Having agreed to take on the lead role in the stage adaptation of the screenplay that she wrote required real work and tremendous courage. With only very limited acting experience in high school, Marit plunges head first into the preparation for the emotionally charged role of “Clara,” the ill-fated ballerina in The White World.

The Process
The creation of an in depth and deeply personal history of “Clara Ann Thompson,” her experiences, likes, dislikes, schools, teachers, family members and relationships, launches the process of making her into an actual person. Pages and pages of notes are scribbled into a notebook; the minute details that birth a “fully realized” character.
Before beginning the rehearsals, the coach suggests the actress “take a moment to drop into her heart; to feel the words as they come from that space as opposed to just saying the lines.”
Though the first rehearsal is scheduled for February 6th, the dedicated artist has already committed all of her lines in the play to memory.
“I’m so proud of you.”
The coach beams at the actress who responds in her typical style with a shy smile and a simple, “thanks.”

After a successful, crowd-funding campaign on Kickstarter.com, which far exceeded our original financial goal, the production is now well funded and ready to get rolling!

As part of the month long, Women and Creativity Celebration in March in Albuquerque, NM, the cast of “The White World” will be performing a multimedia stage production of the piece that will be filmed and incorporated into the feature length documentary of Marit’s own personal journey and vision as it unfolds upon on the stage and screen.

Please consider joining us and becoming an active and integral participant in this original, visionary art piece.

We are also looking for all types of folks to appear as background extras.

Contact info is below.

With great enthusiasm and gratitude!

The Cast and Crew of “The White World”

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http://www.womenandcreativity.org/

Location: Wells Fargo Theatre at the National Hispanic Cultural Center

1701 4th St SW # 211 Albuquerque, NM 87102-4508

Dates: March 23 Friday at 8pm

March 24 Saturday at 8pm

March 25 Sunday at 2pm

Cost: $15.00 General Admission $10.00 Seniors, Students and Military

Box Office: 724-4771

Contacts:

Michelle Otero

email: kmotero@gmail.com

Suzenne “Zenne” Seradwyn

email: zenne@puremotherlove.com

http://thewhiteworld.wordpress.com/

Presenting partner: Maple Street Dance Space

http://maplestreetdancespace.com/

The Cast of "The White World" on the Main Stage.

Marit and Dale test out her body microphone.

Actors, Valerie Borrego and Tomas Urrea, play the roles of "The Parents."

Actors and real-life sisters, Magda & Danda Urrea, rehearse their lines for their roles as "The Twins."

Actor, Jim Freese, being interviewed on his role of "The Doctor."

Actress, Marisa Turner, who plays "The Roommate," relaxes in the Green Room before the reading.

Actor, James Chavez, displays his charm as he prepares for the role of "Death."

Marit Rawley, Michelle Otero, Suzenne Seradwyn and Virginia Salazar

Marit in motion

After weeks of scene rehearsals with major characters, The White World team came together for a full read-through recently on the main stage of the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, NM.

In attendance, were “Death,” played with seductive elegance by James Chavez, and his minions, “The Twins,” played by sisters Magda and Danda Urréa, both very creatively and academically accomplished for their young age. The nice dance instructor, “Miss Shelley,” played by real life nice person, Suzenne Seradwyn, and the mean, ahem, demanding “Instructor,” originally played by Michelle Otero who has since handed the role over to Alicia Lueras Maldonado. Marisa Turner played “The Roommate” with a tough-love edge, “The Doctor,” played by professional clown and radio producer, Jim Freese, “Clara’s Mom,” played by Valerie Borrego and “Clara’s Dad,” played by Tomas Urréa, real-life parents to Magda and Danda and exceptionally gifted artists. Co-producer, Virginia Salazar, read the stage directions while Executive Producer, Dale Sonnenberg, gave notes to cast and crew.

Though she is nervous about dancing, director and screenwriter, Marit Rawley, finally consented to play the lead role of “Clara.”

Look at that picture up there. This girl’s got the moves.

The read-through and the behind-the-scenes antics were all captured on video by Documentarian, Daniel Sonis.

Click on Our World for a full list of cast and crew.

Marit at work

Marit Rawley, aspiring filmmaker.

Ask her, “who won the Oscar for Best Director for any film in ANY year” and you will see for yourself the depth of her devotion to this particular medium of creative expression.

Marit is the protégé of master documentarian, filmmaker and multiple Emmy winner, Dale Sonnenberg.

Dale had been seeking an apprentice for years. He felt compelled to share his gift of knowledge and passion for filmmaking with someone who understood. Perhaps someone who might not otherwise be able to communicate as easily in the ways that most of us take completely for granted.

Someone with autism.

Marit Rawley, a young woman, who knows a thing or two about the challenges of growing up with autism. She also has a passion for movies.

Through a mutual friend, Polly Arango, Dale and Marit meet.

Teacher and Apprentice

They agree to a common goal: make ten films together, no matter how long it takes.

After five years of meeting with Dale every Tuesday at 1:00 pm, Marit has completed two short films and is currently editing a “self” documentary.

Her third film, The White World, is her most ambitious endeavor yet. The story takes the audience on a spiritual journey between two worlds; the “Living” world and its parallel , “Limbo.”

“Clara”, a college student and ballerina, finds herself waking up in “Limbo after she is shot during an attempted rape.

She dances between worlds, not really alive, yet not quite dead. In this state, she calls the “White World,” she meets “Death”, who gives her the opportunity to review her life and choose between returning to the “Living” world or moving on to what comes next.

This short film mirrors Marit’s own personal journey as a young woman with autism; dancing between the world she knows and understands within her own mind and the world she inhabits to live and work and interact with others. This project is about more than just the making of The White World. It’s also about giving Marit a means of expressing herself that isn’t limited to language, tone of voice, facial expression and other conventions of social interaction.  

Visit us every week to keep up with Marit, Dale, the documentary, and the making of The White World.