PREPARE, PERSIST...PERFORM

ACTORS THEATRE’S PROFESSIONAL TRAINING COMPANY ADAPTS ITS CREATIVE PROCESS TO A VIRTUAL FORMAT

hile shuttered movie theatres and eerily empty studio lots steal media headlines, the cameras are still rolling, except this time, it is stage actors and actresses who will be entering center-screen. w The 2020-21 Season for the Actors Theatre of Louisville is underway, and like the rest of us, the fine arts have gone virtual.

Good stories want to be told, regardless of medium. Some might lament the pandemic, but the ability to adapt and change is what leads to true breakthroughs, both on stage and off.

In fact, director Reed Flores asserts that the work being prepared is a little more exciting because of this unprecedented time in contemporary theatre history. “It’s exciting to figure out what is a compelling and important story to tell, and how to make that accessible and safe for everyone,” Flores says.

In a way, the virtual performances are similar to filmmaking. There’s a lot more control over what the audience sees, giving the creative team greater capability “to be more magical and artistic and conceptual,” as Flores puts it.

But, of course, the finished product often belies the challenges and triumphs that lead up to the final performance.

Thanks to social distancing and other safety protocols, nearly every aspect of the creative process has been reimagined, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

THE CHALLENGES OF CREATING ART REMOTELY

“Well, we don’t even know how tall each of us is. So that is very strange,” says Actors Theatre Professional Training Company apprentice Ema Zivkovic, when asked about the unique challenges of rehearsing with scene partners online.

Some might lament the pandemic, but the ability to adapt and change is what leads to true breakthroughs, both on stage and off.

For actress Ema Zivkovic, her creative process begins with cleaning her entire apartment to remove any distractions. Photo by Haley Jakobson.

 Professional Training Company Apprentice Ema Zivkovic's virtual workspace. Photo courtesy of Actors Theatre.

In some ways, we don't have to worry about blocking so much... Audiences can expect something more personal, visceral, and tactile.

“We are stripped of all the things we usually use to build a physical relationship with someone,” she adds. “It’s jarring to see how many things you assume about a person without ever having seen them in real life and real size. This is a challenge but also a treat.”

For Zivkovic, the physical relationship with her fellow actors and actresses is of the utmost importance.

Her creative process and preparation begin with cleaning her entire apartment to remove any distractions and, as she puts it, “deal with the task at hand.”

“I am prone to anxiety,” Zivkovic says. Cleaning gets me into an organized mental space. It might seem obsessive, but if things aren’t a mess around me, I can actually prepare for a messy role. All roles are messy because humans are, you know?”

“So, I start with the words” on the page, she continues. “I make sure I’m not adding unnecessary layers to it just because actors are always told to do slightly too much. I have to trust that I am good. This takes away the desperation of that good old ‘I-needto-book-something’ state of mind.”

Since the pandemic started, Zivkovic says that her creativity took a turn. She needs more time than she used to for preparation because she is a very physical actor, and physicality doesn’t always translate to the screen like it does on stage.

Yet, the ability of the actors to adapt, including Zivkovic, has certainly impressed director Flores.

“Ema did a Shakespearean speech the other day, and they made a whole drink during the performance,” says Flores. “It was just so captivating to watch, and it was so interesting to watch someone bring us into their space and harness control of the camera. To quote Indecent, ‘This is Theatre!’ I was honestly so in awe.”

COORDINATING ONLINE AUDITIONS AND CALLBACKS

Prior to COVID-19, apprentices like Zivkovic would have moved to Louisville for nine months. Because of the virtual apprenticeship season, apprentices are afforded the ability to — Reed Flores, Director stay safe at home — and in different states. All the company meetings and events are conducted via Zoom.

The process doesn’t just impact the performers and their director. Planning an entire season requires immense coordination and vision.

Sujotta Pace, who has worked for off-Broadway theatres, is Actors Theatre’s Professional Training Company Coordinator and has helped oversee the response to the multiple challenges of the 2020-21 season.

In a typical season, there’s the initial audition followed by callbacks or even multiple rounds of callbacks, depending on the talent pool.

According to Pace, the casting process generally “starts with having a conversation with the playwright and director. We discuss the character needs and other elements. We then create a character breakdown, which we disburse onto different audition platforms. Once we start receiving submissions, we schedule appointments for the actors, and after the auditions we work collaboratively with the playwright and director to cast the show.”

Because of the pandemic, however, Pace says that “our submission and audition process is totally conducted online now. We request self-tape submissions and host our callbacks via Zoom.”

Indeed, the trend of self-tape submissions increased in recent years, especially in the film and television industry. Now, both film and stage must rely on self-tape to cast talent. While this certainly has its drawbacks compared to in-person auditions, it also opens a wide realm of possibility in the casting process.

In fact, Zivkovic predicts that this could be a catalyst for more inclusive casting. “The casting process will hopefully be more flexible in the future,” she says. “Actors might see an opening in the industry where there used to be a lot of exclusivity. I say ‘might’ because there is still a considerable gap between emerging and established actors.”

... our submission and audition process is totally conducted online now. We request self-tape submissions and host our callbacks via Zoom.

For director Flores, sometimes opportunities are revealed by the challenges presented. Working remotely with actors, for instance, is certainly different, but in a way provides another avenue for authentic art. “The biggest difference is that we're missing the in-person element,” he says. “What translates on stage doesn't always translate on film. Also, timing and rhythm [are] a bigger challenge now, making sure the rhythm feels earned and truthfulness is a focus. In some ways, we don't have to worry about blocking so much... Audiences can expect something more personal, visceral, and tactile.” The actors and actresses resoundingly second Flores’ sentiments. Says Zivkovic: “This form is new, and we are all building a new word for theatre. It isn’t theatre because it isn’t in person, right? True. Theatre can go and rest for a bit. But why would that have to mean that we cannot have something equally thrilling online? Something that can reach people who have never had the chance to see theatre makers create? This is a completely new field. We’re making it up. Audiences should expect to be invited into the process.” It’s not just the artists who are constantly surprised at the industry’s ability to adapt to trying times. As Pace puts it, “I am surprised every day. I learn something new every day. I am so amazed at how the arts world is taking advantage of all these virtual platforms, it’s a beautiful thing. Nothing is the same and that is good, change is good.” EXPANDING THE STAGE THROUGH A SMALLER SCREEN In speaking with the members of the 2020-21 Professional Training Company, it was clear that current events beyond COVID weighed on their hearts. Art and social justice have always been intertwined. Social movements utilize art to raise awareness, build community, and inspire individuals to promote social change. On the flip side, artists use their platforms and stages to promote the ideals that are meaningful to them. — Sujotta Pace, Actors Theatre's Professional

OPPORTUNITIES EMERGING IN THE ‘NEW WORLD’

Training Company Coordinator For Coordinator Pace, it meant literally being the change that she wanted to see. Prior to coordinating for the company, she was an actress herself.

“When attending auditions, I realized there weren’t many people of color behind the casting tables,” she says. “During my time [acting], I only auditioned for three or four POC casting professionals. Wild, right? Looking at this, I started thinking about a career in casting but didn’t know where to begin, because casting isn’t really taught in school.”

Now, Pace is part of the producing and casting team for the Professional Training Company, helping give 20 apprentices a nine-month period to develop their own season, which consists of workshops, solo work, ensemble work, and more.

Director Flores has approached COVID with the mindset that everything happens for a reason. “And at this moment, I believe we're here to pay attention to our world,” he says. “The repeated and long history of institutional violence against the Black community, the misallocation of resources, irreparable damage to the environment, lack of preparedness in times of crisis, etc. All of this we needed to stop ignoring, learn to unlearn, and do the work. This is our challenge. How do we make a better world? And how can we use art to capture this moment, and communicate, organize, and collaborate together? These are the things that come with me as I work remotely and as we continue to think of new content to create. I'm trying my best to be intentional and specific with what I say, write, and create.”

With something as monumental as a global pandemic, it’s difficult to imagine a return to normalcy. Perhaps there is no return, at least, not without lessons learned.

“I think the direction we’re going in is pretty solid,” Zivkovic says of the changes in the arts. “This is the time to hold people all over the country accountable for the way things have been because there is no distraction of running to a train or working five different side jobs or trying to have a rich social life. We can really focus on what kind of theatre industry we need to see.

“That industry for me is one that pulls underrepresented artists into the room and keeps pulling them in until reparations are no longer needed,” she adds. “It will take a very long time. So yes, this is and should be a lifetime commitment.”

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