Re: RAT Grad School

[Thsimple@aol.com]

Hey Caden -

My credentials - 
actor/producer/artistic instigator/adaptor
 - BA theater arts San Francisco State University, who did not(when I went
there) have a graduate ANYTHING program. BUT, if you wanted to, as a director,
you could find outlets for anything - projects, scenes, developmental pieces
with the film and video scholls(in same building) be a part of a lunchtime rep
program(18 actors, 6 directors - timeline 3 weeks  - 2 to rehearse/stage, one
to perform - generally everyone was working on at least 2 shows at a time.) So
many projects, so many undergrads, so many opportunities.

DARE TO SUCK.
FAIL with FLAIR.
SUBVERT with a smile.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERYTHING and EVERYONE available, ready and willing.

This is your crucible to germinate new ideas/approaches/attacks. It may also
be your vision thang against the departments 'theories of success.' If you
don't experiment there, in school, in a supported atmosphere where the only
$$$ on the line are student loans, it makes it a bit harder to take that first
step off the tree limb out in the cold real world where you will also have to
hold down a job or too in addition to scrabbling after your dream.

I was given some very wise advice from Barney Simon, who worked closely with
Athol FUgard for many years, and it was directly related to my unhappiness at
not getting into grad school, and feeling that the legit theaterworld was
passing me by because I was too tall/young/old/female/white/brunette.
He said - Why are you waiting for them? If you have an idea, do it. 
If you see a vision, share it.

That's how I ended up here, based in Seattle, touring to all kinds of
interesting places(albeit on a shoestring) - because if I want it badly
enough, and the vision is clear enough, it happens. Karma, luck, focus,
whatever.  I just wish I had taken more advantage of SFSU and the constant
opportunity for performance and experimentation. I certainly made a lot of
strong connections with other artists. (I've run into them in the most
interesting places.)
 
I still often wish I had had the opportunity to go to grad school to make
technique effortless and get a more broadbased foundation, BUT I did get to
intern at Berkeley rep and have a working model of other actors to draw info
from, informally. More technique for my actors toolbelt would have been great
- but I've made do. Pretty well.

So - to me, to summarize(!) - pro grad school- it would have saved me TIME - I
learned what I could on the hoof, in fits and starts, but it was a laborious
process. I'm there now, but I wish I could have been here 5 years ago.

The one thing NOT going to grad school has done is free me from the Rep house
model. A very small, elite community that recycles everything on a small
scale.
 ( PRO for the REAL WORLD!)We do it on a large epic scale - just with chutpah,
faith and no net. Self-producing was something that was hinted at at SFSU, but
never really discussed, oddly enough. So, we get to Seattle, and touch down
lightly, ultimately, in terms of artistic freedom, I am content with where we
are. (Very happy, in fact. We just got a fab review in the Seattle Times.
website www.seattletimes.com I believe. Strindberg(in Paris) The communtiy
here has very agile minds, nimble creativity and ample generosity in
resources. But one has to get out to see it, share in it. Something that, to
be honest, didn't happen when I was in school. (Too busy in my world)
Can one mix both? Take the best of both worlds?
hmmmmmmmmmmm....

Being in Seattle, and familiar with how the UW MFA program used to be, I can't
speak to your current state (but I am interested to hear - call me) But I
recognize the dilemma. I've seen it happen to a LOT of the directors thru
there in the past and very recently.

Hard choices make for interesting teachers.

What do the rest of the RATitos think? I wanted it all, and settled for
graduating in the Real World, $chool of Trial and Error. (At least I got to
take an acting class with Anna Deavere Smith at ACT one summer. That rocked,
mostly because I did so many things WRONG. Learned a lot in a very short time,
that way.) A little of both, I guess.

Llysa Holland
theater simple