This session was rooted in joy, collaboration, and the kind of play that reminds us why we do this work.

After a longer check-in filled with warmth and connection, the ensemble shifted focus to preparing for the upcoming Volunteer Appreciation Event. What began as a logistical conversation quickly became a creative one, as participants imagined what they wanted to share.

“I want to do the gravedigger scene,” one ensemble member said — and just like that, the room had direction.

The group rallied around the idea, pairing it with the final scene from Hamlet and exploring how to shape the material within a short performance window. They requested both the No Fear and original text, eager to understand and perform the language with clarity and confidence.

Even as we navigated the practical challenges — limited time, shifting group size — the ensemble stayed solution-oriented, thinking ahead and ensuring that whatever version of the group showed up, the work would still be strong.

We then returned to Comedy of Errors, running Act 3, Scene 1 twice. Each pass brought more clarity. We refined staging, explored how to communicate space using minimal elements, and leaned into storytelling choices that made the scene legible and dynamic.

There were moments of adjustment and honesty — particularly around elements we won’t be able to include — but even those moments were met with care and collective support. The work continued.

We ended the night the way we often do: in play. Queen of the Jungle brought laughter into the room, reinforcing the ensemble’s connection to one another.

We closed in the circle, grounded in connection, creativity, and the steady momentum of the work ahead.