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When we arrive on Thursday, we have a packed house! Just like last week, we have a reading spirit. As we are going to begin reading Act 4 tonight, the group sets their sights on trying to finish the script by next Thursday. Before we jump into reading, though, Sophia has one of her last documentary questions. It’s a real moment of centering and reflection for the group. Sophia asks: “What does it mean that 15 years of SIP has come before you?” The group reflects for a moment.

When we arrive on Thursday, it’s clear that it’s going to be a big reading night. As November creeps up and the ensemble is getting excited to cut and cast the show, the energy and drive to read as much as possible is high! The ensemble settles in, and opens up the evening with a conversation about memorization, commitment, and attendance.

On Thursday, we had a small but mighty crew. We began Act 3 and we were able to read three scenes with everyone taking a part. Because our group was small, we were able to explore so many conversations – what it means to cheat out and play open to an audience, our favorite musicals, their favorite Shakespearean words, and dreams for the future of the program.

Sometimes the biggest moments in rehearsal happen before we even open the script.

We arrived at the programs building around 6:00 to a relatively small group. As we settled in, one ensemble member casually announced that she wanted to read King Lear that night.

I was thrilled.

The group was excited to be together, and to dive into reading. It was clear that several of them had been reading their scripts over the weekend, as many came in with new ideas about which characters they were interested in playing. One announced to the group that she wants to play Kent right as she arrived. She told us that she had been sharing the script with some people throughout the facility and getting everyone excited to see our prodcution.

I don’t think I realized that was going to happen when we first arrived at the programs building on Tuesday. It was just after 6:00, and only a handful of ensemble members had gathered. We chatted about other programs, shared stories, and waited for the rest of the group to arrive. One participant asked me what our question of the day was, and I told her we were asking everyone to reflect on when they first felt like they belonged in the ensemble.

We got to programs around 5:55. As we get more members in the room, we start check in. We start around 6:30.

One member leads the ring for the first time.

Today, we moved forward with Act 1, Scene 3, which is a very short scene.

After reading it through, the ensemble discusses what is happening in the scene. They seem to connect to Goneril’s anger toward Lear.

One participant said: “She sounds angry, she wants to be left alone.” 

A participant: “You rocked that,” she tells the reader.

Today, we moved forward with Act 1, Scene 3, which is a very short scene.

After reading it through, the ensemble discusses what is happening in the scene. They seem to connect to Goneril’s anger toward Lear.

One participant said: “She sounds angry, she wants to be left alone.” 

A participant: “You rocked that,” she tells the reader.

I ask the group what they want to do today. One participant wants to bring up a concern. She says people are getting bored because we are sitting and reading and talking. We talk about the importance of this part of the process, in which we read the play scene by scene as an ensemble and discuss its meaning, impact, and dreams we have for staging it. An ensemble member advocates in support of this process, while two other ensemble members don’t want to stop much for reflection.