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3/25/1977 - Burrowing Through the Mountain by Kenneth Cavander

INSTITUTE OF CURRNT WORLD AFFAIRS KC BURROWING THROUGH THE Mayfair Lane MOUNTAIN Westport Mr Richard H Nolte Connecticut 06880 Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York NY 10017 March DearMNolte Although Fellowship officially ended January questions interested In intensified I months writing In January I visited Europe family reasons I visit theatre Paris acquiring European reutation interesting latter month I readin New York plays I working Looin humdreds hours rehearsal scores exercises stories I tried dozens actors seasoned professionals students people never I collab orated these projects I realized enormous undertaking And reflection Fiven realization pilesof notes drafts material accumulated three years would Ay exercises I reate aside somethin could occupied several weeks stories ideas stories could investi production period there notes reading suggested thins I rehearsal It material which I still burrow subsequent possible For exmmple since January I spent eight weeks Froup acting students Sarah Lawrence College New York City The subject dreams eight hours every Friday Kenneth Cavander lstitute Fellow ivestigating present mythologies capacities transformation This newsletter present played images tried techniques representing their peculiar moods colors tracked their connection private myths attempt contact source dreaming As I attemptin satisfactory theatrical material I think course workshop I moved closer The osteDsible reason presesce Sarah Lawrence offer course advanced actin dream workshop became vehicle everything I wished students about subject final meeti occasion enact without rehearsal festival dramatized dreams using whatever learn revious sessions I thought terrific theatre actors energized moved I I front audience Aside innate theatricality tertain value dream material another equally important value Dot actors artist It available orderly access creative powers watch Over I struck dream master whoever inside person banal everyday events transform Another interesting development Since Fellowship ended I started about colleagues profession doing I discovered similar quest For instance I Fellowship Andre Gregory I collaborated ALICE IN WONDERLAND building company The Manhattan Project intensely committed group actors presenting series works classic modern authors Then touch until I happened again weeks I asked His description chanes impelled about professional sounded synopsis newsletters The happened other I Paul Sills I director Broadway version Story Theatre recently emerging Second City Compass Theatres Chicago Now talki mystery religions Kabbalah Martin Buber Paradoxically development taking place careers individuals avante theatre whole least YorkCity squeezed financially instutionally The producing organizations works Off Broadway theatres become cautious unwilling though fairer unable commit themselves which people myself That rehearsal space effort promoting these works reach point where presented audience investmemt which theatres cannot Cannot number complex rsasons their relatiomship the_ir sources fundinF public private Actors Equity Actors themselves those shifts which takes place consciousness groups within rofession aside their careers develop works especially risky experimental works three years I without udment blame merely statement The source interest these matters I questions I investigatin durin Fellowship members general public theatre theatre potential development evolution action symbolic ceremonial quasi theatrical perhaps presented commercial product marketing along other entertainment I formulation movement itself There centers where securely confidently There recognized institution supports acknowledged leaders newcomers inevitable barriers thrown anyone tries explore territory It burrowi through mountain hopin people burrowin throuh other ahead faint sounds other party shovels I suppose there single theme which I returning which I continue return future center physical spiritual To under aegis theatre entails disguises stratagems periphrases redefinitions truly comfortable respectable psychological training academic stddy discipli another masquerade So third pround needed space judgments where Flay senses atmosphere creative support artistic mutual respect A brief report visit Paris The company which I introduced friend called Le circus Appro priately performs station north section Paris where streets filled tenements people hurry their factory The performed spoof traditional circus spectacle As enter surrounded atmosphere aggressive craziness Members company dressed battered tuxedo clamber directly backs folding chairs somehow You showered sparks fireworks directly audience waved frantically around rhythm plays obsessively upstage right Other company members clown makeup wander among audience scattering fetti distributi quantities Kleenex larmes The appears magic although comes Kleenex tears The bepis processionled Master Ceremonies author director Maic Circus playinp leadinp actor episodes curtain strung across sagging The backFround cheaply painted representin Italian The company representin broken circus troop shambles staFe The MC Jerome Savary anDounces evenin expect sentiment slapstick morality tragedy It outrageous parody excessive style fiction vaudeville The story simple A small circus At circus animals think rebel their circus urising quickly subdued animals The owners circus about crating another commercial circus cannot This gives author chance satirize society corruption cynicism immorality careeris sexual exploitation He transvestism nudity Grand Guinol elaborate scene Queen Victoria played appears hospital supported elaborate rubber tubes stretching audience slowly daintily beautiful When drained tubes pulled Queen Victoria topples blood gushing mouth End scene In particularly frantic scene actor dressed woman enacts large chunks ROMEO AND JULIET Elish playing roles using tattered represent Juliet layin Romeo This turns paranoid celebration actor which performer becomes manic spittle flies mouth first audience Hence Kleeex I final degradation circus plays devil stage smoke sotlihts The audience mostly students sprinklin solid citizens seemed itself though actors director seemed expect thoupht I compassion contempt audience whole production jokes bitter there somethin conscious about combination Brecht Theatre Ridiculous For brilliance segments piece whole taste mouth The company performs Europe returning Paris periodically In country plays people Last America briefly There New Yor sentation I think managed closer Stony Brook Lon Island Over quarter million people Europe creator Savary interesting mixture energetic performer ician spoiled child headed entreeneur There nothing quite possible exceptio strange seldom noticed quirky called Jeff Weiss Theatre profession really support members Pretty everyone finances habit through other TV movies teachinp commercials Except permanent berths hierarchy institutions reiosal theatres theatre doesn offer people living family develop artist This almost equally whether ambition prepare production months Canal Street viewn forty people write He Most eople subsidize theatre their money their sweat their taxes Often think theatre profession When I began lstitute Fellowship I reached point where I questioning assumptions which theatre theatres Who audience really What What kinds thespis unique perience being enclosed space other human beings stranper dressed strange illuminated perhaps dancing TryiD answer these questions strange places sharpened razor which everyone walks called business wondering moment whether aDythinp makes sense needs speak another livinp thinking nothin worth doing I would brief communicable summary clusios newsletter But I The there conclusions twists turns doors opened offshoots labyrinths boxes within boxes So seems newsletter readers Institute Institute staff especially thank Sincerely Received New York Ke nnethCavnce