Don’t Spill the Sacrament

Research focus

What is the power of silence in the process of making theatre? Do we let thoughtful silence fall in the rehearsal room? If we did, would the work grow? What is the role of non-verbal communication in the director/actor relationship? If directors increased our skill in this area – if we talked less – would actors reveal new subtleties of expression? Would silence lead us to uncover more profound resonances for the audience?

Collaborators and credits

Conrad Belau, Braden Griffiths, Helen Knight, Lara Schmitz, Kathryn Smith, Elizabeth Stepkowski, with Nightswimming’s Brian Quirt, Brittany Ryan and dramaturgy intern Jeff Ho, and Uof C’s Bruce Barton.

Eckhart-Grammate Auditorium, University of Calgary School of Creative and Performing Arts. Pure Research Calgary was part of a conference entitled Symbiont, which included a gathering of Nordic artists from Denmark, Iceland and Norway through the Performing Arts Relay, and a symposium of the Articulating Performance Research Seminar. All three activities were hosted by University of Calgary’s School of Creative and Performing Arts. November 12-14, 2018.