Manning the Ship

For the past few weeks I have been meeting with and inviting various artists, designers and actors to work on our upcoming production of Medea. No.11 Productions is just over a year old (officially) and no one who works for us has, up to this point, been financially compensated. Medea will be no different. The advantage to this (to be the forever optimist I try to be), is that you have a group of dedicated artists creating “art for art’s sake”. Actors, designers, musicians etc., are creating solely for the sake of putting something out into the cosmos that might open up the opportunity for different people to broaden their various perspectives of the world we live in. I know, that sounds a bit utopian and it’s a poorly structured and wordy sentence, but that is at least how I see it. I can tell you for a fact that this is not how all 20-something-year-old artists see it, no matter how fledging they may be. Some young artists expect to be paid, and I hope they are…but we cannot afford them.

When I approach different artists to engage in a project, I am asking them to commit time, talent and energy to somebody else’s vision, in this case mine. There is an instant pull between “that sounds awesome” and “I should be focusing on my own art.” My theory (and I would dare to say No.11’s) is that theatre is a meeting place for all of the arts, and that an artist that works in the theatre is stretching their own art/talent in directions that no one artist would think of on their own…collaboration leads to higher art. I’m sure Mr. Van Gogh would disagree, but he never worked in the theatre. So my leverage to engage artists becomes, work on a project with No.11 Productions, and you will come out of it a stronger artist. I never push someone to collaborate with me because without money or a contract, it is passion and friendship that hold a particular production ensemble together, and even these qualities are not fool proof. When a “better” (read: paid) opportunity rolls along, most actors and designers cannot resist…and I have never held this against them. Have I kicked and screamed and cried? Sure, but only for a moment before I start making phone calls.

There have been people who have worked with us consistently and beautifully and who we continuously turn to for their talent, guidance and support. Young companies and artists should find other young companies and artists they enjoy working with and believe in and invest their efforts. No one I know (in my age bracket) can invest several thousand dollars into No.11 Productions, but my peers and friends invest time and effort because they believe that our small theatre company has the potential to be one of the greatest non-profit theatre organizations of our generation (or at least self sufficient). They believe that the theatre we create and the vision we hold is worth what they have to offer. I find this idea tremendous and inspirational. In a year, we have grown much faster than I ever had expected, and with no intention of slowing down, I feel confident in our path. I have too much respect for the artists we have worked with, and will work with, to allow them to come to a dead end when a production is over. No.11 Productions is an ensemble company, and although we are still many artists away from being a true ensemble, we get closer with each production.

My goal is to have a full cast and list of designers before the New Year, a collective of passionate, growing and invested artists who have the desire to make our production of Medea unforgettable. I will keep you posted.

-Ryan Emmons

Thanks For Theatre

With thanksgiving come and gone I wanted to write, perhaps a bit self indulgently, about how thankful I am to be a theatre artist. On Thursday, I am on my way to Waterbury Connecticut with fellow company member and collaborator Julie Congress. This trip brings three blessings. First, I get to work with high school students. In case you did not know, I have a real passion for working with young theatre artists, there is a vibrancy and life to young artists that I find inspiring and motivational. Second, I get to direct the festival showcase production, which will be a challenging and professional experience. I’ve been given a room with an attached living area in case I want to have meetings. Third, and perhaps misplaced in my list of thanks, I get to collaborate with Julie! It is rare to find someone with whom you can co-direct and both end up feeling really proud of the finished product. Julie and I have the ability to create a unified vision and then see it to it’s completion. A recipe for success that I am of course grateful for.

That is only one thing. There are other things as well. That you should know about! For instance we have a reading on Dec. 1^st of a play called The Resurrectionist. We are reading the play with English accents, which is really fun. It is also an adventure story, which is doubly fun. Then of course we have our opening of Claire and the Ornithological Shadow. The more I have been thinking about it the more I think it is really going to be an excellent venture. I feel lucky that I am in a position where I can produce risky, new, experimental work. I am not sure on the commercial success of the productions. It does not really fit the formula for large monetary gain…it is an unknown play, it is playing in Brooklyn, No. 11 Productions is still a very new company, we have not gotten the kind of press that we wore hoping for (yet). That being said, it is still an admirable example of theatre as powerful art. The play is simple and beautiful, which is ideally perhaps how we should live our lives…simply and beautifully. I am not sure about that one but it makes sense to me today.

Alright, thank you so much for reading and caring and caring to read. I hope you have not read this entry to carefully, I ramble. I wish everyone the best of weekends and I will write again soon. To the simple and beautiful life!

Written by Ryan Emmons

Ryan's Feelings

Halloween is in 4 days.  I’m counting.  It’s always been my favorite holiday for one reason or another.  Surely when I was younger it was because I knew there were pillowcases of candy coming my way.  A bit later in life it became an excellent excuse to throw a fun party, themed with the undead or homicidal hippies.  Then came the phase where I tried to create the most impressive Halloween display on the street complete with fog machine and strobe light (I know, it’s a bit much).  No matter when, what was always at the heart of it was an opportunity to be creative in an uninhibited way. 

Halloween, as it exists in America today, is an excuse for people to have fun and express themselves in a non-traditional way.  It’s a day people use to put on the costume of a hero or to dress like a sexy pirate.  As winter slowly approaches, it gives people one last hurrah before the deep freeze.  It’s also one of the only days of the year where we, as a society, create something and then walk around to display work.  Very few people I know simply buy a costume from a store, rather they invent and fashion themselves something that is unique.  Four days before Halloween, people are thinking creatively, asking themselves What am I going to be.  What is the best way to carve my pumpkin this year?  How can I add to the yard display?   

I don’t mean to suggest that these are consuming questions that everybody thinks about, let’s be real, there are lots of people who don’t think about Halloween at all.  I do suggest, however, that there is something in the air around Halloween that I find inspiring.  There is something amidst the leaves changing, the cool air and the hot sun that picks me up and urges me to enjoy.  To create something beautiful.  To be silly.  To embrace spooky.  To have fun.  Four days left and I still don’t know what I am going to be.                 

Ryan's Feelings

A few cookies later, I’m back!  As you know, I’ve been in a bit of a rut lately…a creative slump if you will.  But today several things happened that made me pick up and reinvigorate:

 

1. I made crepes
2. I got a hair cut
3. I went to a play
4. I had rehearsal

 

On point 1 I have never made crepes before and they were delicious, not only for myself but for my friends as well.  It always feels good to create something (even food) that people appreciate.   

 

On point 2 it was special because my sister cut my hair and it turned out great.  This was the first time I have let her cut my hair (she’s a hair dresser in training) and I’m pleased to say she’s my new hairdresser!  Something about the art of cutting hair and the imagery of it inspired me.  I have been really interested in the idea that you need to destroy something in order to create something new.  Cutting hair seems a perfect and simple example of this concept.

 

On point 3, the play shall remain nameless because I did not think it was very good.  But, even bad theatre can inspire. 

 

On point 4, there comes a time in every rehearsal where the winds change and things start to make a bit of sense.  It’s easy to feel like this moment will not come, but my advice is that it will.  Keep going.  Go see theatre and movies and read books and get your haircut.  Life will ultimately inspire and push you in the right direction.  This has always been true for me and it is something I easily forget.  I hope in writing it down it somehow becomes more certain.

 

Ryan Emmons    

Ryan's Feelings

I just taught Samantha how to post on the blog!

Written by Ryan Emmons

Ryan's Feelings

Good Evening. Another one. I worked for 8 hours today and not in the theatre. I wish I didn't need a day job, but I do. Oh well. Sorry, I don't mean to get you down or to wallow in my own thoughts. That's why when I'm feeling down and out and I need to be feeling creative and work on what I really want to be working on (theatre) I like to bake delicious cookies. Here's one of my favorite recipes:

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cinnamon
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
¾ cup light brown sugar
½ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
2 ½ cups quick cook oats
1 cup peanut butter chips (Reese’s are my favorite and I use the whole bag when I really need it*)

Preheat the oven to 350˚.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugars until smooth. Then add the vanilla and the eggs and mix until it is all blended in. Next add the dry ingredients and mix well. Finally stir in the oats and peanut butter chips. By this point you should start feeling a little better. Drop teaspoon sized balls of dough on an un-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 11-13 minutes.

Now you can of course use an electric mixer but I find the power, energy and strength needed to cream the butter by hand is exhilarating and picks me right up. Don’t feel bad if it doesn’t pick you up entirely…the cookies will be out the oven soon to finish the job.

Good cookies lead to creative genius. I know it just seems like more of your precious time (because it is). But, 30 minutes baking is better that 2 hours of uncreative frustration. As an artist, I hope this helps you feel good and have at least one revelation about whatever it may be that you are currently working on. Feeling down is normal, especially when you need to be cramming in a day job, family and other obligations around your art. There are positives to these things as well which I will discuss at a later date. Remember that most of the time it is better to bake than to be half-baked while making art.

*you know what I mean and if you don’t then just stick to the cup

Written by Ryan Emmons