Crew Spotlight: JD Durst

“glass of fashion and the mould of form”

-Ophelia, Hamlet

We’re so thrilled to spotlight our amazing JD Durst. JD has been doing incredible work for us for years! You saw his leather work in the belts and holsters in Romeo and Juliet, his prop artistry in Caesar’s cart, and now his weapons and leather expertise in Undiscovered Country. Working with someone who has such expansive knowledge and such artistry is a joy. Hear what JD has to say about working with We!

What was your first show with We?
2010’s Hamlet on Alcatraz

How would you describe working with We in 4 words?
Fresh, empowering, rewarding, intriguing

Describe your favorite We Players memory. 
The exploration of Grendel’s plight in BEOWULF.

What is your favorite thing about working on Undiscovered Country?
The fact Bingo (the dog) gets to visit the set.

What has been surprising about this process? 
It comes as no surprise that everything is met with a welcoming warmth and acceptance.

Don’t miss JD’s beautiful work in Undiscovered Country!
Only 4 performances left! 

Crew Spotlight: Brooke Jennings

“By his cockle hat and staff,
And his sandal shoon”

-Ophelia, Hamlet

Spotlight on our resident costume designer and frequent collaborator, Brooke Jennings!

The costumes in a show are not only an integral part of the audience’s experience but also of the actors. They shape the character from the inside out! Hear from Brooke about her experience working with We and check out her note in the Undiscovered Country program about the special We Players paisley!

What was your first show with We?

Ondine at Sutro, in 2015

How would you describe working with We in 4 words?

Expansive, Detailed, Grounded

Describe your favorite We Players memory.

Sharing the We experience with a new audience member always leads to my most cherished moments. So in that vein, I’ll share an extra special moment with you all.

My partner, Cole, and I first started dating during Romeo and Juliet at Petaluma Adobe. He had yet to see a We Players Show at this point (I know!), so naturally he was my date on opening night. The show begins in the usual We flurry; gun shots, leather clad rancheros, and the audience looking on with our canteens of wine and napsacks of cheese and crackers. The bells ring in the distance and it’s time for the Ball! We are all given black lace masks; I help Cole tie his and he helps me with mine. To the sound of trumpets, we dance in the middle of the courtyard in the beautiful hills of Petaluma with the actors, staff, fellow audience members, and each other. We laughed, fumbled, and sealed our small moment with a kiss just before Romeo and Juliet lock eyes for the first time.

What is your favorite thing about working on Undiscovered Country?

The expansive quality of We shows usually requires my work to draw and hold audiences attention against roaring cliff sides, sweltering trails, and dense forests. No easy feat given the stunning natural beauty of our performance sites! And while I am deeply grateful for the gift of nature in our shows, this production feels much more distilled. It is a concentrated version of We shows, allowing me to explore detail and precision in the work.

What has been surprising about this process?

The Paisley Research! It’s so satisfying when you stumble onto a treasure chest like this one. The history and story fits so well into our aesthetic for this piece and I learned so much delicious information about a subject I hadn’t really considered before. [Read more about the paisleys in the Undiscovered Country program guide]

Also, pocket soup! Look up a recipe, it’s a real cowboy treat!

Don’t miss Brooke’s costumes in Undiscovered Country- the final four performances are here, so get your ticket today!

BEOWULF crew spotlight: Ellen Boener

We knew Ellen was a We Player when she drove all the way from Florida and slept in a barn to help us with Romeo and Juliet last summer! We're so glad she's back in action for BEOWULF. We are so grateful to our crew; their work doesn't always get as much attention but it is absolutely necessary to the show! Here are some insights from Ellen:

Describe your experience of this collaborative process. How is it similar or different from past projects/ experiences?

Ellen Boener: I have been a part of collaborative processes before in school but this was my first experience working alongside professionals to devise an original script. It was fascinating to see where techniques differed or meshed. The “games” used to generate material are similar across the board. It’s always about putting things on their feet with a set of basic rules (mirroring, repetition, word games, etc.). Having an outside eye let me deconstruct the evolution of the piece and track ideas that grew or dissipated. The biggest difference was the amount of record keeping we did during the rehearsal process. Nearly every iteration of the scenes were captured on video and notated.

Describe Beowulf in four words.

Ellen Boener: Everything falls. Honor optional.

Share a funny or memorable moment, anecdote, or quote from the process thus far.

Ellen Boener: I often like to award arbitrary points to the BEOWULF collaborators. Steve Adams once got 20 points for playing the Jeopardy Theme while waiting for a cue!

Check back to learn more about our other collaborators, join us on Saturday or Sunday at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park for BEOWULF's opening weekend! 
http://www.weplayers.org/beowulf-2017