written by: Tommy Strawser

This month, I celebrate the 10th anniversary of when I was supposed to leave Arizona and return to my home coast where I left family, friends, and the familiarity of how the world worked. With my small four-door car packed with life essentials and a small library of audiobooks (which I listened to all of half a chapter), I began a road trip to a new home that would place me farther than the five hour driving radius of the town I grew up in. 

Upon finishing my master’s degree (one of the main reasons for my initial move), I didn’t immediately go from my commencement walk back into my overstuffed sedan and return to the life I knew. And I had every reason to leave; birth of my sister’s second kid, death of my grandfather and a best friend, weddings, family vacations, a personal library filled with actual books, performance opportunities, and an understanding of who/what/why I was.

But with all these things pulling me east, I didn't leave. I stayed. And stayed. And kept staying.

Now throughout my studies in music and theatre, there are two methods that I have built not only my performance career around, but also the way I approach the world (any world) I interact with. The first is Body Mapping, based on the Alexander Technique,  which is the ability to align one’s body in order to reduce injury through the repetitive motions of music making. The second is any and everything written by Anne Bogart (lol), but more specifically her and Tina Landau’s actor guide in The Viewpoints Book. 

In body mapping, I was taught “the part is connected to the whole” and we need to keep an awareness of our body in the space it is occupying. In Viewpoints, I learned to develop an “inclusive awareness” meaning no matter what we focus on, we also notice what lies on our peripheral vision or “soft focus”. Combining these two techniques (and a few other teachings I’ve learned along the way), I have yet to feel lost when faced with any challenge…on or off stage. 

So. Staying in Arizona.

After my first year in this desert, I noticed my body was adapting to the climate famously referred to as “dry heat”. I didn’t need to carry my gallon water jug everywhere I went (including my bed), my breathing got used to the arid air, and I could go a full day wearing a single outfit.

By year three, I decided to bring my soft focus into focus. I noticed more of nature by taking up hiking, started to explore neighborhoods during my show tours, and visited arts and cultural events I wouldn’t typically attend. 

As I started to shift focus on where I was and what was around me, I found myself more open to experiences in the present moment. It has led me to wonderful work opportunities, an amazing family, and (in general) a lower stress life. 

I am looking forward to what the next ten years will bring.