Flux Theatre Ensemble

It's that happy time! We're off to our 5th Annual Retreat at the beautiful Little Pond Arts Retreat (picture above from 2008).

The first two days will be spent finishing our work from last year on values, mission, membership structure, and internal communications; then transition into a strategic plan conversation that will look at programming, branding, and development.

But don't worry: we are actually having fun and playing on this retreat, too! How could we not, with a roster of awesomeness that includes: Cat Adler-Josem, Ryan Andes, Jessica Angelskhan, Matthew Archambault, Erin Browne, Tiffany Clementi, Heather Cohn, David Crommett, Michael Davis, Ken Glickfeld, Will Lowry, Matthew Murumba, Kelly O'Donnell, Jason Paradine, Kristen Palmer, Brian Pracht, Zack Robidas, Marnie Schulenburg, Christina Shipp, Raushanah Simmons, Adam Szymkowicz, Isaiah Tanenbaum, Jane Taylor, and Cotton Wright.

Internet access is very spotty at Little Pond, so there may be some radio silence for a little while, but we'll have LOTS to talk about on our return...including the season announcement.
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What is Jacob's House?
What is ForePlay:Divine Reckonings?

Bill George
Playwright, ForePlay

Previous Flux Experience: I have no history with these guys other than the fact I've known a handful for a decade and a half, have been a teacher to a few and I am inspired by their passion, beauty, artistic purity, and sheer vulnerable humanity. (Ed. note: Bill has also hosted all four of Flux's retreats at the Little Pond Arts Retreat, for which all of us are deeply grateful)


Do you have a favorite Bible character?
No.

Are you blessed?
Yes.

If you were wrestling an angel, what moves would you use?
Surrender.

What would you do for more life?
Breathe.

What's the weirdest thing in your parents' attic?
The light.

What is your prior experience with the Old Testament?
Studied the Psalms, for one thing...through the ages and through it's manifestation in music.

If you believe in a deity or deities, what kind do you believe in?
The Inexpressible, ultimately unknowable kind.

Anything else coming up for you that Flux readers should know about?
Gotta get this thing written!

Bill George: Bill studied with Paul Baker at the Dallas Theatre Centre, Paul Curtis in New York, founded People's Theatre Co. and later Touchstone Theatre in 1981. In 1996 he created Little Pond Arts Retreat in Nazareth, Pennsylvania with his wife Bridget--dedicated to exploring the art of transcendence.
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Flux is heading next week on our annual retreat at Little Pond, and we have an ambitious schedule for a week of relaxation, balancing internal questioning with play development.

One of the major goals is to begin articulating our Core Values into clear, evocative, actionable items. To do so, we're not only looking inward and sharing our own personal values, but also identifying successful models in the field.

Here are three ways you can help:
1. Do you know of any theatre companies with clear and evocative values that are truly reflected in their actions? If so, please post links to their values web page in the comments.

2. Have you gone through the process of articulating core values for your company? If so, do you have any advice on useful tactics or pitfalls to avoid?

3. Do you feel strongly that Flux should list a certain value among our Core Values? This may be a quality you already see present in how we work, or may be a goal you feel we need to work towards.

Though all Fluxers are currently preparing for this session of the retreat by answering more detailed versions of these questions, sometimes an outside eye can see things we miss, so please post your thoughts in the comments below.

For further detail, here is our working definition of Core Values:
VALUE: Something (as a principle or quality) intrinsically valuable or desirable
CORE: a basic, essential, or enduring part; the essential meaning; the inmost or most intimate part
A Core Value are those values that Flux holds as basic, essential and enduring. Our decisions and actions emanate from and are measured by these values.

Two examples of strong Core Values statements:
Cornerstone Theater Company
Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Please comment away! If you're feeling especially inspired, why not check out our earlier post regarding our evolving aesthetic and comment on that? This will be another big session for us, and any feedback or thoughts you have going in will be very helpful. Hopefully, you'll be seeing the fruits of these sessions in September. Read the full story

Hey there! Did you love Flux's own Christina Shipp as Rosaura, Bottom, Zara and Time (etc.)? Then check her out in Heiress Productions' Belles at The Lion Theatre from March 19th through April 12th.

If you do, you might just make her smile - and look at what a sweet smile she has (awww) ((That's the Little Pond Retreat glow, in case you're wondering)). Read the full story

Benefits of Little Pond include outdoor rehearsal space (lots of it), being taken advantage of above by Heather's direction of Katherine's Texas Toast.

There is also a lovely indoor rehearsal space, where four directors (yipes!) simultaneously messed around with my new 60's play.

(Photo: Tiffany Clementi)
And above all, there are the rolling, beautiful grounds to lose yourself in for an hour or two...ah, Little Pond! We miss you already. (Hopefully, more posts about what happened at the retreat soon). Read the full story

Great news, Fluxers! Other Bodies director Heather Cohn just won a FringeNYC Overall Excellence Award for her direction, and we're all excited and proud. This was a difficult play, but Heather found passion, clarity and a beautiful theatricality in spite of the challenges. Hip hip hooray and huzzah!

There is much more to say about the Fringe: the process of the production (challenging), the process of writing the play (still defiantly unfinished), other Fringe shows (a strong year with my personal non-Flux favorite the lovely October Crisis), the staff of the Fringe (especially Elena's unceasingly generous heart), the coverage of the Fringe (championed in spite of its flaws by many talented reviewers, shown a useless cynicism by some unfortunate others) and the month of August theatre un-Fringed (great play at Highwire directed by Rattlers dir. Jerry Ruiz.)

But...all that will have to wait...because we are off on our annual retreat at sweet, sweet Little Pond. Exec Direc Kelly OD has planned a marvelously full week of planning, discussion and workshopping, and I simply can't wait.

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