Mentorship

Mentor Perspective

Innocence and Experience: More Please

OK, so maybe Haymaker is not EXACTLY innocent and maybe PEARLDAMOUR still has a lot to learn.  But the more we’ve hung out, the more we really do feel like Haymaker’s relative youth and PearlDamour’s relative age had a lot to offer to each other.   I’ve been thinking a lot about how as theater artists, we often are not fully aware of the skill set we have developed / the skills we have to offer.  There aren’t a TON of models out there for running a theater company; those who start them usually have entrepreneurial instincts, a hunger to learn, a desire to take risks, a desire to learn fast….and then once you are in the game of running a company, there is so little time to “look up” and realize the skills you have been accruing, by hook or by crook.  I think Katie and I were often surprised by the information we could share with Haymaker — I remember Haymaker saying something like “we are dying to find a process” and asking us what ours was….and Katie and I were able to articulate our process (with variations, of course, project to project) and also help Haymaker see the process they were already developing.

We found ourselves inspired by Haymaker’s connections with local universities, their savvy approaches to blogging / twittering / instagramming, and their clear eyed attempt to really figure out both their particular aesthetic and the role they played in the Durham live performance scene.

And then, perhaps the best part:  this exchange is “officially” over in a few  months, but PearlDamour will be visiting Milton, NC (1 hour from Durham) through at least August, with our MILTON project.  And it is a given that we will be overlapping with Haymaker during these trips — in Durham and likely in Milton too, especially since Akiva’s brownie recipe is now legendary within the Milton Women’s Club.

And so…..can we imagine a world where there is a more official program which pairs young and, ahem, mature ensembles?    Seems crucial to me, when we are all trying to figure out how to build a solid foundation for the future of new work in this country……

Mentee Perspective

Devising is hard. Hell, sometimes.

Individually, you feel lost more often than you’d like to admit. You get angry at yourself and then the others. You don’t say anything, but the others notice. The work has to take precedence. We’ve got to push through. Then one day, you break. Emotionally, financially, creatively. Maybe all three at once. You don’t say anything, but the others notice. You carry on. Then the piece isn’t coming together very well. You’re all compromising instead of collaborating. You don’t say anything, but the others notice. Is this what’s supposed to happen? This is no longer about making the piece, it’s about surviving until it’s done. You’ll get a break soon, you tell yourself. Then everything will reset. Until then, the tension is rising in the room. Why won’t it just magically fit together!? Fuck.

Devising is hard. You feel like there’s no one else out there doing this ludicrous thing you’re doing. Often, you lose perspective. Sometimes, all together.

Needless to say, ensembles go through a unique set of interpersonal, financial, and artistic hurdles. We’ve learned these hard lessons over the past three years. In this past year though, what has been most helpful is the unwavering gentleness of Lisa and Katie. They’ve managed to make us feel like we’re not alone, like someone else has done what we’re attempting to do. In fact, they have done it. Now, they’re able to help, to provide perspective, to mentor. It’s like a gift for us.

Because they’ve been willing and open, we’ve asked questions. Do you fight? Yes. Does the work take this long to make all the time? Sometimes. But mostly, yes. What do you do when X happens? We figure it out together.

These answers seem obvious. They are, actually. But – oh man! – they’re helpful to hear from a more experienced ensemble. It’s not about aesthetics or the product for us, it’s the commonality in the difficult process of devising. Art develops and grows by connecting people. It sounds cliché. But damn is it true. If you’re a young company, find someone more experienced. Ask them to mentor you, ask them to be patient with you, ask them to encourage you when you’re being too hard on yourself. If they don’t know how to do all these things, have them call Lisa and Katie.