Life on Stage: The Process

A Note from the Artistic and Managing Director

Anna Johnson, Cadence Artistic and Managing Director. Photo credit Kevin M. Johnson.

One of the things that makes the art that Cadence creates so special is our process. We don’t operate under a company model, but our approach to both our artistic offerings and our educational offerings creates close ensembles that embody trust, empathy, and cooperation.

Whether we are presenting contemporary artistic productions in the Theatre Gym or working with students in the Richmond Public Schools, we are consistently driven by our belief in the power of storytelling to inspire and to bring people together.

I recently had a conversation with Laine Satterfield, Cadence’s Director of Education, about how our process motivates everything we do at Cadence:

Anna: Laine, we’re both trained in the Stanislavski method of creating work. For me, the journey began back in the 1990s, when I was living in Richmond after college and continuing my training as an actor. One night, I ventured over to the old Barksdale Theatre with a friend to see three Tennessee Williams one-acts that were being staged around the property, with only 30 seats. I remember being transformed by how intimate and immersive the experience was. Rusty Wilson was the director, and I immediately wrote him a letter asking to learn his technique.

Laine Satterfield, Cadence Director of Education, STAGE WRITE and TRAIN Program Manager. Photo credit Hayes and Fisk.

Laine: I started my artistic career here in Richmond as a dancer — I had appeared as Clara in the Richmond Ballet’s The Nutcracker, among other roles. But after graduating from the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU (the Stella Adler Conservatory), I was invited to teach there, and I was inspired to combine my love of movement with the storytelling of theatre. So I founded World 3 Theatre Company and was later involved with a touring troupe in Italy focusing on commedia dell’arte, incorporating mask, dance, song, and myth. I had also met Rusty Wilson — and like you, I wanted to learn about this particular way of creating theatre from him.

Anna: So that’s how we both ended up in Idaho, of all places. I started to sit in on Rusty’s classes here in Richmond. The theatre company he had co-founded, Company of Fools, had been invited to come to Idaho and become the resident company in an old movie house on Main Street in a town called Hailey. I was invited to go with them, and I took a huge leap of faith and said yes. I ended up spending 13 years there, learning as much as I could.

Laine Satterfield in Cadence's Sight Unseen by Donald Margulies, directed by Rusty Wilson. Photo credit Jason Collins Photography.

Laine: Rusty invited me to be a guest artist at Company of Fools in 2003 to choreograph and act in a production he was directing. I was invited to stay on as part of the staff — teaching, acting, and working in marketing and development. And that’s how you and I met! It’s also where I deepened my interest in what is now Cadence’s approach to the craft of acting.

Anna: So how would you describe the particular technique that we use at Cadence?

Laine: It’s about a very specific and organic approach — what we call “living truthfully onstage.” Our actors aren’t told, “Pick up the cup on that line; say that line in this way.” Instead, our process allows actors to explore their characters’ inner motivations so that everything they do on stage is honest and real. Actors experience the role they play in such a way that they can respond to any circumstances that present themselves on stage, whether those come from the dialogue, from other characters, or even from a prop falling over!

Anna: Creating those personal connections with the work isn’t easy — it’s a technique that takes years to master — but it’s so important. I hear from audiences all the time about how this approach allows them to fully engage with the contemporary stories that we tell at Cadence, particularly in the intimate, 80-seat Theatre Gym. Audience members will often say, “I felt like I was right there on stage with you!” That’s when we know that our productions show the characters’ truth. How do you incorporate these techniques into our educational and outreach programs?

Claudia McCain and Anna Senechal Johnson in Donald Margulies' Collected Stories, presented by Company of Fools. Photo credit Kirsten Schultz.

Laine: Our training programs — both for young people and for adults — operate on exactly this model. And our STAGE WRITE student leadership and workforce readiness program in the Richmond Public Schools is all about helping local high school students speak their truth and share their stories. When I see those students at our end-of-year performance, confidently sharing with an audience about what it’s like to live their lives, I have such hope for the next generation.

Anna: So do I. I’m so glad that Cadence is able to bring this approach to both our artistic productions and our educational programs. I couldn’t imagine telling stories any other way.

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As always, we are so grateful for your support of Cadence and our goal of inspiring and transforming our community through the theatre arts. I’d love to hear from you at info@cadencetheatre.org about how we can continue to serve that role in the Richmond community. And be sure to check out our website at www.cadencetheatre.org for information on the rest of our season and updates on our educational programs.

With gratitude,

Anna