WSW Remix!

After almost three weeks, I FINALLY had a great night at Winters Shakespeare Workshop. It's pretty laughable every night how much Cara and I bitch on the way home. The snotty kids, the outspoken parents and then all things Russell.

At our production meeting on Sunday, Jeff, one of the neighborhood Dad's came over to talk props. Actually, it's Wyatt's dad. The musician dude who is working with me on my thesis and dada. His father, Jeff.

Anyway, he disrupts our meeting and upon joining us takes over the conversation. It was actually not mean spirited, it just happened. It amazed me that someone can just do that. It was pretty brilliant. He gave an air of authority and respect -- and everyone else just let him do it.

He is building the platters for the big feast that the Ariel's bring in. In our Tahitian style, the scene has become a Luau. He plans to build these things out of molded plexi and paint them, however he needed some images to guide him. Apparently, in years past he's painted some set pieces and then Russell said he didn't like them and Jeff had to redo them. However on Sunday when Jeff asked for images of food platters he looked at ME! I was a little perplexed, but took the job on. Later that evening Russell was questioning Jeff's request, but again, I said I would bring some images for Russell to approve.

I brought them on Tuesday. And Russell looked at them and said "how can we get these to transfer to our platters?" I shrugged my shoulders and then Russell sighed and made some comment that he would now have to take care of it himself. On that way home that night, Cara was livid that Russell didn't even thank me for doing research and printing out photos for him. I let it slide. Like most of the bitching from the teens.

However, last night things finally clicked into place. Russell pulled Cara at the top of workshop last night so I had to lead warm-ups by myself. As I walked over to the circle, I dreaded what was to come, but they were actually pretty quiet and responsive. After warm-up we went back to the stage area, but Russell was deep in conversation with Laura (the musical director) and Michelle (the choreographer). I asked him how long he would be and he said he didn't know. So, I made an executive decision and pulled the kids back and Cara and I lead some games. We did one word at a time stories and then they wanted to do the human knot again. They worked like a well oiled machine. It was quite impressive. So, I decided, since we had all of the kids, that we should do one final trust exercise. I had them make two lines facing each other and one at a time they had to run down the center to me WITH THEIR EYES CLOSED. It was great to see them vulnerable and trusting. After that they ran in pairs.

I then explained the importance of trust and ensured them that just as I had guided them to safety at the end of the line -- Cara and I can be trusted to do the same as they get closer to performance. A little dorky, yes, but they finally all realized that Cara and I were on their team.

(sigh)