Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Sneesby.
Hi Sarah, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have always been a storyteller. To find a beginning is quite challenging, yet I feel there are a lot of chapters we can fast-forward through to say this: I found freedom in the expression of thoughts and emotions through theatre and dance as a child/teen. That freedom developed into a lifelong passion for the performing arts, which has transformed me in every way to become the freelance artist/entrepreneur that I am today.
As an individual, I am a Director, Choreographer, Movement Director, Teacher, and Movement and Intimacy Practitioner in theatre for the stage. I have been doing this work professionally on and off since graduating from College in 2011, though it became my full-time job (instead of an after-work side hustle/passion) in early 2018. After completing graduate school with an MFA in Movement: Directing and Teaching in 2021, I founded Creative Movement Practices as an avenue to produce my own work as a Director but also to provide a platform for transforming rehearsal rooms into inspiring, transformative and collaborative spaces in which fellow theatre makers are empowered to practice, hone, and establish their craft.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Creating a new theatre company at the tail-end of a global pandemic has been challenging in more than one way. While I had all the necessary skills and experience to produce a show from beginning to end, I learned some challenging lessons in Creative Movement Practice’s inaugural season.
In so many ways, we are culturally told “if you build it, they will come.” So we built it with two phenomenal top-notch performances in 2022. But finding those who were willing to come out to an unknown theatre company’s first (or second) production, even though the plays were well received, the talent top-tier, and the location first class, was a struggle. When you are a small theatre company – your marketing budget is non-existent and certain marketing strategies are hit-and-miss. We learned the lesson the hard way that not every marketing opportunity is ideal for every project, and that word of mouth alone does not always translate to ticket sales and patrons. Since we were committed to paying all of our artists and providing tiered ticket sales to keep theatre accessible, we took a large financial hit that has required us to restructure how we spend our hard-earned money for our exciting 2023 Season.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Creative Movement Practices specializes in bringing movement-based theatre to the Houston theatre scene! Whether it is reimagining a known work or bringing a new piece of theatre to the stage, we believe that movement is the root of theatre that sucks an audience into the world of the show.
In 2022 we were lucky to get Produce the regional premiere of a new Theatre for All Ages production: Gideon and the Blundersnorp, where we received rave reviews for the puppetry, movement, and general magic of the production. I am very proud of that production and so excited to revive it in a touring production as part of our 2023 season! As a theatre company, we strive to make sure that we truly have material for all ages throughout our Season, and 2023 is no exception as we are in the process of developing a BRAND NEW Theatre for All Ages Summer production to run alongside our Adult Season offerings.
What sets us apart from other theatre companies is the amount of time, effort, dedication, and care that goes into supporting our artists both onstage and off. Like many small theatre companies, we cannot pay our actors a living wage (we also do not rehearse them as if we are paying them such), but we are adamant that no one works for free or pays to work for us because of fuel or childcare expenditures. As such, in addition to a performance stipend, we offer on-site childcare to any actor, designer, technician, etc. when requested, and provide gas stipends up-front in the rehearsal process to ensure travel to and from rehearsals is paid for.
CMP is also committed to facilitating an inspiring, transformative, and collaborative space for theatre makers. We strive to create an environment where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, can contribute fully to the creation process, and have equal opportunities for growth and success. To many people who have not spent significant time in theatre, this may sound like common sense, but many artists will tell you the unfortunate truth that being involved in a healthy creation process is too often the exception instead of the rule. I am proud to be one of the emerging theatre-makers and producers who are working diligently behind the scene to change the narrative and cultural expectations of the rehearsal process.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Jeannette Littlemore’s book: Metaphors in the Mind, Sources of Variation in Embodied Metaphor is a sourcebook I continually return to. It empowers me to be the best director I can be by providing insight in tools into how language impacts individuals differently based on life experiences or neurological differences.
I also am consistently re-reading Director Katie Mitchell’s book: The Director’s Craft – as her process is one that I emulate closely as a director due to how she places more power and ownership in the actor’s hands without sacrificing the integrity of the vision of a production.
Our 2023 Season Opener is coming up February 24-26th at the MATCH. Tickets and more information can be found here: https://matchouston.org/
Pricing:
- Tickets range from $25-$50 with some performances having “industry” nights or “pay what you can nights” to make theatre accessible for more patrons.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.creativemovementpractices.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativemovementpractices/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CreativeMovementPractices/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@creativemovementpractices6727
Image Credits:
Pin Lim of Forest Photography and Nicole Norton Slatnick
