Shoes for Feet, Hats for Heads

Last year I was a member of the Open Dream Ensemble. Like most of the company, I wore many hats. I'd written the story we were about to perform, which made me the first of several authors responsible for Big Shoes. Months before we opened, I was joined by Bruce, Kenny, and Ted (our composers) and from the beginning, I'd been collaborating with Rebecca (our artistic director). Weeks before we entered the room, a crew of designers and builders created the set and costumes -- the world -- we'd inhabit. And once rehearsals began, our team accumulated members, who in turn accumulated titles. If each member of ODE had to give a full job description, it'd be full of hyphens and slash-marks. The choreographer is also the tour manager is also playing Emily. The Nice Woman is also the props manager is also the lead teaching artist. All this hat-dancing means that between every pair of company members, there's also set of relationships which shift with the light: I was William's student when I had to learn bass; his co-teacher when we entered the classroom; his playwright when a line got flubbed; etc., etc., etc. Putting on an original musical is stressful and challenging for the same reasons it's so exciting. This kind of fluidity means that sometimes, it's not clear who's got the power. Usually, twelve people have the power, to varying degrees, and each of them has varying aims and concerns, all of which are relevant and real. Figuring out who needs what and keeping a story together all the while for the folks who (we hope) need it most -- the kids -- is a thrilling thing. It really is. My particular thrill in season one of Big Shoes was performing the same text I'd written, confronting the gaps in my own playwriting with a performer's tactics. I'd like to think it made me sharper all around (and what teaching did for all of us is the subject of a whole 'nother post). But this year -- here we go, the point of the post -- I've come in with fresh eyes. I tweaked scenes in the spring, but it's been at least three months since I read the script straight through. I've never -- never! -- seen it performed. So having just one official title is a huge opportunity, a chance to sit back and observe -- and still, somehow, to accrue a whole list of new hyphenations: this student-playwright-audience member has a lot to learn.

This post is from Open Dream's dream writer, Michaela Morton. Michaela is with us this week as a writer-in-residence.

Blown Out of the Water

Another great blog from Michaela Morton!

She is pictured here frolicking to Robert Wendel's Ride of the Headless Horseman with the ensemble. The Winston-Salem Symphony is in the background. This weekend, Open Dream had the good fortune to perform with the Winston-Salem Symphony in a Discovery Concert for kids. Collaborating with a full orchestra in a fancy hall, Julianne choreographed us a smart, silly, and altogether beautiful set of mini-shows. The symphony team was welcoming, and it was especially lovely to perform with a couple of former Open Dreamers, now symphony members. My favorite part of the show was, yet again, the pre-show. As Sonia the Duck, I marched around the lobby for an hour beforehand, quacking and diving while Mr. Cameron chased me with a trombone-rifle (and taking costume notes from audience members -- I added a feathered tail at the request of a young gymnast wearing jazz slippers). Marine and Ted appeared in elegance, dressed to the nines as Jasmine (Aladdin) and the Narrator (Peter and the Wolf). Mr. William stumped about in suspenders with a disgruntled expression and Haydee frolicked as a light-footed Peter. The kids were tickled, as were we all. I feel fortunate that this season of Open Dream has included concert showings as well as school residencies, performances for adults and kids -- we've stretched our skills in so many ways and learned how our work lands with a range of different audiences. We've seen each other at our best and at our beginnings, and that's one more reason to celebrate as the end of this season draws near.

A Voice From The Voiceless

This post is from Michaela Morton. In addition to playing a number of roles in Open Dream's Big Shoes, Michaela wrote the script!

I'm informed that our ensemble is historically unfortunate: in one week, two triplets struck voiceless and a third castmate compromised by flu. Dare I mention that this same week, Carmen opened downtown (featuring Ted, that same flu-bitten baritone), and our schedule was made up of straight two-a-days? But If we're historically unfortunate, we're also hysterically brave. After two days of cancellations, enough was enough. We marched over to the High Point theater. We warmed up what was left of our voices. And we lip-synced. Julianne and Haydee masterfully covered for Deepish and Weepish (they covered for just about every one of my roles, actually). I gulped down applesauce. The next day, with Ted sleeping away his sickness, William played every singing male, belting out 3/4 of the shows' musical numbers. Marine lifted everything while I watched in nausea. And Friday it was me who capitulated, spending the morning at PrimeCare while Julianne picked up my purple leotard and middle harmony. If I thought Open Dream was a good team before, I'm awed now. Plus, the disaster showed me how flexible Big Shoes is as a show. Though not every compromise was ideal, BS survived without becoming ... BS-y. And this week, as the wind picks up all along the East Coast, we're hollering above it -- with lungs refreshed!

Groundlings Are Good For You

This post comes from our bass-playing, play-writing, swing-dancing, Deepish, Michaela Morton. She is pictured here on the right.

In just under a month on the road with Open Dream, I've found that each auditorium, gym, and cafeteria has its own character -- especially when filled with 80-350 elementary school characters! We've performed for kids who live and breathe the arts, who walk in hallways hung with crafts and anticipate our answers to questions about theater history and music terminology. We've also performed for kids who may call Big Shoes "a great movie," and who'll definitely admit that this show is the first "play" they've ever seen. Lately, I've been relishing the responses of kids who know assembly-room etiquette, but haven't been taught a rigid code of theater do's and don't's. They cheer -- loudly -- for the stuff they dig. They laugh uproariously at strange moments. They clap along. They stand to see. They take off their shoes and wave them around during curtain call. They shout encouragements to the actors: "You're doing great!". Sometimes they even pee on the floor, but I don't think that's a referendum on our show. They are a rowdy bunch of groundlings. Shakespeare would've loved them, and I do, too. I'm especially pleased because of what all this means: these kids think Big Shoes is for them. So all in all, we know they've got the right idea.

Looking Both Backward and Forward

This post is from our fantastic singing/dancing/bassguitarmandolin-playing Cobbler, William vonReichbauer. He is pictured here as a teaching artist during one of our residencies last season.


It seems as though the premiere of Big Shoes was only yesterday and we are already three days into our week of teaching artist training. It has been a very productive week, thus far and it is always a joy working with Rebecca, our fearless leader and guide into the magical world of teaching artistry. I am very excited to be teaching partners with Big Shoes playwright and word-ninja, Michaela.

The premiere of Big Shoes went smashingly. We had an amazing audience and I was deeply moved and humbled by the response we received. However, with the launch of the show, we had to say goodbye to our wonderful Director, Beth, and our amazing Stage Manager, Lindsey, both of whom are deeply missed. Also, goodbye and a very special "thank you" to our gracious hosts at the Steven's Center, where we rehearsed for the past four weeks. But although we have to say goodbye to some, we are looking forward to hitting the road and meeting the thousands of students across North Carolina and Virginia who we will reach through this amazing work.

Heading Up This Mountain

This post is from the magical Michaela Morton! Pictured here, seated on the far left, with the 2012 cast of Open Dream Ensemble.



Two years ago, in an airport in Texas, I started writing Big Shoes. I finished the play six months later, in France. And last week, I began it all over again, in the Stevens Center basement in Winston-Salem, NC.

I’ve had the kooky luck not only to write a children’s show and see it produced, but also to be a part of the ensemble of performers and teaching artists that make it come alive. This is my first gig out of college, and I pinch myself to test that it’s true. It was surreal auditioning for the Open Dream Ensemble using a monologue that I had written, and even surreal-er walking into the first day of rehearsal to hear and see the story of Gordy and his brother’s big shoes come to life before my eyes.

Of course, that life comes into theater in fits and starts – it’s not a full play until it’s played, until it’s scored and strummed and danced around, until it’s set on its set and seen. As we do the play, I’ve made countless minor edits to the script, often at the risk of sounding like a crazy person (“Cameron, could you just cut the ellipsis? And change that comma to a dash?”). Balancing the roles of actor and writer can be tricky, especially on a show about which I have many preconceptions. Listening helps.

What I’m learning when I keep my mouth shut is that our story is propelled by moments and melodies that my script did not contain. Thanks to my co-conspirators, Big Shoes now knocks out operatic high notes, boasts back-up singers, manipulates a brace of puppets, and marks time with tap-shoes.

I’m also learning that I can be wrong about what I wrote. Sometimes I don’t understand my own words as well as my director does. Sometimes what I thought I put down isn’t on the page at all. Sometimes I’ve created confusion, and I’m lucky that I get to clear it up in person (or watch as other actors settle the mess). Forget “teaching artist” – I’m learning first.

And that’s a real thrill. Like every ensemble member, I’ve picked up a range of new skills. I’ve lifted a truss, loaded in a tree, been fitted for a leotard. I’ve sung a wickedly tricky three part harmony, learned four dance numbers, and plucked a solid line on the upright bass. In fact, this weekend I’m taking said bass home, courtesy of our Jack-of-all-Strings, William. He’s made it possible for a couple of newbies to strum those strings like we had two weeks to learn, instead of just two hours.

As a team, our story is coming together. We’re heading up this mountain at a fast clip, and thank goodness, we’re not going it alone!

This Show RULES!

This post is from beautiful Haydee Thompson. She is pictured here as a cab driver in Open Dream's new show, Big Shoes.


This show RULES! Michaela Morton has not only crafted a beautiful work of theatre but I have had the pleasure working with her. The talented Michaela is also in the ensemble playing Deepish the philosophical ish sister and her casting is apropos, as she takes her part as actor and resident play write very seriously and it is an absolute joy to play in her world. This experience has been inspiring and so, in my 6th season in the ensemble, I am confident we have an amazing production on our hands and I can't wait to shoe this show to the kids!

Script Competition Winner

When Open Dream Ensemble announced a script competition last summer, we did not know what to anticipate.

To our delight, we had a number of quality submissions and one that really stood out as a potential production for Open Dream Ensemble.

Through the next months we got to know Gordy Burton Brown, the Triplets Ish, Emily, Robber, Cobbler and a host of characters in addition to Venn diagrams, mapping, travel up Mount Blackmore, and how important it is to have shoes that you fit! We also got to know Michaela Morton, a young playwright with big ideas, a huge imagination and an enormous smile.

Michaela, a graduate of the UNCSA High School Drama program, had her initial visit from Gordy in the Dallas Airport, where in her own words, “I took out my laptop and started writing. The first sentence was 'In Gordy's world, everything was just Gordy's size.' The idea was a kid whose whole life fit him to a T, but all he could see was his brother's world, which was bigger than his.” Her idea grew into the play Big Shoes or, in full, Big Shoes: The Abbreviated but None-the-less Epic Tale of a Journey of the Soles of Gordy Brown

The next step for Gordy is a reading from the UNCSA high school drama students under the leadership of Kelly Maxner, former co-Artistic Director of Open Dream Ensemble. From there we’ll see if Gordy develops legs, but as for now, we are just happy to have him coming off the page and into a studio!

Congratulations to Michaela for her winning submission!