Oct 2014
Jeremy on Another Kind of Community: The Magic of the Theatrical Ensemble
Saturday, October 25, 2014 Filed in: Voices from the Group
Bridging the Gap is featuring blog posts from our group members to give an inside view of what it's like to be part of the project. This post is written by Jeremy, a new member of Bridging the Gap. You can see a picture of him in the center of the group above. Enjoy!
by Jeremy Ashton
Creating theatre is, by its very nature, a bonding experience. Because thespians use emotions, vulnerability, trust and collaboration as key components to the artistic process, actors are somewhat forced (if not by our natural personalities, by the nature of our chosen art) to bond together. Being in a show requires individuals to support, trust and rely on each other (even if it’s just while the stage lights are up.)
Through Bridging the Gap, the experience of being part of such a diverse, multigenerational ensemble has brought that powerful bonding agent I’ve always experienced in theatre even more to the forefront. Through games, exercises, and a sense of shared risk and creative energy, I am willing to dive headfirst into situations and conversations with those whom I might not otherwise feel comfortable with, or who might not otherwise feel totally comfortable with me. Being in a theatrical ensemble allows us all to just be artists together, forgetting about the differences in age, gender, or sexuality between us all. The nature of the ensemble gives us a starting point from which to build trust and come together.
As the Bridging the Gap ensemble continues on our creative journey together, I can’t wait to see what this amazing group of people has to teach me. I am sure I will be inspired, educated, and challenged by my fellow artists, but I know I am going to enjoy my time as a member of the community we are building together.
SAVE THE DATE!
Our upcoming free performance will be on:
Sunday, December 7, 2014 at 3pm.
TADA! Theater - 15 West 28th Street NYC
More details to follow.
Read More...
by Jeremy Ashton
Creating theatre is, by its very nature, a bonding experience. Because thespians use emotions, vulnerability, trust and collaboration as key components to the artistic process, actors are somewhat forced (if not by our natural personalities, by the nature of our chosen art) to bond together. Being in a show requires individuals to support, trust and rely on each other (even if it’s just while the stage lights are up.)
Through Bridging the Gap, the experience of being part of such a diverse, multigenerational ensemble has brought that powerful bonding agent I’ve always experienced in theatre even more to the forefront. Through games, exercises, and a sense of shared risk and creative energy, I am willing to dive headfirst into situations and conversations with those whom I might not otherwise feel comfortable with, or who might not otherwise feel totally comfortable with me. Being in a theatrical ensemble allows us all to just be artists together, forgetting about the differences in age, gender, or sexuality between us all. The nature of the ensemble gives us a starting point from which to build trust and come together.
As the Bridging the Gap ensemble continues on our creative journey together, I can’t wait to see what this amazing group of people has to teach me. I am sure I will be inspired, educated, and challenged by my fellow artists, but I know I am going to enjoy my time as a member of the community we are building together.
SAVE THE DATE!
Our upcoming free performance will be on:
Sunday, December 7, 2014 at 3pm.
TADA! Theater - 15 West 28th Street NYC
More details to follow.
Read More...Comments
Sal on the Intergenerational Experience
Saturday, October 18, 2014 Filed in: Voices from the Group
Bridging the Gap is featuring blog posts from our group members to give an inside view of what it's like to be part of the project. This post is written by Sal, who has returned to Bridging the Gap after participating in last year’s project. You can see a picture of him and DeAngelo above. Enjoy!
I'm an actor and playwright. I'm very happy to be involved with Bridging the Gap for the second consecutive year. It's one of the few intergenerational multicultural theatre communities that I know. It feels GREAT to be a part of an environment that offers a rich tapestry of life experiences and creative know-how.
Upon participating this second year, I was THRILLED to learn that my young friend-- who played the title role of Marvin in "Marvin's Fetish" (in my play reading at SAGE), --- had learned about Bridging The Gap and had actually become a member! There is legal justice, there is poetic justice and then there's DeAngelo Justice--who has just won a major role in my friend Alan Baxter's new amazing play, "Juan and Emmett”. DeAngelo is one of many young, talented and stimulating people who I look forward to working with week after week. I also very much enjoy interacting with "slightly" mature members such as myself--all of whom I've come to treasure. (Many members--by sheer coincidence--are faithful members of SAGE'S Monday night acting class.)
Everyone who attends Bridging The Gap--regardless of age--constantly offer thought-provoking comments, suggestions and keen observations. Each Saturday I look forward to participating in stimulating exercises, fun and original games and improvisational sketches. Tim Connell, Sherry Teitelbaum and Kevin Ray are AWESOME! They're encouraging, inventive and totally supportive of EACH ONE OF US--and of ONE ANOTHER. If you're interested in a safe, creative, fun, exciting, informative, friendly way to learn about theatre, check out www.bridgingthegap.nyc. I'm glad I did!
Read More...
I'm an actor and playwright. I'm very happy to be involved with Bridging the Gap for the second consecutive year. It's one of the few intergenerational multicultural theatre communities that I know. It feels GREAT to be a part of an environment that offers a rich tapestry of life experiences and creative know-how.
Upon participating this second year, I was THRILLED to learn that my young friend-- who played the title role of Marvin in "Marvin's Fetish" (in my play reading at SAGE), --- had learned about Bridging The Gap and had actually become a member! There is legal justice, there is poetic justice and then there's DeAngelo Justice--who has just won a major role in my friend Alan Baxter's new amazing play, "Juan and Emmett”. DeAngelo is one of many young, talented and stimulating people who I look forward to working with week after week. I also very much enjoy interacting with "slightly" mature members such as myself--all of whom I've come to treasure. (Many members--by sheer coincidence--are faithful members of SAGE'S Monday night acting class.)
Everyone who attends Bridging The Gap--regardless of age--constantly offer thought-provoking comments, suggestions and keen observations. Each Saturday I look forward to participating in stimulating exercises, fun and original games and improvisational sketches. Tim Connell, Sherry Teitelbaum and Kevin Ray are AWESOME! They're encouraging, inventive and totally supportive of EACH ONE OF US--and of ONE ANOTHER. If you're interested in a safe, creative, fun, exciting, informative, friendly way to learn about theatre, check out www.bridgingthegap.nyc. I'm glad I did!
Read More...Session 3 Recap: Beginning the Playbuilding Process
Tuesday, October 14, 2014 Filed in: Session Recaps
by Kevin Ray
There are many ways to create an original show in tandem with ensemble members. As facilitators of Bridging the Gap, Tim Connell, Sherry Teitelbaum and I use a process that is sometimes called devised theater and other times called playbuilding. Through playbuilding, we use theater games and activities to generate ideas from group members. We watch the group to see which ideas are exciting them and then we support the group in developing those ideas into a show through improvisation and reflection.
As a starting point, the facilitation team presents a central idea that we hope will spark the group’s interest. In the past, we used an overarching theme as our point of departure. We worked with group members to make plays that explored themes such as the generation gap, love, and food.
This year, we began the process with a new kind of starting point to offer returning group members a fresh change of pace and to give ourselves as facilitators a new challenge. Rather than starting with a theme, we started with a
Read More...
There are many ways to create an original show in tandem with ensemble members. As facilitators of Bridging the Gap, Tim Connell, Sherry Teitelbaum and I use a process that is sometimes called devised theater and other times called playbuilding. Through playbuilding, we use theater games and activities to generate ideas from group members. We watch the group to see which ideas are exciting them and then we support the group in developing those ideas into a show through improvisation and reflection.
As a starting point, the facilitation team presents a central idea that we hope will spark the group’s interest. In the past, we used an overarching theme as our point of departure. We worked with group members to make plays that explored themes such as the generation gap, love, and food.
This year, we began the process with a new kind of starting point to offer returning group members a fresh change of pace and to give ourselves as facilitators a new challenge. Rather than starting with a theme, we started with a
Read More...Amethyst on Session 2
Sunday, October 05, 2014 Filed in: Voices from the Group | Session Recaps
Bridging the Gap is featuring blog posts from our group members to give an inside view of what it's like to be part of the project. This post about the second session is written by Amethyst, who has returned to Bridging the Gap every year since 2011. You can see a picture of her in conversation with Jack above. Enjoy!
This week was the first time the seniors and younger participants came together. Since I am one of the senior participants, I was very eager to meet and greet the younger members of our theatre group. Of the younger members who attended, some had been part of Bridging The Gap before, and some were brand new members. It was very good to see people I had interacted with in prior Bridging The Gap workshops; but it was also great to meet new people as well.
Read More...
This week was the first time the seniors and younger participants came together. Since I am one of the senior participants, I was very eager to meet and greet the younger members of our theatre group. Of the younger members who attended, some had been part of Bridging The Gap before, and some were brand new members. It was very good to see people I had interacted with in prior Bridging The Gap workshops; but it was also great to meet new people as well.
Read More...