THE ART OF ENSEMBLE IN OUR DAILY LIVES 

May 5, 2020

Dear FOOLish community,

“I don't believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive. “Joseph Campbell

The model of ensemble theater values being in relationship with others, but what is it to be in relationship with others at this time?  I often say that ensemble theater is a lifestyle choice and in times of crisis we need to “reach out horizontally” to our mates. Instead of making theater together in studios, society is performing the art of ensemble in our daily lives with neighbors, roommates, the check-out clerk at the grocery store and even on Zoom calls. 

 As we physically isolate, we’re witnessing our industry practice new ways to create togetherness. In service of flattening the curve, we’ve witnessed the flattening of our industry-- out of the theaters and, for some of us, onto screens. How will theater and our society be forever-changed by this great pause?  What is the new knowledge we’re gaining? As we all move towards greater digital access, how are we negotiating the very nature of LIVEness?

A global pandemic crisis has given us an opportunity to pause and consider the way forward. Like scientists, the artist’s job is to ask open-ended questions and dance the adventure of discovery, (which we sometimes call a play and others times call living life.)  How can foolsFURY best serve you, our community?  How can we keep reaching farther from the center to include the least seen and heard?   How will we respond to inequalities of class struggle, access, and resources? 

Human nature longs for a return to normalcy. But the only way through this is with real transformation, which means moving at the speed of trust.  

With so many changes being asked of all us so quickly, foolsFURY is taking this pause to deeply consider the potential impact our choices will have on the industry and American culture.  We are holding space for grief and resisting the urge to just “do something”--anything-- without considering our impact.

As you may already understand, foolsFURY has had to postpone or cancel all in-person activities for the meantime, but this doesn’t mean we’ve stopped or paused all our projects. We’re adopting new ways to gather as artists and audience that inform new play development and center vital industry conversations which will impact the future of theater. Stay with us to hear about BUILD from Here, our online digital convening in July 2020, the Library Project play in development with Katie Pearl, and more. 

We will see you soon, 

Debórah and all the foolsFURY staff