On the morning of October 2, 2006 a local man, well-known to both the Amish and non-Amish communities of quiet West Nickel Mines, PA, entered a single-room Amish schoolhouse with two rifles, an automatic handgun, over 500 rounds of ammunition, two cylinders of black-powder explosive, a taser, two knives, power tools, lumber, KY Jelly, rope, zip ties and duct tape. After ordering the adults and the fifteen male students to leave the building, he barracaded the entrances, bound the remaining ten female students, ages 6-13, and lined them up against the chalkboard. As police quickly responded to the scene and urged his surrender, the man, having no escape nor opportunity to pursue his presumed intention of molesting them, proceeded to execute the young women before turning his gun on himself. He left numerous, contradictory suicide notes to his own loving wife, children, and family. His planning had been methodical, his reasons almost entirely elusive.

Despite being the specific target of his violence, the Amish community was immediate and seemingly absolute in their forgiveness of the gunman and his family. Surprised by the suddeness and apparent conviction of this gesture the neighboring non-Amish communities immediately questioned the sincerity of this “gesture”. As the media descended the question was then posed to a doubtful nation. The Amish families of West Nickel Mines, however, remained unwavering in their response and unshakeable in this core belief. In the days that followed, they repeatedly reached out to the gunman’s grieving widow and family, offering solace, companionship and, again, their unconditional forgiveness.

~

Perhaps the most important question we ask ourselves in the theatre is “Why?”

Why does the character enter the scene? Why do they speak the speech they do? Why should we, the audience members, be compelled to take part in their story? Why this play and why now?

Recent events certainly put these questions in a different light as we revisited The Renegade Company’s breathtaking 2011 production along with them this December. Sandy Hook has unearthed Nickel Mines afresh, and has asked us to consider the argument of Jessica Dickey’s extraordinary play a bit more simply and honestly, if not a bit more trepidatiously and sensitively.

The Amish Project traces the shockwave of anguish following the horrific 2006 shooting, as it courses through three tremendously different and insular populations in southeastern Pennsylvania. The Amish, English, and Hispanic-American communities are all uniquely tied to the terrible event and are suddenly forced to navigate not only the gravity of fury and forgiveness, but their own misperceptions of each others’ cultures. Their separate journeys of mourning and justice soon intersect and provide a new path – one of compassion, fellowship and hope.

SPECIAL EVENTS SERIES

Playwright Jessica Dickey will be joining director James Stover and actress Janice Rowland to discuss the production and Jessica’s process in creating such a captivating work. Dr. David L. Weaver-Zercher, co-author of Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy will be joining us as well for a conversation about the Amish communities of North America, the role of forgiveness in these societies, and the aftermath of the Nickel Mines event.

Simpatico is also joining forces with The Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia to engage in conversation about violence and how we can all become involved in fostering a healthier and safer local community.

Please visit our Events page for more information about our special guests.

Behind the Script

An interview with playwright Samuel D. Hunter

Click to watch the YouTube video of Sam’s Interview!

Join Dramaturg Katherine Perry and Director Jill Harrison for this amazing interview with Sam as Simpatico goes behind the scenes of our “engrossing” “incisive” and “disturbingly hilarious” production of A Bright New Boise.

Filmed by Production Sound & Video Designer Daniel Kontz. Made possible by the generous support of Steve and Jane Heumann. 

This week we step out of the rehearsal room and get to know the creative team of A Bright New Boise! To do this we asked them a simple question:

What’s your closet hobby? Part II

An excerpt from Katherine Perry’s upcoming interview with BOISE playwright Sam Hunter and director Jill Harrison

Director Jill Harrison with BOISE playwright Sam Hunter

Katherine: What’s your closet hobby?

Sam: I have two. I’ve played the piano all of my life, so I have a keyboard and stuff like that. But, my crafty hobby is beer making. Which I haven’t done-

Jill: Beer making? Like brewing in your basement kind of thing?

Sam: Well, my basement – my studio apartment. I haven’t done it for a little while, but yeah beer is – I love beer – almost as much as I love theatre.

Jill: No wonder you love Philadelphia, because our beer and our theatre are pretty hot.

Sam: Yeah you’ve got some amazing bars here.

Jill: Next time, that’s what’s gonna happen. Done. If you can sneak away…we’ll have to buy you a beer.

Playwright Sam Hunter visits us in the rehearsal room.

Sam: I do knit a little.

Jill: You knit too?!?

Sam: Like a little.

Jill: Oh, that’s awesome. I just make knots.

Sam: I never really do it when its hot out, but when it gets cold out…

Jill: …drink the beer that you made, and knit!

Stay tuned to What’s in the Wings for our full video interview with Sam as we discuss A BRIGHT NEW BOISE and Simpatico’s exciting upcoming production.

FOLLOW SIMPATICO & WIN. By following us on Twitter and liking us on Facebook you can let us know what YOUR closet hobby is — You’ll automatically be entered to win a free pair of tickets to A Bright New Boise!

This week we step out of the rehearsal room and get to know the creative team of A Bright New Boise! To do this we asked them a simple question:

What’s your closet hobby?

Alyssandra Docherty (Assistant Lighting Design): “I read! I’m just about finished with book number 36 in 2012.  I enjoy crocheting as well, and am still working out how to read and crochet at the same time.  (I think I’d need another set of hands and eyes to accomplish that though!)”

Kasual Owens-Fields (Assistant Director, Company Artist): “Listening to the N’Sync station on Pandora and reliving my childhood.”

Rebecca Adelsheim (Assistant Stage Manager): “Cooking. Yep. Super boring. Baking is my favorite, but the most difficult is when I try to make something without a recipe, then I actually have to trust my instincts.”

Catherine Palfenier (Pauline): “My closet hobby is baking! I make all kinds of sweet goodies, but my favorite thing to make is pie. I started baking when I was twelve and was “in charge” of dessert for our family of six. It’s something I’ve always loved to do. You know what’s yummy? Grapefruit Sugar Cookies. Pumpkin Cake with Brown Butter Frosting. Pineapple Carrot Cake. Honey Bars. Super Berry Pie. I can make it for you. Oh, yes I can.”

Jessica DalCanton (Anna): “I would like to say yoga, or running, but my closet hobby is buying glamour or bridal magazines and reading them in bed.  What fall colours are people wearing? Are skinny jeans a don’t this season? Is this lipstick okay with that hat?  I like to know these things.”

Daniel Kontz (Sound & Video Design): “Mine is photography!” See some of Dan’s work here: www.danielkontzdesign.com/places

Jill Harrison (Director, Associate Artistic Director): “My closet hobby is sending and collecting unique greeting cards and stationary — here’s to paper and snail mail!” (Jill’s hobby was actually prominently featured and beautifully staged during last season’s Dead Man’s Cell Phone).

Tom Snyder (Technical Director): …model trains. When I was younger I used to love setting up our train and the little models. 

Bob Carlton (Leroy): I like to sew patches on my clothes when they become worn and rip at the knees or wherever.

Christopher Haig (Props Design, Resident Designer):  “Not sure if it’s a hobby, but I collect dead keys. A dead key is any key found by itself apparently separated from its owner. Usually I find them on the street or sidewalk in the city, but have also found some while hiking in the woods.At last count, I have about 200 dead keys most of which seem to be house keys. I have a bunch of car keys too, but my favorite key is a luggage key. The round part of the key is cut to look like the smiley face of a bellboy with his little cap. It’s really cute.”

Katherine Perry (Company Member, Boise Dramaturg): I like to paint my nails. I guess it’s more of a teeny tiny obsession than a hobby. I’d say on average I paint my nails at least every 3-4 days.. It’s the only thing that keeps me from biting my nails!

Allen Radway (Simpatico’s Artistic Director): An odd assortment: cooking, fantasy football, punk rock, and birdwatching. We had a Wood Thrush checking out our back yard earlier this year. They aren’t totally uncommon to the area, but do tend to be a little skittish, so for Center City it was pretty cool.

Katherine Perry: How do you begin your process for design?

Daniel Kontz: For most of the shows I design, I tend to employ a design process documented by Michael Gillette in his book, Theatrical Design and Production. The process, revised by Thomas Haughey, is as follows:

Initially, I’ll read a new script through once or twice to gain a strong understanding of the story being told. The world of the play begins to take shape in my mind in the form of assumptions and projection. From there, I usually dive into research and analysis. The more I can learn about the world of the play, the more I can replace those assumptions and projections with facts and details and realized imagery.

It is during the Incubation step that most of the designing happens. Time spent away from the play allows me to take the intangible, yet concrete world I’ve created and abstract it. In this abstracted world, emotion reigns. The visual language of the play leaps out upon revisitation and gives me a foundation on which to craft the sounds of the play. Though Sound Design is an aural medium, I find the visualization of the play crucial in informing my design.

Dan’s BOISE Design Layout – Click the image to visit Dan’s site and see more!

Katherine Perry: How do you begin your process for design?

Ian Guzzone: On a very basic level, every design does begin in the same way. I sit and read the play several times with no distractions. As I go through the play the first few times, I read it as though it were a novel so that I can freely imagine the world of the story without the limitations of a physical space. In this initial stage where anything is possible, I discover what the aesthetic of our visual language will be. Next, I begin to read the play with more of an eye for staging. I consider entrances, exits, and required blocking. I also consider how we can best invite the audience member to see the work from the point of view that I do. In a fluid theatrical space, this affects how we choose to arrange the audience. From here, I can start to sketch and put the products of my imagination to paper.  This is where the process for each show becomes individualized. Though I almost never show a director my initial sketches, I always have some idea of the direction that I’d like to see the production go. I go into the initial meeting with the understanding that the director and I might have seen the play in two different ways. Depending on which direction we end up going, I will either return to the drawing board, or begin fleshing out my initial concept.

Katherine – What challenges have you faced with the design of this production in particular?

Ian - With every play there are a set of given circumstances that must be represented. For the set designer, it is always a challenge to represent the “reality” of the play in a way that is both appropriate and artistic. Though at times difficult, this is what makes each design a unique experience.

Katherine – What interests you about A Bright New Boise?

Ian - One of the many aspects that I found interesting is the depiction of the modern American retail work place as a sort of contemporary town square or crossroads. It is normal for people to come and go, bringing with them their various histories. Even in a relatively small city, the workplace becomes a venue where people of different philosophies and backgrounds converge.

Katherine – How does talking with a director before rehearsals, and then seeing actors in rehearsal influence the progression of a design?

Ian - Inevitably, there are discoveries made in the rehearsal room that are impossible to predict. So much of the storytelling comes from the actors’ experiences. It is only natural that as the production develops, certain aspects of the design must be adapted.

Katherine - Rehearsals begin in a few weeks, what happens to the design concept as opening night approaches for a designer? 

Ian – The various design concepts (which by extension are part of the director’s concept) are meant to change very little. Rather, the design concept serves to be a loose road map for the rest of the production process. The idea of “going back to the concept” is usually what puts a wayward idea back on track. By this I mean that choices made in the production process are often weighed against how well they relate to the concept.

Katherine Perry: How do you begin your process for design?

David Todaro: I find that it’s different every time. Some shows have information in the stage directions that can flavor my initial pictures of the lighting and space, where as others have no specificity on lighting, sometimes not even on space and time. Images usually flood in for me, but I try not to get too excited or married to an idea or look until I meet with the rest of the design team. If the designers and director are not unified in their artistic vision the show can end up feeling disjointed. The team has to decide what story they’re telling and how they want to tell it before they can make design decisions in their own disciplines that can best serve the show.

Alyssandra Docherty: For me, the first stages of designing are usually the same for every show… I read the script once straight through just to get the story in my head and a feel for it. If anything specifically jumps out at me I’ll make a note of it. I sometimes say that I “think in color.” Pages of my script will often just have color notations along the sides for how I expect I’ll want each scene to look. I then go back through and make a list of all these colors I’ve written, and see if I have enough lights and dimmers (basically outlets for stage lights) to use all the colors where I want them. After having discussions with the director and production team to finalize some of the ideas, I get down to creating the light plot. For Boise, I immediately saw the parking lot scenes in light in my head. The visualization was so strong I didn’t even write anything down for it, I was just lucky enough to find an image online that represented it well. (above)

Simpatico’s production of Boise calls for the audience to be arranged in alley configuration (or “tennis court” seating, with patrons seated on opposite sides of the stage looking inward toward the action), what are the challenges such a configuration presents to lighting design?

Dave: Having the audience and set in this orientation poses many challenges, the largest of which is how to effectively light the actors without blinding the audience. We are also using a drop-ceiling which can limit many lighting angles. To deal with these two main issues we decided to rely heavily on practicals. “Practical” is a theatre term for real everyday lighting sources used on stage. In the break room scenes we’ll use fluorescent fixtures, just what you’d expect to find throughout a big box store. In the parking lot scenes we’ll use a crafty variation of an outdoor street-light. Stage lamps will then be used to fill in and accent the actors, but we will rely heavily on our practicals.

So if Boise’s design world is calling for a very realistic feel, how does a lighting designer achieve the balance of theatrically lighting a show without detracting from the style of the production?

Dave: For this show those “practicals” will help us here as well. They’ll light the show realistically and the stage lighting will be colored and positioned to mimic realistic lighting for the most part. There will be a few times when we have stronger effects. Determining when those times are appropriate is something the designer and director collaborate on. It’s difficult to describe how I know when something theatrical is warranted, but it’s usually a moment when the story or feeling supersedes place and time.

A Bright New Boise features a collaborative team for lighting design, how do you navigate combining each of your individual design processes? Do you typically follow the same process when designing a show?

Aly: This is a unique design process because it’s shared with Dave Todaro. We’ve worked together a number of times and collaborate well, but we don’t share a brain so there’s always the challenge of putting two ideas together and having them mesh well. Then add in the director & production teams’ thoughts and we have to go back and continue to narrow it down to one plan that will successfully work for everyone. Luckily we’ve all been on the same page for the most part with this show, so it hasn’t been too difficult yet! One of the main issues we’ve been dealing with collectively is the fluorescent fixtures in the break room scenes. Fluorescent bulbs have a very distinct way of turning on and off, and can vary depending on the type and age of the bulb and fixture, so we’ve been discussing how to use that feature most effectively in our design.

Dave: This will be something we’ll discover moving forward. This is an atypical approach, but Aly and I have worked together many times before and trust each other’s artistic instincts. Aly has the harder job as she’ll be with the show throughout the process, where as I won’t be a major part of technical rehearsals.

How much do you collaborate with other designers in your initial process?

Aly: I often feel the strongest collaboration is with the set designer, especially in a realistic show like this. Also, in many cases, a lot of the positions for the lights are determined by the dimensions and placement of the set and the theatre space we’re working in. But of course it’s important for all the designers to meet up early on so that everyone is on the same page with the concept and color palette and general feel of the show.

How does talking with a director before rehearsals, and then seeing actors in rehearsal influence the progression of a design?

Aly: Talking with a director early on generally helps solidify what the overall design will be as far as the feeling and mood we want the audience to get from each scene. Seeing the actors in rehearsal helps with formulating the specifics of a plot – which lights go where, depending on the blocking. Additionally, the actors’ physical features have to be seriously considered [especially in smaller spaces]. I recently designed a show in which a 6’4″ actor stood on a table. I had to find a way to light him in just one area of the set, without having the light land ten feet in the air on the opposite side of the stage. Skin tones are also important to keep in mind. We need to consider what colors will look best on our actors. With an entire cast of very pale actors, I would choose a different set of colors than for an entire cast of darker skinned actors, which would be different from a cast of mixed skin tones and colors. Subtle differences maybe, but it can mean the difference of whether a person looks sickly pale or has a healthy glow on stage.

Rehearsals begin next week, so as actors’ blocking takes shape, what happens to the design concept as opening night approaches for a designer?

Aly: As we get closer to opening night the design concept becomes reality. A lighting designer doesn’t get to see their vision realized until the few nights prior to opening. Our work really takes place during tech when we “build” our looks while the actors are already on the (mostly) completed set wearing their costumes. With luck the concept doesn’t change much, but in some cases once the lights are hung you see that something you had planned doesn’t quite work and last minute adjustments are necessary.

What interests you about A Bright New Boise?

Aly: In a time when different religions (or lack thereof) hold so many strong connotations, it can be a challenge to proudly stay firm in one’s beliefs. I think the struggle depicted in this play of trying to start a new life without losing faith – though maybe hiding it just a little – can be relevant to many people.

The most important thing so far in my process (before actually meeting the actors in person) has been to analyze Boise‘s 5 characters in relation to the text and extract as much data as possible to try to envision each of these characters as human beings. Who are they, what are their personal histories and agendas, why was the play written about these characters in particular, and how do they relate to eachother in this particular environment.

I love to design characters as if they are real and easily recoginzable, even for historical drama…as if they are ordinary friends or family, or colleagues…as if they are getting on stage as if it were their personal house, apartment, real workplace, etc. I look at all costumes as clothes: they need to fit well, as if they belong in the character’s closet and should not distract in any way. That’s not to say I don’t follow artistic form—color palette, textures, foreground/background as if you are painting, is still extremely important.

The next step is finalizing the thought as it relates to all discussions and the final overall designs. I am due to present my idea to actors at first rehearsal, then execute (implement) the design. The last step includes finding/making items, fitting them, alter them and finalizing. The week prior to opening is always exciting, as costumes become part of the whole.

Laila Swanson has been the Assistant Professor in Design and the Residence Designer at Swarthmore College since 2009. Prior to that she was the Costume Shop Manager, and designed numerous productions for the dance and theater departments. Recent collaborations include: Far Fetched Fables at Swarthmore College, directed by Lars Jan, Big Love at Temple University and Dead Man’s Cell Phone at Simpatico, both directed by Jill Harrison. Laila is also a member IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees) as both a costume designer and a scenic artist. Her work also includes the movies of M Night Shyamalan and numerous productions in Scandinavia.

Welcome to another sensational season at Simpatico Theatre Project! A season quite unlike any of our others…a little more provocative, a little more political, and a little more eliciting. So grab a seat and ground yourself, there’s a lot of electricity in the air heading into September.

A NEW SEASON. This year we’re examining humanity through the lens of belief. Where do they intersect? Does one determine the other? Are they mutually exclusive? (or rather the opposite?) What role does belief play in our private, public and national identities? And what of faith?…No small matter to so many Americans, particularly in an election year, and no small subject to shed a large stage-lamp on. But we’re excited to open the conversation.

Last Season featured more company firsts than we had fingers to count them on: our first all-ages show, our first interdisciplinary collaboration, our first classroom visit, our first production to feature live-music, our first multiple-year grant, our first world premiere, and the first three-show season in company history! We’re adding a few more Simpatico firsts to the list this season, but luckily we’ve enlisted a few more hands to add them up on.

NEW COMPANY ARTISTS. We’re proud to introduce new company members: Jayme Adams (Stage Manager on Dead Man’s Cell Phone and The mEEp pROjecT), Kasual Owens-Fields (Assistant Stage Manager on Dead Man’s Cell Phone and Programming Coordinator for The Black Monk), Eric Wunsch (Actor and Assistant Director for The Black Monk), and Katherine Perry (Box Office Associate on The Black Monk). We are also eagerly anticipating the appointment of a new Managing Director into the Simpatico fold this fall!

NEW COLLABORATIONS. This season also marks the year of the playwright at Simpatico Theatre Project. A debut, a remount, and a world-premiere.

Leading off this Fall: A Bright New Boise by Samuel D. Hunter. We’re absolutely beside ourselves to bring the first full-length mainstage production of Sam’s work to the region with the Philadelphia premiere of A Bright New Boise. Sam is quickly becoming one of America’s most vibrant young voices alongside such luminaries as: Annie Baker, Adam Rapp, Carson Kreitzer, Peter Sinn Nachtreib and Tarell Alvin McRaney. Directed by Jill Harrison and starring Barrymore nominee Kevin Bergen, Boise touches the exposed nerve of faith and fellowship in a world where the end may be a bit nigher than expected.

On deck in January: Jessica Hickey’s The Amish Project, our first co-production! Last year Simpatico was completely leveled by The Renegade Company‘s deeply moving, but short-run, production of this gripping one-woman show; and we’re thrilled to give it a second life on our stages in the new year. The Amish Project is a fictional exploration of faith and forgiveness in the aftermath of the 2006 Nickel Mines shootings. Simpatico regular Janice Rowland reprises her role, taking on seven characters, under the exquisite direction of Renegade’s James Stover.

In the hole for the Spring: The Lysistrata Project (working title) a world-premiere adaptation by award-winning local playwright P. Seth Bauer. “The War on Women meets the Peloponnesian War”. We’re bravely sailing into unchartered waters with our first commissioned play, a quasi-devised work based on Aristophanes’ raucous classic comedy. Ali Garrett (director of last season’s smash hit The mEEp pROjecT) will lead some of Philly’s most exciting young artists through the development process of Seth’s extremely timely update of this 2,400 year old masterpiece.

NEW CONVERSATIONS. Stay tuned for the announcement of our 2012/2013 nonprofit partners. We guarantee the same thought-provoking conversations you’ve come to expect and love from Simpatico and our community leaders, and many opportunities to become involved, whether behind the scenes or on the frontline.

GET INVOLVED TODAY. Please take a moment to check out our 15-9-15 CAMPAIGN, and consider giving Simpatico a little boost in reaching our total goal by September 15th. Any help is greatly appreciated, and even the smallest donations speak volumes to our work. If Simpatico’s productions and programming are important to you, please take a moment to express your appreciation, by making a tax-deductible donation right now. It’s easy, secure, and feels so good! Just click here! Together we’re cultivating exceptional-quality theatre that promotes positive social change in our community. Thank you for your support!