58 - american angel notes from the left edge of america (the year after the fall)

tuesday november 13, 2007 2:08PM santa monica, california

an open letter to kamela in thanksgiving;

dear kamela,

a year ago on this day i wrote my first cambridge entry to this “american angel” journal.

it was short and sweet. unlike all my other long winded entries. it’s worth copying here;

monday november 13, 2006 12:18AM cambridge, massachusetts

in my apartment 203.

tired and ready to sleep.

***

here i am.

with love,

bernie

***

and so began my great time as damiel in cambridge.

we were really beginning work on a new play, even though we had played it in amsterdam. the significant change for me, of course, was in my playing damiel.

Elliot Norton Awards

Last week A.R.T. artists were honored with two Elliot Norton Awards. In addition, Artistic Director Robert Woodruff was honored with a special citation in honor of the 25th Anniversary of the Elliot Norton Awards. Here is the text of Robert’s speech delivered by Gideon:

No Man’s Land on YouTube

As part of our ongoing efforts to give you a behind the scenes look at our productions, we have produced a brief documentary about creating No Man’s Land featuring interviews with David and Lewis Wheeler and production dramaturg, Miriam Weisfeld.

Catch-Up Ball

Bullet points today, ‘cause that’s how my brain is frying…

• Previews! Oh, what a pleasure to have an audience! Truly the missing link. The energy of the house, my nerves, the drive and purpose - all marvelous. And the energy tightened the performance so much! A challenge, always, to make that leap from the crew in the room to EVERYONE in the room, but the best challenge, and, after all, the purpose of the exercise. If no one ever saw the play, what would be the point? I wouldn’t do it. The PURPOSE of a piece of theater is the AUDIENCE. So, thank you for the challenge and the reward – come early and often! I think you’ll enjoy it, and get a lot out of it; your money’s worth, I hope.

Moving to the Loeb

On Sunday we bid farewell to our rehearsal hall, and yesterday began our technical rehearsals in the Loeb. The set is wonderful: the room looks cavernous and invokes that particularly English antique grandeur of high-vaulted wood paneling and leather, but by using levels and angles and furniture our designer, Michael Griggs, has created a variety of playing spaces within the grand room that allow for intimate and specific contact between actors. It’s very well done, and a pleasure to play on.