I didn't write about our first Pericles rehearsal last Tuesday night because I wasn't pleased with how it went. I wasn't sure of how candid I could be about it here on the blog without talking to my colleagues first, either. I decided to keep my own counsel for a few days and discuss my feelings with the company at a regular business meeting that we had scheduled for Thursday night. It was the right thing to do. I found out that everyone in the company had different idea of what was expected at the first rehearsal. I also realized that I can't get mad about people not (in my opinion) "bringing it" because I never expressed my expectations in the first place. What a great lesson for me.
This week, our co-directors, Jack and Natalie (pictured above) worked out a very specific on-your-feet plan for filling the four hour time slot. This worked for me because I like A PLAN. Also, there were a lot of relaxation/team-building exercises and I know that stuff is a necessary foundation, but it drives me nuts if it's presented in a gooey-schmooey way, i.e. nothing indicates that it's all building up to something greater. I prefer the leader(s) to be so confident in presenting those seemingly silly "hopping on one leg" type exercises that it makes me think, "Surely, this will inform something that we do ten minutes from now..." And then it does. And I'm happy. The end.
(I tend to have a bad attitude about crunchy-granola acting exercises when they don't seem to have a point. Eh, pray for me.)
The rehearsal we had last night was shaped and prepared well. We all received an email on Sunday night with a specific request for four pieces of homework to be prepared at home before rehearsal.
By the end of our second night of rehearsal, we all felt like we had spent a few hours at the gym. A blissed out exhaustion.
What a difference it makes when we communicate with each other.
Duh.
I can't wait to get back to get my homework assignment this weekend and work with the company again next Thursday night.
