Dreams

This concludes Open Dream Ensemble posts for 2009. Look for the next post in the second week of January 2010.

Thanks to all of our well-wishers and fellow dreamers for a wonderful year!

'Tis the night before Christmas so I now take time to share some images from Peril on the Red Planet (where, no doubt, Christmas will someday be celebrated). I wish everyone a holiday season full of wonder and sweet dreams!

Rebecca Nussbaum

Joshua Keeps Moving!

This is the eight and final installment on what the cast is up to post-Open Dream Ensemble Season Five. This post is from the always-in-motion Joshua Morgan.


I will be moving right to Washington, DC and then heading back to NY/LA for the rest of December. Come January 1st, Brian and I will be running No Rules Theatre Company full time. Our first show, Some Girl(s), opens March 4 at H Street Playhouse. As artists, it's literally month to month, sometimes day to day, in terms of our next job, so there's no real reason to go in to great detail about what we'll be doing for the next twelve months... but, if you are interested:

www.NoRulesTheatre.org

spaceonryderfarm.blogspot.com

joshuamorgan25.wordpress.com

Dia's Staying Warm

This is the seventh installment of next steps for the Open Dream Ensemble cast. This post comes from dancer Dia Dearstyne -- now residing in tropical Miami, FL!

What am I doing next? Well....I will be moving to Miami, FL to see what kind of trouble I can get myself into! I'll be moving in with my little brother who is in his last year of college for drama at the New World School of the Arts. And I will be helping one of my good friends and former UNCSA classmates, Ivonne Batanero, start to build up the Contemporary Dance community in Miami. I don't know how long I'll be there. Or what happens after that. But I promise you this, I will be dancing my heart out while I do it!

What's Next for James

This is the sixth in the series of posts outlining what the Open Dream Ensemble cast is up to now that the season is complete. This posting is from multi-talented musician James Stewart.

James Stewart will continue his work as Music Minister at Bethany Baptist Church and as a local educator. He also is involved in several creative projects, composing music for new works of musical theater. Soon James' life will change as he is applying to begin work on his Doctorate in composition.

Next Steps for Rose

This is the fifth installment of what the Open Dream Ensemble cast is now up to at the completion of the season. This comes from the ever active Rose Shields.

As the 5th season of Open Dream Ensemble closes, I have packed up most of my things in preparation to move back to Atlanta, GA. I will be auditioning for XCEL Talent Agency in Atlanta this coming weekend, so life will not slow down for me over the holidays. Once January rolls in for 2010, I will start substitute teaching again in Gwinnett County during my daytime and will be working with choreographers at Dance 101 in Atlanta in my evenings. I am looking forward to working with Charles Carr, Micheal McDonough, T. Lang, and other newer choreographers in the Atlanta area to continue the artistic explosion that has been taking place there in the last 5 years. I shall also begin to line up more dance auditions for cruise lines and dance companies for the winter and spring seasons in hopes to do some touring abroad. Wish me luck! I had a wonderful time working with everyone in ODE. It always an exciting adventure that teaches me something new every day. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of it for 3 seasons and perhaps there will be more in the future!

Brian's Next Moves

This is the fourth installment of the Open Dream Ensemble cast's next plans. This comes to us from actor Brian Sutow.

I will be moving to Washington, DC where I will be working as Co-Artistic Director of No Rules Theatre Company (along with longtime pal and collaborator Joshua Morgan). In March I will be featured in our first production, "Some Girl(s)" by Neil LaBute at the H Street Playhouse. Additionally, we are laying down the ground work to bring our productions from Washington, DC down to Winston Salem's brand new Hanes Theatre - so you may not have seen the last of us yet, Winston-Salem. In my free time, I have continued to write additional episodes of the web series, Assembly Required, which will hopefully go into production at the beginning of 2010. Additionally, Joshua and I are creating two original pieces for the 2010 Capitol Fringe Festival - a live stage show of Assembly Required, and the original musical, "Duets," and are working on spec scripts for Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. On top of all of that, I am searching for a day job that pays the bills. Oh, the life of an artist.

Kjerstin Makes Plans

This is the third installment from the Open Dream cast about what they are up to now that Open Dream has completed season five. This comes from the lovely Kjerstin Lysne.

Just a few short weeks after wrapping up Open Dream Ensemble's 2009 season, I will be relocating to the Washington, DC area where I will be working with choreographer Kelly Mayfield in her freshly forming company, Contradiction Dance. In addition to working with Kelly, I want to continue to create and perform my own work. My first venture (hopefully) being for the Capital Fringe Festival this summer. And in addition to this, I will be working towards my certification to teach yoga.

What's Next for Lauren

This is the second installment of post-season plans from the cast of Open Dream Ensemble. This comes from recent DC resident, Lauren Culpepper.

Once Open Dream closes Joshua, Brian and I are moving to Washington. DC!! We have lived together in Winston-Salem these last 6 months and will also be living together in DC! We got an apartment right in the heart of the city. You walk out the door and 2 blocks down the road is the Capitol! At the end of December, I start rehearsals for Orestes: A Tragic Romp at the Folger Theatre. It will open in February and we will also have a run in April at Two River Theatre in New Jersey. After that I'll be in A New Jerusalem at Theater J in DC that will rehearse and run May - July. I am very excited to start this new chapter in a totally new city with my best friends, but I will truly miss these wonderful last six months with Open Dream and the cast.

Peter Post-Open Dream

This first installment from the cast on what their plans are post-season comes from Winston-Salem-based flutist, Peter Shanahan.

Now that the Open Dream season is coming to a close, it is time to look forward to new projects and having time to develop and follow through with older ones. Since I'm staying in Winston-Salem and don't have any moves in the near future, going to rent a moving van and hauling boxes around is NOT, thank goodness, part of the plan. First of all, I really need to get my website (petershanahan.com) up and running. The web designer has almost completed the work, and I hope to have it ready by the end of January.

I have some concerts with the Winston-Salem Symphony and the Western Piedmont Symphony coming up, and I may actually have the chance to go back to the Southwest Florida Symphony for some concerts during the springtime. I'll be gearing up for another Open Dream Ensemble audition at some point too.

I teach about 12 flute students, and I'm looking forward to having more time to devote to them. I also volunteer to coach a flute choir for amateur flutists, and perform with Flutes on Fourth-- a semi-professional flute ensemble.

Also, I need to spend some quality time in my practice studio, working my flute "chops" to get them better than ever. While I always sound like a professional musician during the Open Dream season, my skills are really honed in by hours of practice for me to take on the most challenging pieces of the flute repertoire. I'd like to play a recital in early March.

Goodbye and good luck to all Open Dreamers, audiences, teachers, and students!

Peter Shanahan

Post

The Open Dream Ensemble active season has ended. But the work continues.

Plans and timelines are being made to launch season 6. Set and costume repairs are being considered. Auditions are being planned. Budgets are being outlined.

And while work goes on in the office of Open Dream, life and work continues for the cast of Open Dream.

These next days will bring updates from each of the cast members. A glance into their current projects and plans, ideas and desires. And as their lives and successes unfold in the future, we hope to bring you word of that as well.

Season Finale

This afternoon I met with the Open Dream Ensemble cast one last time as we loaded the set and costumes into the storage space. Open Dream Season Five is officially complete.

The conclusion of a season always causes me to pause and reflect -- and this has been a wonderful season in many ways. Foremost, the cast. This group of nine artists has shown tremendous dedication to bringing top-quality arts productions and residencies to youth throughout the southeast. Their professionalism and ability to go out day after day and make the same shows fresh and insightful is inspiring. Their dedication to the students in the classrooms where they have worked is wonderful. Without a doubt, these artists have left in their wake thousands of young people who are seeing the arts as enriching, rewarding, exciting, and accessible thanks to their interactions with the cast.
Thank you James, Rose, Peter, Kjerstin, Brian, Lauren, Joshua, Dia, and Haydee!

The writers and directors this season were terrific to work with and brought two new shows to life. From the first flight at Kitty Hawk to life on Mars – this has been a season that has covered some serious ground. Thank you Mollye, Shona, Brian, Isaac, Matt, James and Joshua!

The set and costume designers both came through with great products that fit our broad needs and narrow specifications. I cannot thank Ren and Travis enough for creating a great look for Open Dream Ensemble 2009!

Thanks always to the great women of the Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts. Without their tireless support and assistance, Open Dream would simply cease to be. Margaret, Lynda, Suzanna, and Amanda – you have my unending appreciation.

Thanks also to UNCSA and the countless there people who have helped us this season and in season’s past.

Thanks to the panelists, the bookers, the venues, the arts councils, the granting organizations, the host schools, and the great students and teachers who have helped make this a positive and memorable season!

And, of course, thanks to the incomparable Steve D!

Art at its’ core is a communal effort and Open Dream Ensemble is fortunate to have such a robust community.

My gratitude to all named and unnamed -
Rebecca Nussbaum
General Manager

Reflections on the Season's End

This post is from the lovely Kjerstin Lysne. Kjerstin is a graduate of the UNCSA School of Dance and has been a member of Open Dream Ensemble for two seasons. It has been wonderful watching her develop as an artist and teacher through these two seasons.



Here I am again, at the end of another season with Open Dream- my second, and my final, season. I’m not going to miss those 5:00 am calls, and the long hours of driving, but I will definitely miss the steady paycheck…as well as my fellow cast members, from whom I have learned so much, and with whom I have had a blast working , playing, and getting to know over the past 5 months. I thank you for all the memories- they will be treasured. And thank you Open Dream- I have also learned many lessons through rehearsing, performing, and teaching with you over the past two seasons. You have challenged me, stretched me, and brought out so much in me that I never imagined existed. Your impact on me has been just as strong as that which we dare to hope to have on the kids we perform for and teach. My dreams have been opened and I now set out to accomplish them…

Rose's Final Post of Season Five

This post is from UNCSA School of Dance alumna Rose Shields. Rose is a third-year member of Open Dream Ensemble and most recognizable to audiences as the character of Abeona in Peril on the Red Planet.


Open Dream is almost done and my has it flown by! We just wrapped up the last 2 shows of "Peril on the Red Planet" for a great audience at Chestnut Grove Middle School. Will I miss the robot? Perhaps... but definitely not the air tight body suit. I think these last 2 shows of "Peril" were our best out of the whole touring season. Nothing beats the energy of a closing show. What I will miss most about ODE though is everyone in our cast, my second hilariously dysfunctional (but much loved) family. We survived all of the long travels minus a few bumps and bruises along the way (usually from loading/unloading the incredibly large set), and completed each residency with style. Thank you Rebecca for all of the hoops you jump through to make the season happen! One week of

Dream Machines and then on to new adventures!

On Location!

This post is from the currently-in-route-to-the-Outer-Banks Peter Shanahan. Peter is a UNCSA graduate from the School of the Music and a second-year member of the Open Dream Ensemble.

On Tuesday morning, the Open Dream Ensemble will perform Dream Machines at First Flight Elementary School right next to Kill Devil Hill in Kitty Hawk, N.C. The elementary school is only a few hundred yards from where Wilbur and Orville Wright managed to create and fly the world's first heavier-than-air flying machine! Since our play tells their story, and the story of those closest to them, I feel an amazing honor to perform the show right next to the spot where all of this history happened.

Just over a year ago, Open Dream performed another play at First Flight Middle School. The beginnings of Dream Machines were just coming about, but our cast knew that the show would be about the Wright brothers. Even back then, I had a secret desire to see the new show performed "on location!"

Now, after dozens of shows and six months of rehearsal and performing, that secret desire is is no longer secret. It will be among the most satisfying experiences of my artistic life!

Kitty Hawk, N.C. -- Here we come!

Final Week

Tomorrow Open Dream Ensemble begins the final week of performances for this season. This week includes two performances in Stokes County followed by five performances in Dare County.

By the end of this week, Open Dream will have performed over 60 times and spent 24 days in elementary school residencies across the state as teaching artists. Add to this over 7000 miles traveled, rehearsal time, teaching artist training, archive filming and being featured on the NASA/JPL series Martians, and it has been a wonderful and busy season.

Ah, but not to get ahead of myself -- there are many miles left before the conclusion.... and more will be reported here in the coming weeks!

Curtain Call

This is the final post from the wonderful James Stewart. James graduated with a Masters in Music Composition degree from the UNCSA School of Music and is finishing up his third season with Open Dream Ensemble.

Well, this season is coming to a close. This has been my third season on
the cast of the Open Dream Ensemble. After four original scores, five new
shows, a dozen residences, and somewhere around 200 performances, these
will be my last few days with the ensemble. It has been an amazing and
rewarding experience. I have enjoyed the challenge, the performing, the
writing, the students, and (believe it or not) the driving from one place
to another. But, there is one thing that I will miss most of all, and
that will be the cast. I appreciate every member of this ensemble, their
gifts, their personalities, their humor, their enthusiasm, and their
friendship. I would like to take this last blog post as a chance to thank
the cast, the management, and the producers of the Open Dream Ensemble for
the opportunity to be a part of something so unique and so important.
Thank you Peter for always being willing to hop into the van with me to
help load and un-load.
Thank you Brian for the talks on the long rides in the van.
Thanks Lauren, for introducing me to Radio-Lab (I can’t stop listening
to it!).
Thanks Joshua for making me laugh especially when I didn’t feel like
laughing.
Thanks Rose for faithfully assembling the glider over and over and over
again.
Thank you Kjerstin for always helping me set-up the percussion for Dream
Machines.
Thanks Dia for your constant optimism and smile.
Thank you Haydee for stepping in as you did, and for your listening ear.
Thank you Rebecca, for postponing a show so that I could go be with my
family in a time of need.
And thank you, Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts for making all of
this possible.

Brian's Final Post (for us)

This is the final post of the season from Brian Sutow. Brian is a UNCSA School of Drama graduate and soon-to-be-resident of Washington, DC. He is pictured above holding the "Flying Research." -- Truly, he does look better without the mustache.

I can't believe the season is coming to an end. When starting the season in July, it seemed like six months of acting work was an eternity, and I would never have to worry about finding a job or auditioning again! Well, while I am unfortunately going to have to go on the prowl for a job (in my new home of Washington, DC - Yes!) this season has been everything I had hoped it would be and more. I will particularly miss getting to work with this wonderful ensemble of people every day. Being on the road together can be tricky - potentially horrific - and this group of people has stayed fun, friendly and enjoyable the entire time. Fortunately, I think the friendships will last well beyond this six month season. Already we have found ourselves working together (or planning to) outside of Open Dream. Joshua and I brought Kjerstin up to DC to dance in our Halloween show, we have brought James on to help compose and arrange for our original musical that we're bringing to the Capitol Fringe Festival, and we're looking forward to using Peter in an episode of our webseries - and that's just what we've planned so far! But most of all, I will miss working with and performing for the kids. I've enjoyed my time with them so much that I've already applied for children's theatre jobs up in DC. So who knows... perhaps my journey with children's theatre is just getting started.

Rain Out

The rain in Winston-Salem this fall has been prolific. So much rain that Peter caught a fish "this BIG" just by standing outside....

But seriously, Open Dream Ensemble did, for the first time, have to adjust our schedule to fit in the rain. We had planned to perform outside this afternoon as part of our residency at Triad Academy but have moved the performance to Friday in hopes that we will have clearer skies.

Hopefully the rain will dissipate sometime tonight. Our schedule includes outdoor performances tomorrow and Friday. Fingers crossed for blue skies!