Steppenwolf Theatre Company Blog – Chicago Theater, World-Class Ensemble

It’s late at night, the evening after my first rehearsal. I’ve already gone to bed, but can’t sleep because I am excited, a little agitated, and full of thoughts about the play. I’m now back on the couch, Oprah’s talking about The Container Store, and I have an idea for a scene that may fix a clunky piece of expositional monologue that’s been bothering me for some time. I’ve spent lots of time thinking about Harriet Jacobs, this amazing woman, with this amazing life… To quote the beautiful, talented Nambi E. Kelly, “it is humbling,” telling this story. I want it to mean as much to my audiences as it does to me. I want my actors to feel safe as they embark on a journey that is at times emotionally harrowing, intensely spiritual, and oh so personal. I want to have earned the right to tell this story.

This, the beginning, is always the most exciting and most scary part of any process.

“Exciting” because we are starting rehearsals with all of the ingredients for the making of something great. In Hallie, I have a director who is so gifted, such an amazing collaborator, such a brilliant manager of time and people, and with whom I share an aesthetic. We’ve worked together now for so many years that we have a shared vocabulary and heaps of mutual respect. Every artist touching this piece is amazing at what he/she does and passionate about the story we’re telling. We have a script that we have spent several years developing, first at The Kennedy Center, then at The Old Vic in the UK, and I continued the work in a wonderful playwriting workshop taught by Nobel Laureate, Playwright/Poet Derrick Walcott at Boston University, where I am on faculty and am also a full time MFA student. Goodness, we also have a cast of ridiculously talented actors, some young artists who I am privileged to be working with for the first time, as well as many veterans whose work I’ve admired for years (which doesn’t mean they are old… just experienced) And might I add, all very nice and attractive… yes, I have a crush on my whole cast.

I’m babbling, but then, I’ve already told you that it’s very late and I’m having a hard time sleeping because thoughts of today, and what tomorrow will be are swirling…

“Scary” because this is the point, for a playwright, of first letting others in, and then handing the script over. I’ll stay a part of the process, but this thing that has been very much mine, is so not about me anymore. It becomes really what it is supposed to be only when other artists impose their gifts and give it true life.

So, the blogging has been quite soothing. I’m so very grateful to be in this city that I love, working with a theater that has become yet another artistic home of sorts. This is now my third play born out of a Steppenwolf commission, the second time I’ve been in this rehearsal room with Hallie and loads of talented people, and it’s great. When I’ve gone back to John, Baylor, and Dawg E (the cat), back to my students, and my Boston friends, I will remember this time… and then I will clean up Dawg E’s most recent hair ball incident, do the Baylor-pooped-on-the-potty dance, and fall asleep on the couch with my wonderful husband.

Oprah is talking about the book of the month now, Pillars of the Earth… I read it, and enjoyed it… I’m wishing I’d bought ice cream at Whole Foods and so will probably settle for hummus and pita chips. If you’ve read this far… know that the play is infinitely more interesting, and shorter. I promise.

Goodnight.
Lydia

This entry was posted by Lydia Diamond on Wednesday, January 16th, 2008 at 3:17 am and is filed under Harriet Jacobs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.