Mid-July check in

So - writing is happening (editing). And grant writing (work). And I am launching into an immersive theatrical interpreting experience in two days! Decided this is a good time to post a quick update before all thoughts are focused elsewhere.

On the writing front, I am still editing. My editing slowed a little as I necessarily focused my attention on a grant application which is due week after next. I am currently editing a story that I submitted part of for the last manuscript workshop. So parts of this editing are sailing and some, I'm shaking my head and thinking, "I hope I didn't submit that part looking like that!" I am, again, feeling hopeful about this book and want to bring it out into the world. Here's to holding onto that thought!

I'm not going to say a lot about the grant here, right now. It is for an exciting project and I am working with a couple of other people to make it happen. Once I get the grant submitted, then I have to wait a couple of months for the decisions to be announced. More on that later. Other than to say that grant writing is not easy, but I knew that before I started the process.

The theatrical immersion project is Portland Center Stage's JAW festival. It is a festival of new plays, where the chosen playwrights are brought in to work with directors, actors, stage managers. The plays are workshopped and change daily, often several times in a day. And at the end (July 27-29), there is the Promising Playwrights Kickoff event (Fri 7/27), where the eight selected students 10-minute plays will be presented as staged readings; then Sat 7/28 and Sun 7/29 are the staged readings of the four JAW playwrights' scripts. Which I and my team will be interpreting. This is almost like competitive performance interpreting, because we spend a ton of time attending the rehearsals, keeping up with script changes, meeting with the team to work out interpreting, and changing as needed as the scripts change. Diving into the deep end of performance interpreting for this event - and it's okay, I know how to swim.

And to end on a writing note. I also decided to join Camp NaNoWriMo this month. Yes, my plate is already overflowing, but Camp NaNo helps me keep engaged with my writing and I am also using it for the grant. For Camp NaNo this time around, I am counting minutes spent writing, on both my editing and my grant writing. I am way ahead at this point (partly due to being away for three days last week). Below are my current Camp NaNo stats.

Announcing TIPS I for 2014-15: RID CEUs Approved

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RID has approved up to 3.6 CEUs (CMP and ACET) for the third session of the Theatrical Interpreting Preparation Series (TIPS), Part I, workshop. Preregistration is required and deposits must be received by November 25, 2014. The workshop begins on Saturday, December 6, 2014. See the flyer for full details (link below in overview).

This season I am also offering the TIPS III Study Group (currently under way) and I will be offering TIPS II in April 2015. For TIPS II, Sign Coach Irene Jazowick will be joining me to work with participants in the mentored intensive workshop.  I am also developing a new focused Study Group for spring 2015.

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Theatrical Interpreting Preparation Series (TIPS), part I

overview

Description: This workshop will provide participants training in and exposure to the process of performance interpreting, using theater as a vehicle. This initial training is intended for new interpreters, but all levels are welcome. We will meet twice a month on Saturdays for four months, beginning December 2014. Participants will learn different approaches to theatrical interpreting and explore topics such as script analysis, incorporating characterization, translation, altering signing style for the venue and the production, linguistic considerations, and more.  Through a series of meetings, combined with exposure to specific interpreted performances, participants will gain the basic skills necessary for a variety of performing arts situations. Completion of this training is a requirement for the advanced mentored training, which goes through the entire process from receiving the script, translation, preparation, to interpreting a performance of the project show.

You can access the TIPS I flyer here, which includes the dates, fees, included plays, presenter bio, and the registration form.

Fee: $450 includes tickets to all four shows. Preregistration is required with a $100 deposit due by November 25th; this is non-refundable and includes a ticket to the first play. If paid in full by or on our first meeting, you will receive 10% off the workshop fee.

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Presenter: Dot Hearn, CI & CT, has been doing performance interpreting since 1997. Portland Center Stage, where she has coordinated the interpreting teams since 2003, was one of her first theatrical interpreting venues. She has also interpreted plays at IFCC, Oregon Children’s Theatre, Profile Theatre, Artists Repertory Theatre, Portland Community College (PCC), OSF in Ashland, and more. Dot graduated from the PCC Sign Language Interpreting Program and went on to become adjunct faculty in that program for eleven years. Dot earned a BS degree from Eastern Oregon University, with a Liberal Arts degree and a double minor in Theater and Writing. In 2001, Dot attended the “Interpreting for the Theater” intensive week-long training in New York City, which was held at Juilliard. That training and the instructors have been instrumental in shaping Dot’s approach to theatrical interpreting and her mentoring of interpreters new to this specialty area. She also served on the RID task force to develop a performance interpreting standard practice paper.
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In the Midst of Creativity

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This has been a busy time. Is still a busy time

And it has been a good time. And a busy time.

It is also a time when I am reminded - or when my knowledge is reinforced - that creativity begets creativity. Our house is buzzing with it and more keeps coming our way. It is not more than we can handle - no - it is just more. There is a flow and flux which is working. I do know that some of it is due to work we've been doing for several years, building to this point. It has not been overnight; no; I know.

New opportunties. New inquiries. Some situations work out, some go away, some are not the right fit. But more comes.

Creative energy in abundance. And life is good. And still busy.

My partner has been working on her second book. Next week they are flying her out for a a photo shoot, where she will be demonstrating the processes she teaches and guides and describes in the book. She has also been working on examples and supplies for the art classes she will be teacher later this month. And working on her own art.

I have been editing a novel and researching places to submit shorter pieces. I interpreted a Shakespeare in the Park production in Bend - and there was much around that event which was good and inspiring.  I also started a new theatrical interpreting training/study group. For the study group, we interpreted an exciting set of one acts by Sam Shepard and that entire process was inspiring and rewarding and filled my creative cup several times over. I have also had a lot of other movement in creative energy related to theatre; more details will be coming about that later. And I did get the opening of the novel revised to fit the specifications to submit to the facilitator of the writing retreat I will be attending in October.

Creativity is present and active. We are busy, but a good busy, not more than we can handle. Excitement, energy, and remembering to breathe and allow time for rest.

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Falling behind on posting - but not on writing

It has been almost two weeks since I've posted here. I didn't realize it had been that long.

The excuse? I've been busy. Really busy. Work and theater and preparation for my upcoming workshops (which includes a new one added for this season).

And I have been writing. I am doing well with my daily journal writing. Yes, I have missed a day here and there. But when I went back and checked, between my writing by hand journal and my in-phone app journal (a little program called Dayly, and no, I did not mistype its name), and editing the novel - I have been writing every day.

One project which has been keeping me busy is preparing to interpret Twelfth Night at Shakespeare in the Park in Bend, and the lush green park along the river, Drake Park. The event sponsors are great to work with and the theater company, Northwest Classical Theatre Company - is wonderful. They put on a great show, they are amazing to work with, they are kind and nice and welcoming. It is a joy to be able to interpret their performances. And the interpreted performance was tonight. It went well, we had a good audience, and I look forward to being able to do this again next year. We have been preparing this play for over 4 weeks. It will be good to get that time back - and I will miss this production and these people.

And it is on to the next theatrical adventure - which is that I will be part of a five member team interpreting the Series A Fall Festival of One Acts by Sam Shepard at Profile Theatre on Sunday, September 7th. This is a special interpreted performance on several levels. That there are five interpreters is one level. This is the newest addition to my performance interpreting training workshops: it is a professional study group, and we will be working with feedback about our interpretations to improve our work over the next several months. Another level is that this is the first time Profile has done a festival of one acts - and they are amazing. I had the pleasure of sitting in on the read through earlier in the week and I am excited to see these plays as they develop. I like the plays and the actors. It is great to be able to have this to use as our source material for professional development. And I love the format - six one acts, a strong company of actors, and several directors.

I will also be offering my Theatrical Interpreting Preparation Series workshops this season. Both TIPS I (the introduction and overview) and TIPS II (the more intensive mentored, hands-up workshop).

On the writing front - I am continuing to revise the novel. I have revision on three of the six chapters (up to 25 pages) mostly done for the writing retreat I will be attending in October. I will do revision on the other three, then go back in for more tweaking as needed if I have time.

With this space here, I am searching for a direction, I think. I had the plan of posting revision as I went along on the memoir, which I have put on hold. For a couple of years I had a weekly prompt series I did. Now, I would like to return to more regular posting - but I'm not sure what I want to write about here.

It will come.

In the meantime, I am writing - just not much here. And I am doing theater - which also feeds my creative soul and inspiration. I will return to more scheduled writing here - and other things.

Floating and Storytelling

On Saturday we had the final session of the Theatrical Interpreting Preparation Series (TIPS) Part I workshop I've been leading since December. This was a great session and the participants were great to work with. It was a very diverse group, in terms of experience in both theater and sign language, which led to some great discussions. I will miss our twice a month Saturday meetings and sharing four interpreted performances in five months with them. Thank you, all of you!

Saturday and Sunday I also interpreted/participated in "Sign Mudras," which the creator Jayanthi Raman calls "experimental dance theater using contemporary Indian dance and American Sign Language for storytelling." In this production I interpreted, and I crossed over that barrier (as Jayanthi intended!) to do storytelling in one piece which was entirely traditional Indian dance, with no spoken language. The first dance piece, there was a narrator reading different parts of the story between sections, which I interpreted. And the final piece, the narrator gave an overview of what was to happen in the dance, which I interpreted, and then I stood back and did not sign during that final fifteen minutes. We did have some signing audience members in attendance at both performances.

Saturday night after I arrived home from the performance, my partner and I went for floats at FloatOn. I was in the new ocean tank with the optional star system overhead. I turned off the tank light immediately - but I left the stars on for a couple of minutes, then those went away and I was in that relaxing, soothing, noise reducing darkness. My mind was still humming with thoughts and I let them bounce around for awhile; didn't try to force them to stop this time, just let them be. And they did finally quiet down. For a bit. Somewhere in those 90 minutes, I started getting some clarity for my writing. For two particular projects. One of them was the M-book and, while that's the one I don't remember as well, I know there was something there. The other project is a new one I'm not talking about yet. It is started and it has many parts. And I had a great idea for a new part, which I immediately started after we got in the car - even before driving home. I didn't want to lose that spark, so I wrote what I remembered with enough details to keep the thread going. I've continued that piece a little, though there is much more to do.

This is the second time I've experienced a writing inspiration from floating. Maybe there was a third time I don't remember right now. But this one seemed extra good because I wasn't even watching for it. The other one I remember, I was specifically hoping for some insight related to writing and I tried to steer my thoughts in that direction. But on Saturday, I let my thoughts wander. And there it was.

Good news!

Theatrical Interpreting Workshop Update: CEUs are approved

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Up to 3.6 CEUs have been approved by RID for the Theatrical Interpreting Preparation Series (TIPS) workshop, part I.

We will meet for two Saturdays per month, plus one interpreted performance per month, for a period of four months. The workshop will begin on December 7, 2013; the dates and times, with additional information, are on the workshop flyer (click the link).

Description: This workshop will provide participants training in and exposure to the process of performance interpreting, using theater as a vehicle. This initial training is intended for new interpreters, but all levels are welcome. We will meet twice a month on Saturdays for four months, beginning December 2013. Participants will learn different approaches to theatrical interpreting and explore topics such as script analysis, incorporating characterization, translation, altering signing style for the venue and the production, linguistic considerations, and more.  Through a series of meetings, combined with exposure to specific interpreted performances, participants will gain the basic skills necessary for a variety of performing arts situations. Completion of this training is a requirement for the advanced mentored training, which goes through the entire process from receiving the script, translation, preparation, to interpreting a performance of the project show. 

Click to read and download the TIPS I flyer, which includes the registration page.
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Theatrical Interpreting Preparation Series (TIPS) Workshop is Back

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Announcing the Theatrical Interpreting Preparation Series (TIPS), part I, workshop for the 2013-14 season!

We will meet for two Saturdays per month, plus one interpreted performance per month, for a period of four months. The workshop will begin on December 7, 2013; the exact dates and times are on the workshop flyer (see below).

Description: This workshop will provide participants training in and exposure to the process of performance interpreting, using theater as a vehicle. This initial training is intended for new interpreters, but all levels are welcome. We will meet twice a month on Saturdays for four months, beginning December 2013. Participants will learn different approaches to theatrical interpreting and explore topics such as script analysis, incorporating characterization, translation, altering signing style for the venue and the production, linguistic considerations, and more.  Through a series of meetings, combined with exposure to specific interpreted performances, participants will gain the basic skills necessary for a variety of performing arts situations. Completion of this training is a requirement for the advanced mentored training, which goes through the entire process from receiving the script, translation, preparation, to interpreting a performance of the project show. 

You can access the TIPS I flyer here, which includes the dates, fees, included plays, presenter bio, and the registration form.

CEUs are currently pending. Last year's participants received up to 3.6 CEUs (see the flyer for more details).

Fee: $450 includes tickets to all four shows. Preregistration is required with a $100 deposit due by November 25^th; this is non-refundable and includes a ticket to the first play. If paid in full by or on our first meeting, you will receive 10% off the workshop fee.

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Presenter: Dot Hearn, CI & CT, has been doing performance interpreting since 1997. Portland Center Stage, where she has coordinated the interpreting teams since 2003, was one of her first theatrical interpreting venues. She has also interpreted plays at IFCC, Oregon Children’s Theatre, Profile Theatre, Artists Repertory Theatre, Portland Community College (PCC), OSF in Ashland, and more. Dot graduated from the PCC Sign Language Interpreting Program and went on to become adjunct faculty in that program for eleven years. Dot earned a BS degree from Eastern Oregon University, with a Liberal Arts degree and a double minor in Theater and Writing. In 2001, Dot attended the “Interpreting for the Theater” intensive week-long training in New York City, which was held at Juilliard. That training and the instructors have been instrumental in shaping Dot’s approach to theatrical interpreting and her mentoring of interpreters new to this specialty area. 

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Challenge : W is for Wonderful

W is for Wonderful? Wow. I didn't see that one coming before I typed it. WFT?! Oh, yes, there's another one.

But I'm going to go ahead with Wonderful. Because today I just wrapped (ooh, another W) up the inaugural session of my five months of theatrical preparation workshop, parts I and II. At noon today, the part II participants interpreted the project play, Clybourne Park, at Portland Center Stage.

They did a really good job and it was fun to be there with them and to debrief and celebrate afterwards. They were a great group, and along with the other two participants from part I, I couldn't have asked for a better first group for the workshop.

They were wonderful today. The process was wonderful. It even made giving up some weekends to spend with them, well, wonderful.

I will miss them and I will miss this workshop. (Ooh, another W.) Some of them will be back and I know I will work with some of them again in other capacities. Maybe in one of my next theatrical interpreting workshops. I have two in the works and will begin looking at when I can do this extensive, in-depth training again.

W is for Wonderful. And that's what I'm feeling right now.
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One Month In : How am I Doing?

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I set some intentions at the beginning of the year. And while I haven't forgotten that I set them, I also haven't been consciously thinking about what I said. Neither good nor bad, it just is.

Today I went on a search through earlier posts for something else. I haven't yet found what I was looking for because I got sidetracked with this idea and other things have come up. I will get back to that. But I came across my intentions and I decided to take a look at them and see how I'm kicking off this year in terms of those intentions.

Not bad.

Here is my list of 2013 intentions:

• to renew my writing schedule, including focused editing on both the novel and the memoir; 
• to find physical activities which are also fun and varied enough to fit my schedule and interests (to which I can say I am off to a great start with the new Wii, including Wii Fit with the balance board; will also include hiking when the weather is a little better, and hopefully kayaking again); 
• to maintain some true down time in my schedule (pajamas til 5pm kind of days); 
• to spend more quality time with my partner; 
• to spend more time with friends - talking, writing, hiking, creating, bicycling, eating or drinking wine, and more; 
• to be present.

I know there are still 10 days left of the first month of 2013, but I'm doing pretty well so far.

• Renew my writing schedule? Partially thanks to my new Monday writing feedback group, I am writing on a (somewhat) regular basis. We only meet in person once a month (on a Monday), but the other Mondays we submit a piece of writing to each toher which is between 10-20 pages (or under 5000 words) and we exchange feedback on the previous week's writing. Because of this, I spend at least two days writing on my work in progress (WIP) and two to three days doing feedback. I am also back on track with writing my blog posts for the theater. And, other than the theatrical blog posts, I haven't written anything from scratch - but I'll get there. Maybe in February. Okay - "writing scheduled renewed" - check. Oh, and this Saturday I'm going to a one-day writing conference.
• Physical activities which are fun and varied? Check. I'm back to the pool now that I'm over the winter illness that made the rounds, including a couple of passes through my sinuses and throat. I'm not going to the pool often (see "down time" below), but I'm going. What I AM doing is the Wii. Almost every day. I've only missed 2 days on the Wii in the past 3 1/2 weeks - and one of those days was a swimming day. I spend at least 30 minutes every day with Wii Fit Plus, and my average is 45 - 60 minutes. My top day was 3 hours - although not all at one time. And I'm having fun. The Wii Fit Plus has aerobics, balance games, yoga, strength training, and "training plus" which includes body-mind coordination, some aerobics, marching band type fun, snowball fights, skateboarding tricks (which I would never do in my 3-D life) - fun! 
• True down time. Um. Er. Well. Uh. Next month? If you read my most recent post you get the basic idea. It's a whirwind of performance interpreting right now and that's good and fun. But is not conducive to down time. No performances next month! Time to rest up and rejuvenate for March with two plays and some awesome poetry recitation. So - no. Still working on it.
• More quality time with my partner. Check! Could still use more of this - but we're working on it. We're both creative and at least partially self-employed. She is working on promoting her book, teaching art classes, art coaching, preparing for upcoming art retreats and has her therapy practice, as well. So, it's not just me. But we've had a date a week, which is an improvement. So, yes.
• Time with friends? Yes, some. Want even more, but working on that, as well and some positive change.
• Being present? Check. Yes. I'm actually doing really well on this one and it's good. Not always easy; sometimes I'd rather check out or go to the wha'-me-worry?/head-down-plow-through mode, but I don't. I am present and keep with what is happening and get through it just fine. Imagine that! And without any major anxiety issues. Yay.

So - as we near the end of the first month of 2013, I'm doing pretty well on those intentions. I'm riding a creative wave and that feels good. So rather than fuss about not having enough time for writing, I will enjoy the writing time I do have and enjoy the performance interpreting time and go with the ebb and flow of my two major creative adventures. And keep on with the Wii and increase the pool time as I can, and add in some outdoor adventures as things more in a more temperate weather direction - which is a ways off yet.

Good. Good for me.

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A Day in the Creative Life

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Today was a very creative day. One I wondered how I would make it through when I was looking ahead on Tuesday. And then one email arrived requiring attention and I fell behind. The next day another email I couldn't ignore and needed to do something about.

Requests for time I didn't have and I already had work from the two writers in my Monday writing group which were awaiting feedback which I had glanced at but barely begun.

And notes to put down about the Saturday workshop I'm leading so they weren't just hanging in my head, where they could get lost in the flurry of activity.

A blog post to write for one theater company and reminder to send out about this week's interpreted performance.

My own writing left waiting untouched until ... what? Until there is time? Until after I have a chance to breathe a little and then I can tackle my own words for my own book.

So that's where I am.

I woke up this morning with this big day ahead. A new approach planned and I wasn't quite sure how it was all going to come together.

It did.

I did my workout first thing in the morning, after a few almonds to quiet my hungry but not ready to eat tummy. I made a cup of tea in the microwave which would be heavily steeped, just as I like it, when I was done with my workout.

Then a light breakfast and a shower and...

Off to a performance of the play I'm interpreting next week. Wait?!? But I was interpreting another play tonight.

Yes. And with the timing of these two plays, I needed to see the other one today because tomorrow night I'm doing a "sign-thru" for the sign coach and I needed to see the play one more time before that. 

My confidence was boosted after the matinee. I have this character down and I know the play and I'm nearly ready. I need the Deaf eyes and the feedback and discussion about some interpreting choices - but I'm ready and know the story.

Then I went home and had a very healthy and light vegetable and cottage cheese lunch. And went upstairs to write the blog post and go over tonight's play again - to wrap my head around "The Road to Mecca" and let go of the story of James Beard just for tonight.

And I did.

I also sent out a reminder email to the workshop participants.

Tonight's interpreted performance went really well. We were ready. We both knew the show and had our characters and our interpretations down and we work well together; it was good.

Now here I am at home, catching up just a little. I'm taking a break from feedback at the moment.

And life feels very good right now. And creative.

Theater. Writing. Mentoring. And more theater. More writing. True that I haven't worked on my own book yet today - but I will do that this weekend; perhaps even a little tomorrow.

This was a good day.

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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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