Happy Twentieth Anniversary

Happy Twentieth Anniversary to Le Centre du Silence

By Letitia Bartlett, 1991, San Francisco, CA.

"Thanks Samuel for all your support and inspiration at the beginning ñ not to mention all the fun we had, many moments of happy, healthy laughter. There was pain, and there was growth, and all these elements keep weaving and cycling through life."

Thanks for being so persistent about getting in touch. I received your first newsletter while I was in Europe last summer, then the second one arrived and I realized I have been negligent, then the third, and I felt truly delighted! So here I am, and again, it's a very sweet impulse to reach out to old students on the 20th, now 21st, anniversary. 20 years and now the times have changed. Times are certainly more conservative now, and we never would have believed that in 1971.

It was a time of great exploration, and for me the beginning of a long journey to figure out how to carve out a creative and positive life style.

Thanks Samuel for all your support and inspiration at the beginning - not to mention all the fun we had, many moments of happy, healthy laughter. There was pain, and there was growth, and all these elements keep weaving and cycling through life.

So...The past year has been very exciting for me, because I realized a life-long dream to study in France. Remember how I always wanted to go to Paris? George and Bruce went and I didn't? Well, my life had led me from one project to the next, but still with a gnawing hole inside of me that longed for France.

So last summer I went to Le Coq's summer program in Paris and then studied with Turba, the Check clown for two weeks in the South of France. I went alone, and for 2 months had the chance to marinate myself in the French culture. I wrote an article about the trip, which I am working on getting published, may be it will lead me into a book some day.

I enclosed my current brochure for the shows I do primarily for children with a partner of 11 years now! I am still teaching at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco movement and physical acting classes for children and adults. I will be directing a show there this summer for teenagers.

So, life is good, and guesses who was through town a few weeks ago? Bruce! ! I hadn't seen him for 15 years! We had dinner and talked and talked and talked. He's well living in D.C. area, not doing mime at all. I also spent some time with Rob in Amsterdam, which was a s usual, a great pleasure.

That's all for now Sam, Best wishes for the next 20! Love, Letitia Bartlett.

Editor's note:
Letitia was one of the first students of Samuel from 1971 to 1974; she was an active member with the Boulder Mime Theatre with George Lewis, Bruce McClelland, Chris Kanaly, and Ilana Galiel. Studied at Le Coq's summer program in Paris, France. She teaches movement and physical acting classes at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, CA.