Since 2019, WAM Theatre has held space for local women ages 65 + to create original theatre together as the Elder Ensemble. This year, as we took another big step out of the pandemic season, both returning and new members were eager to regather and make something new! I was thrilled to have the opportunity to witness the depth of their connection and the magic of their collective process from the very beginning.
The Elder Ensemble had a soft start last Fall, with a gathering and listening session, where prospective participants were invited to share some of their unique needs, hopes, and visions for a new collaboration. In line with themes in WAM’s production of What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Scheck, I suggested building work around the theme of bodily sovereignty. I framed this as an orientation, affirmation, and practice of agency and freedom in relation to one’s own body and the stories it chooses to tell.
“Do you hear me?” – Flo, 2023 Elder Ensemble Member.
In mid-March, as soon as Spring started to peak its head out, we started meeting weekly, building a relational container and creative foundation for the development of new work. All eleven members of the ensemble hit the ground running by creating and sharing original work on the prompt of “What makes you feel free?” From poems to monologues to choreography, we already had a rich sampling of the diverse artistry of this incredible group of women.
“Freedom in many ways means many different things to different folks, yet in this group there were threads of commonality that we all felt were freedom. Especially felt it created such a positive place to feel good being older.”
2023 Elder Ensemble Member
The Elder Ensemble completed their performance with a Hug Tableaux.
Using devised theatre, which invited a wide variety of theatre, writing and movement activities, the group began to hone in on themes including freedom, aging, illness, and versions of self through time. Along the way, Guest Teaching Artists contributed their expertise by leading workshops with the group: Jean Minuchin facilitated a generative workshop on Character-Building with images and movement and Amy Brentano facilitated a workshop on Devised Theatre incorporating repetition, movement, and music. With each experiment, the Elder Ensemble was invited and affirmed in making choices about how to participate physically, relationally, and imaginatively. The sense of connection that came to life in the room between ensemble members was often verbally named and tangibly felt.
“I learned how to pace myself. I learned how to trust the other women.”
2023 Elder Ensemble Member
At the culmination of their eight-week exploration, the group performed in an invite-only sharing at the WAM Hub in Lenox. Having each identified an individual piece to highlight and share for an audience, the ensemble members weaved in and out of one another’s pieces, layering in different forms of movement, vocal interaction, and notably, group hugs. By the end of the performance, more than a few tears had been shed by the audience, and the collective power and love in the room was palpable.
“We all expressed ourselves differently and had the space to hear each other with an open heart. We all want to be heard and to listen.”
2023 Elder Ensemble Member
More information about WAM Theatre’s Elder Ensemble can be found here.
By Kaia Jackson, WAM Director of Community Engagement