The Simple Plan...

Let me start at the beginning...

About two years ago, my friend Taylor Bibat and I were rooming together in a small garden apartment in Wicker Park. I had just moved to Chicago and was this crazy mixture of excitement, nerves, and possibilities as one is who has just graduated and starting out in the "real world". I can't remember whose idea it was to start Element - it was probably Tay's - but I do remember sitting at her parents place starting to scheme and get really excited about this scheming.

Our scheme was a simple one. In 2007, the two of us had met at this amazing, life changing three month program The National Theater Institute (NTI) held at the Eugene O'Neil Theater. I could/want to say more but in the interest of this blog know that it was an intense three months of acting, directing, playwright, and in the best possible way a whole hell of a lot of growing pains. When we came out the other side dazed but invigorated we found we had formed these incredible ties with 24 other amazingly talented theatre artists. Friends formed in a crucible and now scattered back to whence we came. This was the rub. We were separated by schools, states and different life circumstances. What we needed was an excuse to get the crew back together again.

So that was our scheme. Our "simple" scheme. Reunite friendships.

What came out was something so much bigger than what we had planned. Something that didn't just reunite friends but made new ones. A community.

So, yes, I was there when Element initially took seed but really, I'm just one of many artists who were inspired by this idea of a theatre community. One of many who said yes and did something about it.

Always,
Alexis Randolph
Supporting Artist of Element: A New Plays Festival
Director