I intended, as all theatre bloggers do, to chronicle the process of this piece. To really give the world a window onto the world we are creating….

and like all theatre bloggers I haven’t managed it.

This has been a process that has taken place all over Austin (and the WORLD) and is as much individual as collaborative.

For a performer of standard straight plays, we have spent a relatively small amount of time In the Room, and an inordinate amount of time outside of the room fiddling the technical aspects of the show.

Which of course is what the show needs…

That, and Christo’s own supply of fabric and three cords worth of branches….

But the magic is that instead of a process through which we meld the flavors over 6 weeks in a room together, we have the performative equivalent of a potluck. A potluck where you trust every cook to bring something you love, and a cook who is excited to be sowing up to the party…

No tuna noodle casserole here.

Some additional shots from rehearsal to cover for the lack of words here at T-Minus 2 Weeks.

Technorati Tags: Austin Circle of Theatres, theatre, meta, Transformations, process, Janna Rock, Megan Reilly, Sarah Mosher

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So, for the uninitiated, who are you and what are you doing for Transformations?
I’m Janna Rock, I’m going to be choreographing and performing the piece "Maiden Without Hands", as well as playing the role of "Red Riding Hood" and dancing with the cast  in "Tower."

And what do you do in Real Life (i.e. that world outside of Transformations)?
I’m a communications student, a dancer, and I work at Austin Java. [ed. note: The official Coffee Shop of Cambiare Productions]

What do you want to be when you grow up?
Motivated.

What is the best part of dancing?
An easier question for me would be what is the best part of NOT dancing, and the answer would be: not wearing tights all day long.  Needless to say, the pros outweigh the cons.  One of my favorite aspects of dance is the sense of inhibition it provides and the mind-body awareness that results.

What made you choose to dance?
Fantasia.  Enthusiasm.  It’s hard to say what makes people want anything, this just happened.

Who is you dance hero?
For me, dance is as much a mental pursuit as a physical one.  I have to say that the two figures who have done the most for my progress and perspective in this valuable aspect would be Kim McSwain, Chris Jacobson, and Andee Scott.

What would you consider your Transforming moment as a person?
I feel like I have one of those every day. 

But because I feel like that is a cop out of an answer, I do have a memory that fits well with the theme of the production.  I’ve always been the youngest of my family, friends, and schoolmates.  I explicitly remember sitting in my room a few days before my 9th birthday, and thinking, "Man, I am just enjoying life, I don’t want to be any older than I am right this second."  I think it was at that point that I gained a beautiful satisfaction that has stuck with me through every stage of my life.

What was your experience with Anne Sexton prior to this project?
Probably, middle school.

Is there a passage or a line (from the show) at this point in the process that speaks most to you about what this project is?
Eek.  Not really, for me, it’s more of an experience.  I will say that mine is an optimistic one.

Do you have a favorite poem or poet to share with us? Or line or phrase? 
I love Walt Whitman. 
Favorite poem: "O you whom I often and silently come"

O YOU whom I often and silently come where you are, that I may be with you;

As I walk by your side, or sit near, or remain in the same room with you,

Little you know the subtle electric fire that for your sake is playing within me.

 

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