React Substack: 3/19/2025
Take a Peek Behind the Curtain
An Inside Look at Rehearsal with Georgeanna Smith Wade
This Substack is a play-by-play look into what a typical rehearsal at React looks like.
Where: The Athenaeum, Basile theatre and Small Auditorium
When: Thursday, March 13, 2025
Who: Georgeanna’s 8th-12th Grade Class
This Play is Based On: “In an Old Woodland” (Section 2) by Glenn Ward Dresbach
Warm Ups: Small Group Improvs
Students are prompted to come up with a planned improv parodying youth theatre. Many directors’ fashion choices are made fun of, and many jokes are cracked about nonprofit fundraising.
Intro to Rehearsal: Last Day of Devising!
Today is the deadline for Georgeanna and the cast to brainstorm, improv, and explore themes before decisions are made about the plot, characters, and central themes.
Exercise: Small Group Scene Building
The cast splits into groups of 5 to come up with their idea for what the opening scene of the play could be, each around a different plot point explored in earlier rehearsals. After each group has built their scene, they perform for the rest of the class, and Georgeanna and Ila Davis-Eastwick (assistant director and React alum) take notes to incorporate into the next phase of devising: script writing.
Small group presentation The scenes all explore the main character, a girl, and her relationship to a tree in a wood. Some were realistic and explored ideas of friendship and loneliness, while others explored the possibility of magic and connections with ancestors through nature. One even depicted a teenage girl who was so scared to grow up that she got stuck in time. She was stuck to her favorite tree, so she couldn’t age. Only when the tree died could she grow up.
Small group presentation After the scenes are presented, the group comes up with a list of possible scenes to open the play with, including: the 6th birthday party of the main character, the journey of a notebook through one character’s life, children meeting around the central tree, a sleepover-turned-adventure-through-the-woods, and an abstract representation of questions the play will ask the audience.
Cool Down: Time to Make Decisions
Georgeanna spends the last 5 minutes checking in with the cast about how they feel the devising process went, the direction of the show, and whether the show should have magic in it. The cast closes their eyes and votes anonymously on which ideas they want to continue pursuing.
Anonymous voting on ideas for next steps in the writing process. Coffee Break at React
Are you a current Athenaeum parent? Come have coffee with our Executive Director, Justin Wade, this Saturday, March 22nd, to peek into our rehearsals and dig deeper into what we do as an organization. Meet in the Athenaeum lobby, at:
Parents of Sandbox students: 10:15am
All other morning class parents: 12:00pm
All afternoon class parents: 1:30pm
Email our Managing Director, Fiona Dwyer (fiona@reactclasses.org), to let us know you’ll be stopping by!
Books Books Books
This edition’s book recommendation is In Colors of the West, a book of poetry by Glenn Ward Dresbach published in 1922. Dresbach was born in Illinois in 1889, and despite earning over 100 awards in poetry over his career, has come to be a minor American poet. “In an Old Woodland” and “River Songs” are two poems from this book that are the inspiration for Georgeanna’s 8th-12th grade class and Fiona Dwyer’s 4th-8th grade class this session.
Meet Our (Scene) Partners:
We just want to take a second to thank two of our new “scene” partners, who are supporting this session’s productions this May:
The Northside Social:
Located on the northern end of Broad Ripple Village, The Northside Social is a place for neighbors, visitors & friends to share a meal, relax and unwind in a chic, comfortable atmosphere. Opened in 2010, our seasonally changing menu draws from our love of traditional Indiana and southern cuisine, and shines a bright light on our use of only the freshest ingredients. We are delighted to share our passion for locally sourced, creative cuisine and thank you for continuing to dine with us.
Goodies & Giggles:
Check out the newest downtown toy store Goodies and Giggles located at 811 Massachusetts Ave. Carrying goodies for all ages including toys, books, games, gifts, and more.
Be sure to check out these two local businesses this session, and thank them for their support of React’s programming!
Peace,
The React Family
