Theater In Motion and The Experience of Collective Creation
Theater In Motion is a workshop rooted in the decades-old practice of collective creation and geared to explore ensemble process methodologies. The workshop pushes participants to unfold their talents by working as units. It is most useful when approaching a new idea for a production or addressing those moments when the staging of a new piece faces a challenge, comes to a halt, a red light of sorts. And it is also useful when a group of artists want to work together, collectively, ensuring that the various talents surface at the moment when they are needed the most. The workshop is especially useful for those group dynamics in which the loudest person may not necessarily be the most talented, nor the shyest participant the least talented.
Practical Structure:
1- Participants are asked to select ONE line from, either a piece they are working on, or a piece they would like to build together. They can also borrow a line from existing cannon works – from Shakespeare to contemporary playwrights.
2- Each group will be subdivided into 3 groups: 1) text development/acting; 2) music/rhythm/lyrics; 3) dance/movement/imagery. All subgroups will be working with the same line.
3- Each sub-group works separately, simultaneously, in different areas of the space/stage/room as follows:
Group 1) Text/Acting – Task: write up to 5 additional lines based on, or inspired by the ONE line chosen and rehearse the delivery of the text.
Group 2) Music/Sound – Task: Create a new musical arrangement based/inspired on the ONE line (depending on instruments available), rhythm (using any surface available for percussion); write lyrics, melody, choral arrangement and any other musical/sound approach.
Group 3) Dance/Movement– Task: Create a movement narrative based on the ONE line (no delivery of the line is necessary—the movement must address it); dance, image building, and other non-verbal expressions allowed.
4- Group comes together and demonstrates their findings to each other, without explaining; only by doing.
5- A director – usually the workshop director – Brings it altogether, as one piece, integrating text, music, dance in a micro-piece that showcases the talents of all involved.
VISION for Theater In Motion:
1- Working through elements of a new piece or through a challenging creative moment by blending individual findings to create a whole, a solution, a new creative challenge.
2- Addresses some common questions: Do I start from the table? Or from the stage? From improvisation? How do we maintain a structure while creating an environment that values individual talents?
3- How can we keep the theater process moving forward, unfold the talent in the room, make miracles happen, be surprised by those actions that cannot be predicted, but for which we need to be prepared?
THREE ways to approach the process for the subgroups:
- Analogy – a group can decide to approach their exercise through metaphors, by writing, or moving or composing a piece that indirectly addresses the ONE line chosen (for example: addressing a ‘city blackout’ through images/sound reflecting darkness, not necessarily that of a city blackout).
- Opposition – a group can decide to approach their exercise through an image by opposition in which they do the opposite of what the ONE line says or indicates (for example: address a theme of ‘hunger’ by images of extreme excess, eating everything in sight)
- Simile – a group can decide to approach their exercise through direct images, that is, directly writing, or moving or composition based on the literal interpretation of the line. (for example: addressing ‘crossing the border’ through direct imagery depicting border tragedy, hope, challenges etc)
SUGGESTED LINES:
“Friday is a good day to cross the border.” From the music play Translated Woman
“With the millions of lights that are on every night, we had forgotten that the stars even existed.” From the music play The Blackout
“Ever since I was a child, I wanted to fly” – From the music play The Desire of the Astronaut
NOTE: Theater In Motion workshop was created by Rosalba Rolón and Desmar Guevara, of Pregones/PRTT. It has been taught in multiple settings, international festivals, universities and forums in: United States, Puerto Rico, México, Slovak Republic, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, France.
General Information and Requirements
- Date: November 19, 2024
- Time: 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
- Place: Pregones Theater (575 Walton Ave, Bronx, NY 10451)
- Language: English and Spanish
- Duration: 3 hours.
- Arrival Time: Please arrive 15 minutes before the start of the class. The class will begin on time.
- Attendance: Do not register if you cannot commit to being present for the entire class.
- Late Admission: No one will be admitted once the class has started. NO EXCEPTIONS.
About the instructor
ROSALBA ROLÓN, Artistic Director of Pregones/PRTT, is an accomplished actor, director, and dramaturg specializing in the adaptation of literary and non-literary texts for stage performance with live music. Distinctions include United States Artists Fellowship, Ford Foundation Visionaries Fellowship, Doris Duke Artist Award, and Creative Capital Award (with Paul Flores and Yosvany Terry). Rolón’s numerous theater credits include We Have IRÉ with Paul Flores, Betsy! with Roadside Theater, Dancing In My Cockroach Killers with Magdalena Gómez, Harlem Hellfigthers on a Latin Beat based on the Puerto Rican presence in the all-Black 369th Regiment of the US Army, El bolero fue mi ruina adapted from a story by Manuel Ramos Otero, Quíntuples by Luis Rafael Sánchez, and many others. She is a member of The American Thatre Wing’s Tony Awards
About HOLA Master Classes series:
In expanding job opportunities for Hispanic actors, HOLA strengthens and supports the available talent pool through its Educational Programs which offers professional development, acting training and networking opportunities for members and the Hispanic community. This is an invaluable resource for artists to further develop their skills, gain practical experience and industry knowledge to support a greater chance of success in their careers. HOLA Master Classes are free for members and scheduled once a month.
HOLA y sus clases magistrales:
En función de expandir las oportunidades laborales de los actores hispanos, HOLA fortalece y apoya el potencial del talento humano disponible a través de sus programas educativos. Los cuales ofrecen desarrollo profesional, formación actoral; además, de las oportunidades de establecer relaciones interpersonales entre los miembros y la comunidad hispana. Este invaluable recurso impulsa a los artistas a desarrollar aún más sus habilidades. Ganando experiencia práctica y conocimientos del área; aumentando así, las posibilidades de éxito en sus carreras. Las clases magistrales de HOLA son mensuales y gratuitas para los miembros.
Cancellation Policy:
- This complimentary offer for HOLA members is subject to limited availability. We ask that you register only if you can attend the entire event.
- In the event that you need to cancel your reservation, we kindly ask for your prompt notification with a minimum of 24 hours’ notice. Please send an email to inform us of your cancellation at education@holaofficial.org.
- Failure to provide timely notice or being a no-show will result in a 3-month restriction from participating in HOLA programming, starting from the event date.
- To register for events during the restriction period, a $35 penalty fee will be required to waive the restriction.
Política de cancelación:
- Esta oferta gratuita para los miembros de HOLA cuenta con plazas limitadas, por lo que les pedimos amablemente que se inscriban únicamente si están seguros de poder asistir al evento completo.
- Si necesitan cancelar, les solicitamos que nos notifiquen con al menos 24 horas de antelación enviando un correo electrónico a education@holaofficial.org
- La falta de notificación para cancelar dentro del plazo especificado o la ausencia resultará en la restricción de 3 meses para participar en las actividades de HOLA, comenzando desde la fecha del evento.
- Si desea registrarse en eventos durante su período de restricción, tendrá que pagar una tarifa de penalización de $35 para evitar la restricción.
Cover Photo Credit: The Red Rose picture by Krystal Pagán
This HOLA Master Class is presented in partnership with Pregones/PRTT
This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.
This program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
HOLA would like to gratefully acknowledge Radio Drama Network for their generous support towards our 2024-2025 educational programming supporting art that enriches our culture.
This program was made possible in part with support from the Rockefeller
Brothers Fund.
Speaker
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Rosalba Rolón
Responses