The final two weeks

I am arriving at the end of week 5 and I think I can safely say that I have seen much more of this beautiful country than any of the past delegates from Stratford had a chance to see. I have been very lucky to have seen the river outside of town, the waterfalls, the beach in La Libertad, lots of San Salvador. I saw a play in the capital, visited the university where I gave a workshop. I saw the ruins at San Andreas, the Mariposarium in San Andreas and been on a canoe trip to the Lago Suchitlan.
And I am only starting to feel like I am getting to know this place.
We have started the Romeo and Juliet project this week. We are going to present the party scene, where Romeo and Juliet first meet, on the 26th to the parents and friends of the students. I have little doubt that the students will be ready and are entirely capable. Already, in two afternoons of work, they have begun to show a profound understanding of the process of the actor, a willingness to engage and an ability to make bold and inventive choices.
Yesterday, I taught a stage combat workshop at the UCA, the university in San Salvador. Again, I found the students incredibly receptive, frighteningly intelligent and very eager to learn. It was a pleasure to teach stage combat in Spanish, a first for me and perhaps for any stage combat teacher! There is no tradition of stage combat here. They didn't even really know what it means. This is partly because there are seldom fights in Spanish theater, but also, as was explained to me, because of the belief here that violence on stage should be real. If someone needs to get hit in a scene in El Salvador, they really get hit! I think the session went well and that it was appreciated. The teacher has already asked to come back the next time I am in the country and I will definitely make a point of it.
Well, that's all for now...back to the blistering sun! Hasta la huego!