Live Theatre Blog

Post by Deven Simonson, company member and performer in upcoming Live Theatre Blog, part of Coeurage Theatre Company’s “Member’s Stage”

I remember standing at the edge of an 80 foot cliff with three of my friends from high school. At the bottom of the cliff was a river. None of us could quite make out the depth of the river or even decidedly see what lay at the bottom of the cliff where land meets water. There really was no way to tell whether it be smooth sand, thorny bushes or jagged rocks that met the rivers edge. So, as all good teens would do, we looked around cautiously to see if any one was near by, then we looked at each other and without speaking a word we all knew what each person was thinking, “Who is going to jump?”

Flash forward a few years to theatre camp with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company. A group of emotionally vibrant and angst filled theatre students are filed into the room where they will spend the next month viewpointing* together. Under the leadership of Viewpoint guru and all around goddess of theatre, Alexandria Billings**, the group makes a circle and we all just stare at one another. Not really knowing anyone or what to expect from the next four weeks, the fear, anxiousness and excitement of the collective group was palpable in the cavernous rehearsal space. Then, Alex begins to speak. She says that we all stand on the edge of a cliff. There is no way to know what lies at the bottom, but it is essential that we jump. It is essential that we free fall together.

Today, I find myself standing among friends at the edge of yet another cliff. This cliff is called LIVETHEATREBLOG. And without any preexisting theatrical model for what we are doing, it is difficult to see what lies beneath us. The process (albeit over simplified process) of producing plays usually goes something
like this:

• Find or write a play.
• Have a reading of that play.
• Workshop that play.
• Advertise the play.
• Rehearse the play.
• Open the play.
• Run the play.
• Close the play.
• Find another theatre and repeat the play.

With LTB we believe that we can utilize the theatre in a way that operates outside of its normal conventions. How are we going to do that? Well…by using the internet and working with playwright, Eric Czuleger, a Peace Corps Volunteer currently stationed in Albania, we are turning the stage into a space to blog. Instead of the blog being written to be read on a computer, LTB’s monthly blogs are written to be plays performed onstage and streaming online for who ever wants to listen. Each installment (or episode) of LTB features a story from Eric about his service and experiences in Albania.

Deven Simonson

Our plays are not a reflection of months or years of development, re-writes and workshops. Like a blog, our plays are a dialogue, an immediate reaction to or a celebration of life as it occurs in real time. Our plays aim to unite international communities through storytelling. For those reasons LTB puts on a new episode of the play every month. By truncating the development process to a time frame of a 31 days or less and being dedicated to upholding the highest theatrical standard, LTB brings you the most up to date and current plays in Los Angeles.

So as LTB is about to launch, I can’t help but look at all the times I’ve stood on the edge of a cliff not knowing what lies beneath. In high school I jumped into the river and although I misestimated the depth of the water and landed on a shallow jagged riverbed, I walked away exhilarated and respected, with one hell of a story. At theatre camp I stuffed down my pessimism and took the leap with a room full of strangers. At its end I
walked away with friends, lovers and a brave future.

Now I stand on the edge of LTB. What lies ahead I cannot quite identify because the possibilities are limitless. As limitless as…well…a story told in dim light on top of planks of wood. My hope is that those of us who are daring and love to share badass stories can line up and take this Coeurageous leap together. And just maybe we can use the theatre to escape, to laugh, to contemplate, to connect the world and most importantly, to have a really fucking good time.

Join the dialogue at:
livetheatreblog.com

*One of those artsy theatre things actors stole from dancers. 
** Seriously, Alex is a once in a lifetime performer, teacher and gift to theatre at large. alexandrabillings.com

LIVETHEATREBLOG launches August 26th @ 10pm

Watch onstage: The Actor’s Circle
7313 Santa Monica Blvd
Hollywood, CA 90046

Watch online: ustream.tv/channel/livetheatreblog

Written by Eric Czuleger
Directed by Sara Perry
Performed by Deven Simonson
LTB is presented as part of CTC’s Member’s Stage