Over the course of last week, all 4 of our ensembles met for orientation - in person and online - to discuss the spring semester.
This semester, A.B.L.E. is hosting ensembles in person for the first time in over 2 years! We have 3 in-person ensembles (Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday) who will be meeting every week at the Menomonee Club Drucker Center. It was so exciting to step back into the studio, reconnect, and get to see each other in real life. We have a few new folks joining us this semester, and some actors and facilitators who we’ve only met through a computer screen.
Actors, parents, and staff from the Tuesday ensemble reach their arms to each other as they recite “I Take from the Heavens” - it’s very different without Zoom lag!
We also still have 1 Virtual Ensemble on Monday nights. That allows a safe space for our friends who aren’t ready to be back in person, and also allows us to welcome participants and facilitators from both near and far! This semester, we have folks Zooming in from Arizona, New York, Colorado, Wisconsin, and Maine. As with our past virtual semesters, we mailed out special kits to all of the actors, facilitators, and teaching artists in the virtual ensemble with resources, activities, props, and more to help them stay engaged from their own homes.
Orientation is an important time for our ensembles to connect. We invite parents and other caregivers and supporters to join us to meet our teaching team and unite around our plans and goals for the semester. This semester will look a little different for A.B.L.E.’s ensembles. This semester is all about PLAY! We'll try out new activities, revisit old favorites, and re-discover the joy of theatre making in a low-pressure environment. Instead of ending with a traditional performance, we will host a livestream class for guests to get an inside look at our process. We’re excited to have more relaxed time to focus on being together in the moment, and having fun. Each ensemble will be exploring things like Shakespeare, puppetry, creating their own characters, diving into self reflection, and more.
