In my eternal quest for creative inspiration, today I managed to get myself invited to a closed technical rehearsal for the Colorado Opera’s ‘Scarlet Letter’ which is having its world premier in Denver in a week. I’ll be in Cuba for the whole week of performances, so I was thrilled to have a backstage tour of the wig room, and dressing rooms today…and then see the meticulous process of the cast and director rehearsing on the big stage for the first time.
It is kind of like when we design and envision a quilt in our head, cut out the pieces, and then do that final audition on a design wall. (or kitchen table!) You hope everything hangs together the way it is supposed to, but you often find that the things that don’t work out exactly, are opportunities for creative solutions that lead to a better overall final product.
Watching how the director went back over and over on certain segments – moving groups of people upstage or downstage – asking for a bigger gesture or a smaller ritualized gait – was a fascinating reminder of how we can polish details for emphasis but make it look easy in the end.
For those of you traveling to Cuba with me May 8, watch for an email Monday with final trip details.
(If you *wish* you were going to Cuba with me – sign up for our September trip!)
Our new classroom space has been cleared out so we are developing our business plan for creative retreats, workshops and events at eQuilter. If you have an idea or wish list you’d like to share with us for our event space, drop us an email! (Many thanks to those of you who have sent your ideas already!)
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