from Sarah Rose Graber

My work with Northlight Theatre began in 2006 when I was asked to co-direct a production of Schoolhouse Rock Live Jr. Since then I’ve taught numerous residencies, workshops, master classes, directed summer camp productions and understudied for our mainstage shows. Northlight has been an artistic home for me since the moment I graduated from Northwestern University, trusting and supporting my work as an artist.

As an art maker and teaching artist, devising theatre has taken my focus as of late. This type of theatre is a form of collaborative creation in which a director, playwright, actors and designers all work together to create a piece of theatre inspired by a certain topic. The piece may not be replicable, but rather a true representation of the skill sets and greater brain trust of the entire group. This style of working builds community among the creators and strives to re-invent the play experience. This is done through defying the traditional conventions of the theatre by pushing past the hierarchical models of play making and breaking down the playwright driven process. One person’s idea can inspire another person, which in turn works to create the strongest piece of art. An ensemble will generate a range of content around a topic, only to trim things away until we have selected the most meaningful moments.

While in its infancy in the US, this process is used widely in the UK at a myriad of companies with people like Joan Littlewood and Peter Brook. Unlike many American theatres, UK companies receive national funding from the Arts Council annually. This gives them the monetary support for greater risk taking and allowing more time for the creation of new work. Since devising is a longer process, the more time spent in the rehearsal room means less money made from ticket sales.

Since there is no MFA in Devising, devising artists must educate themselves. As a result, I decided to apply for a Fulbright with the intention of creating my own MFA in Devising by breaking down the courses I would otherwise find in a training institution and finding professional theaters that specialize in those areas of theatre making. In order to gain the skills necessary in a devising curriculum, I would need to have the following courses: ethnographic research, working with non-identifying artist/community members, universal languages in performance (movement, visual spectacle and music), site specific work, ensemble driven creation, directing and playwriting.
The process of applying for a Fulbright is long and involved, but I knew I wanted to learn more and it was the perfect opportunity to go study with companies doing work I admired. I refined my proposal ideas and met with friends and mentors who provided feedback and insight before I submitted my proposal. My application was passed along through several phases and interviews until I was officially recommended to the UK committee in which they read through my application and performed a phone interview. Being that the UK is English speaking and a major international hub for many industries, it is one of the most competitive with the highest number of applicants. Needless to say, it’s an incredible honor to receive this grant.

For my Fulbright, I’ll be in Glasgow first, working on a new devised play with the National Theatre of Scotland called the High Rise Project. Then I’ll be in London with the Shunt Collective doing site specific, spectacle-based performance and with Frantic Assembly exploring the more abstract non-verbal languages in performance (gesture work, visual art and music). After that I’ll be in Manchester with Quarantine Theatre, where I’ll be learning more about ethnographic research in performance and working with non-identifying artists/community members and finishing up in Cornwall to learn from Kneehigh Theatre about the process of navigating an ensemble as a director, playwright and actor.

It is my intention to return to Chicago with an arsenal of devising tools and performance experiences that will enhance my work as an artist and educator. I am greatly looking forward to this opportunity and what it will mean for my work with Northlight theatre. Northlight has always maintained a level of excellence that I’m honored to be part of and I’m eager to share these skills with our community upon my return.

Northlight Theatre was absolutely thrilled to hear about Sarah Rose Graber’s most recent accomplishment of being awarded the very prestigious Fulbright scholarship, an international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S.   Though the Education Department will be very sad to lose her this upcoming school year, we look forward to the new skills she’ll bring back to enhance her already dynamic and versatile teaching style. –Mechelle Moe, Director of Education

Sarah Rose Graber is an actress, director and teaching artist based in Chicago. Originally from Miami, she moved to Chicago to attend Northwestern University where she received the Circumnavigator Grant and her degree in Theatre and completed her thesis in Performance Studies. Graber is a proud company member with the Factory Theater, creating original work, with Adventure Stage Chicago, making theatre for young audiences, and with Knife & Fork, creating devised theatrical works that focus on our relationship to food and body politics. For more information, please visit www.SarahRoseGraber.com