When I was a kid, people were still into afternoon tea parties at which foks were daintily and prettily dressed. Everyone spoke evenly and smiled, but nobody laughed, and one spent most of one's time precariously balancing a cup of tea on one's knee. Some thirty-five years later, things change. Now, it's definitely not afternoon parties and/or definitely not tea parties and I not only smile but, apparently, am famous for my laugh. What remains, though, is the balancing act.
I am embarking on two new personal projects for Jaybird Productions, my own company, besides the shows I have committed to directing for other companies next year. The first is David Mamet's Oleanna that I plan to mount in November of this year, assuming I can get the rights and a space. The second is an all woman version of The Taming of the Shrew which I plan to do in some park, somewhere, in the summer of 2013. Almost certainly in Leslieville or the Beaches. And, though I have developed significant skill over the last four or five years of directing consistently and some-odd forty years of theatrical experience, every time I think about doing these things, I lose my breath.
What you may not know about me (because, folks, I come across as confident - sometimes a bit cocky) is the stress reaction - the losing my breath - is almost certainly a good sign. But, usually, I get this reponse later in the process like, say, the day before rehearsal starts, for example. It's a sign to me that I am personally invested in the project. That I am committed. If I get the reaction, I breath. I steady myself. It's all about balance.
Though tea is a lovely, sometimes soothing, and healthy drink, the thing about it is it's hot. You can burn yourself if you spill it. So, too, with creative projects. We have a burning desire to work, to do yet another show, but we don't want to get burned. And when one is producing one's own projects, there's this wall, here. See it? White hot. And there, too. And there, another one. Must be steady. Navigate carefully.
Mamet's Oleanna is not usually a show that community theatres do - and, of course, in these economic times I should be doing a comedy - but I am desperate to do it and, therefore, am mounting it myself. Why? Well, it's not a dainty show. Not in the least. There's this little fight at the end. It has to be believable and vicious. Fun. And don't ask me why I want to do The Taming of the Shrew with an all woman cast. I can't articulate it (which means no Community Theatre would let me do it -- they like fast talkin' directors) but I am going to do it. And there I go, again. Just lost my breath.
How does one balance this fear? Funnily enough, for me, by applying a zen-like focus on the the detail, on the doing. By ignoring the big whys, the big picture. It's important to be at the party. The sun is shining. It's a nice afternoon. Everyone's here. Just focus on balancing that cup of tea and you won't spill it.
Of course, I now have not one but two cups of tea. Good thing I have a strong sense of balance, quite a bit of practice, and two knees.
Jacqui Burke is
a freelance director, writer, and theatrical teacher living in Toronto,
Ontario, Canada. She is currently directing Kidsplay 2012: The Mayan Prediction
opening in June, and The Last Five Years
for TOKL Productions opening in July. She is, also,
serializing The
Pretender, her first novel,
online at http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/.
She is preparing for two Shakespeare is Boffo! summer camp
sessions for 2012.
Want to contact me?
Jacqui
Burke
Artistic
Director
Jaybird
Productions
talk/text: 647-292-0210
twitter: @jaybird01
skype: Jacquiburkecell, jacqui.burke
www.wordsnimages.com
www.jaybirdproductions.ca
www.shakespeareisboffo.ca
http://jacquiburke.blogspot.ca
http://thepretender-amarcienoelnovel.blogspot.ca/
http://jaybirdproductions.blogspot.ca/
Ask me about Shakespeare is Boffo!
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– 3:30 pm, August 13-17, 2012 for only $125.
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July 16-20, 2012 for only $155. Both prices hold until May
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Warbles in the dark.
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