From my Apple to Yours

I recently put on a production for a theatre class. It was named An Apple a Day: Peeling Away the Skin ...(an interactive theatre experience). Here are my notes and reflections now that all is said and done with the piece:

Sitting down to reflect and think about a performance well after it has ended is a valuable experience. Just by sitting down and pondering what I have learned about myself and my process is truly profound. The following is a list of thoughts and ideas that come to mind about the performance and the process of getting to a final product.

Writing is easier when you care.

Writing is easier when you have ideas.

Writing is easier when its fun.

There are a lot of different kinds of apples.

There are a lot of different things you can make with apples.

Working individually is productive.

Collaboration is better.

There is always room to grow.

There is always time to learn.

Feedback is good.

Criticism is better.

Rehearsal is good.

Work shopping is better.

Input is good.

Output is better.

There’s always room for last minute additions.

There’s always time for last minute cuts.

A little preparation goes a long way.

A lot of preparation makes a show run smoothly.

Larger attendance might increase the energy of a crowd.

Larger attendance would definitely increase the energy of the performers.

Advertising would increase awareness.

Advertising would take a lot of extra time.

Creative and talented actors/performers make the process much smoother.

Working with people you know can both be extra rewarding and extra frustrating.

Transitions slow down the pace of a show.

Making transitions into a game could keep the energy and excitement of the show alive.

People do not always want to dunk their head in a big bucket of water.

People always love pie.

People like to finger paint.

As far as the final performance goes, I would not have changed a thing. If I were to reproduce this piece, I would keep my audience in mind more. There are definitely scenes that were written and not put into this piece that could be placed as a more appropriate audience. If I were to present this for kids, I could take out certain scenes and insert some more that were not in the presented piece. There are opportunities to find more interactive pieces as well. I would have enjoyed to include in one or two more interactive pieces in the original show, or to change the show entirely so that it was completely interactive. However, that may be more suitable for a younger crowd as well. My reflections may seem a bit scatter brained, but I went through in chronological order as far as writing, revamping, work-shopping, rehearsing and performing. Those were the first thoughts that popped into my mind. These are the most valuable thoughts for my personal process.