The picture is still very clear in my mind. It was the 27th of November, 2008. It was the same day when the proscenium workshop began; it was the day when international documentary films were screened at the college auditorium. It was about 4:30 in the evening when Mr. Vaz, asked whether they should throw me into ‘this.’ Till then I had no clue of what ‘this’ was. All the members of Script Peoples, a couple of old play-backers and I got together and the ‘Big’ news was cracked open by Mr. Vaz.
The multinational ‘Accenture’ had hired a team called ‘Deferens’ to have interactive sessions and to motivate their young BPO workforce. They contacted us to put up interactive plays for the employees of Accenture thus bringing out their problems and focussing on the values and the culture of work of the company. We needed to perform for over three weeks at Accenture offices spread across various parts of the country beginning from Bangalore to Noida to Chennai and Mumbai. This project was massive; both for Script Peoples and for me as a performer. 1 day into the playback theatre workshop, I was already preparing for my first interactive performance for thousands of BPO employees over the country. It was exciting.
We further worked on the script that same evening and came back the next morning to perform for the team from Deferens. In another couple of days, we were performing at Accenture Bangalore. I along with Saraswati, a fellow play-backer put up the first performance and we nailed it. It was the perfect start to a long, long journey. The memories of that first performance are still very fresh in my mind. It was a totally different experience for me. I had never before performed in an office space to people standing all around me. I had never performed to a responsive audience before. This time we were there just make conversation with them, that too while performing. It was a challenge, with over a couple hundred, bored and tired BPO employees, that too on a Monday morning all around us in their den, we needed to make merry. We did. We felt amazing after that first performance. It was like a rush of excitement which was just beginning to kick in. It just kept growing. Very soon, after another couple of performances I got used to the space, the dead, sleepy and tired faces of so many bored twenty-somethings.
The third performance was the only low-point of the entire journey for me. We worked really hard and got an absolutely dead audience, unresponsive, quiet, mum and disinterested. We needed to up ourselves a little for such crowds and we did, soon we found better ways of using the spaces, we started doing without the microphones. Went and probed in a little more, got them talking and had a blast wherever we went from there. It was an amazing feeling. I felt something maturing in me over every performance. There were innovative techniques and gestures that I would come up with after each performance. Very soon I found myself measuring the crowd before each performance and began varying my style accordingly.
The trip to Delhi was also another high point. The crowd was totally different from what we had performed to back here in Bangalore. We changed our lingo a little to go with the crowd and tried new things which worked well for us. My last performance, I must admit, was to the toughest crowd throughout the journey. But we hit a six off the last ball. We watched the ball disappear into the crowds and got the same runners high at the end of a run.
It was definitely one of the most unforgettable experiences for me. I entirely felt myself mature as an actor. Now, I feel great. Indeed, “HIGH” PERFORMANCE ... DELIVERED!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
channelising energies
Wednesday was a difficult day at work. I was running around the college campus looking for the Principal’s signatures on the posters to put them up. He wasn’t around. I worked on a power point presentation for a future training programme for a corporate. The entire thing came up in 25 minutes. It was another experience. I will remember, coming up with art in such little time is always demanding. It came out well in the end. It was a great day, very satisfactory as all the posters were finally put up all around the campus.
Thursday was a bad, bad day. THIS IS NOT IN CONCERN WITH THE WORK. Early in the morning as I was running up the office stairs I lost my cell phone. I was put off for the entire day. I was furious. But then I found a way to channelize all the negative energy. I came up with an astounding poster for the Proscenium Theatre Workshop. It gave me a lot of confidence. I felt great. We went and got it printed and felt great. But we had forgotten about the University logo. It was great that I made a mistake. There was something which I could carry forward. But the entire morning incident had put me off to such a great extent. I just couldn’t work on any longer. I took it easy after that.
Learning for the day: I went looking for what was lost.
Thursday was a bad, bad day. THIS IS NOT IN CONCERN WITH THE WORK. Early in the morning as I was running up the office stairs I lost my cell phone. I was put off for the entire day. I was furious. But then I found a way to channelize all the negative energy. I came up with an astounding poster for the Proscenium Theatre Workshop. It gave me a lot of confidence. I felt great. We went and got it printed and felt great. But we had forgotten about the University logo. It was great that I made a mistake. There was something which I could carry forward. But the entire morning incident had put me off to such a great extent. I just couldn’t work on any longer. I took it easy after that.
Learning for the day: I went looking for what was lost.
the adventure begins-again
After such an eventful week, I couldn’t have expected more adventure. But that was not the case on this Monday morning. The start was indeed as eventful as last week if not more. There was a lot to do yet again.
I began with a great session of applied theatre. Since there was so much to reflect on after last week, it was a very interesting session. There were so many instances which I could relate to the book. Later in the afternoon I went to the various dailies in town for the press releases. It was an adventurous and taxing session. Running around, it took me a lot of town to get the work done. We hope all goes on well. We are eagerly anticipating the press releases. It seriously was a task of patience.
Learning of the day: We all come into this world with certain objectives and missions; with a longing to do something from deep within. But most of us fail to recognise and harness it. We fail to get the thunder in our hooves.
Tuesday was another great day. My artistic talents came to the fore, talents which I never knew I possessed. I worked on the posters for advertisement of the Playback Theatre workshop. I went and got them printed and was more than just satisfied with the outcome of the day. There was so much to learn from the entire day. This included bargaining with the printing department at Staples. Something I’m just not good at. I was finally satisfied when I saw a few posters on the boards of the college. It was a great feeling. There will be an even better felling when enquiries begin to flow in regarding the workshops. Later in the evening, I visited the office of the Indian Express, as I could not send in the press release there on Monday evening.
Learning of the day: Mostly, we do not practice our highest gifts because we don’t know what they are. We never realise that if something comes naturally and easily to us, it is mostly a gift. We never nurture it or make room for it in our lives and which is why it all dies out after a certain point in time. The only way one can find the highest gift is by following the heart.
I began with a great session of applied theatre. Since there was so much to reflect on after last week, it was a very interesting session. There were so many instances which I could relate to the book. Later in the afternoon I went to the various dailies in town for the press releases. It was an adventurous and taxing session. Running around, it took me a lot of town to get the work done. We hope all goes on well. We are eagerly anticipating the press releases. It seriously was a task of patience.
Learning of the day: We all come into this world with certain objectives and missions; with a longing to do something from deep within. But most of us fail to recognise and harness it. We fail to get the thunder in our hooves.
Tuesday was another great day. My artistic talents came to the fore, talents which I never knew I possessed. I worked on the posters for advertisement of the Playback Theatre workshop. I went and got them printed and was more than just satisfied with the outcome of the day. There was so much to learn from the entire day. This included bargaining with the printing department at Staples. Something I’m just not good at. I was finally satisfied when I saw a few posters on the boards of the college. It was a great feeling. There will be an even better felling when enquiries begin to flow in regarding the workshops. Later in the evening, I visited the office of the Indian Express, as I could not send in the press release there on Monday evening.
Learning of the day: Mostly, we do not practice our highest gifts because we don’t know what they are. We never realise that if something comes naturally and easily to us, it is mostly a gift. We never nurture it or make room for it in our lives and which is why it all dies out after a certain point in time. The only way one can find the highest gift is by following the heart.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Thursdy, Friday, Saturday
Time has been the biggest enemy for me in the last few days. Continuing from where I left, Thursday was another great, eventful day.
The whole day involved tremendous amount of field work. I and Shivaraj were running around the University Campus looking for contacts in the press and for holding meetings for our upcoming workshops. It was a tedious job. Was a great day overall.
Friday was a great day as well. Although I did get frustrated and angry at times, I was contented by the end of the day as I had experienced a lot. Early in the day, a person form the international affairs department came into the office and asked us to change the entire presentation for Saturday’s performance. It was tasking and we needed to change it by the evening, it was difficult and challenging, but it was fun. I put in a lot of effort but as I showed them what they had asked for, they found an error in that too. The error was just what they had asked me to add to the presentation. It really put me off. I spent the entire day adding the material and by of it, the wanted me to remove it again. But I still carried the right lesson forward, completed the task with perfection and understood that time was money.
Finally the longest day arrived. The show was scheduled for the evening and the rehearsals happened in the morning hours. I was at work for almost the entire day. It was great fun and the show was just amazing, although I couldn’t watch most of it. The week ended on a great high.
The whole day involved tremendous amount of field work. I and Shivaraj were running around the University Campus looking for contacts in the press and for holding meetings for our upcoming workshops. It was a tedious job. Was a great day overall.
Friday was a great day as well. Although I did get frustrated and angry at times, I was contented by the end of the day as I had experienced a lot. Early in the day, a person form the international affairs department came into the office and asked us to change the entire presentation for Saturday’s performance. It was tasking and we needed to change it by the evening, it was difficult and challenging, but it was fun. I put in a lot of effort but as I showed them what they had asked for, they found an error in that too. The error was just what they had asked me to add to the presentation. It really put me off. I spent the entire day adding the material and by of it, the wanted me to remove it again. But I still carried the right lesson forward, completed the task with perfection and understood that time was money.
Finally the longest day arrived. The show was scheduled for the evening and the rehearsals happened in the morning hours. I was at work for almost the entire day. It was great fun and the show was just amazing, although I couldn’t watch most of it. The week ended on a great high.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
intense workouts
Three weeks into my internship with Script Peoples Theatre, I feel great about the entire situation. A sense of belonging to the place has set in to me. I know for sure that this time around I’m in the right place.
It was a great Monday after a nice weekend. I completed another part of the book, Jesus in Blue Jeans. There actually is so much around us to learn from which we tend to overlook. Every person, every situation, a journey, a meal, a song has so much to tell that we cannot imagine. But we overlook it all. We do not have time to process the information going into our minds. The book has helped me immensely. There is an evident change which I can feel coming into myself.
This week has been really hectic for me. There have been so many things going on all around; I haven’t even found time to regularly update my posts. The week started off with my whole marketing day. I was busy working on videos for upcoming workshops. It almost took up my entire day.
On Tuesday, we were busy working on the press releases and documentation of all the material for the same. Yet again, it was a difficult day but by the end of it all, we were content on having all the material ready for being sent in. It was amazing feeling as how so much was going on all around me, simultaneously.
Come Wednesday, came in a new challenge. There is a seminar going to be held for the international students on Saturday. We needed to create a 5-6 minute visual for them. It is based on the song We are the World by Michael Jackson. It was a difficult challenge. We’re halfway through it and we hope to complete it as soon as possible.
This is a gist of my eventful week so far as all the three days so far, I have been involved in different projects. There is such a tremendous high at the end of each day’s work that one wants to come back for the surprises of the next day.
I sincerely apologise for not being able to update the blog posts on regular intervals. Cheers to all.
It was a great Monday after a nice weekend. I completed another part of the book, Jesus in Blue Jeans. There actually is so much around us to learn from which we tend to overlook. Every person, every situation, a journey, a meal, a song has so much to tell that we cannot imagine. But we overlook it all. We do not have time to process the information going into our minds. The book has helped me immensely. There is an evident change which I can feel coming into myself.
This week has been really hectic for me. There have been so many things going on all around; I haven’t even found time to regularly update my posts. The week started off with my whole marketing day. I was busy working on videos for upcoming workshops. It almost took up my entire day.
On Tuesday, we were busy working on the press releases and documentation of all the material for the same. Yet again, it was a difficult day but by the end of it all, we were content on having all the material ready for being sent in. It was amazing feeling as how so much was going on all around me, simultaneously.
Come Wednesday, came in a new challenge. There is a seminar going to be held for the international students on Saturday. We needed to create a 5-6 minute visual for them. It is based on the song We are the World by Michael Jackson. It was a difficult challenge. We’re halfway through it and we hope to complete it as soon as possible.
This is a gist of my eventful week so far as all the three days so far, I have been involved in different projects. There is such a tremendous high at the end of each day’s work that one wants to come back for the surprises of the next day.
I sincerely apologise for not being able to update the blog posts on regular intervals. Cheers to all.
Monday, November 10, 2008
successful launch....cruising time.
After a good night’s sleep and good healthy homemade food, I felt in great shape to come to work today. Another Saturday was passing as I completed three weeks of my internship with Script Peoples Theatre. I felt great. I had done so much in such little time; it was just an amazing feeling.
I began with my reading session, and then I worked on the marketing strategy for the workshops and finished with my blog session for the day. It went smooth as ever. Like always I learnt a lot. But more than all of that, I have a feeling of success; tremendous amount of confidence has come into me as I can foresee myself 6 months from now. I can what I would be, I feel differently from what I always felt about myself. I find myself so busy that I do not realise how quickly time had passed by. In a month’s time from now, I would be independently conducting a workshop for thirty students of the twelfth standard. It is such an amazing feeling; all of a sudden life feels so much more exciting and fulfilling.
I feel successful because my ‘BIG DECISION’ paid off amazingly well and I feel great about it. I am looking forward to the many more weeks to come with Script Peoples Theatre.
I began with my reading session, and then I worked on the marketing strategy for the workshops and finished with my blog session for the day. It went smooth as ever. Like always I learnt a lot. But more than all of that, I have a feeling of success; tremendous amount of confidence has come into me as I can foresee myself 6 months from now. I can what I would be, I feel differently from what I always felt about myself. I find myself so busy that I do not realise how quickly time had passed by. In a month’s time from now, I would be independently conducting a workshop for thirty students of the twelfth standard. It is such an amazing feeling; all of a sudden life feels so much more exciting and fulfilling.
I feel successful because my ‘BIG DECISION’ paid off amazingly well and I feel great about it. I am looking forward to the many more weeks to come with Script Peoples Theatre.
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