WildWind Reflection

After a harrowing seventeen hour journey back to New York, Jarod and I were of course exhausted but were also still exhilarated from our two week WildWind adventure.  It was one of those crazy experiences where it felt as if we had been gone forever-- yet it passed in just the blink of an eye.  We loved the ritual of morning training and research and truly appreciated how each artist brought their all to the studio and met the work head on.  Not an easy task in the midst of long days and hours of dipping into the unknown, especially since participants came from all aspects of theatre making.  Exciting!  

We know it’s been said before but it can’t be said enough, Dr. Charney is a national treasure! He is a true inspiration, an innovative thinker and a committed champion for his students.  It would be impossible to thank him enough for the tireless hours of work he puts forth to make WildWind Performance Lab a reality and for including us in the experience.  We would also be amiss if we didn’t say out loud how awesome Jason Beasley is. Charming, funny, efficient and generous, Jason is a perfect representative for the Lab.  

We were moved on many occasions by the curiosity, risk-taking and creative spirits of Randall Rapstine and Evangeline Jimenez  and impressed with everyone’s willingness to jump in with open hearts and minds.  We thoroughly enjoyed the artistic interaction with these artists and watching their concepts manifest in theatrical form.  We missed the presence of the Irions our second week and the opportunity to work with them further.  We may have had to leave Lubbock but we still feel one hundred percent committed to these projects and will follow their progress with great interest. 

It was stimulating and an honor to interact with so many different perspectives and backgrounds from both guest artists and students alike.   WildWind Performance Lab may be in just its second year but it is already proving to be an experiment of huge national importance.  We look forward to seeing where the experiment will take the Lab and what future years will bring. Let the wild winds blow, let creativity abound and let us change the world.