Status Updates From Conversations with Anne

It's all about college and connections: the underlying message of all the Conversations that gets special emphasis here. Meredith went to Sarah Lawrence, Elizabeth L. as Performance Yvette and later Woostered with Spalding, Elizabeth S. got on a motorbike for San Francisco and returned to New York to slam bodies into others. Meanwhile, Anne didn't get into any of the good schools, but plays well with others.

Tina and Ben and Eduardo reveal something about the double life that comes with living for theatre. On the one hand, they are very successful after many years of effort. On the flip side, there is the anxiety, frittering and trauma that come with spreading yourself too thin. Tina wants to quit every six weeks, Eduardo can't sit through one of his plays. Ben sums it best: burning out disconnects from your core values.

Extending the circle of influence beyond Broadway and New York, Anne conversed with artistic directors from far-flung places as San Francisco, Juneau, Washington and back again to Central Park. The freedom found in the smaller corners of the country, and the more personal connection people have to shows being put on such as Molly's Yup'ik Antigone make it possible for Oskar to poke fun at a future president.

Due to an opportunity to visit SCOT this week, I decided to read from the other end and work my way to the middle so that I am a bit more familiar with the Tadashi Suzuki-initiated SITI company. Great to see artists beyond the dark years in Bush's America. Mary O. patiently accepts that Anne's Viewpoint have succeeded her own, while Mary Z. waits until tech rehearsal, or after, for her play's script to come together.

It is a narrow path to remain as optimistic and outgoing as Joseph when many in the theatre world seem bitter or beyond mainstream such as the lifers on each side: JoAnne gets lots of praise but has nothing but contempt for academics, philosophers, estate relatives of Beckett and Genet; Lee on the other hand is completely unbound by convention, sends up everything. Of the two, Lee's pataphysical extreme appeals most.

All due respect to Bill and Zelda, who give engaging accounts of their life in theatre, but Julie was just a bit more enthralling moving between one project and medium to the next, with her insight into world theatre practices. Perhaps it is simply my bias, having her film Titus as my all-time favourite, but it all comes from who she is. Turns out that Titus was a nightmare but is still her passion.

All due respect to Bill and Zelda, who give engaging accounts of their life in theatre, but Julie was just a bit more enthralling moving between one project and medium to the next, with her insight into world theatre practices. Perhaps it is simply my bias, having her film Titus as my all-time favourite, but it all comes from who she is. Turns out that Titus was a nightmare but is still her passion.

Anne chooses artists to converse with who are frequent SITI collaborators and well-respected within their theatrical field, so naturally they have a lot to say of their process and collaborations. And yet, it starts feeling like they are creating an echo chamber: "you're great", "yes you are too" and "tell me more about that wonderful piece." There is plenty to learn from the Andrés, Paulas and Marthas yet not Mamet?

Balancing between hate and love, the first three guests Anne interviews have shaped her career and that of SITI by being very involved with what they put on stage, whether this means treating actors like props like Foreman, putting on operas and dance for more discerning audiences as Sellars does, or grabbing hold of any source to adapt into modern-day settings like Mee Jr. The audiences adds another inquiring voice.

Balancing between hate and love, the first three guests Anne interviews have shaped her career and that of SITI by being very involved with what they put on stage, whether this means treating actors like props like Foreman, putting on operas and dance for more discerning audiences as Sellars does, or grabbing hold of any source to adapt into modern-day settings like Mee Jr. The audiences adds another inquiring voice.