Allie Lalonde, SITI Company’s wizard of communications and development, is also simultaneously writing her final thesis paper in completion of the MFA requirements for Columbia University’s… more

Impressions of the ConArtists after a week-long residency at Double Edge Theatre with the SITI Company By Ria Samartzi Thinking back on our time in Ashfield many images come to mind, training in the… more

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.  (André Gide)In 1947 Nina Vance, who at the time had only $2.17 in her handbag but was determined to start a new… more

Several years ago the performance artist and composer Laurie Anderson spoke with my directing students at Columbia University and advised them never to relate their dreams to other people. "No one… more

A number of years ago I co-taught a class for graduate directors and actors at Columbia University with Kristin Linklater.  One afternoon I mentioned to Kristin that in order to catch a Metro North… more

Several years ago I conducted a ten-day Viewpoints workshop at PlayMakers Repertory Company in Chapel Hill, North Carolina with members of the PlayMakers Company and graduate students from the… more

Impressions of a (Press) Opening Persians-Getty Villa Sept 3, 2014  God knows we wondered over the weeks of rehearsal if this could really be done.  Reading and studying 3 different plays over a… more

We started again yesterday after a luxurious and much-needed two days off. Our bodies and brains needed it - some time to rest and gain a little perspective on all that we have been immersed in.

How does it all begin... Bondo's beginning line from Antigone ringsthrough my mind. I love that line, repeated over and over again inthat script, and how Bondo delivered it.Where are we?What are we… more

While a child or children aren't as large a part of the story of this piece as they are in Trojan Women there are a few lines that speak of them. For instance, describing the Persians waiting for news… more

Well, another stage in SITI's journey with the Greeks and the Getty Villa began today. The challenge this time around is to do a full production of Aeschylus' The Persians, or as we have decided to… more

Hello everyone, Anne gave me an amazing note a few days ago with a sentiment I'd like to share.  She reminded me that, even in the midst of this tragic story, I can be open to experience joy… more

Today saw our first preview performance of Persians.Working on plays at the Getty, we are faced in effect with two missions. One is that we are charged with honoring the play as an artifact. An object… more

Invited Dress rehearsal from 8pm. We did it! Learned a lot more about our “Persians” performing in front of some 100 audience. Thank you to people who came.   10:02pm I saw some Getty staff… more

It is the last day of the fifth week for rehearsals of Persians. Its now that we start to recognize that we could be the fifth Month, and only have just begun to plumb the depths of this magnificent… more

We are in tech! When did this happen? How did we get here?Time has been incredibly slippery these last few weeks.  It feels, at moments, like we are on a runaway train...it feels possible that we… more