“I’m a Happy Person Here”
Mid-October marked both a creative and emotional turning point. With the play now fully read, the ensemble began the unusual process of moving through the No Fear translation from start to finish—an experiment born from a group vote and driven by curiosity. At the same time, they revisited one of SIP’s longest-running traditions: the “Three Questions.”
Each season, every ensemble member answers the same three prompts: What brought me to SIP? What do I hope to get out of SIP? What is my gift to the group? Their answers revealed the depth and diversity of the ensemble. “I was angry at home and was very mean to people who didn’t deserve it,” one participant shared. “I can get out of the toxic life out there. I’m a happy person here. I can give back and be me.” Another said, “Get out of my head and find my voice.” A third added, “This is my home away from home. I love the stage. I think I was born an actor.”
Someone spoke about confidence: “When you’re insecure, you don’t see how others see you. People tell me I’m good. My momma made me sign up—she saw what I didn’t see.” Another described SIP as “the two times out of the week I forget I’m in prison.” By the end, one member summed up the energy perfectly: “The outside noise stops at the door.”
Afterward, the group returned to Act 3.1, one of the play’s most frantic moments, where Antipholus of Ephesus is locked out of his own home and argues with everyone in sight. The ensemble leaned into the confusion, building the scene so it escalated naturally—each character pushing harder when they don’t get what they want. The night ended with laughter echoing across the room.