A Man For This Season by Foster - Guest Blog

Guest Blog



3 Shows in a Row with Some Sexy Savages

When I saw Emma Woodhouse is not a Bitch almost exactly 2 years ago, I remember thinking,

"what a cool group of people....I'd love to work with these folks at some point...Emma Woodhouse is definitely not a bitch..."  Imagine how exciting it was to not only be asked to perform in two workshops in a row (VINLAND and HOUSE PARTY) but to be cast for their first full production as a part of Artshare at the Southern (THESE ARE THE MEN).  Never have I ever performed in the majority of a production company's season *takes a chug*  

Foster and Nick as The Shepard and Oedipus

Over the course of these shows, I've learned about Norse mythology, received my first taste of doing immersive theater, and seen the oft told Oedipus tale turned on its head.  But, truly, the one common nugget that has made this an irreplaceable pleasure is seeing folks who love each other work together effectively and affluently.  I'm not talking megabucks with that last adverb.  The richness lies in the openness to ideas.  Seriously!  If there was an electrician doing something with the wiring in the room while a rehearsal was going on and felt some divine muse kicking him in the butt to suggest "Hey...What if those guys over there spun in circles while humming Don't Fear the Reaper", company members would say "Sure, why not, do we have a cowbell in a prop box somewhere?"  It comes out of a well-earned trust in the work and it's something I don't get to see on a regular basis: artists who truly know how to work with each other, not AT each other....or through each other.....by each other....prepositions are fun....

Megan and Blake, our keen eyes and steady hands.

Working on this current production has been (sorry, Oedipus) eye-opening.  Every rehearsal has been an enlightenment on process and storytelling.  As a voice and dialect coach, I'm thrilled to get asked to lead these fine performers in vocal warm-ups, spine-rolling and tongue-twisting and vocally releasing before a few hours of make-it-work magic.  I get to watch both company members and invited artists create indelible moments.  It's just...awesome!


Gush, gush, gush....

Warning: collaboration in process

I'm so grateful to have been a part of the stories they're telling and get to witness on a regular  basis how these savvy, sensational, sexy sexy people make art.  These three opportunities that

I've opted in on are vastly different but so similar in that these savages make you feel part of a tribe, a family, a....gregarious gaggle of creative geese (collective nouns are fun too).

These ARE the men.  And the women.  And they're just wonderful!  Come see us!

Testing out a scene, the fruits of our collaborative labor.