The Imagination Blog

The show is over. It was a huge success, a fabulous collaboration that got rave reviews from all who came.  My actors surpassed my wildest wishes, in short, it was great!  The King and I has just completed a record breaking sold out run and I’m going to Disneyworld!  Well maybe not today… today I’m sleeping and eating and writing thank you notes; and missing everybody.

What do you do when a show is over?  Well if you’re like me you realize that you are suddenly faced with empty evenings and it feels very strange.  The making of a performance fills your life.  When I am directing I am either at the theatre or thinking about being at the theatre, creating lists in my head, reviewing what happened the evening before….any number of things related to the current love of my life…the show I’m working on. And then it’s over… you and your great love just broke up.  Your family moved and left no forwarding address……

Anyone who lives this will tell you that this is the actor’s life- ephemeral- which makes it all the more precious.   When a group of people come together to create a performance something magical happens for a time, but the magic has to end and we have to go on to the next show, our day job or whatever our day to day lives brings.  Luckily we go back enriched, and this is why we return again and again to create this thing we call theatre.

I warned the parents of the children in our show about this – I figured the adults already know.  I cautioned them to remember that their children will feel especially lonely for each other.  At the cast party one of our tiniest little girls demonstrated it at the end of the evening.  An older child who had often played with her came up and announced “I’m leaving now”.  Our little Katie had been dancing up and down beaming- suddenly she burst into tears.  Great sobs shook her little body and tears streamed down her face.  The masks of comedy and tragedy played out before my very eyes.  And there it was- this little girl showing all of us what we have been doing- giving our all, sharing our emotions, throwing ourselves into the mix in order to create something together that has meaning- something important that we love- and it’s over!!

Beginnings and endings (dare I quote another King) are part of the circle of life.  I’ve already started work on a fall show, getting the details in place…but I have to admit that I spend part of each day looking at King and I pictures, talking to King and I cast on Facebook and doing any number of things that allows me to gently put down the work I’ve just finished and move on.  I know that this show, like every show I’ve done, will always be a part of me.  I learned and grew doing it, made wonderful friendships, laughed and cried together with folks I really treasure.  Thank you all for supporting me, challenging me and changing me.

I close with heartfelt thanks to the incredible cast and crew of the King and I who gave up their lives for a time to become something more…

Cory

It dawned on my while I was sitting on my couch last night, staring intensely at my new flat screen. Even though we didn’t have LOVE LETTERS rehearsal yesterday, I feel I learned something about directing in that moment. Well, really I REALIZED something about why I love directing. (Emphasis on the “I” and the “love”.) More specifically, of course, I realized why I am loving directing LOVE LETTERS.

Recently I started working at Arcus, a terrific company in Hummelstown. Here I will insert the much needed Arcus Marketing information, due to the fact that I work in Marketing at Arcus.  Ahem.

Arcus is a nationally-recognized staffing, recruiting and direct placement firm. Our team of recruiters is dedicated to helping you grow your business.

There. I’ve done my duty. And happy to do it, too! You see, it is important to give Arcus a nod because Doug Firestone, the CEO, has agreed to Arcus being a Sponsor of the show! (Insert wild applause here. Doug bows. Curtain closes.)

So, back to my life-altering epiphany. The Arcus Apprentices were interviewing me for their first project. Okay, they weren’t JUST interviewing ME. They were interviewing all Arcus employees but REGARDLESS… during MY interview they asked ME two fantastic, eye-opening questions. They also asked me what body part would I make bigger or smaller and why. After giggling, I responded, “I would want my eyes to be bigger so I could look like and anime character. You can really tell what they are thinking. Very expressive.” But that was not the question that opened my eyes, which are a fine size by the way. No, the questions in question were:

1) What are you most passionate about? “Hm,” I said. “What am I most passionate about, huh? I guess I would have to say communication.” (The Apprentices  smile politely.)

2) Describe yourself in one word. (I know, I know. This isn’t a question, per say, but I described it as such for simplicity’s sake.) I replied,”Wow! Er… Ah… Uhm… well… geez…” (The Apprentices stare blankly.) “Uuuuuh… Oh! Yes! I know! Collaboration. I mean, I am a collaborator!”

While I was playing my Wii last night, I realized I have thought about those two words before but never in such simple terms: I am wild about communication and collaboration. Those two little-ish words  is why I am having such a gosh darn great time directing Terry and Brian in LOVE LETTERS. They are superb collaborators and very talented communicators. The show is leaping off the page, off the stage. I could dare say the same thing about Derek and my entire production team. And I dare! Everyone involved with this already beautiful piece of theatre is devoted to creating something together (collaboration) that looks great, sounds great, and means something (communication).

“I am so proud of the show!” I thought. “LOVE LETTERS is gonna be great!” Then I rewarded myself with another round of Guitar Hero.