Building and setting the journey through a day in New York, here is everyone waiting for the light to turn at a crosswalk, on their way to work.

I’ll let the photos speak for themselves. I love these guys.

WOW everyday I go to rehearsal I am thrilled to the toes to see the actors. Before rehearsals started I was so tense, almost dreading it. But now I wonder if I am in one of the happiest periods of my life.

Last night, we were beginning to build the city section that is the foundation of Ikuko’s voiceover part of the play. This part of the play is textless, all movement, a cinematic journey through the city. I had the actors create a physical sequence of movement and suspensions that encapsulated a day in their lives. It ended up being so moving, to witness the most private/public moments. Later they repeated their sequences while speaking out loud their internal monologue. Another revelation.

“The sky is so beautiful between the buildings. Better with clouds.”

“I wonder if black people think I’m racist because I’m holding onto my bag on my lap, but it was already there before I saw them.”

“If I pretend to be looking around at everybody in the elevator, I can catch a better glimpse of that cute guy.”

“I know I’m always late, but tomorrow I might be early.”

There is something so indescribably intimate about peering into someone’s life when they are traversing a public space, when they are supposed to be unrecognized, anonymous.

My commute to work this morning I kept thinking about everybody’s morning routine. Is Jy taking a smoke break? Did Dawn get her polenta? Did Connie get her window seat? Is Drae walking the dachshund?

We started rehearsals for oph3lia two days ago. Working today with the translator crew, for the first hour or so I had the actors do an exercise in waiting.

That’s Moe waiting. She’s trying not to touch the ground.

Here’s Jorge after two massage warm-ups:

and Laura waiting by the unused elevator and stairwell:

When I got to Drae, she had her tshirt pulled up over her nose. Here are her legs.

And Alanna, waiting and listening.

Later I had each actor recreate a segment of their waiting, which I just found endlessly fascinating.

In our lives in this city, time alone, I mean really completely alone, is a rare occurrence especially if you are in a relationship or co-habitate with a pet, roommate, etc. I think we are so very much defined by our context and relationships. The exercise in waiting is an exploration of who we are when we are taken out of our contexts, when we are not watched nor obligated to interact with anyone else. We are alone when we sleep. But when else? If you have no one to talk to, are you defined by the language you speak? How /can we shed the layers of our identity? Is it a release? Is it dangerous?

Thanks to all for your interest and support for oph3lia! After a few months of auditions and interviews and lots of e-mails, I’ve managed to assemble a wonderful team of artists and production staff for the project. Now knee-deep in production meetings, I’m looking forward to starting rehearsals in a few weeks.