Anatomy of a Performance - Part 1

From Concept to Script to Stage
I'm starting from scratch. I'm creating and putting together a scene that I wrote for my church's 75th Anniversary celebration, which will take place this month. I thought I'd blog as much of the experience as I can because putting together a performance piece can make one feel on the edge at the beginning, and I don’t want to be alone in this process. You start off with a blank canvas and insecurely wonder, “Where should I start? Can I pull this off?"
This journey is not for the faint-of-heart or the easily bored. It will be erratic, mundane, repetitive, dull-as-ditch-water, familiar, encouraging, inspiring.....In short, it's for those who are interested in reading about the ins and outs of what it's going to take us (my peeps, in particular), a church drama team, to accomplish our creative endeavor, namely, the scene (or skit, sketch, script...many words, same meaning) to present to our congregation.

Day 1 (early Fall 2010). My wonderful Worship Director shared her idea with me of putting together a scene that would showcase a family's (4-Generations!) involvement and devotion to the church. She asked me to write it but, first, she would have to present the idea to the Program Committee. I asked if she could let me know by December so I'd have time to interview the family and write the script and avoid having to experience the "chicken with its head cut off" syndrome due to the possibility of so little time. She said she'd try. Committees can be such independent entities...so one never knows what to expect!

Time carries on and Fall soon turns into Winter. No word yet so I email the Worship Director (which makes Day 2 of this story). She, herself, had not heard from the committee. Time moves on...

We enter New Years and I figure that the committee may have decided to go a different direction. No worries. Some projects are given the green-light, others are not.

Day 3 is marked by the arrival of an email in my inbox on January 5th from a committee member who thanks me for offering my help to put together the "4-Generation Family" scene (requested to be approximately 8 minute). I hit the road running.


Day 4 (January 6 - 23) I email a couple of the family members whose memories will be showcased in this scene. Emails and phone calls follow. The information is a bit sparse at this point.

Day 5 (January 10 - 17) A couple of the people who are also part of the entertainment (but separate from the scene) want to schedule a meeting with the Program Committee so we can get details on what is going on and what is expected of us.
An email from the Program Committee is sent with a meeting date set for January 24. Works for all of us.

Day 6 (January 20) I email my Worship Director about the Casting List for the scene, which she approves in the next few days.

Day 7 (January 24) I meet with the Program Committee (fabulous and creative people), our Worship Director and the other entertainers at church. Conversation goes back and forth - with relative ease - and everyone has a good picture of what is desired for the evening celebration.
We also, unofficially, think that "adding" a bit of history on the women's involvement at the church can enrich the 4-Generation Family scene.
I send another email to Family Members hoping they can add more details for the scene.

More to follow...