Alliance Assistantship

My first assignment was assisting Susan Booth, the Artistic Director of The Alliance Theatre on a world premiere called "Managing Maxine" by Atlanta-based playwright Janece Shaffer.  For many years  I have admired Susan Booth for her commitment to producing new work, her skillful direction, and her bold leadership of a major regional theatre.  It was my hope that this Drama League Fellowship would give me the opportunity to observe Susan's collaboration with the playwright, to study her work with outstanding New York and Atlanta-based actors, and to be introduced to the incredible team at the Alliance Theatre.  These hopes were realized and surpassed.

During my six weeks in Atlanta I was introduced to the playwright Janece Shaffer and her body of work.  I witnessed an easeful playwright/director collaboration based on mutual respect, hearty doses of humor, and deep listening.  I hope I am not embarrassing Janece when I say how refreshing it was to have a playwright in the room who was genuinely tickled by the rehearsal process.  No cringing in the corner for her - and as a result, her affection and admiration for the text, the actors, the direction and the process lifted us all.

Before I arrived in Atlanta, Susan had emailed me asking me to pay attention to the transitions in the play.  Like many modern plays, "Managing Maxine" has several short scenes in a variety of locations and our lead character Maxine was in just about every one.  I appreciated Susan engaging me in the process from the start.  Her clear, confident and articulate vision of the play made it easy for all of the collaborators to understand the style of performance, including the transition conventions.

Aware of my interest in artistic leadership and the workings of regional theaters, Susan generously arranged meetings for me with several senior managers of the Alliance.  The members of her dynamic and talented artistic staff were incredibly welcoming, giving me an in-depth view of their community artistic engagement practices and their new play development programs.  Members of the artistic staff also took me around Atlanta, introducing me to some of the other theaters in town:  the Actors Express, Georgia Shakespeare, and the Center for Puppetry Arts.  

I am grateful to all the Atlanta ambassadors and new friends (Patrick, Celise, Lance, Courtenay, Haddon, Ben, I could go on) who introduced me to the finest and most interesting highlights in the Atlanta area: the town of Decatur, Watershed, The Brick Store, Eddie's Attic, The Virginia Highlands, Stone Mountain, Kennesaw Mountain Battleground, Holman and Fitch.  A very special thanks to Laura and Jonathan for allowing me to stay in their home.

Only downsides - the gas shortages and the southern "delicacy," souse.  As for the gas, for two weeks, I did not know where my next tank was coming from - stations were closed for days at a time and when they did have gas lines were hours long.  And the souse - well, let's just say it made me rethink my "I'll try anything once" credo!