We are about a month out from the end of the season. It has been a wonderful whirlwind so this update is overdue and I want to send a special shout out and apology to all those with a loved one in the ensemble who have been looking out for the update. We’re so sorry for the wait!
We are excited to finally share all the news! First - the show was a huge success! We performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream three different times at Huron Valley and it was greeted with standing ovations at the end of each performance (One of the DPT Producing Artistic Directors would also gleefully share that some of the performances even included spontaneous MID-SHOW standing ovations!). It has been 5 long years since our last fully realized performance and this experience did not disappoint. It also required a lot of ramping up and re-learning to get ready for a show. We had to re-discover how to get the lights working, find the flats made in years past, re-establish how we accounted for all the costumes and props each night (the list goes on…). All in all, the ensemble was thrilled with the show that we worked so hard to create together. Everyone was quite sad that we had to take a break, but “parting is such sweet sorrow” because we know we get to start up again with a new play very soon. Here are some quotes from the ensemble about what the show meant to them:
“It took me out of prison each and every time”
“I feel like I’ve made memories forever. I was so welcomed back into the group.”
“I came in because of a friend and then they didn’t stick with it. It feels so good to see it through. Everyone who knows me thought I looked like a different person. I used to have my own band, and it connected me to a lof of joyful memories. It was the kick in the ass to jumpstart getting out of my shell … it’s healing and helped heal old wounds''
“Thanks to Aupperlee– it was great to have you and he hit the ground running!”
“[At the start of the show] I was shaking but it felt good. I was dragging my feet [for a while during practice] when the performance came it was go time!”
“I’ve been in a real slump the last month and a half and definitely worried I wouldn’t put forth the energy needed. As soon as I walked out [on stage] it was game over!”
“The more we did, the more I opened up and just had fun with it!”
“I am incredibly proud of all of the hard work, excitement, and joy everyone put into this show. Not only am I happy and excited to perform this show, but I am proud of the performances we all came up with.”
Every show I have ever worked on, in any capacity, inevitably there comes the “crunch time” phase. This is the phase where it constantly feels as though there is more work to do than time will allow AND there is the crushing realization that not every great idea we have will make it into the final production. Part of the process is letting go of getting it all in, being proud of all the good ideas that we had, and knowing that anything that didn't make it in this time could be there for us next time. This can be HARD (more on this below here)...
The primary motor for the editing process is staring face-to-face with the clock and adjusting the show to meet our runtime. We have just 90 minutes to perform the play each night, and there is not a lot of room for error; Huron Valley is a very gracious host to the performances, they support SIP strongly and allow the program to to bring in costumes, props, and sound effects. Fidelity to the guidelines and structure of the facility is paramount to us and so we make sure we NEVER run over on performance time. Our motto for crunchtime this year was “A well executed good idea is better than a poorly executed great idea.” So we start looking at all the parts that are not working yet and we start removing anything that isn’t working. Lines we’ve struggled with, comedy bits that are confusing, and anything that we don’t absolutely need to tell our story. It can be difficult, especially when someone has worked hard on a passage to make it work only to let it go in the final weeks of production. In most productions, be it professional, student, or otherwise, this is stressful. It is when the most heartbreak and bickering happens, the most feelings get hurt, and the most toes get stepped on. The ensemble was remarkably cohesive during this phase and were really wonderful at navigating this period. SIP can be frustratingly collaborative, and this season was no different. We made decisions entirely as a group and tried to keep a sense of democracy and a sense of humor throughout. It pays off as everyone owns the full production and everyone experiences both give and take.
This season, as in season past, several participants had to leave the group before the production. So and we opened up the callout to the waitlist and welcomed a few new ensemble members who were able to fill some key roles. Welcoming new ensemble members can be challenging - learning to gel with the existing ensemble, especially when you are essentially thrown in the deep end of a Shakespearean production as a new ensemble member just a month or two before show time. But the new participants did great, and were enthusiastic from the second they arrived! Likewise, they were enthusiastically welcomed by the existing ensemble who got to mentor newbies! We had one member rejoin from the Hamlet season, and then three brand new ensemble members. This group took on roles immediately and at their first night dove right into the show. We were also excited to add several wonderful new facilitators to the mix right at the same time. It was an intense time to hop into the process, but our ensemble and facilitator team needed more help and these new facilitators are wonderful and are now right in the swing of things for next season.
So those last few weeks before show time, there were a lot of moving parts and a lot to get used to– between the working costumes, props, sound, new ensemble members, new facilitators, and new edits to the script, there was a lot to keep track straight. AND WE DID IT! And we did it well! And we did it with care for each other and minimal conflict and evident JOY. I’m so proud of this season and could not be happier with what this ensemble built together and shared with the community!
Some of the SIP facilitators and the Producing Artistic Directors have written pieces about their experiences seeing the show and participating in those last couple of weeks:
Courtney Burkett, Producing Artistic Director of DPT
I had the pleasure of attending the first post covid SIP performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Huron Valley Correctional Facility. Before the performance started - during set up and load in, I had the privilege of witnessing the ensemble working beautifully together. I witnessed them getting into costume and transforming their physical appearance to inhabit the world of the play. Nerves were high - but the palpable excitement and support of the ensemble was strong.
Then - the performance began and the production was beautiful - and FUNNY! So funny and joyful! The performances were strong and clear - and the rather complicated plot (and subplots) were easy to follow. It was a privilege to watch and it was thrilling to see the support that the performers received - not just from the SIP ensemble, but from the entire community and audience.
Samuel Aupperlee, one of our new facilitators:
As a brand new SIP hire, I have done theatre workshops within correctional facilities before, but I have never had the chance to put on a full-length production with the talented folks inside. I was incredibly excited to see how a longer-form project with a more distinct goal could encourage growth and community in a different way.
I attended my first rehearsal in early May which happened to be a pretty demanding time for the ensemble; the performance was only a little over a month away and serious script cuts had yet to be made in order to keep the performance within the allotted time. These first few rehearsals in May were spent pretty intensely analyzing and rehearsing our existing script in order to find portions we could do without. But despite the first few weeks being busy, I felt eagerly welcomed with open arms by this wonderful group of women. Immediately, I was intentionally included as a part of the ensemble and struck by the way the members worked so well together despite the emerging challenges.
But this is not to say our period of script restructuring went completely without conflict. While some members willingly offered up cuts within their own lines, more than one debate was still had with members who were hesitant to give up any more of their lines. Further stress also followed when putting these new text changes up on their feet. After a tougher week of rehearsals, Kyle reminded the group that this level of conflict was normal for any sort of production - that it was a sign of passion and care.
By the beginning of June, we added our set, props, and costumes to prepare for our production, now only a couple of weeks away. After being given permission to bring in the beautifully designed costumes tailored to fit the women, we were able to do our first run through in full dress! This process proved to be incredibly joyous for some and challenging for others. More than one member remarked at how the costume seemed perfect for the role they were taking on, one member calling her costume “the exact image I had in my head!” For others, there was a bit of discomfort with the fit of certain costume pieces, or parts that had already broken after the first run.
Despite this, I was in awe of the ensemble's ingenuity and drive in the process of making these costumes their own. More than one ensemble member painted additional decor, sewed entirely new costume parts, or fixed torn parts of their outfit. Members also traded interchangeable costume pieces with each other until each person had found a piece that fit them well. To me, this was once again a testament to the women’s sense of community and care for each other. It was clear that the ensemble does what they can to have each other’s backs.
The addition of the set also proved to be a big change for the group.
More than one ensemble member mentioned how the entire space felt different or more professional with this new look.
These last minute changes, along with the realization that our performance is getting closer every day, seems to be shaking the nerves of quite a few ensemble members. Most recently, each of our rehearsals has been dedicated to running the performance from start to finish while implementing our new props and costumes. We still struggle with keeping our production within the allotted time, so of course we still experience minor conflicts, but I am continually impressed by this group’s sense of professionalism and pride in their work. The unifying power of group performance is incredibly evident in the way this ensemble truly roots for each others’ successes; each rehearsal the ensemble seems to trust each other more and more.
Further, it is a blessing to see this passion for theatre bleed into the work itself. As the stakes are raised, actors are rising to the occasion and coming out of their shells more and more. Members who have had a tough time speaking out have been thriving with the newfound performance mindset. Still other members still are finding real connection with their characters and the text, one person even mentioning to me that she had now journaled over 70 pages about her character alone! And of course, we continue to find lots of good laughter every single rehearsal.
This passion for the show continues to band this ensemble together as we head into our upcoming week of three performances. Almost every member has admitted to being quite nervous, but likewise almost everyone has spoken to how important this rehearsal space had become in their life. As one member put it; “Shakespeare is the only thing keeping me calm right now!” I can’t wait to see what this week of performances holds for our ensemble as they continue to encourage and hold each other up, and I can’t wait to continue learning about community, hard work, and theatre from this incredibly talented group.
Lulu Fall, a new SIP Facilitator:
I had a stellar experience as a facilitator at Detroit Public Theatre’s Shakespeare in Prison. Although I have always been intrigued by the program, my imagination would always get the best of me, discouraging me from pursuing volunteering. Thankfully, my time as a facilitator was not only fruitful, but truly exceeded my expectations. I began my volunteering experience fairly late in the SIP process. Having started within the final 6 weeks of the program, the ensemble members were already on their feet, with some blocking and memorization under their belt. My job as facilitator at this point was to fill in the blanks and go where I was needed: filling in small parts here and there, cuing up background music, helping to distribute and collect costumes and set pieces. Even though I arrived during the tail end of the overall process, it was wonderful to see the clear bonds that were forming between both ensemble members and SIP facilitators. Smiles, jokes and side conversations filled the room. I watched in awe!
I was surprised to see how enthusiastic the ensemble members at Women’s Huron Valley Facility were. Tackling the complex Shakespearean text was no feat for them - they took the material, internalized it and truly made it their own! While some ensemble members were quiet and soft-spoken, most were boisterous, bold and full of lively energy! As an experienced actor, I was pleasantly surprised by the consistent commitment displayed by the ensemble members. Their willingness to dive deep, remain in the moment and be unafraid to look silly are aspects that even professional actors struggle with! My biggest takeaways: enjoy the ultimate freedom of being onstage, and do not take yourself too seriously!
