We started with a simple concept, a simple passion and the puzzle of combining the two. We wanted to create a piece of theatre that gave awareness and a voice to the homeless community in our area, and accomplish it honestly and respectfully. Sounds pretty straightforward, right? With only 16 rehearsals and 5 very brave actors, we began our process. Through many improvised scenes, homework assignments and research, we finally found our story after only 8 rehearsals. “Have a Seat” was finally becoming a script.
JTC: I have to say that original pieces have always scared the crap out of me. Call me co-dependent but, as an actor, I adore a finished script that I am able to sink my teeth into. So as a director, it’s even more frightening because I wasn’t sure what was going to be accomplished each rehearsal. I knew we needed to develop the script and the characters but we found that focusing on what we wanted the show to accomplish would start us in the right direction.
CG: I was the exact opposite. I had experienced writing original pieces twice before as an actor, so the opportunity to be part of that process as a director absolutely thrilled me. With that past experience, I knew we needed to have very structured and focused rehearsals if we wanted a single, cohesive piece. We allowed the stories to develop out of the improv exercises we did during rehearsal, but we always had rehearsal activities ready to help facilitate that process.
JTC: What was amazing to me was almost everything we improvised in rehearsal became part of the final script. This eased my anxieties as a neurotic director. So now, with the creating and solidifying of the script finished, we could focus on creating the world the action would take place in. Christy and I really wanted the audience to experience theatre in new and different way.
CG: Once we had the finalized script, we had 8 more rehearsals to block it, refine it and transform the space for the show. We knew we wanted the characters to be without a conventional “backstage”. The homeless often have the feeling of no where to go, and we wanted to give our actors that same experience. We also wanted to give a similar feeling to the audience.
JTC: We really wanted the audience to be in the middle of all the action. Oftentimes, people ignore the homeless or give enough money to be rid of them and then put them out of sight and mind. We established our set and audience seating in such a way that the audience couldn’t do that to the actors.
CG: Not only that, but we wanted the audience to feel ignored and invisible while surrounded by all of the action, just like the homeless often do. We wanted the audience to be out of the audience-comfort-zone and in the middle of an experience.
JTC: The experience we wanted the audience to have is to hear our honest attempt at giving a whole/complete voice to the otherwise silent or unheard homeless community. We felt the holiday season was the perfect time to do this, too, since it is a time of reflection, charity and of humanity.
CG: And I really feel like we accomplished it. The feedback we’ve gotten has been so confirming of the message we tried to send; we really did want to produce a piece of theatre that would inspire change. It’s amazing to me what we’ve accomplished in just 4 short weeks.
JTC: I know it blows my mind! But I couldn’t be prouder of what we have created as an ensemble. Our actors are passionate about their work and the community we wanted to serve in this project and we are just so blessed.
CG: I couldn’t ask for a better production as my first original piece as a director, or for a more committed cast. I’ve been so impressed with the quality they’ve continued to give us, regardless of how exhausting this process has been. They each invested so much to this process, becoming their own dramaturges, endlessly contributing content and character depth. They’ve been so dynamic!
Don’t miss the final weekend of this inspiring theatre piece!!
December 16 | 7:30
December 17 | 2:00
December 18 | 6:30
For the past month and a half, I have been submerged in a
monochromatic world. Directing The Giver has been a very grey
experience, literally. The lack of color that is called for in the script and the lack of color that I surrounded my actors with is a metaphor for a lack of individuality.
As color begins to appear, it is because Jonas, the main character, is finally starting to come into his own and find his individuality. In our society, we claim to celebrate our differences, yet we are taught and shown by the media and Hollywood that there is a “perfect” image. There has been so much hoop-la over models that are too thin and the message that it sends out to kids, particularly girls. If we as a society claim to celebrate our differences, then we don’t do a very good job of showing that. The effect that the media has on body image is sad. Yes, as a society we should strive to be healthy individuals, but we shouldn’t have to starve ourselves to feel like we fit in. This show portrays a town that strives to create “sameness”.
There is absolutely no individualism until Jonas meets the Giver and she gives him the information necessary to step out of his life. The play to me represents the type of world we would live in if we lost all of our personality traits. Yes, there would be no pain or loss, but there would also be no happiness. You can’t have one without the other. The show also shows someone who takes a chance, because of something they believe and end up breaking out of a negative situation. Ultimately, I loved directing this show and giving it my own twist.
Casey Keelen
Sometimes, while sitting at my favorite restaurants alone or driving from here to there, I like to sit back and reminisce about all that ETC has accomplished in the last 4+ years since we produced our first show. And it is quite a bit. Since the website continues to get hit daily by new playwrights, theatre companies, theatre artists and new patrons, and since our twitter feed is becoming becoming more and more popular, I thought I would simply list a history of the shows we have produced since the summer of 2007. SO here goes:
2007:
ANGELS IN AMERICA: Millennium Approaches
by Tony Kushner; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
(Co-Produced with Chatt State Repertory Theatre and Ripple Theatre)
OBLIVION POSTPONED
by Ron Nyswnaer; Directed by Sherry Landrum
(Co-Produced with Chatt State Repertory Theatre and Ripple Theatre)
MR MARMALADE
by Noah Haidle; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
(Co-Produced with Chatt State Repertory Theatre and Ripple Theatre)
DOG SEES GOD
by Bert V Royal; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
(Co-Produced with Chatt State Repertory Theatre and Ripple Theatre)
SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD
Music and Lyrics by Jason Robert Brown Directed by Garry Lee Posey
2008
THE LARAMIE PROJECT
By Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
(introduces John Thomas Cecil to ETC as an actor and ETC moves into its current home base at the the St Andrews Center)
Youth Theatre Double Bill
ARKANSAW BEAR by Aurand Harris and THIS IS NOT A PIPE DREAM by Barry Kornhauser
Directed by Garry Lee Posey
A Staged Reading of A REKINDLED FLAME
by Garry Lee Posey; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
2009:
A Staged Reading of THE MADELINE PLAYS
by Denise Laughlin Stewart; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
THE ARKANSAW BEAR
by Aurand Harris; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
A Staged Reading of DUST
by Rob Smith; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
(Christy Gallo’s first role with ETC)
LOVE LETTERS
by A.R. Gurney; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
A Staged Reading of a DIFFERENT TIME
by Peter Macklin; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
A WOMAN CALLED TRUTH
by Sandra Fenichel-Ascher; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
A Staged Reading of THE LAND OF ROYAL BLOOD
by Garry Lee Posey; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
SHORT ATTENTION SPAN THEATRE FESTIVAL #1
Featuring the short plays of Derek Van Barham, Rob Smith, Garry Lee Posey, and Marco Ramirez and John E. Bromels; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
(marks Christy Gallo’s introduction as a Producing Partner)
HAMLET
by William Shakespeare; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
THE LARAMIE PROJECT
by Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
Youth Theatre Tour: A WOMAN CALLED TRUTH
by Sandra Fenichel-Ascher; Directed by Jessie Knowles
2010:
THE DEADLIES
An original ensemble piece written by ETC; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
(Christy, JTC and Garry make the producing partnership official)
THIS IS NOT A PIPE DREAM
by Barry Kornhauser; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
DELIRIUM OF INTERPRETATIONS
by Fiona Templeton; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
MIXED MEDIA
An ETC original featuring the writings of Derek Van Barham, Peter Macklin, Anthony Garcia-Copian, and Rob Smith as well as original works of art created by Cat Collier, Thomas Spake, Matthew Dutton, Chandra Morgan and Joe Helseth; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
columbinus
by the United States Theatre Project; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
AMUSE BOUCHE part one
featuring the plays of Garry Lee Posey, Marco Ramirez and Derek Van Barham; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
SHORT ATTENTION SPAN THEATRE FESTIVAL #2
featuring the plays of Sherry Landrum, Martin Blank, Jason Aaron Goldberg, Garry Lee Posey, Alex Broun, Doug Brooks, J Stephen Brantley and Nancy Gall-Clayton; Directed by Casey Keelen and Timothy James
ROMEO AND JULIET
by William Shakespeare; Directed by Garry Lee Posey with choreography by Ann Law
A Staged reading of OUT: a release so long desired
by Garry Lee Posey; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
ENDGAME
by Samuel Beckett; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
A Staged Reading of LA LLORONA: THREE TALES (commissioned by the Latino Arts Project)
by Garry Lee Posey; Directed by Brenda Schwab
FURRY TALES WITH A TWIST
by Jennifer Hikock Defratis; Directed by Casey Keelen
A SILENT CHRISTMAS
an ETC original Directed by Garry Lee Posey and Music Direction by John Thomas Cecil
2011:
AMUSE BOUCHE part 2
Featuring the plays of Doug Brook, J. Stephen Brantley, and Nancy Gall-Clayton
Directed by Seth Wilson
THE THREEPENNY OPERA
book and lyrics by Bertolt Brecht and music by Kurt Weill
Directed by Garry Lee Posey, Music Direction by John Thomas Cecil and Choreography by Angela Sweet
GHOSTS
by Henrik Ibsen; Directed by Seth Wilson
STONING MARY
by Debbie Tucker Green; Directed by John Thomas Cecil
MY CHILDREN! MY AFRICA!
by Athol Fugard; Directed by Brenda Schwab
SHORT ATTENTION SPAN THEATRE FESTIVAL #3
featuring the short plays of J. Stephen Brantley, Trace Crawford, John C. Davenport, John A. Donnelly, Nancy Gall-Clayton, Mark Harvey Levine, Garry Lee Posey, John Weagly and Michael Weems; Directed by Casey Keelen
AMUSE BOUCHE part 3
featuring the short plays of Trace Crawford, John C. Davenport, Garry Lee Posey Directed by Casey Keelen
LA LLORONA: THREE TALES
by Garry Lee Posey; Directed by Brenda Schwab
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS
by William Shakespeare; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
LUNCH MONEY
another ETC original written by the cast; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
THE LARAMIE PROJECT (tour)
By Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT
including the writings of Martin Blank, Garry Lee Posey, Rex Knowles, J. Clark, Alison Fradkin, J. Stephen Brantley, and others; Directed by Garry Lee Posey
THE GIVER
adapted by Eric Coble from the award winning novel by Lois Lowry; Directed by Casey Keelen
HAVE A SEAT
another ETC original written by members of the cast and others; Directed by John Thomas Cecil and Christy Gallo
I don’t know if you were able to do the math as you read through that list, but that is around 36 plays produced in less than 5 years of producing theatre. Of those 36 plays produced, 14 have been world premiers, 8 have been geared towards youth and family and 5 have been original ETC creations. And added to that list is another 7 staged readings. If you care to comment, remark on how many of that list you have had the opportunity to see. We love doing theatre and we love that you all have allowed us to do as much we have in as this little bit of time!
It would seem that 2011 is the year for changes with ETC. We updated the website, we added a summer theatre camp, we toured a show to Michigan, and we now blog.
If I can speak for the three of us, I would simply say that this is a bit of a scary thing. Once we went live with the website, it was I who championed the idea of a blog, so on the verge of the deadline for our first blog to be written (lest we consider ourselves too busy to manage a blog), I guess it will be I that takes the first plunge to share with our ever growing populous what is on our mind.
I’ll first start by saying each day brings with it a new discovery of what ETC is doing for people in our communities (locally, artistically and worldwide). And that statement was not intended, though it cleverly does, tie in with our “theme” for the season: enriching our community.
I got off the phone this afternoon with Martin Blank, a DC based playwright and Artistic Director for the American Ensemble Theatre, and felt a smug sense of pride. In our most recent production, I CAN’T THINK STRAIGHT, ETC premiered an original piece written by Martin. When I sent the call for scripts out back in early summer, Martin emailed me saying he had an idea for a play that he had wanted to write for several years and our upcoming production about the coming out experience was just the impetus and inspiration he needed to write this story that he had been kicking around in his head.
What he sent us was what he planned on ultimately becoming a full length play, titled COUNT ON ME. When I read a script, the first thing I notice are the theatrical conventions used by the playwright, then I look at the story. I was half a page into Martin’s script when i realized that this was both appealing to my tastes and directly in line with the kind of theatre ETC thrives on producing- plays that tell stories utilizing unique theatrical conventions.
Martin was able to make it to Chattanooga to see the premier of his new play and his experience was overwhelmingly positive. Not only did he enjoy the production and applauded the values, the honesty in acting and the direction, he liked the entire performance and his visit with ETC inspired him to want to finish the script, as well as confirmed his belief in the small professional theatres and our contributions to the livelihood of our craft. While in town, Producing Partners Christy and John Thomas went out to dinner with Martin and picked his brain on fundraising, his 20+ year experience in business and other things.
Getting off the phone with Martin helped me realize that even though STRAIGHT was not a box office success, maybe it had a different purpose in our season. Had we not done it, we would not have gotten the opportunity to impress a playwright and create a relationship, that the sky’s the limit on what this relationship could do for each of us. We met some new patrons thanks to our partnership with Tennessee Valley Pride and the Chattanooga Pride Week festivities, and I might not have written what might one day turn into a one man show about my coming out process.
So while ETC has been faring very well financially this year, its important for me and us to step back and look at the things we are doing for other people and artists. I believe that being an artist is a privilege granted to special people, and our gratitude for being allowed this privilege is in sharing it with other people. I teach, I believe and I always say that in order for theatre to exist, we need equal parts of three things: story, actors, and audience. At ETC, our goal is to treat each of those things as if they are the most sacred things in the world; when we do that what we achieve is something magical. And I charge the 14 people who read this blog to let us know if we ever drop the ball.