An Orgy Of Thought - Week 9

Week 9 - New Business Cards, Session Breakdown

Week 9 was the first of our rehearsals at 41 Monkgate, and we also had some lovely new business cards to distribute to the group to get out into the world and help publish the group!

WEEK 9 BLOG CONTENTS!

1. The New Business Cards
2. Session Summary
3. Session Elements

1. The New Business Cards

Mike and Emilie had a sit down this week and tackled the business cards - we thought it only makes sense; if we have a blog, a theatre group and are developing our ideas, then why don't we have business cards.

Straight from the printers, we can officially upload a screen shot of our preliminary pre-print designs from Goodprint - who we like.
We would also like to credit Elisabeth Perotin who designed the artwork for the blog, which we snazzed up for the background design, and to Free Blogger Skins who provided the template.




2. Session Summary

New Members !!!

Further devising for the Street Theatre that the group will be taking to the Streets and Gardens of York at the end of June.

Group improvisation leading on from lasts week sculptural junk constructions.
Developing new characters, exploring relationships, the eccentric and staging the weird and the random alongside the strainge, and the logical.

(Write up directors brief coming soon for reference)

Reece, Nat and Olivia warming up with the "gobbledygook improvisation game"

3. Session Elements

• Introduction to the current project.
• Theatre Games.
• Practical review of last weeks activities.
• Fresh Improvisations.
• Take Two of the improv's with directorial advices.

TEA BREAK !!

Group Discussion about 'The New Curiosity Shop' - Project 2.
Mind-mapping about Street Theatre Piece.
Structured improvisations looking at points discussed.
--Next Week will be music based --

... 4 weeks to go til Performance ... FOCUS focus !!! : )

Em, Nat & Fiona further improvising the street theatre piece with the bin

THE END !

An Orgy Of Thought - Week 8

Week 8 - New Venues, New Dates, New Project Names.

WEEK 8 BLOG CONTENTS!

1. Our New venue
2. Renaming The Empty Front Shop project
3. Updated Rehearsal Times



1.Our New Venue

In Week 7, the group met up with Mickey Finn, of 41 Monkgate, who have a theatre space currently used by Upstage Theatre amongst others.
This will be the new home for the "An Orgy Of Thought" Group for the foreseeable future.

This is an excellent development in the Boathouse Theatre Camp, as rehearsing in a venue with theatrical links can only strengthen our cause and improve our confidence. Many thanks to 41 Monkgate.


2. Renaming The Empty Front Shop project

We also discussed the possiblility of a more theatrical name for the Shop Fronts project, and after some deliberation:


"The Empty Shop Fronts project will now be called

'The New Curiosity Shop'

Rehearsals beginning Sunday 28th June 2009"

This decision means that we will more than likely have a final performance of the current unnamed street theatre project we are working on in the latter end of June, which will be followed by a start on "The New Curiosity Shop" project.


3. Updated Rehearsal Times

Please see rehearsal dates below:


The Street Theatre Project:

SUN 17th MAY - 1 - 4 pm

SUN 24th MAY - 1 - 4 pm

SAT 6th JUNE - 1 - 4 pm

SAT 13th JUNE - 2 - 6 pm

SUN 21st JUNE - 1 - 5pm
FRI 26th JUNE - tbc

The New Curiosity Shop:

SUN 28th JUNE - 1 - 5pm

SUN 5th JULY - 1 - 5 pm

SUN 12th JULY - 1 - 5 pm

SUN 19th JULY - 1 - 5pm

SUN 26th JULY 1 - 5 pm

SUN 2nd AUGUST - 1 - 5 pm

SUN 9th AUGUST - 1 - 5 pm

SUN 16th AUGUST - 1 - 5 pm

SUN 23rd AUGUST - 1 - 5 pm

An Orgy Of Thought - Week 7

Week 7 - An informal session to discuss a more targeted direction for the the future of the project.

This week, the group met up to discuss the future of the project in terms of developing a more solid concept, and to consider some more appropriate venues for the theatre group.

WEEK 7 BLOG CONTENTS!

1. The Groups Developed Concept
2. Introducing "The Empty Shop Front" Project


1. The Groups Developed Concept

The group decided to commit more solidly to the concept of "Organic Community Theatre", in order to continue what we think has made this project so exciting to work on.

We also came up with a concept to develop which would benefit our group's image in a public space in York by performing theatre in public spaces.

Below is the idea the group developed and will be looking to develop into a performance later on in the year.


2. Introducing "The Empty Shop Front" Project.

Anart Theatre group is a recently formed voluntary community group which is based in York.
We are a group that is open to new members from across York's diverse community and are eager to encourage those who may not normally become involved with the arts in such a way.

The group is currently working on their first project together and is formulating plans for a second. Our current activity can be viewed through our blog page : www.anorgyofthought.blogspot.com

The Concept

The idea for the second project is to run a series of workshops which will lead towards a number of public performances, these will be staged in some of the empty shop fronts that are scattered around the centre of York.

Anart Theatre would ideally like to work with a group of young adults on this project, with an aim to encouraging their creative ideas, voices and stories. We are currently liasing with the Pathways Team and the Youth Offending Team with an eye to hopefully developing something with young adults from these groups.

Why the Shop Fronts ?

Having performances and displays of art - installation or otherwise - in these empty spaces will enhance York's city centre, adding interest, diversity and direct contact with the arts where there is currently only dead space.
Anart Theatre wishes to use the Empty Shop Fronts as stages for performances primarily because of these factors. The spaces are directly within the mass public eye and if used for performance will create a new dynamic for both spectator and performer.

An Orgy Of Thought - Week 6

Week 9 - An informal session to develop the concept for the Street Theatre Project and create a more tangible directors treatment.

Following the excitement and progress of week 5, we decided to get our ideas down on paper. Below is our directors treatment by Rhiannon.

WEEK 6 BLOG CONTENTS!

1.The Street Theatre Directors Brief
2. Mood Board
3. Props
4. Summary
5. Evaluation


1.The Street Theatre Project Directors Brief

Below is a summary of our thoughts form all of the previous weeks in a director treatment, including: mood board, props, summary and evaluation.

2. Mood Board

This mood board uses found images to help convey the directors vision, support the summary, and communicate influences, themes and styles to others that may help them understand the vision.

(images remain copyright of original owner, sources unknown)

3.Props:

• Bin
  
• Stool
  
• Steps
  
• Pole
  
• Masks
  
• Coat
  
• Sunglasses
• Drums

4.Summary

3 hobo’s in the space.

Emilie walks in to the space looking for the best place for a sculpture/machine/ invention
Reece and Nat enter adding to the creation. At this point you are all concerned that the machine is built correctly. Nat places a component, Reece thinks it’s wrong. He undoes Nat's contribution. Nat responds, they are a volatile pair. They begin to squabble. Emillie continues to add to the creation until they consider it done.
Emilie and Nat regard the bin as something wondrous; they explore it and regard it with suspicion almost afraid of what’s inside.

Nat: “What does it do?”

Reece knows what’s in the bin and sees it for what it really is, a bin.
After building the suspense the bin is opened and they are entranced by what is inside the bin.

Reece: “Look what I’ve found!”

Reece put pulls out a coat, he puts and on and feels in the pockets and pulls out a bag of coins.

Reece: “I’m rich...... It’s not a bin it’s a treasure trove”


The girls spurred on dive in to see what they can find. Reece inspired by his new fortune goes off to spend it/ make more/ buy some diamonds/ buy a rope to pull in the moon (anything really we‘ll see how that develops! But he has to have good reason to leave)

He shuts the bin lid on their heads and leaves. The girls heads in bin scrambling around having the time of their lives, (we have to believe there is a whole universe in there that your enjoying exploring) after a while you pull off the lid to reveal you looking out at the audience with masks. You begin to play with the masks and degenerate (maybe mock yourselves and Reece, your situation??).

Reece re-enters as a bin man. With a struggle takes the bin away from them.
They look after the bin as it is dragged away. And pull they’re masks off to reveal disappointed faces.

The music – keep up with the music and rhythms, it could potentially fit anywhere in the piece as it develops. It’s really watchable and builds your relationship to the audience. It’s fun to see how you three misfits mesh together music is a great way of doing it.

Emilie- that higher voice that came out as you were playing with the masks, was great I think you should adopt it as part of your character.

Start adding in characteristics to your performances. You don’t necersarily need ‘characters’ but you do need develop your own identity on stage, so think on attributes and attitudes that differentiate for each other.

Does anyone have any circus skills, if so use them they’d be perfect for this?


5.Evaluation

• Questions to ask?
  
  
• Is it a machine/ shrine/ sculpture etc?
  
  
• Is it something different for each character?
  
  
• What do I think it might be?
  
  
• Try not to get too fixated on this scene. try something new that may seem unrelated at the time but put them altogether and you’d be surprised by how you can make it fit. Concentrate on creating new scenes.