Training History

SITI Company in LA Workshop 2021

In August of 2021, Outside In produced an in-person workshop for the first time since the pandemic. OI has an ongoing admiring relationship with SITI Company, its member artists and the artistic training they offer in Suzuki & Viewpoints. OI produced a week-long training workshop led by SITI Company members Ellen Lauren, J.Ed Araiza, Will Bond and their Associate Violeta Picayo. Through the generosity of an anonymous donor to SITI Company as well as the allocation of funding from OI, many of the participants were offered artists grants to make sure equitable access to this fantastic training was assured after being in pandemic lockdown for over a year. It was the first time for many of the participating artists that they had been in a room with a group doing physical training since March 13, 2020. The room was focused and electric with joyful energy at being able to collaborate with fellow Los Angeles based artists. The success of this workshop solidified OI’s determination to make accessible theatre training part of our ethos. We were very lucky and grateful to be able to rent Stomping Ground LA for the workshop as they too were just starting to re-open after a long closure of their beautiful facility.

SITI Company in LA Workshop 2022

We were able to bring back SITI Company for a final workshop before their company closed at the end of 2022. This time we had Company members GM Gianinno, Stephen Webber and Associate (and Los Angeles based artist) Melissa Coleman-Reed leading the week-long workshop housed at Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles. We were again able to offer partial grants and discounts to returning artist participants, making equitable accessibility a priority. The level of artistry and collaboration in the room was inspiring and soul satisfying for the artist participants. We ended the training week with an open to the public demonstration and discussion of the trainings.