From a the idea of a Noh Stage to the creation of a Russian Constructivist Stage

For many years I had the idea we were going to build a Noh Stage, a simple, elegant Japanese puppet theatre stage, one line, out doors, maybe a thrust or two, with a little house for the musicians. In these last years I had the idea that we would build our Noh stage so it incorporated the white birch near the shelter where Dan stayed and where Tania stays, and where Katah now has her summer studio. I cut the trees and Bert French pulled the stumps. The ground is cleared.

   I am startled by the Russian Constructivist stage, like a great uncontrolled upsurge of Dostoyevsky energy, the result of reading to many Russian novels. Here is a partial list of the theatre workers who sent it on to us: Trotsky, Stanislavski, Popova, Rodchenko, Tatlin, Malevich, Diaghilev, Roerich, Nijinsky, Stravinsky. This new stage seemed to leap out of the ground. It sprung from the ground fully formed. Nothing simple about it, this stage is convoluted with its many entrances and passages, dramatic with its bridges and stairways, impassioned with its upper and lower performing  areas, suspenseful with its catwalks and scaffoldings, theatrical with its  foregrounds and backgrounds and alarming with its ladders and flagpoles! Hypnotizing with its bright lights and dark pockets.

 I am amazed to see our new stage divide the world into above and below, we played it as the earth and the underworld, inner and outer, darker and lighter, what can be seen and what is hidden.

 This stage is an architectural manifestation of the theatrical idea that a dramatic scene is created from conflict.

   Facing the amphitheatre, we carved out last year, the Russian Constructivist Stage with its big central gate also creates an arena.

  We could do Mini Roman Circuses there. Bull Fights! Chariots, Christians to the Lions! “Androcles and the Lion”

    I love coming onto the stage through that middle entrance, which we might have to rebuild a little taller and wider so that it looks like the Great Gate I feel that it is when I come running through it onto the central stage. 

    The structure calls out for further developments; a backstage staging area that is dry, big enough to preset whole shows.

 Safe, electric shock proof and fireproof, reliable, power and sound. 

   Seats! So help me I never considered seats before! 

   Lights! 

   How can we go on with out a third level? Clearly, our new stage represents the underworld and the world of everyday life, a third level will give us a heaven too. The flagpoles carried our effigy up there, into the heavens, right into the night sky.

   Don’t you feel that our new stage lacks a projection area for slides and movies? Is that feeling what led us to the repeated shadow representations this summer?

  Whenever I go out there I hear the stage calling out for aerial cables to launch the flying gods and demons.

 Ross Calabrese was the head carpenter, my brother Mark and Justin helped as did Jerome and Peter,

 Could we put a roof over the whole thing?

Friends, we have taken a big step forward!

   Sam and Katah on Hunger Mountain