writing to one person (Odin)

Most of the earliest posts of this blog about the Odin, did not start out as blog posts. They were originally emails, to some particular person.

I love those posts. They are deep, liesurely, filled with breath and grace.

I want to see if I can write like that here -- directed to one person, but for all to read. But not now. It is 10:44pm, I am wide awake -- and will be till 2:00am -- and I have much I want to write for work before tomorrow morning.

When work is not just work, but my own shining Work -- the latest Lab in the long line of theatre & teamworx -- it feels like worship.

one plus one is all
it takes to open
ten thousand gates of heaven

end of an era

Jeff Allen-Burkhart

Jeff is moving out Wednesday.

"We should have a ceremony," he said. "Let's burn down the house," I said. We only have one house rule -- Don't burn down the house.

I don't have a vision, yet, of how I will live there after he's gone. When he said he was moving out, my first impulse was for me to move out too.

When a relationship unfolds organically and truly, I feel peaceful no matter where it goes.

This picture is the only one I could find on the net of Jeff. But he doesn't look like this any more. He looks darker, clearer, more loose and true.

Intiman, Richard III, my evolving work

The Intiman Theatre just won the Tony Award for "Best Regional Theatre." This is in recognition of their good work, and also for how well that work travels to venues such as Long Wharf, Broadway, London. Bart's show at Lincoln Center, Awake and Sing!, was also nominated for several Tony's, including Best Director.



Bart's Richard III opens soon, running 6/9 - 7/15 at the Intiman. This is Bart's only Seattle show this year. It's Shakespeare, which is his sweet spot. And it's a play he has directed twice before, which means he is warmed up and can go places only possible after dived fully into the material twice before.

Here is a video of Bart talking about Richard III. Click either the High-Res link or the Low-Res one, depending on the speed of your connection.

Richard III is a show I recommend seeing twice. Once to let it wash over you. The second time to see all the things you missed the first time. This show is of the excellence we would normally need to travel to Ashland, Oregon to see -- but it's right here in town.

As always, Intiman tickets for people age 25 or under are only $10.

=========

So why do I write about this? Because watching the Intiman blossom & flourish, watching Bart's directing deepen & mature, is like watching a rosebush flower. Or watching a tree grow as its branches become massive, its trunk thickening to grandeur.

It's the same joy I feel watching Kipley's puppet theatre take off. There is no magic. Day by day, these are just hard-working people, doing what they love. Yet year by year, there is perceptible, sometimes startling, change.

Your job is to do whatever is necessary to get this work into the world, says Eugenio Barba.

It gives me hope. I am grateful for their constant effort for the good. The world is a cleaner place for such effort. Bart or Kipley making theatre; Rich or Brett making games; Lee making dance; Jeff growing as a person; Jim practicing therapy; mastery is just a by-product of their consistent work. The process feels juicy, whole, natural.

I don't have a name for my form yet. But it is growing as surely. It used to have a form, which was theatre. Now it is formless, but none the less massive, powerful, or continually-evolving, for being currently invisible. I am using this power shakily in team meetings, more surely with individuals. It is like riding horses of the wind, using reins made of wind, which dissolve and reform -- now solid, now moist air.

I don't know what I'm doing yet. But this is the first true follow-on to the initial work with Lyon, which was, in turn, the first true follow-on to theatre.

In the big picture, this is the part where I go sideways and paint for a while. I am literally painting, with Wes, and metaphorically painting, making videogames. Meanwhile, my theatre self grows and evolves, rippling in the free dark of the unconscious.

paint progress - 5/25

Wes has started working from photos instead of live models. He still likes live models, but this way we can paint at our pace, rather than waiting for our schedules to mesh with the models'. Wes's Mae West Fest plays have finished, so he has time to work. His drawing has leapt to a new level -- fewer lines, surer strokes, the essence captured. I went over this week, and he had more than 10 faces drawn, ready to paint. I was blown away.

I am going to get a duplicate palette and start painting at home, so I can paint more often. Also, then I can work on backgrounds while Wes works on faces. Then we can work together during our weekly seshes.

It worked well to take a few weeks off. I need regular breaks.

We're almost out of the Punjab paper, which Daniel Smith has discontinued. I'll look for a similar Indian Village substitute, 20" x 30". We want to stay with the same format for all 50 portraits.

I'm also working on the model release form, so we can get expectations & rights squared away.

In the last three weeks, Wes and I have both had our birthdays. This time next year, we'll be opening our show.

give your longing to wound

Give your longing to wound
and to own more things
away to the willow

--Basho (1644-1694), translated by Robert Bly

home from Bethlehem

tasting fore-echoes
of the dark god's Song, i
remember who i am

bigger than when last
i looked, nameless and less sure --
home from Bethlehem

my mother waters
pineapple sage, columbine,
with an old brown hose

john stands against the
sky, blue shirt, sweeping the roof,
crowned by green maple

pileated woodpecker
digs her claws in the sill,
bellies to the glass

i can no longer
tell the sacred from the plain --
all work is the Work

articles & Public Service Announcements

I notice my blog is a combination of articles -- posts about what I am thinking or doing -- and Public Service Announcements.

After not blogging for a while, yesterday I caught up on my PSA's. Did you know that:

- Akropolis is performing their next show in an old mansion?
- Jerry Peerson's got a website with his tunes on it?
- Ana's company, Gardzienice, does transcendant rigorous work in Eastern Poland?

There's a lot of other processing going on.

I am having huge insights right now around:

- United 93, the glory of men, movies, community-based theatre, respect, Microsoft
- how to get More Joy Now, especially at work
- my life work, catalyzing growth & thereby growing, cocooning, destruction that is creation
- MFA koan, Teamworx, self-actualizing recursion
- it's not "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and unto god that which is god's." It's all Caesars and it's all god's. It's all god/Caesar's. And we, also, are god/Caesars/temple-sweepers.
- how everything's connected
- life coaching
- doing it the new way

New therapy office

Jim Rapson

I have been seeing therapist Jim Rapson since October 1997. Well, today marked our last session in the building he's had all this time. The next time I see him, we'll be across town in his new digs.

It feels great. Like a huge snow day.


Where the old office was

Jerry Peerson -- check out his music

Jerry Peerson, songwriter/musician

Here is Jerry Peerson's website, the guitar-player/singer we painted, who performed at Wes's gallery opening. He performs around Seattle regularly. Check out his site, listen to his tunes. My favorites are Fidele Amour, Y, Tell Elizabeth, and in some nostalgic way because my dad would have loved this song, JRC. There is another that I loved in concert but don't see on his site, Tequila, that begins like a crooning lullabye, then gradually blossoms into a full-on power ballad.

There's also an email list on the site, to sign up for announcements.



Playing the Seattle Music Northwest Rock Folk Indie

Jerry has a couple gigs coming up this week, if you're in Seattle.

---Wed.May 17th-2006
Performing a few songs solo by the request of birthday girl India Turner. There
will be multiple artists performing so this should be an eclectic and enjoyable
event. Jerry will play around 900pm
Caffe Bella-located @2621 fifth ave 206.441.4351
http://www.myspace.com/indiaturner
http://www.caffe-bella.com/

---Fri.May 19th-2006
Jerry will be playing twice this night. First as a solo act then with the band
Altspeak. http://www.myspace.com/altspeak
Show begins at 930 Pm- 6$ cover
Located @ the Rainbow, 722 NE 45th St, Seattle http://www.therainbowlive.com/calendardesc.html

Hope to see you.

Best,
JLPeerson
www.myspace.com/jerrypeerson
www.jerrypeerson.com

Note -- our painting of him is on his myspace site. COOL!

Music map - Live Plasma

So check this out, with thanks to Rick Kolesar for the link: Live Plasma, at www.liveplasma.com.

You type in the name of a musician or band that you like. Up pops this "map" of similar artists. Kind of like Amazon's, "People who bought this book you're looking at, also bought these other four."

The map looks like this.


Musicians you might like, if you like the Indigo Girls

Paint progress - 5/16, moms, sales

Here's where we are.



Here is another format I was trying earlier, with thumbnails.



The top one is more visually accurate. And it includes our moms. You gotta paint your mom.

"I don't want to sell any of paintings," I said. "I'd sell them all," said Wes. "In a heartbeat." "You'd sell me?" I said. "I'd sell you. I'd sell my mom. I'd sell your mom." I started to laugh. "We both need the money," he went on. "We can always paint more." I began to get charmed. I realized I COULD sell almost any of them. Especially if we have the ability to make high-quality prints. Except Holly, we promised her she could keep hers. And I bet the moms want theirs.

Akropolis's Oedipus opens in 2 weeks

Oedipus, by Akropolis Performance Lab

Akropolis is about to open their new piece, Oedipus. With several new company members, the piece is being shown in a nontraditional site -- the historic, Beacon Hill estate house of the Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs. Definitely a show not to miss, as it only runs 2 weeks, June 2-17. NOTE: Some nudity, recommended for mature audiences only.

TICKETS: 1-800-838-3006
brownpapertickets.com
$15 general/$10 students, seniors

Plan extra travel time to allow for parking & finding your way, because... ABSOLUTELY NO LATE SEATING. Come early, bring a friend and a map, hit a Starbucks, and treat yourself to the full immersive experience.


The historic house where Oedipus will be performed


Beautiful indoor space for performance

Here is the full blurb from Akropolis's site.

“Nothing can escape the plague. It fastens on everyone.”
~ Seneca

CONTACT: Jennifer Lavy (206) 856-6925
13538 27th Ave NE, Seattle WA 98125
akropolis.performance.lab@gmail.com
www.geocities.com/akropolis_lab

Akropolis Performance Lab presents new adaptation of Seneca’s Oedipus

SEATTLE WA (May 1, 2006): Akropolis Performance Lab’s (APL) newest theatrical work, an adaptation of Seneca’s Oedipus, runs June 2-17 in the historic, Beacon Hill estate house of the Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs.

The natural and supernatural worlds collide in Seneca's version of the Oedipus story. With plague raging outside, the people of Thebes gather in the royal house for refuge from the terror paralyzing their society. There, they witness Oedipus who, determined to rid his land of the plague just as he previously rid it of the Sphinx, learns that the plague will continue until his predecessor's murder is avenged and the murderer banished. Oedipus's quest for knowledge and truth restores prosperity to his people with devastating consequences.

Into Seneca's telling, Akropolis weaves Latin meditations on fate culled from the Carmina Burana Codex and set to luminous, haunting polyphonic music inspired by the traditional songs of Ukraine, Macedonia, and Russia.

As in all of APL’s productions, the text, the song, and the action are inextricably linked. Only at the union of these elements is the story fully manifest. Striking physicality and saturated, complex vocal music are hallmarks of any APL event. Adapted and directed by Joseph Lavy, and featuring music devised and directed by Jennifer Lavy, Oedipus re-confirms APL’s powerful artistic range.

Because this production of Oedipus contains some nudity, it is recommended for mature audiences. The production runs 90 minutes with no intermission. There will be no late seating.

Akropolis Performance Lab, which is proud to be sponsored by Theatre Puget Sound, is now in its sixth year in Seattle. The company has mounted all-original work, including main-stage productions of an adaptation of Macbeth, Song of Songs, Jeanne The Maid: A Trial And Execution Of Jeanne D'Arc, and 2004's highly acclaimed Dream of a Ridiculous Man — which was remounted as part of the Theatre4Play Festival in conjunction with last year’s national Theatre Communications Group conference and was also the subject of a feature article in the winter 2006 issue of The Stage theatre magazine in Moscow, Russia.

WHAT: Oedipus, adapted from Seneca

WHO: Akropolis Performance Lab

WHERE: The historic Beacon Hill estate house of the Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs, 2336 15th Ave S., Seattle WA 98144

WHEN: June 2-3, 9-10, 14-17 at 8 p.m.
June 11 at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

TICKETS: $15 general public, $10 students and senior citizens
Purchase in advance through Brown Paper Tickets (1-800-838-3006 or www.BrownPaperTickets.com). Day-of, cash-only sales begin 30 minutes before curtain.

PERFORMERS: Elizabeth Erber, Holly Fowers, Margaretta Lantz, Jennifer Lavy, Joseph Lavy, and Andrew Loviska

ADAPTED AND DIRECTED BY: Joseph Lavy, APL co-artistic director
MUSIC DEVISED AND DIRECTED BY: Jennifer Lavy, APL co-artistic director

NOTE: This production contains some nudity.

Rachel2- in progress

Rachel2 - first version

We got this far, then decided to redo the painting almost entirely, starting with the face. When the face changes, the background follows.


Rachel2 - second version


Rachel2 - detail face

In the first one I was happy and smiling. In the seond one I was sad and smiling. Wes paints what he sees.

But this face is way better. It's got the color breakthrough of JERRY and WES2, with the fineness of RACHEL1 and WES2.

"I think painting two of everyone is part of the form now," said Wes.

We're taking a short break, while Wes is in two shows and I'm snowed at work. Next step is we're going to start visiting Seattle galleries to see where we want to have our show. Jerry, who played & sang amazingly at Wes's solo show opening last week, has agreed to play our opening as well.

Wes2 - Done

WES - Self-portrait, from life


Detail - face


Detail - eyes

This one called for calligraphy... and after a certain amount of ink, it was suddenly done. This is a continuation of the work begun in the portrait of Jerry -- where the painting of the face summons the background. We're just getting better at listening, not thinking, obeying.

Found a room, Gardzienice, how do we sing this

Thanks to Radmila, who introduced me to Shiwani, we have found a room for Ana, the Polish theatre artist who's coming over for a training. The room is right by the UW campus, spacious, light, and private.

This is Gardzienice's website, if you want to read more about Ana's theatre company.


Gardzienice, in eastern Poland


An early Gardzienice work

Gardzienice is as strikingly physical, vocal, transcendant, groundbreaking, and historically significant as the Odin. They, too, are not just a theatre -- they are an entire philosophy, ethics, and way of being in the world. I don't know their company well, unfortunately -- but believe me -- RESPECT IS DUE. One of their trainings, for example, is night running. The actors go out at night, and run for miles on paths through the hills.

For a long time, Gardzienice began their exploration of each new piece with the question, "How do we sing this?"

How do we sing this.