 just this. Okay. Hey y'all, if you want to go ahead and grab a seat, and if you're in the back, I'm just gonna be really cranky pants and just ask you to move forward. That'd be great. Just because I'm gonna have to be really far back. And I just feel like I feel like separation anxiety. So that would be great. And I don't know Phyllis signaling something that I don't know what that is. Great. Great. That'd be great. So as y'all get settled in, thank you. Thank you. Y'all are my favorites. You are each one my favorites. Come on down. Oh beautiful. Also just a secret in that front row, you actually have leg room. So I encourage you to sit in that front row because you'll be much more comfortable. I am 5'6 and it's tight for me. So anybody 5'6 and above. Great. Great. Great. Come on down. Yay. Hey Sirene, can I ask for some help? Yeah, go ahead and give people and we'll do a little thing in a little bit. Okay, when you tell me pass that card. Yeah, you can even start now while people are getting seated. Great. So I think Phyllis is coming down with the microphone so we don't have to be so far back. Great. Great. Great. Should we go ahead and start? There we go. Oh, fantastic. Thank you so much for grabbing a seat. I appreciate it. We will start from behind this podium for just a second but then we'll come out just a little bit. I'd like to introduce a dear, dear friend of mine and Nets board president and I cannot tell you like at the beginning of the event I said that we do not do this alone and part of not doing it alone is this amazing woman next to me who I don't think there is a greater champion of the organization and a believer. She was here from day one and and she she is still here and for that I'm still here. So Laura McCann citizen, gentlemen. Hi y'all. It has been a long held belief of the network of ensemble theater that our strength lies in our people and in our gatherings and gathering our people together and I think this this gathering is proof of that. Thank you so much. Thanks for being here with us. If you're not members of NET, why not? Join up. Professors, tell your students. We have a very reasonable student rate. Students, tell your professors. Join up. Join up. Go on our website. See what's coming up. Tell us what you thought about our gathering. That will be helpful to us for our future gatherings. The is this working? Okay. The planning committee of the board is continuing to meet today and tomorrow to talk about how we continue as an organization. What is the shape of the what is the structure for us that will keep us going and keep events like this happening so we don't know what's what's in the future. Who knows what's in the future. So in the spirit of that, what lies ahead? There were things many things that were mentioned in these past couple of days. People talked about circles a lot and I want I want us to think of our circle as being being big enough to hold everything. Everyone and that the boundaries of the circle are very porous. The image of the circle reminded me of a great artist I had the privilege to work with. And this came about because of my connection with with the ensemble theater movement. A man named Mopopa Matanga from Zambia who did a collaboration with my ensemble. And he told a story about what story means in Zambia and what storytelling means in Zambia and how it happens. And that people gather in a circle and the storyteller invites the story into the place. The story is invited. So because because we're going to be doing planning for the future and planning for our ensemble of ensembles, I'm going to invite the story in. And this is how it happens. The storyteller says Icho, which means there it is. And then the audience, the listeners say, which means let it come. Right? So I'll say Icho, then you say Chisei. Icho! Chisei! Icho! Chisei! Icho! Chisei! Thank you. A couple of quick things here just to reiterate. Thank y'all so much. Lives are so full. Lives are so busy. And the fact that you made time for this means a great deal to us. So I just want to say thank you for for being here. Really, really important. The second thing, just building on what Laurie was just talking about, you know, in the course of this next couple of years, we're just asking a lot of questions and there's going to be opportunities to engage with us over those questions. And so just to say right now, there's an open invitation for dialogue and conversation as we, you know, over the past handful of years or so, the organization has grown tremendously. And in the best possible way, the questions we're asking now are just come out of that growth as we as we get ready to emerge into something else. And it's exciting as we continue this work forward. And so in that way, we find ourselves at a really exciting point. And I think the conversations that we were having right after Michael's conversations, the points that Liz brought up, the things as I was going around to the various sessions, they're just signs of a field that is evolving, of a field that is growing and an organization that also as we as we try to be of use and as we try to reflect what's happening is also evolving. And so it's exciting. It's exciting. And so there's so just want to invite you into that process. I think a lot about what Liz talked about at the opening session and really grateful for her comments. And just that that idea of love and purpose and risk, and and how we how we can employ that in our work, in our lives. And and and the thing that just blew my mind was just that moment where I've always been a believer in going from here to here. But what blew my mind was when she made it the circle. And that was the part that just like that was just amazing. This idea that it's not. In my mind, it was always a spectrum. But the idea that they're actually neighbors, things are just that that was just so moving to me and just just taught me a lot. You know, the other thing that I just find a little reflection was this moment where I think about the there was a session yesterday with Judith Molina. And here we have an artist, an early practitioner, I think one of just the just a key company, a key person in the ensemble movement. 90 years old, and writing a play creating a play every year. And and there's something about the momentum that you get moving, you start moving and and you stay in it. And and and and that kind of dedication and that kind of commitment, even as I look around this room and as I think about the people that come through this room and through the all of the rooms that you host and that you're in. Just that idea of like fast forwarding 90 years to all the Judith Molina's to come. And it just like, of course, the field is going to be different. You know, of course, the world is going to be different. And how I just excited I am for the future. And the other thing that another reflection was ever Quinton, you know, when he said like, every time is the best time. And that that this is the best time ever right now. And we're in it. So so thank you for that. Really quick announcements. So we've been streaming. And so there's certain sessions that are that are going to be archived on HowlRound. We'll send you the link so that you can do it. There are some really good conversations. And the information is there so that you can that so that you can share it so you can use it up. Yeah, hopefully, you will access it. Also, a special shout out to Jay Cooker and Cynthia Ling Lee, somewhere in here who have been curating a series of articles and blogs and essays on on HowlRound around this topic. And they're quite incredible. So thank you all for doing that. And please check those out, share them. Exactly. Our hope is that that series is going to continue with like at least a monthly post so that the conversation doesn't stop. And that's one way of keeping things going. The other thing is that you have folks have been asking about the contact sheet list of who was here. How do we keep in touch? That will be sent out afterwards. People have been registering, you know, as of even up to like late last night. So so we just want to make sure that you give you get a current list. So so keep an eye out for that. As Laurie mentioned, we'll send out a survey as well. So fill that out just so that we can learn about what we're doing here. And also, she's not here, but I also just wanted to say it because I want to name it and put it out there. Crystal Truscott, who led us in our song this morning, what a beautiful way to start the day. And I just wanted to just acknowledge and thank Crystal. She's kind of on in the air right now. But but just wanted to thank that thank her for that. So you have note cards, right? And so I have a question for you. So one thing that I'm really struggling with is we're committed to keeping this conversation going. Like this isn't this isn't it that we're our plan right now is to do intersections next in what we hope is going to be Chicago. The exact dates are we're going to get to you soon. As you know, you know, it takes time in in our university partnerships. But but we're really excited about it. It's a it's a city with a lot of amazing institutions, educational institutions and ensembles. I mean, geez, is there any city with more ensembles? I don't know. But I should shouldn't I? Okay. Exactly. There you go. So so so we're going to get you more information. But but all of this is to say is that it's the beginning this is the beginning conversation that is going to continue. And something that I just need help with. And again, like we do this together. Like that's the only way it's going to happen is I just need to know from you what you want to keep talking about. Like what are the things that stuck in your head, a conversation that didn't get finished, a conversation that just wasn't present. Let us know. And that card is one opportunity to do that. So before you leave, if you have a thought, please jot it down and you can give it to me. You can hand it to my colleague, Shereen or Alicia or Park. And we'll collect them. But we want this to be useful. We want this to be something that is going to help us all. And and the only way we can do that is if we just dialogue about it. The other thing my email address is mvaldez at ensemble theaters net. You can also just go to the website and there's a little contact button. But I would also just love to hear from you. And there's also our phone numbers on there, like you can even call like if you're not a writer and it's just easier just to just talk. This is this is this is the invitation to do that whatever communication mode works best for you, utilize it. But I'm really eager to to really hear from y'all, because I think this is going to be the sort of thing that is we're going to have to build together. So so please help with that. I think for the intersection, the new school, not yet. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I just love all of y'all so very much. I have to say, and I really mean that. So so it's a beautiful day. It's a little windy. It's a little cold. There's a marathon going on. We got an extra hour. What a gift. So let's take advantage of all of that and let's let's close out and I just want to say thank you and safe travels and we'll keep the conversation going. Thank you all. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, hey, I forgot this. This is great little you can take one. They're free. I love free things. Fractured Atlas Naropa University and Fractured Atlas were exhibitors and just have to give them a shout out. So go talk to them if you didn't. Okay, now go home.