same, and discovering "solfege" in music class!  Our teacher, Ryan Sigurdson is opening up a whole new area of understanding music - it's like learning another language!" - Robin Craig

"I had an A-ha moment the other day in movement! I have always carried tension in my shoulders and trying to release it is an ongoing challenge, but I made a connection that it actually may have way more to do with tension in my hips and the way I carry my ribcage. And we've been talking a lot about the question why, and so then examining the potential reasoning behind that tension placement was fascinating!" - Katie Ryerson

"I am (re)learning that you can't grow authentically without failing and that change is good. I've learned that punctuation is everything!" - Madison Walsh

First Week! February 13 - 18, 2017

Movement with Laura Krewski

Improv with Dennis Cahill

Singing with Ryan Sigurdson

Voice and Text with Alison Matthews

What Brought You Here?

I knew why I was here. I wanted to speak to the Participants and my fellow Director Intern about why they wanted to participate in the Program.

"I wanted to apply for the Program because I started theatre school when I was 17, and being 26 now I really wanted to reassess my toolkit and see what works and what doesn't anymore, or never did, and start fresh. I hoping to get out of it a lot of new tools, and make new connections with artists from across our amazing country. Being here now, it is a stunningly beautiful place, and everyone is amazing, and I am hoping to soak up all that good and become a better version of myself, both as an actor and in life." - Katie Ryerson

"I applied to the Program because it sounded like a wonderful opportunity to spend four weeks rediscovering the art of acting.  There were so many courses involved and I hadn't been at theatre school for a LONG time.  

I wanted to be able to study and learn and not feel judgmental about myself or my work and that is certainly what has transpired.  Well, at least, we are ENCOURAGED not to judge ourselves - a difficult task for any actor!  But it is a relief to know that you can fail at a task, and learn from it.  Very liberating!" - Robin Craig 

"I look at the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program as an absolutely invaluable opportunity and one from which I could benefit from every year for the rest of my life as an actor. It is focused, immersive, in-depth work collaborating with a group of very professional actors and under the guidance of mentors with incredible knowledge and experience. 

I hope to challenge myself, take risks, and push myself out of the zone I sit so comfortably in while at home. I hope, simply, to grow as an artist." - Madison Walsh

"Honestly, I almost didn't apply for the program. I was rehearsing Blithe Spirit at the Thousand Island's Playhouse and it was a five hour (or so) drive into Toronto for the audition on my day off and I thought "I'm gonna bust my ass and I'm probably not going to get this." Also, I had already auditioned for the program twice so I had good reason to believe that I wasn't going to get it!

Ultimately, (obviously) I did audition. I wanted the opportunity to train in an immersive way without distractions and I wanted to be in this production of Sense and Sensibility!

I wanted to become a better actor and I wanted to work with actors, directors and teachers that I've never worked with before." - Stephen Gartner

"I applied to the Program because I wanted to stretch myself more as an actor, and I felt I needed a deeper look at technique and the structure of being an actor, and that can be hard to find. I wanted to have a better understanding of how my instrument  - my actor's body- worked, and how I could tweak things to find a more effective process. 

I hope that by the end of the program, I'll have a set of tools and pieces that I feel I can pull out without fear, and to cultivate an ownership of space for myself and my characters." - Emily McCourt

"I grew up in Edmonton as a patron of the Citadel Theatre, constantly floored by the quality of acting, the engaging storytelling, and the technical mastery of the productions they put on. Now, as a budding actor with some education and experience under my belt, this program stood out as a familiar choice, one that would bring me close to the inner workings and minds behind shows that energized and inspired me in my younger years. 

I'm just looking to become a better, more hire-able, more real actor." - Adam Sanders

"I wanted to challenge myself and my creation process by examining traditional approaches to theatre, improve my ability to communicate with creative collaborators, expand the tools and vocabulary I rely on to create, as well as better understand the current power structures in Canadian regional theatres." - Beth Dart, Intern Director (Peter and the Starcatcher)

"I wanted to apply to this program because I had a chance to do it two years ago and it was absolutely invaluable to me. It is truly a one of a kind experience."- Julia Guy

(Julia was a Participant in the Program in 2015 and was Thomasina in Arcadia at the Citadel)

Getting Here...

The Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program, part of The Citadel’s Academy, offers an advanced creative development Program to enrich the performance skills of established theatre professionals. Now in its ninth year, this Program, conceived by Citadel Theatre Artistic Director Emeritus Bob Baker, provides a unique professional development opportunity to Canadian theatre artists.

The Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program is designed to embrace and enhance the artist’s strengths while encouraging the exploration of new concepts. The curriculum of the Program comprises a five-week course of master classes in scene study, movement/dance, singing, voice and speech, stage combat, classical text, improvisation and script analysis by a Faculty of some of Canada’s leading theatre artists. The residency for the Program is divided between Banff (four weeks) and Edmonton (one week).

You can find out more about the Program here. 

Even before I started working at the Citadel, three and a half years ago, I was interested in the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program. I was interested and excited about the opportunity for developing my skills which, over time, tended to be forgotten in lieu of production deadlines. So, this year, I decided to throw my hat in the ring and was delighted to be accepted into the Program as one of the two Intern Directors. There are a few reasons why this year felt particularly right for me. First, the project would be Sense and Sensibility, a new adaption, and as a director who works on a lot of New Work, I felt that this would be a terrific opportunity for me to see how another director-playwright team collaborates and negotiates. I'm also a big Austen fan so that was another reason for wanting to do the program this year. There are also a few personal timing reasons why this was a good time for me. I have been feeling a need, as an artist, to refresh both my skills and my energy with regards to the art I have been making. I had a great fear that I was stagnating and was interested in a opportunity to take the time to evaluate what I was doing as a theatre artists and recharge with skill development in the company of others who were seeking the same. So... here I go.