Benton Heights Residency Week 2!!

This post comes from Dr. Disrupto, aka Peter Shanahan. Peter is a third-year Open Dreamer and has performed various roles -- including a rapping sewage worker , tweedle-dee, Octave Chanute, Guard Robot and "Dad!" This season he has also taken on the role of our Residency Manager and Co-Tour Manager.




We've had a great first week at Benton Heights Elementary in Monroe, North Carolina; and we're ready for more! The cast returned to Benton Heights this evening and we're ready for another week. Benton Heights is an amazing school for many reasons. The arts are a core part of the school and all signs suggest they are headed in the right direction! The kids' demeanor really reflect the fact that they have plenty of creative outlets. The school offers a full spread of arts classes in drama, music, dance, and visual arts. There is a wonderful spirit of kindness and respect that seems to stem from their exposure to creativity and care. Bravo to the whole faculty at Benton Heights, an A+ school in every way!

It's also great to have the chance to really get to know the kids over a two-week residency. We're able to cover so many curriculum objectives in great detail, and it's clear the kids are really having fun and remembering what they are learning at the same time. Thanks to the amazing students and faculty at Benton Heights!

The Storyteller

This post comes from the lovely Ian Antal. Ian is a first-year Open Dreamer whose positive attitude and comical aptitude are appreciated by all in his work on stage and in the classroom. This photo is Ian as Isaac Newton in our original web series, The Adventures of the Open Dream Ensemble.



Lately, I have been strongly reconnecting with the concept of the storyteller. The storyteller's responsibility in society. Why humans across civilizations and throughout history experience the natural urge to share stories, and how that sets us apart from the rest of the animal kingdom. We view our own lives as stories. And history is little more than a story itself, and is not always quite as accurate as fiction can be. The more I think about my profession as one of telling stories, the more humbled and excited I feel about the future. Theatre is a kind of church, just like the Bible can be seen as a string of stories. A strong play can be equally as rousing and redeeming as a poignant sermon, and they often communicate very similar messages with the same tools. It just strikes me as such a privilege toad be able to consider myself a professional storyteller. Working with the children has brought me back to basic lessons in storytelling. In telling a story, the audience is the ultimate partner in the space and the connection to that partner should never be lost. Children will not do you the disfavor of feigning interest. Their intuition constantly keeps me alert and on my toes.

This first week at Benton Heights Elementary has proved to be a rather smooth adventure so far. There is an intriguing vibe in the school's atmosphere. As I understand it, Benton Heights Elementary has been very active in integrating the arts in their curriculum for quite some time now, and I really like to think that it shows. Every class has displayed a strong understanding of respect for their peers and the greater school community. In terms of ensemble dynamics, every 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade class we are working with has a very strong and supportive collaborative energy. For the most part, there seems to be an intuitive respect amongst the students for each other's right to live and learn.

Over lunch today, eating amongst the children, Julianne pointed out the naturally low level of noise in the filled cafeteria and the discipline among the student body. Yet none of the teachers we have encountered here have come across as iron-fisted disciplinarians. We discussed whether the successful arts integration at this particular elementary could be directly correlating with the general stability of the learning environment. I just haven't perceived any need or urge in the students to really act out, possibly because the arts are serving the children as an effective release. Whatever it is, it seems to have rendered the students of this elementary school particularly receptive, curious, and positive.

It is a big privilege to be invited by such an institution to shake things up a bit. Just today, while Julianne and I were facilitating group work in our first 4th grade class of the day, their teacher approached us and pointed out how wonderful it was to see a number of the particularly shy students in the class taking charge on their own accord during various activities. As I observe the class dynamics and receive helpful feedback from the faculty, I am becoming more and more convinced that the energy the arts sweep into the space can be highly conducive to deep learning for the children. If nothing else, this energy offers a contrast to the routine inherent in a school schedule, while still engaging the kids with curriculum-based learning on several different levels.

Breaking News

This post is from the fantastic Haydee Thompson. This is Haydee's fourth season with Open Dream Ensemble and she has played many roles for us including an abolitionist, a pirate, a mother, a mad hatter, a space-aged whiz kid, Katherine Wright (sister of the Wright brothers) a robot, and a human-variant of the goddess Demeter. She is pictured here taking a well-deserved break.


Unbelievable! Friday morning Julianne and I lead the drive to Stokes County in the Ryder truck. It was, of course, still dark as we were winding up the country hill when a giant fire ball shot across the sky! Julianne exclaimed something to the effect of, "HUNGRY HIPPO'S, LOOK AT THAT!!!!" It was HUGE and bright with all the colors of fire. "Is that a meteorite?", I said as it gently glided behind the tree line. I immediately grabbed my phone and found the number for local channel 12, WXII. They should know about this, it looked very close and we wondered where it might have hit. Unfortunately, after 20 rings, no one answered and I hung up. I then tried to find the number for FOX 8 morning news, after all, they interviewed ODE last month and Cindy Farmer should want to hear about this! Sadly, I couldn't find their number on their website anywhere so again No Luck! Oh well, I suppose I'll never know where that space rock landed. Nor will I ever know how to report breaking news.

The Show must go On…and On, and On

This post is from sunshine Jon Odom. Jon is a first year Open Dreamer with great humor and talent.



This past week seemed as though the ensemble had been cursed, we started the week off with a bang, literally, a minor car door accident. The early morning calls and school germs began to take a hold on all of us, we have been passing around a wonderful fall bug, which has now made its way through each one of us, one by one, week by week, since the first week we started Residencies. So what once was Bryn’s, now is Haydee’s, who is the lucky contender for this week’s man vs. flu. Although she made it through our Saluda Elementary School performance on Monday she soon lost her voice and was bed stricken for the week’s performances, and the Residency at Pinnacle/Nancy Reynolds Elementary. That same morning, I lost the use of my ankle after a small load out accident , and limped not only through the production, but also through the curriculum as we worked with the wonderful, and mobile, children at Pinnacle/Nancy Reynolds. So with one and half men down we went through our week, each cast member putting forth even more effort into making the week successful. Whether it was Brandon and Sonny going on as an understudy, for roles they never actually studied under, or Juilanne and Peter taking on extra classes, or Ian , who’s week was full of international stress, strapping even more onto his back as he loaded the set in and out, while I sat anxiously watching with my ankle elevated above my heart, trying to at least keep people laughing at the disaster that was this week. In spite of it all the show’s were received with much praise and appreciation, the cast truly made the best out of a seemingly dismal situation. Although, I must say it is very hard to be dismal around the wonderful and imaginative energy of children, who continue to educate me, making me a student of their imaginations. I am continually humbled by their willingness to believe and eagerness to learn, which offers so much to me, not only as an artist but as a human. My favorite “children say the darndest things” moment of the week came from Miss Bryn and I’s fifth grade class residency, they were given an assignment to draw a picture of the villainous Zartox 3, write down their favorite part of the show, and one character they would play in the production. We went around the room and each child shared their pictures, which were so inventive, and their favorites part of the show. After we finished and the class ended a tiny sandy blonde haired boy, came up to me and tugged on my sleeve, I looked down, and he pointed to his picture which read, “ I would be the black protestor, ‘cause he can sing and dance good”, and then he bashfully ran off, I limped out of the classroom smiling at the irony and beauty of his picture.

After the weeks long and wonderful week of laughter and adversity, came a well earned restful weekend, followed by a quick return to the tour on Monday. We traveled down to Cherokee, North Carolina, and stopped in Asheville on the way for some shopping, sushi and sight seeing,….hey alliteration, how you doing? It was an absolutely stunning scenic route with all the fall colors of the south vibrantly painting the steep drive through the mountains. Our stay in Cherokee was just as soothing and picturesque as the journey. For a couple of us it was the first time we had been on a Native American Reservation. Although, we soon found out the Reservation is actually not a Reservation, but a Sovereign Nation, since the land had been purchased by the Cherokee Nation from the government. The school was a work of art in itself, not only being one of the greenest school’s in the nation, with solar lighting cylinders lining the ceilings throughout the campus, and the architecture represents not only a cultural and tribal influence, but also compliments the gorgeous landscape that is kept in pristine condition. It was a truly an inspiring trip and a perfect finale to last weeks Peril in North Carolina, yet another reminder that adversity really is the true test of strength, and ultimately true beauty. In the theater, as in life, things are bound to go wrong, but broken ankle or runny nose… On, On, On with the show.

“Ses-Ame and Carry-Away Mixed Vegetables with Angel Hair”: A Recipe for Teaching Artistry

This post comes from our very own Iron Chef, Bryn Harris. A director, actress and fight choreographer, Bryn has filled the shoes of Diana in our production of Peril on the Red Planet.



Even if you think you don’t care for tiny human Brussels sprouts, give them a try in this recipe for Teaching Artistry. The flavors of nutty artists yelling “I say Ago, You Ses Ame” and anise-like carry away seeds of curriculum are a wonderful accent to these tiny bite sized humans.

1 tablespoon “Ses Ame” seeds (Classroom Management)
2 teaspoons carry away seeds (Fun Activities and Theater Games)
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (School Appropriate Curriculum)
6 scallions, chopped (Colorful Vocabulary Words: Post on the Wall)
3 cups Brussels sprout halves (Classroom full of excited children)
½ cup chicken broth (Various sized pieces of Orange cloth)
2 cups snow peas, trimmed (Handheld Instruments)
½ teaspoons ground black pepper (Verbal Discipline for out of line Sprouts)
½ teaspoon low-sodium seasoning (Airborne, Zycam, Hand sanitizer: after contact)
1 package Angel Hair Pasta (Supportive, Specific Reflections and Review)

Make sure you have a clean clear kitchen to prep your lesson otherwise the sprouts could become bruised or lost. Combine the “Ses Ame” seeds and “Carry-Away” seeds in a large open nonstick skillet over medium heat. Toast the seeds with “Circle Etiquette” by stirring at various tempos. Some like to stir to musical terms such as Andante (walking), Presto (fast), and Largo (long and slow). Use “Uh Oh” to shake the pan up and make sure all the little seeds are toasting on both sides evenly. Stir for 2 minutes, or until the seeds start to ZIP ZAP ZOP out of the pan with glee. Remove to a seated circular bowl.
Heat the appropriate EVOO in the same skillet over medium-high heat by introducing the essential questions of the lesson. Add the scallions and stir-fry for 1 minute (this smell will stay in the room after you leave). Add the Brussels sprouts own flavorful opinions and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Separate into groups. Note: Some sprouts will cook right away while others will need more attention. Keep rotating the sprouts over the center of the heat. Add the broth, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sprouts are just tender.
Add the snow peas and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in the seeds, pepper, and herb seasoning and cook for 1 minute.
Prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and place in a large serving bowl.

Makes 4 Servings:
Serve on a bed of carefully swirled angel hair pasta with a garnish of applause. Top it off with a little Magic Sword and you have a complex and flavorful scaffolding of multi-intelligences.

NUTRITION (THIS WEEK) AT A GLANCE
Per Serving:
610 calories (3 classes a day at this weeks residency),
25 g fat (4:45 a.m. call time),
4 g saturated fat (“Wohh, was that an Earthquake or did Peter just hit the passenger van door with the Ryder truck?”),
21 g protein (still dark, cold, heavy load in at new gym),
76 g carbohydrate (Run Peril to 400 Brussels sprouts at 8:30 a.m.),
4 1/2g dietary fiber (Load out; “Oh My Gosh the stairs just collapsed underneath Jon and Sonny and Jon might have broken his ankle),
5 mg cholesterol (Teach with disabled Jon 5th, 2nd, 3rd grades),
250 mg sodium (Take Jon to Prime Care, “You’ve bruised your Achilles tendon, wow your very lucky”).

SIDE EFFECTS
Haydee gets sick, loses her voice, out for the rest of the week. Between Sonny, Brandon, and Ian, Haydee is covered. Jon can’t walk and might have to do the show in a chair, everyone picks up transitions, which are longer with no waving flagger therefore less interesting, so we up the anti on comedy technique and truthful talking and listening, and we make it through to double show day on Friday.
Now we are home free; Jon’s Achilles is feeling better, One Take sounds like Kathleen Turner, but at least there is sound coming out of her mouth. No residencies next week and we get to go through Asheville. So the only worry now is that Julianne and I have been calling Demeter ‘him’ because Sonny took over for Haydee, and now that she’s back we may slip and call her ‘him’. Ahhhh days off, I think I’m in a Food Coma!

The Show Goes On

Audiences last week had a special treat -- the opportunity to see some real professionals keeping the show going!

In every season there are unexpected issues that come up. This season has been no exception. Last week we had a stair collapse when moving out of a space that resulted in Jon getting a leg injury that left him limping and Sonny nursing two sore and bruised legs. This was followed by Haydee getting a nasty case of laryngitis.

The result of these surprises was the cast springing into action -- learning new parts overnight and staging prior to show times in order to make sure the show went on!

(The image is of the cast moving the set out of a performance space.)

The Power of Belief

This post comes from the kind and generous-spirited Ian Antal. A recent graduate of the UNCSA School of Drama, this is Ian's first season with Open Dream Ensemble. He is pictured here as Isaac Newton in The Adventures of the Open Dream Ensemble.

If you could have a superpower, what would it be? Take a second, really think about what you might want as a skill that sets you apart from the rest of society. A certain quality of supernatural strength. Flight? Invisibility? The ability to morph into various shapes and images? Maybe you saw a power that really spoke to you in a comic book or a cartoon as a child, or something in the Harry Potter series. After thinking long enough about it and settling for a specific imaginary power, that choice reflects something special in the chooser.

Earlier this year, I finally settled on wishing I had the ability to transform into a loony-tunes-style cartoon character at will, bringing with me all the nonsensical laws of a world where logic does not rule the universe; where two plus two do not necessarily equal 4, and in fact really shouldn’t! A world where pianos and heavy-duty safes sporadically fall from the sky without causing permanent harm and damage upon landing on their victim. A world where time can be distorted and rules of nature uprooted.

In a way, I think the unconscious desire for this power during my childhood led me to the magic of the stage. Performers hold the power to create and alter life in any space they deem suitable for their work. Over the years I studied this craft with steadily increasing commitment and soon enough, I got so caught up in the technique and study of it that I ran the risk of forgetting the origin of my passion and the sense of play that initially drove me towards it.

Performing for and working with the children at various venues and schools has served as a fantastic wake-up call for my childhood connection to my profession. More specifically, the children’s ability to believe strongly in any given circumstances―whether they take place on Mars, at the center of the earth, or in a tree house―is absolutely awe-inspiring. In every venue we have performed at this season, I have observed a natural willingness from the children to be swept away by the story. And they will certainly let you know when they are not feeling quite swept away. One could not wish for more honest yet forgiving audiences.

In a conversation I had recently with Robert Beseda, the Assistant Dean of the UNCSA School of the Drama, about the beauty and ease surrounding the children’s sense of belief, he told me a wonderful story about a young boy at a performance of Peter Pan he had attended. When Peter Pan first flew into the scene, thanks to the skilled use of the theater’s fly system, the young boy sitting in front of Robert leapt and stood on his seat, grasped his head with his hands, and let out a jubilant “WwwooOOoooww!” I wouldn’t say that I have altogether lost that sense of play and drop-of-the-hat belief that this child was exemplifying so ecstatically, but I certainly remember it being MUCH more accessible to me as a child. So when did I start allowing doubt and skepticism to cloud my imagination?

During the training at UNCSA I became acquainted with a very useful tool for giving your imagination a good stretch: the red nose. The comedy associated with Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton reflects the world of the red nose very well. The nose brings with it child-like openness, playful positivity, and pure innocence. When wielded appropriately, the red nose holds an immense power to captivate audiences. More often than not, a simple shift of the clown’s eyes will tell all that needs to be told. Most importantly, the nose is fueled by imagination and belief. Thus, just like in the movie “The Mask,” starring Jim Carrey, ANYTHING becomes possible in the world of the nose. The only boundaries are set by the limits of your imagination. Suddenly the rules of time and space needn’t apply, and we can waltz with Mr. Keaton and Mr. Chaplin, picnic with Roger Rabbit, glide the skies with Peter Pan, you name it!

The chance to put the nose to work in classrooms of 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th graders was IR-RE-SISTIBLE! What other way to learn more about the clown within me could possibly match the splendor of working with the world’s finest imaginarians?! The joy and commitment the children expressed while interacting with the clown―be it while tossing an invisible ball of various sizes and weights back and forth or by reacting to the imaginary smells a tissue-paper-flower might have―revitalized my visceral childhood connection to acting in the matter of a few heartbeats. Over the course of these first residencies, the class clown routines have been refined and developed further, to the point where the class is improvising together for 30 minutes with various games using no more than 5 words―andante, presto, largo, piano, and forte (grunts, squeals, and whistles not included). The nose gives everyone the chance to go somewhere extraordinary with the sheer power of belief. Julianne (my teaching artist partner) and I discovered that the clown effectively warms up the children’s bodies and imaginations, as well as their focus and attention to detail, rendering them that much more receptive to the science curriculum we cover.

When I see the children’s eyes SO engaged in the game of learning, I think back to my 3^rd grade homeroom teacher, who thought it wise to pull my head back one day and caution me very directly with the words “don’t be funny” in reference to my efforts as the class clown. Without Mrs. Geary’s advice, I may never have developed into the professional class clown I am today, and it may have taken me much longer to rediscover the play behind belief that the children demonstrate so naturally. I cannot thank the universe enough for bestowing me with this precious learning opportunity. I feel my artistry and my soul expanding consistently throughout the process of touring and teaching. It is exhausting and invigorating all at once. It is such a gift to experience something I already know I will treasure for a very long time to come….and it ain’t over yet!

Ian as Isaac

For some reason, technology sometimes does not respond to my requests. I could not post a picture of Ian in the prior post, so here it is in this post...

facets

This post is from Julianne Harper - a lovely woman and fabulous tap dancer. She was in the cast for our first season and returns in our sixth season. We are glad to have her back!
(Shown here in rehearsal for her role as Abeona in Peril on the Red Planet)

Open Dream has just completed our week long residency with Mineral Springs Elementary. I am so fortunate to have Ian Antal as my teaching partner, and boy do we have fun! I am constantly amazed with the imagination all of my students have, and the fourth and fifth graders this week were no exception.
When making our lesson plans, Ian and I tend to cover the curriculum by using activities that offer the students lots of time to find their creative voice. This often means guiding them to think outside of the norm-"How would you act out or dance a mineral's color?" At first there are a few confused faces in the crowd, but in no time the students attack the assignment with such an amazing amount of imaginative thinking. The results are incredibly different interpretations that allow the students to show a little of themselves-the artist and performer that is uniquely them! We have loved getting to know these sides of our students, and I know that they had fun showing us! Thanks so much Mineral Springs, you guys were awesome!