JANUARY SESSION: SOMETHING FROM NOTHING
Creatio ex nihilo. This Latin phrase for "creation out of nothing" is embodied in one of Pig Iron's signature intensives.
In this two-week workshop, participants will learn the process of creating an ensemble-devised work of theatre through Pig Iron's tried-and-true generative exercises and creation approaches. This devising workshop emphasizes developing original material, physicalizing characters and theatrical ideas, structuring group improvisations into finished pieces and the role music and rhythm play in theatrical creation. Participants will work on taking material developed through improvisation and turning it into pieces that are precise, full, exuberant, and moving. The workshop culminates in an invited showing of short original pieces created during the two weeks.
This workshop is led by Sarah Sanford who has been creating original work within Pig Iron since 2001 and on her own for just as long. Sarah is a core faculty within the Pig Iron Devised Performance Program. She is the recipient of many awards and accolades for her work, including a Haas Emerging Artist Award. She was the original director of Lightning Rod Special’s Underground Railroad Game which was named one of the Top 25 Plays of the last 25 years by the New York Times, in addition to winning an OBIE Award.
Schedule
January 6-18
- January 6, 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18
- 9:30AM - 4:30PM (with one hour lunch break)
- January 9, 11, 15
- 9:30AM-1PM
- There will be no workshop on January 12
- Select evenings will have additional rehearsal times for original pieces created during the workshop
- 4:30-7:30pm on 1/10, 1/14, 1/16, and 1/17
- Public Showing on January 18th @ 3PM
Session Cost
- Apply by October 15 and pay in full (pending acceptance) by November 1: $900
- Apply by November 15 and pay in full (pending acceptance) by December 1: $1000
- Payments after December 1: $1200
Application Details
Access to Practice Scholarship
This scholarship is intended to cover the entire tuition cost ($1200) of the January Session: Something From Nothing (January 6-18th) led by Sarah Sanford. This scholarship will be awarded to two BIPOC-identifying individuals. Members of the Pig Iron EDI Working Group will review the materials and select the awardees.
After completing a January Session application for the workshop, please email [email protected] with a brief letter of interest to be considered for one of the Access to Practice scholarships. In your letter of interest, please address these 3 questions:
- What was your journey into theater? Where did you begin and where are you heading?
- Why are you applying for this scholarship?
- What do you hope to learn by studying with Pig Iron?
Scholarship applicants should submit a full application to the program, which will be reviewed by the workshop leaders. After their decision on which students will be admitted, Access to Practice letters of interest will be reviewed by a subcommittee of Pig Iron's EDI Working Group, who will select the awardees.
Work-Study Positions
Pig Iron is able to offer two facilities work-study positions for this workshop that come with a one-third tuition reduction. Duties involve preparing the studio and lounge spaces for use each day and require some availability in the hour before and after the listed workshop hours. If you are interested in applying for one of those two positions, please send a short paragraph to [email protected] explaining how the work-study position and accompanying tuition reduction would benefit you. You must complete a workshop application and apply by email for the work-study position by October 15 to be considered. Decisions will be made by November 15.