We all have opinions. Even when we try not to we do. As an actor/writer and some say historian I work to make peace with the various aspects of the crafts. Why? Because in my opinion they don't always work together. When they do it is great, but many times it just doesn't happen. I shall use a couple of current projects to illustrate.
I will soon portray a woman who was on the board of directors of a half-way house here in Colorado Springs in the 20's. Not a lot is known. As the actor I will take what I can find, use that as the basis for my character development. Then I will make use of my opinions of what she might have said and why she said it. My leap of faith occurs when I make my choices about what I will actually say when speaking and answering questions. The historian takes the facts and make assumptions for the actor based on the available information. The actor then takes what is observed from the facts, makes opinions based on those facts and uses that to create the person that no longer exists, but needs to be as accurate as possible.
The second example is a fictional novel based on an event from the 1870's. There the information about the event is clearly stated in newspapers and others sources. As the author I take the information and create a world based on the events. I observe how people may have spoken, what they wore, how they acted. I then create an opinion about what I think may have occurred with the secondary characters in the event. My leap of faith is that I am creating a real world that may have happened, it simply was not recorded.
As writers, performers and historians, whatever label we place on ourselves we always observe, have an opinion and take a leap of faith that what we are doing is right. For the actor and the fiction writer it is easier. For the historian and non-fiction writer our opinions and leaps of faith take on a more important meaning. If we err to far from the truth we call into question our ability to perform our jobs. Still I would not follow this path if I did not feel that I have something to share with the world. The need to bring the lives of those who have preceded me and left their mark is more important than fear of making a mistake. If I can get one person to questions or feel the need to find out more, I have done my job.
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Showing posts with label Historic Buildings Colorado. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Historic Buildings Colorado. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Two Historic Buildings
Over the past couple of weeks I have had the pleasure of performing in some amazing historic buildings, The Briarhurst Manor and the Phantom Canyon Brewing Company.
On June 13 Red Herrring performed one of their public shows at the Briarhurst Manor in Manitou Springs. It was the premier of a rewrite of one of our westerns. We had a night where the stars aligned and all was well with the world. The audience was wonderful and the actors were hitting all the right notes in their performances.
As I walked through the various rooms, I could feel the sense of what it might have been like for the Bells' whose home this had been. The house is elegant and the current owners have done what they could to preserve the ambiance of the golden age of expansion that was Manitou and Colorado Springs. Although our story took place in Texas, the time periods were very similar. What a joy to not only have fun with a show, but to eat and wander the halls of history.
That was followed by a show on June 22 at the Phantom Canyon Brewing Company located in Colorado Springs. This building at Pikes Peak and Cascade Avenues is very close to the depot for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. It is my understanding that this building used to house the rail workers. The third floor, were we were again performing a western, used to be divided up into numerous small rooms for the workers. I am sure that their work was strenuous, but looking out the windows, the view of the mountains is spectacular. Perhaps they also were able to enjoy those brief moments of contemplation.
To have a job where I can not only honor my desire for performing and history is a gift I am truly grateful for. To walk where others have walked and to try to place myself into their world. Over the past two shows I went from high society to common worker, all by being in the space that they had occupied. It makes you want to dig even deeper and find out more.
On June 13 Red Herrring performed one of their public shows at the Briarhurst Manor in Manitou Springs. It was the premier of a rewrite of one of our westerns. We had a night where the stars aligned and all was well with the world. The audience was wonderful and the actors were hitting all the right notes in their performances.
As I walked through the various rooms, I could feel the sense of what it might have been like for the Bells' whose home this had been. The house is elegant and the current owners have done what they could to preserve the ambiance of the golden age of expansion that was Manitou and Colorado Springs. Although our story took place in Texas, the time periods were very similar. What a joy to not only have fun with a show, but to eat and wander the halls of history.
That was followed by a show on June 22 at the Phantom Canyon Brewing Company located in Colorado Springs. This building at Pikes Peak and Cascade Avenues is very close to the depot for the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. It is my understanding that this building used to house the rail workers. The third floor, were we were again performing a western, used to be divided up into numerous small rooms for the workers. I am sure that their work was strenuous, but looking out the windows, the view of the mountains is spectacular. Perhaps they also were able to enjoy those brief moments of contemplation.
To have a job where I can not only honor my desire for performing and history is a gift I am truly grateful for. To walk where others have walked and to try to place myself into their world. Over the past two shows I went from high society to common worker, all by being in the space that they had occupied. It makes you want to dig even deeper and find out more.
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