Less Rhythm, More Progress

Last night was our first in depth non-musical rehearsal for the show. Which to me was a bit of a relief, because the show is not, as I have mentioned, a musical. I understand that we need to get the dance at the opening of the show down right, but dancing rehearsals, especially for those who are not trained in dance, like me, always take forever and are far less productive than a straight blocking rehearsal of the same length.

We worked on blocking Walter Mitty, which is one of my two biggest roles in A Thurber Carnival. It actually wasn't as complicated as it seemed it would be at first. I, as Mitty, really don't move around a lot during the sketch. The others in the various sequences do most of the moving in that one. I am not yet off book for it, so I didn't get as much of a feel for it as I would have liked. But that will come soon enough. I think that may be my favorite skit out of the production, though. I get the feeling it is going to be. Especially once we add all of the props and such.

Next, the group worked on "File and Forget". I haven't calculated it, but I think that one may be the longest piece in the production, I am not sure. I am not in it, but it went by fairly quickly because again, there was very little blocking involved in it.

There was more blocking involved in the next skit, "Gentleman Shoppers", in which I do appear, but only for about 60 seconds at the very start. So once again I didn't have a lot of blocking work to do. Despite that, though, it was still a highly productive evening for the entire show.

Even though we are still missing a cast member. We need an actress in her 20's. If you happen to be one and live near Shepherdstown, West Virginia, leave a comment, and I will hook you up with the right people.

My biggest task between now and the next rehearsal on Monday is to get off book as much as I can for my two biggest roles, Mr. Preble and Mitty. It will be a bit of a cramming session, but the good news is I am off book with just about everything else. I have one shorter skit to memorize. So all and all I have half of what I need offbook already.