Cast and Crew in the Circle of Truth

The 1/2 Hour Circle of Truth sets the stage for organic rehearsals

Happy New Year!

We're taking another look this week at organic rehearsals, with input from Manuel Leybas (Manny), who learned the principles of organic acting under the mentorship Dr. Jerry L. Crawford, who gave the method its name. Mr. Leybas put those principles into practice for decades as drama director at Casa Grande Union High School in Arizona. He shows up by name in two of Crawford's books about the art of acting.

We've written in the past about organic auditioning and organic reading rehearsals. This week, we're treating this more like an interview. Manny gives us a little more insight into the most effective way to begin reading rehearsals, with The Circle of Truth. Then I raise my questions. We'd love your thoughts and questions as well.

Manny:

Either on the first day of a beginning organic acting class or on the first day of an organic rehearsal, the same types of questions are asked of the performance ensemble participants. That initial question—along with all others—must be answered so the entire group can hear the responses. Only the artist leader or teacher asks the questions. The actors or crew members answer them.

Let me give the reader a visual representation of what this looks like. All assembled cast and crew members sit in a large circle on the floor, making sure everyone can see one another. If there are older or physically impaired artists, the entire group may sit in chairs instead. The floor is preferred, as sitting on the ground helps each person feel connected to the earth—or symbolically connected to the show. It is not recommended that some participants sit on the floor while others sit in chairs. Equality is extremely important. We are all the same. In organic acting, the production director is known as the artist leader. Once again, all artists are equal.

The designated artist leader or acting class teacher begins the process by asking a question. The individual immediately to the right of the speaker answers in a voice loud enough for the entire group to hear. If the group does not hear the reply, nothing is said. The only person allowed to speak is the one who has been given the floor. The replies continue, moving to the next person to the right of the last speaker, until the circle returns to the artist leader who asked the first question.

Cast or class members may submit questions to the artist leader before the circle begins, if they so desire. The leader may or may not choose to use all submitted questions.

The first question in the “Circle of Truth” is always the same: Why do actors act?

As one might deduce, there is no right or wrong answer. Many participants may want to say the same thing, but the group has been encouraged to “tell the truth” as each person understands it. If a participant hears something that mirrors what they intended to say, the next artist must reframe or offer a different interpretation of the idea already shared.

This process also teaches the ensemble to overcome the fear of volunteering or sharing first. The reason for this approach is simple and clear: if everyone says the same thing, it is distinctly possible that the group is afraid to reveal their inner truth and is, in effect, lying to one another.

The “Circle of Truth” begins to build trust within the cast and crew. Each rehearsal starts with the circle and lasts no longer than 30 minutes.

First-day-of-class questions asked in the Circle of Truth might include:

• Why am I in this class or production?

• What is one thing I have never told anyone before?

• What could my character learn from me?

• What have I learned from my character or my crew assignment thus far?

• What is my greatest fear?

• What is my character’s—or my past crew assignment’s—happiest moment?

• Why do you think Maria von Trapp, Russel Crouse, and Howard Lindsay wrote The Sound of Music?

(I use The Sound of Music as an example. The name of any production currently being produced would be used in the Circle of Truth.)

Rebecca: I love this! I'm understanding that the Circle of Truth achieves several important things:

1. It creates a safe space for cast and crew to begin sharing their inner world with each other

2. It begins the process of sharing our inner worlds with each other, which creates a team spirit

3. It establishes a sense of equality among all cast and crew

4. It starts rookies on the journey of speaking in a way that can be heard by everyone

With all that in mind, I feel a desire to invite appropriate vulnerability, without inviting not-yet -appropriate vulnerability.

Manny:  I keep returning to my first example of disclosure: admitting that I once ate a banana for breakfast at 3:00 a.m. In the circle, participants quickly discover that some members have been waiting for an opportunity to release a deeply traumatic moment from their past, while others simply want to share a small piece of their private selves—to see whether anyone else has ever had the same experience.

Over time, the group naturally learns to respect and protect one another’s stage of self-revelation, no matter what is shared. Where I continue to encounter challenges is when people want to know more about what was stated in the circle outside of the round. That is absolutely forbidden. On occasion, someone in the circle has said, “I want everyone to know that I don’t mind sharing questions about this personal event outside of the circle,” and so on.

Rebecca: I find I'm still a little hesitant because we're establishing an expectation of confidentiality with people who may still be learning how to honour confidentiality. We're inviting them to hold each other's disclosures sacred, and if they do, this will help them to develop trust for each other. If they don't, then we're going to have to work together to rebuild trust -- or figure out how to safely work together with an understanding of where trust cannot be given. So we don't want anybody to share anything that opens them up to destabilizing consequences if someone on the cast or crew fails to keep their disclosures confidential. What tips do you have for encouraging an appropriate level of vulnerability and discouraging oversharing that could create problems for the individual or the group?

Manny: That type of disclosure is sometimes modeled by the group leader as an example. No one is ever pressured to say anything beyond what they want to share.

That said, I have occasionally needed to demonstrate one practice round to illustrate the wide range of possible self-disclosure. Even a statement such as, “We don’t want anyone to share anything that could open them up to destabilizing consequences if someone on the cast or crew fails to keep disclosures confidential,” can directly address that very real concern.

Rebecca: I appreciate the suggestion to address this head on. This issue feels particularly important to me, because I’m using musical theatre as a tool for bridging deep divides. In addition to significant cultural differences, we are also dealing with a socio-economic divide. Some of our group will be from homes that struggle with profound poverty, chemical dependency, and domestic abuse. Others will come from homes where such struggles are deeply stigmatized.

Manny: The pre-frame of this activity is crucial.

What often happens is that fear—as I define it, “lack of preparation”—takes over, and people begin to fear the resurfacing of past trauma. Yet this activity frequently teaches participants, “I am not alone in what has happened in my past.” That realization alone can provide strength, even if the event itself is never disclosed in the circle. It allows individuals to stop carrying the weight of their experiences in isolation.

Rebecca: Thank you Manny. This discussion has me pondering on the potential life-altering impact of a dramatic production where cast and crew are engaging their whole selves and feeling safe to show up as they really are. I'm going to be thinking about this for some time. And I'm excited to hear what thoughts and questions our readers have about it as well.

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