A Love Letter for RLT

As Company Administrator, from time to time I have to fill out forms and applications describing what makes our company unique.  And usually on these applications, I don’t have very much space to answer, so I have to write an abbreviated version. But I’d like to write my whole answer here.

Real Live Theatre is unique because first and foremost, we are a collection of people.  We are people who care about each other, who make a safe space for each other to grow emotionally and artistically, who do the hard work even though it’s hard.  We often joke that we’re married to each other, and it’s kind of true.  RLT members have to support each other on our worst days.  We’re in it for the long haul, and so we work on our relationships every day.  We make our decisions by consensus, because every person is an important part of our company.  We believe that people can’t make art if they don’t feel safe and supported, so we create an environment to ensure that happens.

RLT has a unique training regimen designed to strengthen and support each other.   The first hour is always the same, a combination of yoga, Suzuki method, and Viewpoints exercises. We believe that this repetition strengthens our bodies and skills.  The next 3 hours of training vary in content week to week, and we try to explore a new concept deeply over the course of several weeks.  This time can also be used to work on our new work (stay tuned for future blogs about this!).  This weekly group meeting is paramount for fostering trust, as well as honing our skills.

Real Live Theatre also does a wide variety performances, from semi-staged readings at our House Plays (a Play in a House), to fully staged shows like The Lion & The Clown, to world premieres like the upcoming Margaret Project, to established classics like The Tragedy of  Othello, to shows at festivals like Hand Grenades.  All these shows have one thing in common: none could have been done the same way with any other group of people. Our supportive community and dedicated training regimen fosters a company that makes work that’s brave, relevant, and unapologetically honest.  I can’t imagine being happier than I am with this group of people.  I can’t imagine making more satisfying work than the work RLT does.  And I can’t imagine another company that works like we do.

Happy Valentine’s Day, RLT.  So glad we got married.

Lucy Gouvin
Founding Member, Company Administrator