"My last day here at Soapstone and I'm struggling not to mourn my loss before I even leave. Really, though, all I feel is joy. I woke up this morning and looked out at the river a while. I came downstairs and made some coffee, and built a fire. I wrote up in the cube, looking down at the water and the woods.

Working on "Magellanica" exploded all my previous notions; it's going to be bigger, bolder and more exciting than I ever imagined. I discovered the heart of the play here, and began to listen to its music, and to get a notion of its trajectory.

Words aren't the only thing I've found in these woods, though. I feel like I've found myself again. I have walked amongst the trees and let their strength and solidity make me feel stronger, and more solidly rooted in this earth. I have lifted my face to the rain, and feel refreshed. "

—Ellen Lewis, playwright


read Ellen's full blog about her Soapstone residency