“Oph3lia pulled together so many things people talk about - globalization, technology, post-modern identity, art vs. commerce, alienation of modern society, the challenges of human interaction and intimacy, the search for connection and meaning - and wove them into this beautiful, heart-breaking, hilarious, world-unto-itself. You MUST GO SEE THIS SHOW! This show should travel around the world, playing at every international festival, at Shakespeare festivals, pretty much everywhere. I’m still reeling. I think I’m going to take a break from seeing shows for awhile because I don’t want to ruin the extraordinary feeling I have.”  Wow Andy… thank you.  Read the original post here.

It’s hard to believe that we are already past the half way point in the run. Today’s Sunday matinee was our 9th show out of 16! The second week of performances were surprising to me in their consistency. This group of actors never ceases to amaze me with its persistence, heart and sense of fun.

One of the highlights of the week was the special Gala performance on Thursday. It was great to have a really packed house, consisting mostly of friends and supporters. Kayoko and Nicole organized the whole she-bang afterwards, which was amazing — honestly I don’t know how they did it — the liquor donations, the food, the silent auction with fancy prizes. Also with the wonderful help of Joan, Melissa, Nancy and Tmonkey everything went smoothly. Here are some pics from the party.

Peter singing some of my favorite tunes. Hearing his voice was making me cry. Seriously.

Magin, Sophie and Pete in the foreground, Alanna, Jy and Melissa in the back.

And this was an amazing shot:

Ikuko and all the men who have played Hamlet opposite her in this process (from left to right, Mark, Peter, Aaron)! This was taken a split second before Ikuko understood what was going on and her brain exploded.

One of the favorite things I get to see before each show is when the actors huddle up just before places. This view gives me hope for humanity.

I’m looking forward to 7 more shows!

“What to make of the strange, feral dances the schoolgirls engage in, while singing their wordless songs? What of the playwright and the producers, riotously alive and bursting with their own stories and concerns? Both make for great theater.”  Read the original article here.

“…an analysis of humanity through communication and language… This is a smart, beautiful, and touching production that is unpretentious and fun. I left feeling humbled and inspired, reminded why I love theatre the way I do. Do not miss this show, and once you see it, tell everyone you know.”  Read the original article here.

“Airy… lovely… graceful… like a dream… must not unwatch’d go” Read original article here.

Check it out.

“…a brilliant exploration of suspension–in time, in space, between words, and between bodies.  So much so that walking out of the theatre last Thursday night I was rendered, much like the first Ophelia in this Murakami-esque work, silent. ” Read the whole article here.

“On her own terms, Ogawa has successfully crafted a riveting experience that succeeds because of its incredible imagery and its ability to access raw emotional territory.” Check out the full article here.

It was a grueling but rewarding week. Opening was Wednesday June 11, but the official “press” opening was Thursday (confusing). Despite the heart-stopping technical snafus (the most nerve-wracking one being the death of the DVD player in the middle of Thursday’s show, rendering 2 out of 3 of Ikuko & Mark’s scenes sans subtitles and therefore non-intelligible to those who do not speak Japanese), the cast has made leaps and bounds towards making the show cohesive and fulfilling.

I was reminded of the Borges’ story The Circular Ruins in which a man attempts to create another man through the process of dreaming — but fails to breathe life into his creation. I felt that was an apt analogy for this process. No matter how intricately I dream the details of each moment in the play, it all falls as flat as a dead Frankenstein unless the actors can inhabit and play in the structure given them. But I am happy to find that they have been finding their path to the be beating play-heart, with great courage and passion.

For me it has also been helpful to embrace the fact that this and all plays will be imperfect, and that the imperfection is where the opportunity for surprise lies. I start seeing my own tendencies as a writer, and how I compensate for that as a director, as much as my resistance to the literal as a director keeps me running around as a writer. Self-deprecating or self-effacing impulses aside, I feel good about the show and good about the responses we’ve been getting. Looking forward to the next three weeks!

more great photos by Cark Skutsch:

The opening of a show is such a stressful momentous event, and like all momentous events, makes one question all sorts of things. Like why am I doing this anyway? How can I do it better? How can I balance my vision and yet allow the performers full freedom to seize the play with their own hands? Tech is definitely a process that shakes things up, and in many ways, keeps these questions at bay — because everyone is just struggling to solve the issues at hand.

Now that we’ve opened (although tonight is the official “press” opening) we’ve got a beautiful ugly bloody slimy puking shitting gurgling laughing screaming baby on our hands. It feels scary and great. The audiences will be different every night, the play will be different every night. I’m excited (for me and for the cast) to live through the next 4 weeks…

(these beautiful photos taken by Carl Skutsch)