Mecca, James Beard, "Making it in Tough Times"

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I should be in bed right now. I will go to bed in a few minutes, as soon as I finish writing this and send it out into the world.

Really. I will. I have to get up very early tomorrow. Remember that time is relative. For someone who works until past midnight several days a week and goes to plays on other nights of the week, getting up at 7:00 AM is very early, indeed. Not so for my running and mountain climbing friends, I know.

But what's up with the title of this piece? It's my creative live over the past couple of weeks.

Last week I interpreted "The Road to Mecca" by Athol Fugard at Profile Theatre. And it was wonderful. The play is beautifully staged and acted and directed. The story well told. And my team interpreter was awesome to work with. And I feel we did well. I also had the opportunity to see someone I haven't seen for a few years who attended the performance - himself a playwrite, author, sign coach, and more.

Last night I interpreted "I Love to Eat" by James Still at Portland Center Stage. That is also well staged, the actor does a marvelous job of being James Beard, and it is a fun show. I would have loved to have had a larger Deaf audience - but those who were there for the interpreted performance were awesome. And I was prepared for that play and I had fun doing it.

Then tomorrow, yes. The reason I'm getting up early is because I'm going to a one-day writing conference put on by author and editor Jessica Morrell : "Making it in Tough Times." There is a great lineup of presenters throughout the day, promised writing time and "instant feedback" (optional). I am very much looking forward to tomorrow. Early, but worth it. Tomorrow will be a day of creativity coming in and I am looking forward to it. One friend from out of town is spending the night because she's going to the conference, too. And one of the Monday writers is going, as well.

This is a good time. It's been a little busier than I like for the past three weeks - but for good reason. The next month my schedule slows and I will take the time to enjoy it before the onslaught of March and another round of creative output for two theatrical performances and poetry competition.

And my editing of the book continues, as does the feedback from and to my Monday writing group. That is going really well. I still have some edits to finish for this week's submission to the group, but I did finish up this week's feedback for the other writers.

Yes - Mecca, Beard, Making It. Thank you universe for these inspiring and pleasant experiences.

For now, good night. And may sleep come quickly!
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Theatrical Interpreting Preparation Series is Under Way

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I met with the participants in the first Theatrical Interpreting Preparation Series workshop on Saturday, December 1st. It's a diverse and wonderful group of interpreters and I'm looking forward to our time together over the next four months.

This coming Thursday they will be attending "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at PCS. I didn't give them a lot of homework, but a few things to look for which relate to our meeting on Saturday while they're watching the play. Then when we meet again in two weeks we will talk about those observations and wrap up that topic and begin the next one.

I've rented a conference room at The Armory from Portland Center Stage and it's nice to be in a theatrical setting for this workshop. The room is comfortable and access is easy for pretty much whatever we need.

This is a great group for my first run of the theatrical interpreting workshops I have planned.

Don't worry if you missed it this round - I will be doing it again next season. And I have other performance interpreting workshops in the development process, as well.

For now - a lovely first gathering!

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In other news, I wrote another blog post go out for Portland Center Stage and it went out last Friday - posted by the amazing Katie O. You can read the post by clicking on my Bard collage below (I had fun making this digital collage for the post).

"Interpreting the Bard" by Dot Hearn

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announcement: Theatrical Interpreting Preparation Series workshop

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I'm happy to announce that I am offering a four-month theatrical interpreting training program which will begin on December 1st, 2012. This series workshop is intended for newer interpreters, but any skill level is welcome. Feel free to save a copy of the PDF flyer below so you can print out and return the registration page, or share it with colleagues.

We will meet for three hours on two Saturday afternoons a month from December 2012 to March 2013.  You will also be attending one interpreted Thursday evening performance per month during that same period.  The exact dates and times are listed on the flyer.

CMP and ACET are currently pending approval. I will update information when the paperwork is processed. These CEUs will be offered at no additional charge. CEUs awarded will be applied to transcripts for 2013.

All sessions of both the workshop and interpreted performance observations will be at Portland Center Stage in Portland, Oregon.

NOTE: There will be an advanced, intensive mentored training offered in April 2013; more details to come. This introductory training is a requirement, along with an audition, for that advanced training.


Click on the link in the left column to see the flyer with more details.

 

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A Very Art-full Day

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Saturday began with a trip to Wordstock.

Before I get into today's events, I want to take a little side trip to tell you how I ended up there. Or, how I ended up there as I did, today. Which was not how it all began.

I originally held the day to attend Wordstock. I knew I'd be working on Sunday, because I almost always work Sunday late afternoon into the evening. So, Saturday it would be. So, nothing scheduled for the day. Then along came an email from the Portland NaNoWriMo ML (Municpal Liason, for those not up on NaNoWriMo lingo). She announced that the Salem group and the Portland group were going to go in together on a booth at Wordstock and needed volunteers.

Hey, I thought. Sure. Why not? I'm going anyway! So I signed up. I was the second or third person to sign up, so I got to pick my time slot - the only slots filled were ones I couldn't (or wouldn't) do anyway.

Time passed. Then came an announcement that the NaNogroup didn't have enough money so they couldn't have a booth. I was disappointed, but I'd already received two other emails asking if I'd volunteer for two other writing groups I have association with. I looked at one and decided I'd rather just go as a participant. Then the second group, which was Write Around Portland, asked me if I could volunteer.

If you've been following my blog for any length of time, I'm sure you've noticed Write Around Portland crop up more than once. I love Write Around Portland and everything they do. So I looked at the schedule of what they needed and picked my top two and replied, "yes!"

I had a sign-through rehearsal for the play I'm interpreting next week, so I selected times which would be within the vicinity of that, time-wise. With enough time to meet up with my interpreting teammate and our sign coach before the play started.

All was going great. I got my first choice of volunteer slots.

Then a couple or so days ago I received a request for interpreting work at Wordstock. I jumped at that call, though I'm trying, as much as possible, to not to work on Saturdays. But to interpret at Wordstock? Yes. You bet I wanted to do that and I got the job. That was scheduled to end an hour before my Write Around Portland volunteer shift started, so it was perfect. The author was a joy to work with and I enjoyed meeting her, hearing parts of her book and about her process; and I have a copy of her book to read.

It was a perfect day.

Interpreting at Wordstock and meeting a very nice author/stand-up comic/publicist from NYC. Then having an hour to wander and look around, buy a couple of books, pick up brochures and information. Volunteering two hours with another personable and nice to share space with volunteer for my favorite non-profit. Followed by a couple of hours for dinner and going over the script, discussion with our sign coach. And then our sign-through for the play at Portland Center Stage. Or our sign-through of Act One because in Act Two our headsets weren't working correctly and we finally gave up after about 30 minutes of struggling to be able to hear. But it's okay - Act One is the most challenging due to pace and density of information.

So I guess that's my story. A very art-full day of literature, interpreting about literature, meeting people, and being at the theater.

A good day.
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Winding Down Another Season

Next week I'm interpreting "Black Pearl. Sings" at Portland Center. Stage.  The team interpreter I'm working with is Pamela Cancel and this is our first show together. It has been a great experience and I've enjoyed doing this show with her. Our styles are very compatible and I feel confident our interpretation will go well. Feedback tonight from our Deaf Sign Coach went well and is much appreciated.

Portland Center Stage has one more show this season, "Ain't Nothing But the Blues," in June (which will be interpreted by Pamela and Edwin Cancel on June 21st). But for me, this is my last show of the 2011-12 season.

I may do a concert or two in the summer; but I don't do much theater. I do a lot of theater planning and may also do some theater writing (shhh, that's a secret as of right now). But not much theatrical interpreting.

And the college school year comes to a close. I haven't been teaching this term, anyway, but it's another marker.

And I'm trying to get a better handle on my schedule. I'm starting with a short vacation at the end of this month. Probably a starvation with, perhaps, a couple of day trips; maybe one overnights. A kind of resetting of my biological clock. Time enough off to really feel it and break the cycle of going. I started that process with my trip to the coast last month, but to do it right requires a few more days than I had. So the very beginning of June that will happen.

And writing. The timing is working out to coincide with another round of Wayward Writers in the Literary Kitchen. The next session starts May 19th, two days after Black Pearl Sings. Perfect.

Someone asked me today if I had any big summer plans. No, I answered. Except learning to relax better and just be. Relearn how to not do. Then write. And walk/swim/bike.