our process

Our work is collaboratively created by an ensemble and design team, led by a playwright. Our process is inspired by experimental and devised theater techniques, but developed over nearly two decades through experimentation and evolution.

Phase 1: Research

We start by learning about the things, periods, and people that have inspired the story we want to tell. We work with a dramaturg, the director, and playwright to understand the show’s vision, it’s inspiration, the period and place in which it is set, and the characters that inhabit it. We ask our ensemble members and designers to participate in the research with us.

phase 2: script work

During the script work phase, we use improvisation, devised theater techniques, and brainstorming to create rough scenes, which are refined by the cast and playwright in an iterative cycle, eventually leading to a rough script.

Eye opener

Once we have a rough script created, we put the work up in front of a small audience to get feedback. This work-shopped reading is known as an Eye Opener. Eye Openers are free and open to the public. Sign up now if you’d like to see a peek behind the curtain, a look at our process, and a chance to see the show before everyone else!

Phase 3: Rehearsal

After the Eye Opener, our playwright takes a week-long break to move the script towards a more final state. Then, we begin rehearsal, where the final touches are put on the script, design concepts are finalized, characters built, and staging refined.