A Message from NWPL Co-Directors

“A stage space has two rules: (1) Anything can happen and (2) Something must happen.”
-Peter Brook

Greetings, dear friends–

Peter Brook’s two rules apply not only to stage space, but to life space as well. We are in the midst of anything happening and something happening. On Sunday, March 15, the actors of Passion’s Play, New World Performance Lab’s newly devised performance-in-process, gathered two months of improvisations, scenes, songs, and actions into a rough draft of a script. In compliance with the order from the City of Akron, as of Monday, March 16, we have temporarily closed the CATAC/NWPL office and The Balch Street Theatre rehearsal/performance space. All administrative operations are occurring remotely, and the actors are at home working on their craft. Although rehearsals, performances, and  events have been indefinitely postponed, the members of NWPL continue their work from remote locations.

In the meantime, we are looking for new ways to engage with you, our friends, our supporters, our community–both energetically and virtually. Watch for some ideas from us in the next few days about how we will try to mark these crucial times. And as soon as we can, we will update you on dates for the restart of in-person events and performances.

NWPL stands in solidarity with our friends  throughout the world who have been touched by this pandemic. And our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and community here in Akron, we are with you as the world changes around us, as anything happens and something happens.

We will keep the flame lit until we can fill The Balch Street Theatre again with songs and stories, dance through the night, and embrace each other and the challenge of theatre.

Yours truly,

New World Performance Lab