Back in Augsburg (Nora)

I’m back in Augsburg and the whole project already seems to be far away. At the same time, I can’t wait to do something like that again; in my head there are already a lot of ideas whirling around…

This is an excerpt from the presentation I gave in Burlington University:

The plays were both ready just before we started rehearsals in the beginning of May. By May 5^th five Americans had arrived in Augsburg ready to start rehearsing on both plays, equally excited about the whole project.

Now, what you’ve got to understand is that we were all relatively inexperienced when it comes to working internationally. Although we were aware of that and therefore even more open-minded, and although we were all eager to learn from each other and to experience new ways of theatre, we still can’t deny the fact that we were unprepared for what was awaiting us.

For example did nobody tell our American friends that there wouldn’t be a stage manager in Germany, simply because we didn’t even know someone like that existed in America. No one said that there wasn’t a costume shop around the corner, or no light designer who would be responsible for lights in the theatre.

That means that there were a lot of surprises and there were a lot of cultural challenges.

Cultural challenges

What makes it hard to work together sometimes, is the fact that German and American theatre are very similar on the surface, but very different when you look at both theatre cultures in depth. Also, the cultures themselves are very different. You don’t notice these differences while you’re in your own country, but your guests from the other country can become distressed because of them. Let me give you some examples:

No 24hour stores in Germany

No wireless lan Cafés no Starbucks

No free water

No Ice in your water

When after our second performance one of our actors strained her ankle, she shouted at one point while lying on the floor in pain: “There is no ice in this country”. That, of course isn’t true, but you can see from this comment how small things can annoy you in a way that you haven’t known before.

Even minor things get on your nerves, if you have had other expectations of something. Our American guests had a great time in Germany nevertheless, but had they known about some things that can be different in Germany in advance, they would have had less trouble adjusting.

When six Germans arrived in Pittsburgh only two months later, in the end of July, they were taken aback by minor thing they weren’t used to like ice in your water, air conditioning in every bus, every café and restaurant, or the bad public transportation system in the city.

All these little things don’t really bother you, but I’m pretty sure that they are a reason why you get more sensitive while being in a foreign country. And in addition to the minor differences between our cultures, there are all these differences in the way theatre is approached in Germany and America and in the way we are used to doing theatre.

It all comes down to communication. Also, you must dare speak up and talk about things that bother you, because often, when you’ve talked about a problem, it suddenly becomes less grave and is easily solved.

German perfectionism vs American professionalism

Being the founder and leader of a student theatre group, I am aware of the gap between professional and amateur theatre. This means that, in order to achieve a close to proficiency-level, we have to work harder. In the week before the performance, students have to cancel their classes and be able to rehearse all day. In Pittsburgh, however, the schedule is different. Rehearsals are only at night, because our actors have to work during the day. Also, there is less rehearsal time, because the Pittsburgh actors had their fare share of acting training. In Augsburg this caused some problems, as the Pittsburgh actors couldn’t understand why there were rehearsals all day with few breaks to recover.

On the other hand, the German actors had a hard time adjusting to the very organized schedule of rehearsals in Pittsburgh, where a stage manager told them exactly when and where they had to be at rehearsals.

In the end both, Americans and Germans agreed that there were advantages in both ways of doing theatre. And that a mixture of both works best.

Mixture of German-English

Cory said: “We like to joke that nobody’s English or German gets any better, both languages get worse. They’ve become this conglomeration of half-phrases that no one understands but us.”

In Augsburg the plays contained a lot more German than in Pittsburgh. While in Cory’s play the siblings were German and thus spoke German and English depending on who they talked to, in my play the language switching had another meaning in Germany. For example, one of the characters is losing his sense of identity, so whenever he talks about the past he speaks German, but when he feels lost he speaks English. Another character considers himself a worldtraveler and therefore he speaks English.

Whenever People ask about the mixing of language, I tell them the following: Language represents and constitutes culture. Language in fiction creates an alternative world based on a specific culture. If you mix languages, a new, different alternative world is created.

Also, I’ve come to understand that theatre is always very closely linked to society. In Pittsburgh, for example, theatre artists tend to work with realistic sets and their aim is to be as authentic on stage as one possibly can be. If you look at the pictures of the performances in September in Pittsburgh, you see a huge difference in the set design.

While German theatres don’ want to imitate reality, but create an alternative world that is more than real, Some American theatres seem to try to get as close to a movie atmosphere as possible.

[...]

Naturally, there were a lot of obstacles, and my belief is that because of all the obstacles we loved working together so much. In fact, we had to get to know each other’s culture and reconsider our own methods and everything we were used to, which made the whole process even more exciting. If you work on an intercultural level, there are always problems and difficulties, but I can’t think of anything more rewarding than this project.

The whole project has been a huge success and Christina, Cory and I are looking forward to working together in the future.

We have learnt a lot and we got to know a lot of amazing people and met great friends.
I have had the time of my life!

Happy Yinzerspielen Week (Cory)

As Nora says, it’s been officially pronounced “Yinzerspielen Week” by the City Council. Don’t believe us? Check it out here.

We met some Teutonia Männerchor representatives at the council meeting, too. They sang a couple of German songs (one of them being, of course, “Ein Prosit”). They’re having a German parade this Saturday at 6pm through Deutschtown, apparently the first in Pittsburgh in over a hundred years.

Who’s Afraid has improved by leaps and bounds over the last few nights. For a little while it felt like we were at least a week behind in our rehearsal process, which was scary as hell. It’d be nice to have had one more night, for sure. The first dress was a crazy mess because of all the props and business that happens in this show, and when all that’s going on, it’s hard as a director to do detail work. Last night was much smoother and, consequently, I was able to see a few things that could be tweaked or fixed if we had one more dress but may be too major to really address for opening night. In spite of that, though, I think the show’s ready — surprisingly ready. I can’t wait to get an audience reaction to both of the shows.

Speaking of which, we realized that we almost forgot about talkbacks. We tried having a talkback after one of the performances of Autobahn in Augsburg last year, and it was such a train wreck that we didn’t even consider doing it this summer while in Germany. German audiences just aren’t used to that format, and the audience clearly felt uncomfortable with the whole thing and didn’t really get the point. But they’re much more familiar to American audiences, and as a playwright I almost always find them useful and even (at times) fun. We’re going to try having one tomorrow after the Thingy Thursday performance, and after the Sunday matinee, at least.

Selling tickets in Towers hasn’t been exactly fruitful in a tangible way (three sold so far), but it may be helping to get the word out. We’ve at least passed out a decent amount of fliers, anyway.

One day before opening night (Nora)

Today was all about reminiscing. This morning, after the City Council Meeting (This week is officially pronounced YINZERSPIELEN WEEK), I read old entries of the Blog that are to be hung up in the Lobby. Also, Christina and I looked at all the pictures from Augsburg and Pittsburgh. And then Cory and I went to the Playwriting Class, and it was great fun to talk about the whole project again. It made me realize how far we have come and how much we’ve achieved. This whole project has been such an amazing, life changing experience for me and I shouldn’t forget that.

The day before opening night has never been so calm for me. I’m used to do all the work and so it’s a weird experience for me not to do anything, but just to lean back and watch the stage manager do all the organizational things. I don’t know if I like it, though. I like to go crazy before a show – I’m probably like an actor when it comes to that, and it might be because I used to act and direct at the same time, in the past, and the adrenaline rush that comes with acting is something I miss out on, when I’m not on stage.

Also, I’ve  realized again, how German I am and how much trouble I have with delegating responsibilities. I know that this is something that I have learnt here in Pittsburgh, and I am thankful for that. At the same time, I have the feeling that all this delegation makes things a little messy. The set design doesn’t look quite right for me, although Amy, our set designer, did a good job and worked hard on the set; it’s just not how I wanted it. The same thing goes for costumes. My vision of how the play was supposed to look like, had been very different, and maybe it comes down to miscommunication again, but I am pretty sure that I have expressed my wishes in our production meetings. I’m not entirely unhappy with the set, sounds, and costumes. It’s just that I would have done it differently and, if we had more time, if I had seen all the costumes, the set and so on, earlier, I would have wanted to change them again. In Germany, the director is in charge of all this and she/he is the one who gets to decide how loud a sound queue is to be, when the light changes and so on. The light-, set-, costume-designers are to make suggestions, and can articulate ideas, but that’s about it. I kind of like that better. Still, I can’t decide that for sure, because this is the first time I’ve worked with different teams. Maybe it depends on other matters. And maybe I have been too intimidated by all these professional teams, and haven’t told them what I wanted.

Anyway, I am pretty content with the result and, just like the actors, I’m really looking forward to opening night.

Murphy’s Law, Chaos Theory, and Tech Rehearsal (Jackie)

Let’s return for a moment to that fateful Stage Management class from Sophomore year. At the end of that term I received a stage management manual with various tips and tidbits essential to every stage manager’s bag of tricks. In the section labeled “Tech Rehearsals” it said “Life’s a bitch, then you do a cue-to-cue, then you die.”  For a stage manager, tech rehearsal can be one of the most thrilling and terrifying times in the rehearsal process. It’s the moment when the stage manager takes the reigns and brings all of the technical aspects of the show together into one coherent production…or that’s the theory anyway. Frequently Murphy’s Law comes into effect and anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.  Spectacularly wrong.  Set pieces break, light cues change, complete sound designs can change at the drop of a hat.  It is an utterly exhausting process that breathes new life and beauty into a show.

In order to fully understand the pressure a stage manager experiences during tech rehearsal, I want you to participate in a little thought experiment. Imagine for a moment that you are an actor. Even if you have not performed since your third grade production of Peter Pan, it shouldn’t be too hard to picture. You have done all of your homework memorizing your lines, noting your blocking, and diligently keeping up with your character journal. You know the show like the back of your hand.  Now imagine that several days before opening night the playwright gives you a rewrite of the script complete with new lines and blocking that you have never seen before.  You have less than one day to look it over before you are asked to perform it on stage. Sound daunting? That is roughly what the stage manager experiences during tech rehearsal. Suddenly there are lights, props, sets, and costumes where previously there were none. Your script becomes cluttered with lighting and sound cues that change throughout the day as all things technical are added to the show.  You have light board and sound board operators waiting for their cues, stage hands looking to you for instructions, and actors itching to perform as you continuously yell “hold” from a booth high above the audience.

Tech rehearsal is often chaos.  But like the chaos theory tells us, it is a controlled type of chaos that stems from and is dictated by its originating point.  If one enters tech rehearsal with a positive attitude and a willingness to embrace all the new and unexpected dimensions of the show, then all the chaos that ensues will generally be productive and positive.  The show will have new and exciting elements added which bring everyone involved one step closer to achieving that final goal.  All the production meetings, rehearsals, and hard work will begin to pay dividends.  If one enters tech rehearsal with a negative attitude and a hatred of all things unpredictable, well I shudder to think of the consequences.  Thankfully, I have never had to experience that type of chaos.

Suck it up and have some fun (Simon)

For the first part of the title of my post I borrow an expression from our precious stagemanager Jackie. She often uses it(with a smile)  to calm us down when the complainig about little things prevalanced.

First let’s make one thing clear: Actors and theatre people in general tend to dramatize. I guess that’s how theatre works in a way. You take little feelings that you have somewhere in you an amplify them. On stage, that’s a good thing. But I think if you rehearse every day it could be sometimes hard to separate your stage life from your real life. Which means things are dramatized and overrated – also off-stage.

I’m pretty sure everyone of us has some things he could complain about. That’s normal. Different people have different opinions and it’s impossible to find a group of people who would agree in every question in such a complex process as a theatre production. It’s impossible and it is not necessary!

A few days ago sweet little Diesch came up with a really good idea – i guess it’s called a fun-through. She thought it could bring us back some of the fun we had lost. And she was damn right! It brougth me back a lot of the fun and made me realise what this is all about: Enjoying our stay here and seize all the chances it offers to us. Hey we’re able to do a thing we love, every day: theatre! There are a lot of things you could critisize, that’s true. There are a lot of things you could critisize when you walk down the street, watch a movie, go to a club… but why emphasize the things you don’t like. I love acting and during the fun through I realised how much energy, ideas and fun I can put in the role.

I’m a little bit sad because I cannot spend as much time with everyone as I want. But that’s how it is. The american guys have to work, rehearse and all the other things to organize one’s life. And I try to enjoy the time we CAN spend together.

So, the refer to Nora’s post: Why are we doing this? Because we saw all the opportunities this project affords. The opportunities to act every day, to spend time with people we like, to learn something new, to improve our english, to get to know one’s limitations,…whatever it is. These are the things we should accent!

Maybe this sounds a little bit elevated but I think this has to be posted.

So, concentrate on the things you like, don’t be narrow-minded and above all HAVE FUN!!!

PS I’m pretty sure there are a lot of spelling mistakes and other things in my post, but you know what? – Right, suck it up!

Tech-Rehearsal and General Thoughts (Nora)

This morning I met Parag, Dale and Jackie in the Studio Theater for our paper tech and dry tech rehearsal. It went very well and I’m looking forward to rehearsals tomorrow. My cast needs a change and adding all the technical things will help.

This afternoon, after a relaxing fun time in the park (Shakespeare in the Park is another awsome idea that we should bring to Germany!) and after having hung up posters in Squirrel Hill, Basti and I talked a while about the project and the fact that opening night is so near.  Suddenly, Basti said that he was tired of talking about the project over and over again. And I realized that he was right: We have been talking a lot about this project during the last few weeks, and about its purpose and its results. I remember Christina asking on the Blog why we were doing this. And I remember that I had an answer to this.  Unfortunately I can’t remember what my answer was and instead, I ask this question again, now. Why are we doing this?

An intercultural theater collaboration that explores the differences and similarites between German and American theater – what does that mean?

I direct Cory’s play with three German actors, three American actors, an American stage manager and American set-, costume-, light- and sounddesigners. However, I have the impression that the participants aren’t always willing to compromise, or to embrace the other culture. Instead, everyone just does what they’re used to do. And I include myself. Although I’m trying to keep in mind what this is all about, I catch myself staying in my role pattern, because it’s easier and less frustrating. Also, I catch myself thinking that my way is the best way. That doesn’t mean that I haven’t learnt a lot. On the contrary, I have profited more from this project than I would have imagined in my wildest dreams. But it’s not about me. What is the result of the project itself? Why are we trying to connect two different theater cultures, when, in the end, we realize that it doesn’t really work? Or does it?

Is frustration an important part of this? Maybe it is. Maybe we  should remember that most of us have been working on this project since May at least. Cory, Christina and I have been organizing and writing much longer than that. I guess it’s normal that we’re a little tired of the plays and the rehearsal process. Especially Christina and Parag, who have been working on “Who’s afraid of the Big Bad Wolf” in Germany, and Mary and Lauren, who have been working on “You can’t get lost” before, must have a hard time being high spirited about the shows. They must feel like they’ve been working on the same shows for ages.

I just hope that, in the end, everyone will have found a purpose for what we do here.

Saturday Light Brigade interview tomorrow

Tune in tomorrow morning at 7:50 to the Saturday Light Brigade to hear a Yinzerspielen interview.

SLB is on Saturdays, 6 a.m. to noon, Eastern, at WRCT Pittsburgh 88.3 FM, WIUP Indiana 90.1 FM, WMCO New Concord 90.7 FM, WSAJ Grove City 91.1 FM, WNJR Washington 91.7 FM, WCUC Clarion 91.7 FM or http://www.slbradio.org.

Process vs Product (Jackie)

There was a debate that I used to have with my friends at school: is theatre a process or a product?  Obviously there is no right or wrong answer to the question despite heated arguments and opinions to the contrary.  I firmly believe that theatre can be either a product or a process and more frequently than not falls into that gray area of overlap.  We’re at a point in the Yinzerspielen rehearsal process where the threat of tech rehearsals and opening night is breathing down our necks and the pressure to produce a beautiful, clean, and masterful final product is almost unbearable.  It is frequently in times like these where you have to step back and really take stock of the things that have been accomplished thus far as opposed to what has yet to come.  It’s time to really look at the process before stressing out over the product.

Yinzerspielen is like Frankenstein’s monster:  a group of international actors and designers seeing what happens when a potentially volatile mixture of different techniques, approaches, and schools of thought are applied to a single theatrical goal.  We hope that it has a far happier ending than Mary Shelley’s novel, but there is no guarantee.  What we do know is that everyone involved along the way has learned new means of adapting, communicating, and rehearsing.  The product of Yinzerspielen is not only the performance that audiences will see on September 9th, but also the new frame of mind found in each member of the Yinzerspielen team.  Next week, we’ll present our product for better or for worse, but for right now I believe that the best thing to do is to revel in the enjoyable and occasionally chaotic process that is Yinzerspielen.

Fun runs and the PPA (Cory)

Too tired to think it all out fully, but here’s the major points:

• At rehearsal on Wednesday, during a break, I got an email from the PA Partners in the Arts/Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council. We were awarded a grant for Yinzerspielen. This is huge and hugely heartening. Christina and I spent so much time pouring our hearts and souls into grant applications, and being told during the grant review process (by the selection committees) that our applications were very strong and there was little, in fact, that we could do to strengthen them. But then we were turned down, time and again. We felt helpless, and at times even began to second-guess the worth, or at least defensibility, of our project to anyone other than us. This grant changes all that. The PPA grant isn’t a giant sum of money, but it more than doubles our funds and, more importantly, shows that we’re not total amateurs at this game. OK, maybe we are. But we’re credible amateurs. And we wrote a successful grant. And 1 out of 4 ain’t bad.
• Wednesday night’s rehearsal was a bit of a train wreck but tonight’s (Thursday’s) went extremely well. A lot of that is thanks to sage advice and guidance from Ryan Howe, a good friend and excellent director, who came to watch the run on Wednesday. Largely inspired by that, we started with a “fun run” tonight, in which I encouraged the cast to have fun and embrace whatever they could find in the script that was ridiculous. I’d also tell them to freeze when the moment felt right, and call one of them into the hot seat to deliver an improv monologue, Real World style. It was great fun to watch and I think fun for them, for most of it. And our “real” run afterwards was a big step forward from Wednesday, even with the late hour and how tired everyone was.
• One more rehearsal before tech. Terrifying.
• It is 12:21am and I still need to type up notes.

City Paper preview article

 

Open rehearsal of You Can't Get Lost in America by Cory Tamler with Simon Karrer as the Raven and Mary Heyne as the Squirrel

German and American theater students collaborate and collide on a pair of plays.

By Andrea Bullard, Pittsburgh City Paper

Yinzerspielen is not a real German word. It’s one of many English-German hybrids born from a theatrical collaboration between University of Pittsburgh and University of Augsburg drama students. And it’s what they’re calling their cross-cultural festival Sept. 9-13, featuring the plays You Can’t Get Lost in America and Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

“We like to joke that nobody’s English or German gets any better,” says festival co-director Cory Tamler. “Both languages get worse. They’ve become this conglomeration of half-phrases that no one understands but us.”

Click here to read the rest.