In Sync?
For American ensembles, questions come first - then creativity (cont'd)

2. What is our source of inspiration?

An ensemble's driving impulse is likely to be very specific. Yet, because ensemble members commit to working together over many years, the sources of inspiration must be varied - they must include room for growth. For instance, A Traveling Jewish Theatre's inspiration is what Fischer calls "the Jewish experience." which he goes on to describe as "such a vast, rich and inclusive area, there's no end to where we might go."

Bloomsburg is inspired by "great stories," says James Goode. After finding an exciting story, the ensemble examines it in light of the audience they know so well. "As a company, we get excited by a great story, but what keeps us excited is the chance to tell a great story to people who really want to hear it," Goode says.

In Los Angeles, a theatre's most quixotic intentions are too often swayed by the prevailing showcase aesthetic. The Actor's Gang doesn't ignore the distractions, but reacts to them instead. "Making this work is a way to thrive in a place where attitudes are skewed so far in the other direction," says Tracy Young. "It's not about anything but continuing to make art in an environment that is indifferent," she says. "This is the search for meaning in a city that is about artistic commerce and the marketplace."

For Roadside, the audience is the inspiration, first and last. "We wanted to tell the story of our Appalachian people," says Dudley Cocke, "for them, by them and with them." In 1975, Cocke says, "There was no Appalachian body of dramatic literature, so we set out to create one." That mission has remained Roadside's infallible source of inspiration. Dramatizing the Appalachian people's own stories, Roadside plays to local audiences who are invited to respond by contributing still more stories for the development process. The theatre becomes a vehicle for the audience's dialogue with itself. Roadside's commitment to community not only fulfills the company's mission in spades, but keeps the ensemble in contact with its inspiration all through the collaboration and production processes.

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