"Aha! Moments and Challenges" with Robin Craig

I think one of my Aha! moments was after many hours of work, both on my own with the text and then with Bob in rehearsal on Richard III (Robin is working on Queen Elizabeth in Richard III in the Shakespeare Scene Study) finally feeling some kind of familiarity with the character and knowing when you might be getting close. It kind of makes you buzzy. The challenge, of course, is being able to find that feeling again and when you actually get it in your body it's nice to think you can rely on it. But it takes so much practice and bravery.

The most frustrating part of any of this schooling for me has been those blasted Filipino fighting sticks. They completely defeated me. Thank goodness my dance coach has the patience of Job and generously offered to be my partner so that at least I could get the first four movements.

Robin Craig is Mrs. Jennings in Sense and Sensibility  later this season at the Citadel. 

Week One: A-ha! Moments...

I asked the participants about any A-ha! Moments they had in the first few days of the Program. The schedule is pretty relentless, but incredibly supportive, and there is a vast amount of material and tasks being asked of everyone, but there are also moments that click with you immediately.

"For me, my A-ha moment came in Voice/Text with Alison Matthews where she taught about the 3 Circles. You can find out about the 3 Circles, here. I realized that social media, where I spend a great deal of my life, is mostly circle 3 and 1. As Circle 2 is true engagement, this explains why we can sometimes get exhausted and overwhelmed by social media. A small observation, but one that for me, resonates. The 3 Circles, and the desire to be in the Second Circle made me think about how we approach the work we do onstage. It's easy to fall back on the tricks of the 3rd Circle, with volume and gesture and a large presence, but we miss out on really engaging with those we are telling the story to." - Kristen Finlay

"So far my mind has been blown at least twenty times. New images for breath that Ryan described, the magic of honouring punctuation, and the empowerment that comes with useful preparation are things I know will stay with me- just to name a few." - Julia Guy

"Most of my "aha" moments have come from improv class, where I've learned the value in "being average" and striving to play in the moment, without judgement, and without the nagging impulse to put forth the most clever, most unique, most self-affirming choices. Just being real and honest and in the moment seems to yield the most interesting, most real results." - Adam Sanders

"Nearly my entire career has been focused on new work and creation based performance and theatre. I'm lucky to have always had access to the playwrights of any show I'm directing, so specific approaches to text analysis have been eye opening and have allowed me to reflect, both positively and constructively, on the dialogue I exchange with a playwright throughout a process.  

Also...full disclosure: I'm a professional theatre artist, and I've never been very excited about Shakespeare. The past few days have made me realize I just never actually learned how to read it." - Beth Dart, Intern Director

"I've had a couple of big 'aha' moments already. One was having the simple discovery that not every main character in a story is the hero.  

As well, I was always terrified of improvising, and after doing a few of Dennis Cahill's sessions I felt a "I can do this!" moment. It was so great." - Emily McCourt

"What has been so inspiring is the talent and openness of my fellow participants. There have been times when I watched them with my mouth hanging open and thought, "How did they do that!?!"

I have also been so impressed with the dedication, knowledge and respect shown us by our instructors. No gurus... No one putting themselves above the work." - Stephen Gartner

"There have been many "aha" moments - being able to look at a text with new eyes and being given some tools to use in analysis of the same, and discovering "solfege" in music class!  Our teacher, Ryan Sigurdson is opening up a whole new area of understanding music - it's like learning another language!" - Robin Craig

"I had an A-ha moment the other day in movement! I have always carried tension in my shoulders and trying to release it is an ongoing challenge, but I made a connection that it actually may have way more to do with tension in my hips and the way I carry my ribcage. And we've been talking a lot about the question why, and so then examining the potential reasoning behind that tension placement was fascinating!" - Katie Ryerson

"I am (re)learning that you can't grow authentically without failing and that change is good. I've learned that punctuation is everything!" - Madison Walsh

What Brought You Here?

I knew why I was here. I wanted to speak to the Participants and my fellow Director Intern about why they wanted to participate in the Program.

"I wanted to apply for the Program because I started theatre school when I was 17, and being 26 now I really wanted to reassess my toolkit and see what works and what doesn't anymore, or never did, and start fresh. I hoping to get out of it a lot of new tools, and make new connections with artists from across our amazing country. Being here now, it is a stunningly beautiful place, and everyone is amazing, and I am hoping to soak up all that good and become a better version of myself, both as an actor and in life." - Katie Ryerson

"I applied to the Program because it sounded like a wonderful opportunity to spend four weeks rediscovering the art of acting.  There were so many courses involved and I hadn't been at theatre school for a LONG time.  

I wanted to be able to study and learn and not feel judgmental about myself or my work and that is certainly what has transpired.  Well, at least, we are ENCOURAGED not to judge ourselves - a difficult task for any actor!  But it is a relief to know that you can fail at a task, and learn from it.  Very liberating!" - Robin Craig 

"I look at the Citadel/Banff Centre Professional Theatre Program as an absolutely invaluable opportunity and one from which I could benefit from every year for the rest of my life as an actor. It is focused, immersive, in-depth work collaborating with a group of very professional actors and under the guidance of mentors with incredible knowledge and experience. 

I hope to challenge myself, take risks, and push myself out of the zone I sit so comfortably in while at home. I hope, simply, to grow as an artist." - Madison Walsh

"Honestly, I almost didn't apply for the program. I was rehearsing Blithe Spirit at the Thousand Island's Playhouse and it was a five hour (or so) drive into Toronto for the audition on my day off and I thought "I'm gonna bust my ass and I'm probably not going to get this." Also, I had already auditioned for the program twice so I had good reason to believe that I wasn't going to get it!

Ultimately, (obviously) I did audition. I wanted the opportunity to train in an immersive way without distractions and I wanted to be in this production of Sense and Sensibility!

I wanted to become a better actor and I wanted to work with actors, directors and teachers that I've never worked with before." - Stephen Gartner

"I applied to the Program because I wanted to stretch myself more as an actor, and I felt I needed a deeper look at technique and the structure of being an actor, and that can be hard to find. I wanted to have a better understanding of how my instrument  - my actor's body- worked, and how I could tweak things to find a more effective process. 

I hope that by the end of the program, I'll have a set of tools and pieces that I feel I can pull out without fear, and to cultivate an ownership of space for myself and my characters." - Emily McCourt

"I grew up in Edmonton as a patron of the Citadel Theatre, constantly floored by the quality of acting, the engaging storytelling, and the technical mastery of the productions they put on. Now, as a budding actor with some education and experience under my belt, this program stood out as a familiar choice, one that would bring me close to the inner workings and minds behind shows that energized and inspired me in my younger years. 

I'm just looking to become a better, more hire-able, more real actor." - Adam Sanders

"I wanted to challenge myself and my creation process by examining traditional approaches to theatre, improve my ability to communicate with creative collaborators, expand the tools and vocabulary I rely on to create, as well as better understand the current power structures in Canadian regional theatres." - Beth Dart, Intern Director (Peter and the Starcatcher)

"I wanted to apply to this program because I had a chance to do it two years ago and it was absolutely invaluable to me. It is truly a one of a kind experience."- Julia Guy

(Julia was a Participant in the Program in 2015 and was Thomasina in Arcadia at the Citadel)