The JML Theatre Experiment

To give theatre artists (professional and amateur) the space to create a piece of theatre —  or the beginning of a piece of theatre — in a reflective, collaborative environment infused with the Ignatian principles of spirituality and creativity.

Each small group within the retreat will produce a short scene and present it to the rest of the program’s participants after a quick, full day of creative process.

Going beyond the day itself, we hope connections forged during the retreat turn into opportunities for more collaborative, creative work. The Jesuit Media Lab team is excited to accompany any participants from the day who might want to keep working on their piece or to try something new together.

8 am: Arrival and breakfast

9 am: Laying the Foundation: collaboration, theatre exercises and embodied work

12 pm: Lunch

1 pm: Create theatre pieces in small groups

5 pm: Perform for each other

6 pm: Conclusion; optional dinner out

The $300 registration fee covers all program costs and three meals. (You can’t do better than that for a day in New York!) However, we do have a limited number of partial scholarships available. To inquire, email Mike Jordan Laskey (medialab@jesuits.org).

Renée D. Roden is a graduate of Notre Dame twice over. She has an undergraduate Bachelor of the Arts in theatre and theology (with a minor in Catholic social thought) and a graduate degree in theology. She has taught theatre for nearly two decades, to preschool thespians, high school students, college students and seminarians. She has directed productions at the University of Notre Dame and off-off-off-off Broadway in New York City. She is a playwright whose work has appeared at staged readings and festivals in Milwaukee (“Pedro & Galileo”), New York City (“The Last Hurricane”; “Genna the Goldfish Solves it All”), Chicago (“Cali-for-No-One”), at the Catholic Imagination Conference (“Is the Internet in Color?”) and has been produced in New York City (“SHE”).

Renée is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School. Her first book, “Tantur: Seeking Christian Unity in a Divided City” is available for pre-order at Liturgical Press. Her writing has appeared in The Nation, Religion News Service, The Associated Press, Sojourners, America and U.S. Catholic, among others. In 2022, she led a team of journalists in reporting on maternity leave policies in Catholic dioceses across the United States for FemCatholic. You can learn about that reporting and more at her website reneedarlineroden.com. You can also visit her literary test kitchen at Sweet Unrest on Substack.

George Drance, SJ, is an actor, director and teacher, having worked in theatre, television and film in over 25 countries worldwide. Based in NYC, he is the artistic director of the Magis Theatre Company, a member of La MaMa ETC, artist-in-residence at Fordham, a pastoral associate at St. Malachy’s “The Actor’s Chapel,” and Jesuit Media Lab Chaplain.