Due to there being no matinees, last night we closed "A Night of One-ders" at the Black Box Arts Center.
It was our largest crowd of the run. (About 20 people) and in many ways was probably the best performance. It lagged in a few places it had always lagged, but overall energy was up, and I'd say we sent the show off on a positive note.
What can really be said at the end of a show such as this? If you've followed this mini-adventure since it began here on the blog, you know that this production was spotted with certain problems. Some of them were preventable, and some of them were not. It was usually difficult going, and for a time, at least to me, was worrisome. I wasn't convinced we were ready to open when we did.
Truth be told, the second weekend was in many ways stronger than our opening weekend, so in some ways that theory played out. However, opening weekend was acceptable, which is better than I expected at one point.
I always felt rushed in this show, always a bit more on edge than I like to be. More so than I tend to be for most shows I'm in. This was due in part to the fact that it was three shows crammed into one hour, both of which required a lot of stage time from me. I didn't get nearly as much of a break as I like to re-calibrate, especially between shows. No intermission either. I'd probably have to consider it long and hard before I tried out for something in this format again. (As in, being this rushed through the whole thing.)
As for the people I would work with most of them again, gladly. I probably will, in fact. They are all local, and I have known some of them for years.
Now the process of gently stripping away the thoughts, feelings and affects of this production, so as to prepare my artistic spirit for the next project(s). Being in a play is almost always the prime expenditure of creative time and energy during a run. Now I can reallocate that to other things I've been working on.
Oedipus Rep intends to have another show in June, auditions in April. It hasn't been decided what it is yet, so I don't know if I will audition for it or not. But I have plenty of time to think that over, and they have plenty of time to decide what they want to do.
For now, back to "normal" (read: non-production) time.
As always, thanks for following along on my journey through this show. Check back often to see what my next theatrical endeavor, thought, or idea will be.
Showing posts with label Oedipus Rep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oedipus Rep. Show all posts
Sunday, March 06, 2016
Saturday, March 05, 2016
One left for One-Ders
Since we didn't have matinees for this show, tonight's performance will be the final one for this production.
But first things first: last night.
We started late last night because our sound/light guy was late. It happens. You don't want it to happen, and had it been an hour later, I'm sure I would have been more annoyed. But it was only about 20 minutes, and I just wasn't too put off by it. Some were more angry about it than others.
The performance itself had its ups and downs. The energy for the longest show was a bit low, and at one point something happened that threw off the rhythm for a bit. To be honest, I'mnot sure what happened, exactly. I suppose somebody skipped a line or something like that, but I really don't know. You'd think I would after all this time, but it occurred in a part of the play where I have no lines for ten minutes while on stage, so I am not as in tune to every nuance as I am in other places.
I never zone out. I work extra hard to make sure I am conveying a character, and telling a story when I have extensive time without lines in a play. In fact you have to pay particular attention to such stretches, as an actor who is just standing there without responding to either his character's thoughts or the actions happening around him on stage will stick out like a sore thumb. As my departed directing professor once said of such situations, "You might as well hold up a sign on stage that says, 'hey folks, I'm a fake.' "
So, I strive to not be a fake. There is a lot going on in the scene. But because I allow my character to react directly to events as they unfold in the scene, I don't know every line of it. Whatever went awry last night, it was something I couldn't jump in and fix without looking totally stupid.
The set changes continue to be a problem. People not sure what to do, in the pitch black, no work lights. These were planned out and rehearsed all in one night on tech week, and never really worked on again. Rehearsal time for these changes was probably the least adequate part of the show. I myself screwed up during a set change last night. I thought someone needed help moving something, so I grabbed it, but they didn't. It was already set. The issue was corrected quickly, but nonetheless I got confused as to what I was supposed to do for a moment during the always chaotic scene change.
I don't mind doing some extra work as an actor, especially in community theatre. That's the point. But I have to say, I have very much disliked having to stop and totally commit to a set change in what little time I already have between shows to get into character and prepare. This show needed at least a skeleton tech crew.
I always feel rushed in this show. There is no intermission, and once I am on stage, I am only off of it for moments at a time until the end of the evening. Last night, I felt a little more on edge and rushed than normal. I think it's because it was our first performance after the hiatus. An ever so thin layer of rust, perhaps, despite the pick up rehearsal. I predict I won't quite feel that way tonight, for the final performance.
There were about 8 or 9 people in the audience last night, so sadly we haven't been packing them in. Tonight being Saturday may bring a bigger crowd, especially since I and some others in the show have friends coming this time.
One more time for everything in this show, both the stuff I like and dislike.
But first things first: last night.
We started late last night because our sound/light guy was late. It happens. You don't want it to happen, and had it been an hour later, I'm sure I would have been more annoyed. But it was only about 20 minutes, and I just wasn't too put off by it. Some were more angry about it than others.
The performance itself had its ups and downs. The energy for the longest show was a bit low, and at one point something happened that threw off the rhythm for a bit. To be honest, I'mnot sure what happened, exactly. I suppose somebody skipped a line or something like that, but I really don't know. You'd think I would after all this time, but it occurred in a part of the play where I have no lines for ten minutes while on stage, so I am not as in tune to every nuance as I am in other places.
I never zone out. I work extra hard to make sure I am conveying a character, and telling a story when I have extensive time without lines in a play. In fact you have to pay particular attention to such stretches, as an actor who is just standing there without responding to either his character's thoughts or the actions happening around him on stage will stick out like a sore thumb. As my departed directing professor once said of such situations, "You might as well hold up a sign on stage that says, 'hey folks, I'm a fake.' "
So, I strive to not be a fake. There is a lot going on in the scene. But because I allow my character to react directly to events as they unfold in the scene, I don't know every line of it. Whatever went awry last night, it was something I couldn't jump in and fix without looking totally stupid.
The set changes continue to be a problem. People not sure what to do, in the pitch black, no work lights. These were planned out and rehearsed all in one night on tech week, and never really worked on again. Rehearsal time for these changes was probably the least adequate part of the show. I myself screwed up during a set change last night. I thought someone needed help moving something, so I grabbed it, but they didn't. It was already set. The issue was corrected quickly, but nonetheless I got confused as to what I was supposed to do for a moment during the always chaotic scene change.
I don't mind doing some extra work as an actor, especially in community theatre. That's the point. But I have to say, I have very much disliked having to stop and totally commit to a set change in what little time I already have between shows to get into character and prepare. This show needed at least a skeleton tech crew.
I always feel rushed in this show. There is no intermission, and once I am on stage, I am only off of it for moments at a time until the end of the evening. Last night, I felt a little more on edge and rushed than normal. I think it's because it was our first performance after the hiatus. An ever so thin layer of rust, perhaps, despite the pick up rehearsal. I predict I won't quite feel that way tonight, for the final performance.
There were about 8 or 9 people in the audience last night, so sadly we haven't been packing them in. Tonight being Saturday may bring a bigger crowd, especially since I and some others in the show have friends coming this time.
One more time for everything in this show, both the stuff I like and dislike.
Wednesday, March 02, 2016
A Pick-Up Pick-Me-Up
Last night the most of the cast met for a pick-up rehearsal of the show. Two actresses and the director were unable to attend.
If you are familiar with this blog, or with community theatre, you'll know that a pick-up rehearsal, between two weekends of a show, often is seen more as a chance to goof around, as opposed to rehearse the show in earnest.
I've been to a few of these that have ended up as a total waste of time, so much messing around was there. One time a director even called it off right in the middle because of its fruitlessness.
About half of the shows I've been in haven't even bothered with a pick-up at all.
I've even been a few where the director insisted on it being a full fledged "tech week revisted" rehearsal. (Though I've found this is the most difficult position to get everyone to agree to.)
Last night was an interesting hybrid of a pick-up. We ran all three shows, including basic blocking and (about 90%) of the lines properly. A few stupid hats, a lot of silly voices, and a few other small gags made their way into the mix. And I don't mind.
I don't mind because not only did we review (albeit informally) everything we needed to, we all had fun with one another. Fun as people, as actors, as volunteers in the same project. There is enjoyment in performing and doing well, but it was an at times tense final week of rehearsals. It was in some ways a nerve-wracking (though successful) opening weekend, with all the ritual and anxiety that goes along with same. Last night gave us a refreshing chance to be loose again.
That silliness, on top of being halfway done with the run I think gave some of us a better understanding of one another. Maybe not a "cast bonding" moment, as so many people call it, but it did provide a level of camaraderie that hadn't quite been achieved yet-a level that wouldn't have been attained with a full throttle rehearsal, nor with an absolute chaotic manure-show.
Pick-ups are a weird creature anyway. You've done the show, you've proven that despite flaws, you're able to perform the show in front of a crowd. You've had your first days off from the show in a week. Then you come back and "rehearse" again. Sometimes a show really needs it, and sometimes it really doesn't. But in either case to me it feels like hanging out at your high school after you've already passed your final exams. You're technically still a student, but you've essentially done all you can do before graduating. It's like a "lame-duck" rehearsal in many ways.
And of course, this was the last rehearsal for this show, since it's only running two weekends. Never again will this group get together to practice this thing in any fashion. It's performances from now on. We want the final two nights to go better than the first two, of course, but in a real sense, once you have a pick-up rehearsal, the momentum shifts. It's downhill now, from a time (not a quality) standpoint. With a pick-up rehearsal coming up, there is a small buffer. That buffer gone, we really are coming to the end, even though only half of the performances have happened thus far.
I'm glad we had this chance to goof around on stage as actors in the low-pressure environment that was our pick-up rehearsal.
Next performance: Friday at 8:00PM.
If you are familiar with this blog, or with community theatre, you'll know that a pick-up rehearsal, between two weekends of a show, often is seen more as a chance to goof around, as opposed to rehearse the show in earnest.
I've been to a few of these that have ended up as a total waste of time, so much messing around was there. One time a director even called it off right in the middle because of its fruitlessness.
About half of the shows I've been in haven't even bothered with a pick-up at all.
I've even been a few where the director insisted on it being a full fledged "tech week revisted" rehearsal. (Though I've found this is the most difficult position to get everyone to agree to.)
Last night was an interesting hybrid of a pick-up. We ran all three shows, including basic blocking and (about 90%) of the lines properly. A few stupid hats, a lot of silly voices, and a few other small gags made their way into the mix. And I don't mind.
I don't mind because not only did we review (albeit informally) everything we needed to, we all had fun with one another. Fun as people, as actors, as volunteers in the same project. There is enjoyment in performing and doing well, but it was an at times tense final week of rehearsals. It was in some ways a nerve-wracking (though successful) opening weekend, with all the ritual and anxiety that goes along with same. Last night gave us a refreshing chance to be loose again.
That silliness, on top of being halfway done with the run I think gave some of us a better understanding of one another. Maybe not a "cast bonding" moment, as so many people call it, but it did provide a level of camaraderie that hadn't quite been achieved yet-a level that wouldn't have been attained with a full throttle rehearsal, nor with an absolute chaotic manure-show.
Pick-ups are a weird creature anyway. You've done the show, you've proven that despite flaws, you're able to perform the show in front of a crowd. You've had your first days off from the show in a week. Then you come back and "rehearse" again. Sometimes a show really needs it, and sometimes it really doesn't. But in either case to me it feels like hanging out at your high school after you've already passed your final exams. You're technically still a student, but you've essentially done all you can do before graduating. It's like a "lame-duck" rehearsal in many ways.
And of course, this was the last rehearsal for this show, since it's only running two weekends. Never again will this group get together to practice this thing in any fashion. It's performances from now on. We want the final two nights to go better than the first two, of course, but in a real sense, once you have a pick-up rehearsal, the momentum shifts. It's downhill now, from a time (not a quality) standpoint. With a pick-up rehearsal coming up, there is a small buffer. That buffer gone, we really are coming to the end, even though only half of the performances have happened thus far.
I'm glad we had this chance to goof around on stage as actors in the low-pressure environment that was our pick-up rehearsal.
Next performance: Friday at 8:00PM.
Sunday, February 28, 2016
50% Down, 50% To Go
This production has no matinee, so I didn't perform today. Last night was the end of the first weekend.
There were some technical issues. Sound effects not working, set changes going poorly in the dark. But overall a more energetic performance all the way around than opening night was. This is particularly true for the first play, Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread. I am not in that one, and don't get to see much of it, as I am waiting backstage to go on for the next play, but it sounded good, and I am told by the cast it went well. Good for them.
Sadly, the crowd was just as tiny as it was for opening night.
I was less on edge last night than I was for opening night. Some of that is typical opening night nerves, but in this case it's because I remembered to give myself more alone time once I got to the theatre.
I got there early and literally just laid on a couch in the greenroom for about 20 minutes as people started to trickle in. I'd allowed myself to forget how important it can be for me to just become present, and be in the moment before a show. I did too much running around on opening night, taking care of too many things, getting distracted by other people. I very much enjoy being around my cast mates before a show, but I have to balance that with keeping to myself for a while. I wasn't able to do that easily on opening night, so I put in an extra effort to "force" my way into some alone time, though that's too strong a verb, probably.
I listened to music, walked around the stage a bit, sat down there and had a Red Bull. Not going over lines, but just taking in the evening. I retired to the dressing room later, (I like to be among the last to get into costume when possible) and just sat there a while, feeling all "actorish." It's still a tiring experience in ways unique to this production, but I felt more prepared for it last night.
Being present with one's self is, I think, vital to an optimum performance. Not everyone is an introvert like me, even in the theatre, so your mileage may vary, but even the gregarious and excitable would be well advised to take some time alone in the hour or so before a curtain. Meditate, eat, do back-flips, whatever suits you, but do it alone at least for a while. Theatre is a communal thing, a cast is a team, but one must be centered within one's self to be at one's best on stage. That means a conscious choice to avoid distractions for at least a few minutes.
Now the odd limbo of time between weekends. As much as I usually enjoy the company of others in the show, I am happy to at last have a break from heading into the theatre and rehearsing/performing. A second weekend is, if your care about what you are doing, often a sort of tonic, where there is far less anxiety, and far more artistic abandon to make the show better. The few days break feeds into that, and usually I come into a second weekend feeling refreshed and ready to hit the ground running in a way that opening night doesn't provide.
There will be a pick-up rehearsal Tuesday evening, but aside from that, I'll probably keep the show and everything that goes with it at arm's length between now at Friday.
At least I will try for a while to do so. Knowing me, I won't totally succeed.
Saturday, February 27, 2016
Opening Night of One-Ders
Last night we opened the show for a small crowd of about ten people.
There were some issues with a few technical aspects, which isn't shocking, as we didn't get to rehearse those things very much this week. But from an acting standpoint, it went well.
There is room for improvement, no doubt. But as hectic as this tech week was, and given how bad schedules were at the start of the process (where a lot of rehearsals were missed) the show was quite solid.
It is an exhausting show for me in ways that most other shows are not. On the whole, the three plays did run about one hour last night, so that seems to be where we are with pacing. But during that hour I have almost no breaks. I am "on" almost the entire time. Because we have no tech crew, I have to be ready backstage almost from the very beginning to help with a set change in the dark. Then I perform the second show, immediately perform a second set change in the dark, and proceed to act in the final show, in which I am arguably the main character.
In all of that I am off stage after my first line in the first play for maybe two minutes. If you ad the brief Q&A with the audience that we had last night after we were done, that's even more time on stage. (Even though not in character. And I was asked no questions.)
In a lot of ways this was a "get it over with" opening night. By that I mean that though we performed well, it was just as much if not more about "proving" we were ready for an audience. We did, and in some ways tonight, with a bit of that pressure removed, will feel like a true opening night for me.
I'm sure it will be tighter. If it isn't, but is no worse than opening night, we still have nothing to lament about.
That's about all to report about opening night. But now that I think about it, a mundane, run of the mill report about opening night for this show indicates that everything went smoothly, so I'll take it. Tonight may be a larger crowd, with more energy. (The cast energy was low as well, last night.) I'm ready for that.
There were some issues with a few technical aspects, which isn't shocking, as we didn't get to rehearse those things very much this week. But from an acting standpoint, it went well.
There is room for improvement, no doubt. But as hectic as this tech week was, and given how bad schedules were at the start of the process (where a lot of rehearsals were missed) the show was quite solid.
It is an exhausting show for me in ways that most other shows are not. On the whole, the three plays did run about one hour last night, so that seems to be where we are with pacing. But during that hour I have almost no breaks. I am "on" almost the entire time. Because we have no tech crew, I have to be ready backstage almost from the very beginning to help with a set change in the dark. Then I perform the second show, immediately perform a second set change in the dark, and proceed to act in the final show, in which I am arguably the main character.
In all of that I am off stage after my first line in the first play for maybe two minutes. If you ad the brief Q&A with the audience that we had last night after we were done, that's even more time on stage. (Even though not in character. And I was asked no questions.)
In a lot of ways this was a "get it over with" opening night. By that I mean that though we performed well, it was just as much if not more about "proving" we were ready for an audience. We did, and in some ways tonight, with a bit of that pressure removed, will feel like a true opening night for me.
I'm sure it will be tighter. If it isn't, but is no worse than opening night, we still have nothing to lament about.
That's about all to report about opening night. But now that I think about it, a mundane, run of the mill report about opening night for this show indicates that everything went smoothly, so I'll take it. Tonight may be a larger crowd, with more energy. (The cast energy was low as well, last night.) I'm ready for that.
Friday, February 26, 2016
Actual Final Rehearsal
There were no visitors to our rehearsal last night, so it wasn't a "preview" per se. But we did run it in "real time" with no stops, corrections or questions.
I think it went pretty good. I won't say it was stellar, but it wasn't horrible either. Naturally you always want to do better each time you perform, but truth be told if we do know worse in front of an audience than we did in our final rehearsal, we'll be in solid shape.
The biggest surprise was the time; It took us just over an hour to complete all three shows. It had been taking us that long to complete just the single longest show out of the three. I'm not sure what made the performance time so much faster. We must not have been rushing, as the director didn't tell us so afterward. I guess it all just fit together that way. If we can keep that pace in front of audiences, that will be a plus.
I did well last night, no major mistakes. None from anyone else either, from what I could tell. I think I had to cover for some minor issue late in one of the plays, as it seemed like a line was dropped. I knew my line was in the near future, so I just went with it, and I don't think the scene was any worse for the wear. It happens.
The short time between final dress and opening night can be an interesting experience. There is no more rehearsing, so in one sense pressure is off. Of course the next time you run the show, it's the real thing, for which you have been rehearsing all this time, and in that sense more pressure is on. It's a relief and an excitement at the same time when you're in this short limbo. It's even odder because most of the day leading into opening night, you're off doing your regular Friday thing, and don't have much time to think about it. (Working from home, I have a lot more than most people, though.)
Not that I'm obsessing over tonight. I want us to get it right. I want people to come see it, and I have been going over a few things mentally here and there, as I will certainly do at the theatre tonight. But truly, it does no good to overthink things at this point. In fact, in most plays, I'm already on automatic by about halfway through tech week if not earlier. This is one of the few times where opening night has arrived and I don't feel automatic. Prepared, yes, but not in the same way as usual. It will be fine, but different.
A show can improve from one official performance to the next. I get the feeling this will be one of those shows. Yet to a large degree, the show is what it is as of last night. That is another dichotomy- it's scary and comforting at the same time.
Eight hours and counting until we open.
I think it went pretty good. I won't say it was stellar, but it wasn't horrible either. Naturally you always want to do better each time you perform, but truth be told if we do know worse in front of an audience than we did in our final rehearsal, we'll be in solid shape.
The biggest surprise was the time; It took us just over an hour to complete all three shows. It had been taking us that long to complete just the single longest show out of the three. I'm not sure what made the performance time so much faster. We must not have been rushing, as the director didn't tell us so afterward. I guess it all just fit together that way. If we can keep that pace in front of audiences, that will be a plus.
I did well last night, no major mistakes. None from anyone else either, from what I could tell. I think I had to cover for some minor issue late in one of the plays, as it seemed like a line was dropped. I knew my line was in the near future, so I just went with it, and I don't think the scene was any worse for the wear. It happens.
The short time between final dress and opening night can be an interesting experience. There is no more rehearsing, so in one sense pressure is off. Of course the next time you run the show, it's the real thing, for which you have been rehearsing all this time, and in that sense more pressure is on. It's a relief and an excitement at the same time when you're in this short limbo. It's even odder because most of the day leading into opening night, you're off doing your regular Friday thing, and don't have much time to think about it. (Working from home, I have a lot more than most people, though.)
Not that I'm obsessing over tonight. I want us to get it right. I want people to come see it, and I have been going over a few things mentally here and there, as I will certainly do at the theatre tonight. But truly, it does no good to overthink things at this point. In fact, in most plays, I'm already on automatic by about halfway through tech week if not earlier. This is one of the few times where opening night has arrived and I don't feel automatic. Prepared, yes, but not in the same way as usual. It will be fine, but different.
A show can improve from one official performance to the next. I get the feeling this will be one of those shows. Yet to a large degree, the show is what it is as of last night. That is another dichotomy- it's scary and comforting at the same time.
Eight hours and counting until we open.
Thursday, February 25, 2016
"Final" Rehearsal
In a way, that is. Though we do rehearse tonight, last night was, according to our director, the final time we will be stopping to fix or explain anything. Tonight a colleague or two of some of the cast members will be watching, and thus we will be putting on the show at the pace of opening night.
In theory, anyway.
Some brand new technical elements and responsibilities were added last night, and I would have preferred more time to rehearse those. But I can't worry too much about them. They are what they are. My main focus and concentration remains on my performance. I'd rather screw up placing a chair than screw up in my acting.
On that topic, I did better last night than I did the previous two nights. I didn't repeat the mistake I'd made recently. By no means do I suggest that I am now invincible, but getting past a mistake and doing it right the following day goes a long way in establishing both rhythm and confidence in the moment. I will continue to be extra careful with that section, reviewing it in my head and such, but I have done it correctly more recent than having screwed it up, and that is a net gain.
Wore my costume last night, and will tonight. Seems like all of that worked out fine. Mostly it's just a suit, with a hood added in one of the plays. A hot, wool hood. Taking that off between plays is my only "costume change" as it were, so that is a relief.
Got into the green room and dressing rooms for the first time last night. I'd seen them before, but had never used them. The last time I was in a show with others in this venue, the layout of the building was different, so the green room and dressing rooms were in a different place. Always good to get into the dressing rooms, I think. That's when it starts to feel "real" as it were.
Not the most exciting update this time. Everyone is tired, some nerves are on edge. A good opening night performance tends to negate such feelings, but we have a day and a half before all of that. We must get through tonight first. (Where I will be working with a sound effect for the very first time, which I hope goes better than I am fearing it will.)
In theory, anyway.
Some brand new technical elements and responsibilities were added last night, and I would have preferred more time to rehearse those. But I can't worry too much about them. They are what they are. My main focus and concentration remains on my performance. I'd rather screw up placing a chair than screw up in my acting.
On that topic, I did better last night than I did the previous two nights. I didn't repeat the mistake I'd made recently. By no means do I suggest that I am now invincible, but getting past a mistake and doing it right the following day goes a long way in establishing both rhythm and confidence in the moment. I will continue to be extra careful with that section, reviewing it in my head and such, but I have done it correctly more recent than having screwed it up, and that is a net gain.
Wore my costume last night, and will tonight. Seems like all of that worked out fine. Mostly it's just a suit, with a hood added in one of the plays. A hot, wool hood. Taking that off between plays is my only "costume change" as it were, so that is a relief.
Got into the green room and dressing rooms for the first time last night. I'd seen them before, but had never used them. The last time I was in a show with others in this venue, the layout of the building was different, so the green room and dressing rooms were in a different place. Always good to get into the dressing rooms, I think. That's when it starts to feel "real" as it were.
Not the most exciting update this time. Everyone is tired, some nerves are on edge. A good opening night performance tends to negate such feelings, but we have a day and a half before all of that. We must get through tonight first. (Where I will be working with a sound effect for the very first time, which I hope goes better than I am fearing it will.)
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Line Drop, Mike Drop
I screwed up in a scene last night. Dropped a line and through off the tempo. I messed up this same line once before, and others have messed up in section near that moment before. I don't know what it is about that moment.
Well, I have some ideas.
In the end, 99% of the responsibility falls on the actors, and I accept that. But if a man who works hard at what he does, (yours truly) may be permitted on his own block to speak in his own defense as to the other 1%, I have a few words.
To begin with, the play in which this mistake happened is without a doubt the poorest of the three plays we are doing. Though the plot is seriously lacking, the language is the biggest issues here. Its turgid, archaic, stilted, repetitive, uninspired and often consists of poor diction. References are often unclear and any attempted poetry by Dunsany fails more often than not. Unlike say, Shakespeare, the script shows its age, despite being younger than that of the Bard by three centuries.
Because of these factors, I find it more difficult to patch a hole that may show up, due to either my own error, or that or someone else. The dialogue is unnatural without being elevated. It's just bad, and I've not melted into it as I do with most other scripts. I am in fact off book, and have been, but for certain sections it requires walking a razor's edge. Very little wiggle room. That, more than not having it memorized, has thrown me off here and there in that section.
I speak for nobody else in the cast, of course. But I am not the only one who has had difficulty, and I would not be shocked in the language was a factor in the issues of others as well. I may ask them during these final few days.
In the mean time, I am running the main trouble section over and over, though like I said, I am off book when it comes to the rote memory of the exchange. I think what I'm going for is to know it so well that the ability to ad-lib or jump around if needed is there, though of course, it is better to not need it at all. Perhaps I will attempt to memorize every line in those pages, and not just my own. (Not my usual intention in a play.) There are only two rehearsals left though.
I don't want that section to be a spook either. I think that's another advantage to going over it a bit more.
Otherwise for me that play went fine. (Once we reprogrammed the lights; the board somehow crashed and erased all the cues from the previous night.)
So that is the "line drop" part of this entry. Now for the "mike drop" part.
(Actually, I hate both the term "mike drop" and the actual dropping of a microphone after a performance. But I wanted to be cute with the title, and I went with it.)
The performance of the second show I am in, the head director's own script, was the best its been. The director of the show, (not the same man who wrote it) was overjoyed. He had almost no corrections for us after we ran it. If last night absolutely had to have been performance night for just that show, I think we would have been fine, that's how well we did with it. (I still want the two more rehearsals though!)
The only problem is I have to fire a gun at some point, and we have not developed a sound effect that will work. I think we are working on that tonight.
I was 90% happy with my performance in that play last night, though. No "highway hypnosis." Good energy. Might even pull it back in a few places. But it was a nice counter to the mistake I made in the one scene of the other show.
From here on out, I have to let the mistake I made go. No dwelling, because that will make it a spook. I don't like that it happened, don't want it happening again, but I'm not going to let it become a drain into which the rest of my performance, in that show and the next, gets sucked. I'll work on it, try to calm down, and get it right.
It was probably inevitable that I make at least one or two mistakes in this tech week anyway. I despise making them, but it has been a sort of hectic tech process. In a way I have "had my turn" and hopefully can move past it tonight.
And maybe gain some extra nuance for the character and the scene from all of the extra studying of the section I am doing today. In fact, I think that's already happened to a certain degree.
Two more rehearsals. Tomorrow is costumes officially, but I may wear mine today.
Well, I have some ideas.
In the end, 99% of the responsibility falls on the actors, and I accept that. But if a man who works hard at what he does, (yours truly) may be permitted on his own block to speak in his own defense as to the other 1%, I have a few words.
To begin with, the play in which this mistake happened is without a doubt the poorest of the three plays we are doing. Though the plot is seriously lacking, the language is the biggest issues here. Its turgid, archaic, stilted, repetitive, uninspired and often consists of poor diction. References are often unclear and any attempted poetry by Dunsany fails more often than not. Unlike say, Shakespeare, the script shows its age, despite being younger than that of the Bard by three centuries.
Because of these factors, I find it more difficult to patch a hole that may show up, due to either my own error, or that or someone else. The dialogue is unnatural without being elevated. It's just bad, and I've not melted into it as I do with most other scripts. I am in fact off book, and have been, but for certain sections it requires walking a razor's edge. Very little wiggle room. That, more than not having it memorized, has thrown me off here and there in that section.
I speak for nobody else in the cast, of course. But I am not the only one who has had difficulty, and I would not be shocked in the language was a factor in the issues of others as well. I may ask them during these final few days.
In the mean time, I am running the main trouble section over and over, though like I said, I am off book when it comes to the rote memory of the exchange. I think what I'm going for is to know it so well that the ability to ad-lib or jump around if needed is there, though of course, it is better to not need it at all. Perhaps I will attempt to memorize every line in those pages, and not just my own. (Not my usual intention in a play.) There are only two rehearsals left though.
I don't want that section to be a spook either. I think that's another advantage to going over it a bit more.
Otherwise for me that play went fine. (Once we reprogrammed the lights; the board somehow crashed and erased all the cues from the previous night.)
So that is the "line drop" part of this entry. Now for the "mike drop" part.
(Actually, I hate both the term "mike drop" and the actual dropping of a microphone after a performance. But I wanted to be cute with the title, and I went with it.)
The performance of the second show I am in, the head director's own script, was the best its been. The director of the show, (not the same man who wrote it) was overjoyed. He had almost no corrections for us after we ran it. If last night absolutely had to have been performance night for just that show, I think we would have been fine, that's how well we did with it. (I still want the two more rehearsals though!)
The only problem is I have to fire a gun at some point, and we have not developed a sound effect that will work. I think we are working on that tonight.
I was 90% happy with my performance in that play last night, though. No "highway hypnosis." Good energy. Might even pull it back in a few places. But it was a nice counter to the mistake I made in the one scene of the other show.
From here on out, I have to let the mistake I made go. No dwelling, because that will make it a spook. I don't like that it happened, don't want it happening again, but I'm not going to let it become a drain into which the rest of my performance, in that show and the next, gets sucked. I'll work on it, try to calm down, and get it right.
It was probably inevitable that I make at least one or two mistakes in this tech week anyway. I despise making them, but it has been a sort of hectic tech process. In a way I have "had my turn" and hopefully can move past it tonight.
And maybe gain some extra nuance for the character and the scene from all of the extra studying of the section I am doing today. In fact, I think that's already happened to a certain degree.
Two more rehearsals. Tomorrow is costumes officially, but I may wear mine today.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Tight Rope
I've always been honest, though discreet here on the blog. Pursuant to that policy, I have to say I am feeling uneasy about rehearsal last night, and where we stand as a whole for opening weekend.
I'm not telling tales out of school, here. The director of the company shares this assessment, according to what he told us at the end of last night's rehearsal.
No doubt there has been much improvement this week over last week. But the clock ticks no matter how good you feel about yourself, and there is still a large amount of work to be done before Friday.
I myself stumbled once or twice, but I was not by any means the only one. Nobody has a target on their back when I say this; collectively we as a group are behind. As productive as the last few rehearsals have been, the final three will have to be twice as productive over again.
It can happen. Once or twice in my life is has happened. But the uncertainty is difficult on me.
By policy, the company doesn't have rehearsals over three hours long. I'd be willing to work longer than that for the final few days, if that policy were suspended, however.
It wasn't all bad. We did get the lights programmed last night. Took some extra time, but that's the nature of lights and tech week in general. There's no fast way to do that. There aren't too many lighting tricks in the scenes I appear in, but in at least one the lighting will add a whole different ambiance that we can all certainly use in our performances.
I am also thinking about wearing my costume early, if I am permitted. As it stands we only have one scheduled rehearsal in costume. I'm used to more than one. Besides, being in costume, (even though it;s just stuff I personally bought at Goodwill) helps one feel more immersed in the show. If it's against company policy, then of course I won't.
So, there is concern. Not surrender, but concern.
I'm not telling tales out of school, here. The director of the company shares this assessment, according to what he told us at the end of last night's rehearsal.
No doubt there has been much improvement this week over last week. But the clock ticks no matter how good you feel about yourself, and there is still a large amount of work to be done before Friday.
I myself stumbled once or twice, but I was not by any means the only one. Nobody has a target on their back when I say this; collectively we as a group are behind. As productive as the last few rehearsals have been, the final three will have to be twice as productive over again.
It can happen. Once or twice in my life is has happened. But the uncertainty is difficult on me.
By policy, the company doesn't have rehearsals over three hours long. I'd be willing to work longer than that for the final few days, if that policy were suspended, however.
It wasn't all bad. We did get the lights programmed last night. Took some extra time, but that's the nature of lights and tech week in general. There's no fast way to do that. There aren't too many lighting tricks in the scenes I appear in, but in at least one the lighting will add a whole different ambiance that we can all certainly use in our performances.
I am also thinking about wearing my costume early, if I am permitted. As it stands we only have one scheduled rehearsal in costume. I'm used to more than one. Besides, being in costume, (even though it;s just stuff I personally bought at Goodwill) helps one feel more immersed in the show. If it's against company policy, then of course I won't.
So, there is concern. Not surrender, but concern.
Monday, February 22, 2016
Steady
Yesterday's rehearsal, other than being short one person, was very much like the previous night's. Though that makes for a less than compelling update, it's good news, I suppose. It means that the production is hitting a quasi-stride in some areas.
In fact, certain parts have improved each of the last three evenings. We must all get our remaining lines down. That's the biggest thing.
I can report that I wasn't as caught up in the "highway hypnosis" that I mentioned yesterday. Some rough-ish parts in small places, but I did feel more present yesterday than I did the night before.
Before rehearsal, I got familiar with a prop gun that I carry in one scene. I've been using it for rehearsals for about a week, but I never had the chance to just hold it in my hand, and get used to it. I have no experience with real guns, so I have nothing to go on to inform any micro-decisions I might make on stage, or just to increase my comfort level. It's fake, so there is no true danger, but I nonetheless think it's more convincing if I connect with the prop a bit more-like tempering eggs before dumping them into a hot mixture.
A hand prop can be an extension of the actor, or at least the character. Even if the prop is a simple one, allowing it time to come into your sphere as an actor, and become part of what you are doing instead of just grabbing it right before curtain and going allows nuance to develop. Nuance, properly cultivated, blends into the overall picture you are presenting. Though the audience may not know exactly what the deal is, they will likely notice a smoother, more realistic presentation. So I try to be familiar with hand props when I can.
Tonight is sure to be a true shift; we will have lights and sound for the first time. There isn't a whole lot going on with lights, but there are several prominent sound effects, one of which I must perfectly time my actions. I am preparing myself for spending some time getting that right.
A last minute decision to take pictures for the paper left me without my costume. (It was at home, getting washed.) So I don't appear in any of them, except a broad group shot. We probably could have come up with something, but I didn't press it.
There is still a lot of work to do, and I won't pretend to know for certain if all of it will get done by opening night or not. I will say we are closer than we were a week ago, but a noticeable margin.
Rehearsal this evening at 7:00PM.
In fact, certain parts have improved each of the last three evenings. We must all get our remaining lines down. That's the biggest thing.
I can report that I wasn't as caught up in the "highway hypnosis" that I mentioned yesterday. Some rough-ish parts in small places, but I did feel more present yesterday than I did the night before.
Before rehearsal, I got familiar with a prop gun that I carry in one scene. I've been using it for rehearsals for about a week, but I never had the chance to just hold it in my hand, and get used to it. I have no experience with real guns, so I have nothing to go on to inform any micro-decisions I might make on stage, or just to increase my comfort level. It's fake, so there is no true danger, but I nonetheless think it's more convincing if I connect with the prop a bit more-like tempering eggs before dumping them into a hot mixture.
A hand prop can be an extension of the actor, or at least the character. Even if the prop is a simple one, allowing it time to come into your sphere as an actor, and become part of what you are doing instead of just grabbing it right before curtain and going allows nuance to develop. Nuance, properly cultivated, blends into the overall picture you are presenting. Though the audience may not know exactly what the deal is, they will likely notice a smoother, more realistic presentation. So I try to be familiar with hand props when I can.
Tonight is sure to be a true shift; we will have lights and sound for the first time. There isn't a whole lot going on with lights, but there are several prominent sound effects, one of which I must perfectly time my actions. I am preparing myself for spending some time getting that right.
A last minute decision to take pictures for the paper left me without my costume. (It was at home, getting washed.) So I don't appear in any of them, except a broad group shot. We probably could have come up with something, but I didn't press it.
There is still a lot of work to do, and I won't pretend to know for certain if all of it will get done by opening night or not. I will say we are closer than we were a week ago, but a noticeable margin.
Rehearsal this evening at 7:00PM.
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Highway Hypnosis II
The last two rehearsals have had plenty of rough spots and hard edges. To be perfectly objective about it, probably more than rehearsals in the final week should have. That being said, the production has without a doubt improved over the last two days.
Everyone has been at rehearsal, and there is an increased feeling of urgency overall. I wouldn't call it fear or panic, but everyone is aware, shall we say, that it's time. That is my take away from it, at least.
These haven't been tech week rehearsals in the true sense, though. The light/sound technician won't be around until tomorrow. So despite it being tech week, the last two rehearsals have been standard, though we are now running all three shows each night now, and stopping for corrections far less often.
In the shorter of my two plays, the one written by the director of the company, I've reached a place in the last two days that can be good or bad depending on one's perspective. A few times my lines came to me in a less conscious way. Reflexively, once the cue line appeared. This sounds like the ideal to nearly everyone outside of theatre, and to many people inside of it as well. After all, if I'm able to spit the lines out with less thought and concentration, that means I've fully absorbed the material, doesn't it?
Only in a way. But for me, this isn't necessarily the best type of absorption for my manner of performance. I prefer a few more seeds of "Ty consciousness" if you will.
Have you ever been driving down the highway, and suddenly realized you don't really remember driving for the last 15 minutes? You've just been going along existing, and oh,by the way, your driving 65 miles an hour in a machine? It's both unnerving and somewhat amazing at the same time. After all, you were in some way only semi-conscious of what you were doing (the scary part) yet you never ran off the road, and you are still going where you are supposed to go (amazing part.) "Highway hypnosis" some call it.
There can be a similar, (though obviously not as dangerous) phenomenon for the actor, when everything becomes automatic.
"I am Othello! But Olivier is in control," wrote Lawrence Olivier in his great book, On Acting. That's how I prefer to be as well. I want there to always be a kernel of Ty present in my conscious mind while I perform, so I can course correct if needed. I don't mean I was out of control last night while on stage, I wasn't. My performance was, if I may say so myself, tight, solid. Yet there may have been some "highway hypnosis" going on.
This can happen in any show, but speaking for me at least, it is more likely to happen when I play a high-energy, somewhat askew character as I do in this short play. Even then, it only happened in a few different moments, not the whole show.
Now that I'm aware that I have approached that plain I can use it without succumbing to it. I've gotten a feel for the plane, I can pilot it better now.
Beyond that, I still had to call for a line in one or two places. I know all the lines, but certain sections seem to get weird here and there. I will work on that, of course.
I leave in just over an hour for the next rehearsal, though two people will be missing from this one. No matter, though.
Everyone has been at rehearsal, and there is an increased feeling of urgency overall. I wouldn't call it fear or panic, but everyone is aware, shall we say, that it's time. That is my take away from it, at least.
These haven't been tech week rehearsals in the true sense, though. The light/sound technician won't be around until tomorrow. So despite it being tech week, the last two rehearsals have been standard, though we are now running all three shows each night now, and stopping for corrections far less often.
In the shorter of my two plays, the one written by the director of the company, I've reached a place in the last two days that can be good or bad depending on one's perspective. A few times my lines came to me in a less conscious way. Reflexively, once the cue line appeared. This sounds like the ideal to nearly everyone outside of theatre, and to many people inside of it as well. After all, if I'm able to spit the lines out with less thought and concentration, that means I've fully absorbed the material, doesn't it?
Only in a way. But for me, this isn't necessarily the best type of absorption for my manner of performance. I prefer a few more seeds of "Ty consciousness" if you will.
Have you ever been driving down the highway, and suddenly realized you don't really remember driving for the last 15 minutes? You've just been going along existing, and oh,by the way, your driving 65 miles an hour in a machine? It's both unnerving and somewhat amazing at the same time. After all, you were in some way only semi-conscious of what you were doing (the scary part) yet you never ran off the road, and you are still going where you are supposed to go (amazing part.) "Highway hypnosis" some call it.
There can be a similar, (though obviously not as dangerous) phenomenon for the actor, when everything becomes automatic.
"I am Othello! But Olivier is in control," wrote Lawrence Olivier in his great book, On Acting. That's how I prefer to be as well. I want there to always be a kernel of Ty present in my conscious mind while I perform, so I can course correct if needed. I don't mean I was out of control last night while on stage, I wasn't. My performance was, if I may say so myself, tight, solid. Yet there may have been some "highway hypnosis" going on.
This can happen in any show, but speaking for me at least, it is more likely to happen when I play a high-energy, somewhat askew character as I do in this short play. Even then, it only happened in a few different moments, not the whole show.
Now that I'm aware that I have approached that plain I can use it without succumbing to it. I've gotten a feel for the plane, I can pilot it better now.
Beyond that, I still had to call for a line in one or two places. I know all the lines, but certain sections seem to get weird here and there. I will work on that, of course.
I leave in just over an hour for the next rehearsal, though two people will be missing from this one. No matter, though.
Monday, February 15, 2016
On the Suburbs of Trouble
I should be at rehearsal now instead of writing this. Not just any rehearsal, but the final rehearsal before tech week. A rehearsal we all in the show very much needed.
I'm not there, and in fact nobody is there, because it was cancelled because of weather.
Yeah.
Between schedule clashes and weather problems, my rough guess is that this production has missed anywhere between one third and one half of the rehearsals it was intended to have. We've not yet run all three shows in one night as they will be run for actual performances. In fact, only last night did we run the longest of the three shows all the way through in one night for the first time.
We've not worked the same sections with the same actors two nights in a row the entire time.
And Friday begins tech week.
I've been in tighter spots before in the theatre, but not too many.
I'm declaring myself de facto "off book," while readily admitting that it is a whole different beast to remember all lines and cues when everyone is present for the first time. I wasn't perfect last night, but I was at a place I'm almost comfortable with. It's pretty close to the best I can be on my own, not taking the rest of the cast's presence into account. I will of course continue to work on lines in my own time, though normally by tech week I don't feel much of a need for that.
Also smashed my head into an actresses head while rehearsing a struggle last night. It hurt on the moment, but I'm good now, as far as I can tell. I'll probably ask for a few more extra runs of that little scene; I think I have it, but I feel a tad shaky on it still.
I think I'm done with being in winter shows in this area. What was to be my best night for The King is But a Man last year was cancelled because of weather. The weather has taken a large toll on this show, and I have been other shows that missed rehearsals in February. If it's a wonderful opportunity, I'd probably still do it. Hamlet or something. But by and large there is just too much risk of missing rehearsals and performances around here in January and February. I still do Christmas shows, but that's probably it.
The head of the company agreed. He said he won't put on any more shows this time of year. And that was before we missed today. (The heat in the facility has not been reliable, just like last year for my show. That place gets cold.)
In a message to all of us earlier this evening, the director promised the most "harried" tech week in the history of theatre. Though it will be a battle, I doubt it will be my worst, as I have been in some bad tech weeks for some highly complicated technical shows. Still, I have no doubt there will be long evenings ahead. Not my favorite thing about non-Union theater (where nothing can mandate breaks), but it's part of the beast in such circumstances.
One of the other company directors, (each of the three shows has its own) also emailed everybody, encouraging us all to hit the ground running on Friday. He believes there is a great deal of talent in this cast, and I agree with him. I also agree with his notion that it will take all kinds of work to put on the best possible show. But if we do all of what we are capable, it could be quite an evening of theatre.
No, I am still not panicked. Truth be told, I'm not sure things like this could make me panic anymore. Am I concerned, and uncertain as to whether we will be totally ready to open on time? Yes, of course I am. I think anybody in this situation would be. But unlike in previous years in theatre, I don't tend to view any one production as the be all and end all. At least I don't feel that way as often as I used to. I have no desire to screw up in front of an auditions. I want no parts of being in a poor production. Nor do I particularly want to have to cancel something to which I have already dedicated so much time and energy.
Yet the theatre is a human thing, through and through. Humans piss each other off, make mistakes, have competing values, divided loyalties, have muddled and confusing motivations for their behavior. I'm not happy that this can be the case, and the harder you work, the less likely these things are to derail something. But when it happens it happens, and while I may be pissed off about something on the day, especially when it requires little effort to rectify or prevent, in the end there will be other shows. They don't all end up in a mess. I will act again, if I have anything to do with it.
Nor is this show a mess yet. We have that one week to pull things together. I imagine the head director won't let us go on if we look absurd and unprepared. He almost made the decision once already, after all. So, as always, the most I can do is know my lines, my blocking, dive into my imagination for some interesting choices, and try not to get in anybody else's way as the proceed to get ready for the show.
And sometimes you learn more from the chaos than from anything else. Not a classroom I wish to be in every time, but if I find myself in it, might as well pay attention.
I'm not there, and in fact nobody is there, because it was cancelled because of weather.
Yeah.
Between schedule clashes and weather problems, my rough guess is that this production has missed anywhere between one third and one half of the rehearsals it was intended to have. We've not yet run all three shows in one night as they will be run for actual performances. In fact, only last night did we run the longest of the three shows all the way through in one night for the first time.
We've not worked the same sections with the same actors two nights in a row the entire time.
And Friday begins tech week.
I've been in tighter spots before in the theatre, but not too many.
I'm declaring myself de facto "off book," while readily admitting that it is a whole different beast to remember all lines and cues when everyone is present for the first time. I wasn't perfect last night, but I was at a place I'm almost comfortable with. It's pretty close to the best I can be on my own, not taking the rest of the cast's presence into account. I will of course continue to work on lines in my own time, though normally by tech week I don't feel much of a need for that.
Also smashed my head into an actresses head while rehearsing a struggle last night. It hurt on the moment, but I'm good now, as far as I can tell. I'll probably ask for a few more extra runs of that little scene; I think I have it, but I feel a tad shaky on it still.
I think I'm done with being in winter shows in this area. What was to be my best night for The King is But a Man last year was cancelled because of weather. The weather has taken a large toll on this show, and I have been other shows that missed rehearsals in February. If it's a wonderful opportunity, I'd probably still do it. Hamlet or something. But by and large there is just too much risk of missing rehearsals and performances around here in January and February. I still do Christmas shows, but that's probably it.
The head of the company agreed. He said he won't put on any more shows this time of year. And that was before we missed today. (The heat in the facility has not been reliable, just like last year for my show. That place gets cold.)
In a message to all of us earlier this evening, the director promised the most "harried" tech week in the history of theatre. Though it will be a battle, I doubt it will be my worst, as I have been in some bad tech weeks for some highly complicated technical shows. Still, I have no doubt there will be long evenings ahead. Not my favorite thing about non-Union theater (where nothing can mandate breaks), but it's part of the beast in such circumstances.
One of the other company directors, (each of the three shows has its own) also emailed everybody, encouraging us all to hit the ground running on Friday. He believes there is a great deal of talent in this cast, and I agree with him. I also agree with his notion that it will take all kinds of work to put on the best possible show. But if we do all of what we are capable, it could be quite an evening of theatre.
No, I am still not panicked. Truth be told, I'm not sure things like this could make me panic anymore. Am I concerned, and uncertain as to whether we will be totally ready to open on time? Yes, of course I am. I think anybody in this situation would be. But unlike in previous years in theatre, I don't tend to view any one production as the be all and end all. At least I don't feel that way as often as I used to. I have no desire to screw up in front of an auditions. I want no parts of being in a poor production. Nor do I particularly want to have to cancel something to which I have already dedicated so much time and energy.
Yet the theatre is a human thing, through and through. Humans piss each other off, make mistakes, have competing values, divided loyalties, have muddled and confusing motivations for their behavior. I'm not happy that this can be the case, and the harder you work, the less likely these things are to derail something. But when it happens it happens, and while I may be pissed off about something on the day, especially when it requires little effort to rectify or prevent, in the end there will be other shows. They don't all end up in a mess. I will act again, if I have anything to do with it.
Nor is this show a mess yet. We have that one week to pull things together. I imagine the head director won't let us go on if we look absurd and unprepared. He almost made the decision once already, after all. So, as always, the most I can do is know my lines, my blocking, dive into my imagination for some interesting choices, and try not to get in anybody else's way as the proceed to get ready for the show.
And sometimes you learn more from the chaos than from anything else. Not a classroom I wish to be in every time, but if I find myself in it, might as well pay attention.
Friday, February 12, 2016
"Side" Job
Last night a few of us met in the lobby of the theater, (the stage was being used for auditions) to review lines, and go over any trouble spots. There weren't many of us there, so what we could accomplish was limited.
But we did get something done. Those few of us who did share some dialogue decided to go over those sections a few times as a line review. We also had some short discussions about how to play the scenes going forward.
I'd have preferred a full-on extra rehearsal at this point, but a lot of community theater is working hard at what you have. Last night we had a chance to review only a few pages, and that's what we did.
It is in some way the essence of amateur/community/volunteer theatre. In most places there are hindrances, delays, setbacks. They can be frustrating, and at times they can cause the cancellation of a show. (To which we came close last week.) But there is appeal in the pastiche of schedules and efforts and ideas and available space that comes with such productions.
People stealing a few minutes to rehearse a difficult scene, or a huddled conversation back stage during dress rehearsals, resulting in a rough spot finally being ironed out after so many awkward attempts throughout the process. Meeting in homes, coffee shops, restaurants to get to know not only the show, but one another better.
It may or may not make for the most even show possible. But it indicates effort. It indicates that people care. When people care, good things happen in the arts. Sometimes the best of things happen.
Just about any other art is sloppy. Messes are made, and they can't always be cleaned up right away. But we work that corner of the canvas all morning, or tinker with that prologue during our lunch break at work. Certainly most people, myself included, would prefer neat, organized, predictable and consistent sessions to work on a play, (or anything else.) But absent of that, zero effort brings zero results, and I would much rather chip away at the boulder here and there until it cracks, than just look at how big the boulder is all day and wish it were not there.
Regular rehearsal tonight. It promises to be a longer than usual one to make up for some of what I talked about above. But I've always been all for long rehearsals, if something gets accomplished during the long period. I believe it will tonight.
But we did get something done. Those few of us who did share some dialogue decided to go over those sections a few times as a line review. We also had some short discussions about how to play the scenes going forward.
I'd have preferred a full-on extra rehearsal at this point, but a lot of community theater is working hard at what you have. Last night we had a chance to review only a few pages, and that's what we did.
It is in some way the essence of amateur/community/volunteer theatre. In most places there are hindrances, delays, setbacks. They can be frustrating, and at times they can cause the cancellation of a show. (To which we came close last week.) But there is appeal in the pastiche of schedules and efforts and ideas and available space that comes with such productions.
People stealing a few minutes to rehearse a difficult scene, or a huddled conversation back stage during dress rehearsals, resulting in a rough spot finally being ironed out after so many awkward attempts throughout the process. Meeting in homes, coffee shops, restaurants to get to know not only the show, but one another better.
It may or may not make for the most even show possible. But it indicates effort. It indicates that people care. When people care, good things happen in the arts. Sometimes the best of things happen.
Just about any other art is sloppy. Messes are made, and they can't always be cleaned up right away. But we work that corner of the canvas all morning, or tinker with that prologue during our lunch break at work. Certainly most people, myself included, would prefer neat, organized, predictable and consistent sessions to work on a play, (or anything else.) But absent of that, zero effort brings zero results, and I would much rather chip away at the boulder here and there until it cracks, than just look at how big the boulder is all day and wish it were not there.
Regular rehearsal tonight. It promises to be a longer than usual one to make up for some of what I talked about above. But I've always been all for long rehearsals, if something gets accomplished during the long period. I believe it will tonight.
Tuesday, February 09, 2016
180 Degrees
Last night's rehearsal had 100% attendance. We didn't rehearse everything in the production, but what we did rehearse went well, nearly everyone off book by now, and finally getting a small feel for interacting with one another.
It felt refreshing to me to be able to do this.
The leader of the company was fairly close to calling the production off. Now that we've sort of j ump started the process, everything seems to be a go. Hopefully it will remain that way.
We do still have a great deal of work, and little time to do it in. We're aren't close to performance ready. But like Churchill said early in World War II, "This isn't the end. It's not even the beginning of the end. But perhaps it is the end of the beginning."
Being off book is of course crucial to success in a show, especially this late in the process. (Even if the show is not somewhat behind schedule.) But getting a feel for one another is of near equal importance, and for a good portion of last night, that's what it was about. Some scenes were rehearsed without scripts, and a full cast for the very first time.
Thankfully, I don't dislike any of the people in these shows. It's always much more fun that way. But there is also the element of getting a feel for everyone else's performance style and pace and such during a play, whether or not you like them as a person. You can memorize every letter of a script, but until you start exchanging lines with the people playing the other roles, your work in incomplete. You can eventually recite your lines to the empty space of an absent actor, waiting for your cue from the stage manager who is reading the lines, but it's like dumping seeds onto a parking lot; something might take, but nothing will thrive.
The same is true, believe it or not, even when the actor has no lines in a given scene. Their presence has an impact on your performance that is difficult to fake when they aren't there. When my character is aware your character is present, it informs certain aspects of what I'm doing. One may hear that and think that a silent actor is no different than a silent empty chair. But they are world different.
For example in the shorter of the plays I am in, I play a man who has an assistant. My character does speak to the assistant directly a few times, but most of the time the assistant is quiet. Yet, the way I'm playing the scene now, (which is a board meeting), I'm almost always at least partially directing things toward the assistant, even though I'm actually addressing someone else, or the ether. I want the presence of that character to be a part of what my character is doing, who my character is in the scene. I want to use what the actress playing the assistant has to offer in her frequent silence.
This is of course true for any character on a stage who may not be saying anything. But given the particulars of this script, and the way I am seeing the character, the assistant is arguable the most significant presence for many moments.
I don't want to speak on behalf of the actress of course, but if I had to guess I would say she too is getting things to use from not only me, but others in the room, even during their silences, and so on all through the cast.
It is these things that take some time to develop. It is these things that begin to take form when everyone is present at rehearsal. I suppose that in an absolute emergency, such things can be partially replicated in the absence of scene partners, but one would never get as much or as deep a performance for the audience, nor as satisfying an experience for the actor. At least if the actor is me.
The next official rehearsal is Friday, but several people are going to try to meet on Thursday to go over trouble spots, and discuss issues, and I want to be there for that.
So yes, an almost complete turn around in town and productivity from the previous rehearsal night. Here's hoping it stays that way.
It felt refreshing to me to be able to do this.
The leader of the company was fairly close to calling the production off. Now that we've sort of j ump started the process, everything seems to be a go. Hopefully it will remain that way.
We do still have a great deal of work, and little time to do it in. We're aren't close to performance ready. But like Churchill said early in World War II, "This isn't the end. It's not even the beginning of the end. But perhaps it is the end of the beginning."
Being off book is of course crucial to success in a show, especially this late in the process. (Even if the show is not somewhat behind schedule.) But getting a feel for one another is of near equal importance, and for a good portion of last night, that's what it was about. Some scenes were rehearsed without scripts, and a full cast for the very first time.
Thankfully, I don't dislike any of the people in these shows. It's always much more fun that way. But there is also the element of getting a feel for everyone else's performance style and pace and such during a play, whether or not you like them as a person. You can memorize every letter of a script, but until you start exchanging lines with the people playing the other roles, your work in incomplete. You can eventually recite your lines to the empty space of an absent actor, waiting for your cue from the stage manager who is reading the lines, but it's like dumping seeds onto a parking lot; something might take, but nothing will thrive.
The same is true, believe it or not, even when the actor has no lines in a given scene. Their presence has an impact on your performance that is difficult to fake when they aren't there. When my character is aware your character is present, it informs certain aspects of what I'm doing. One may hear that and think that a silent actor is no different than a silent empty chair. But they are world different.
For example in the shorter of the plays I am in, I play a man who has an assistant. My character does speak to the assistant directly a few times, but most of the time the assistant is quiet. Yet, the way I'm playing the scene now, (which is a board meeting), I'm almost always at least partially directing things toward the assistant, even though I'm actually addressing someone else, or the ether. I want the presence of that character to be a part of what my character is doing, who my character is in the scene. I want to use what the actress playing the assistant has to offer in her frequent silence.
This is of course true for any character on a stage who may not be saying anything. But given the particulars of this script, and the way I am seeing the character, the assistant is arguable the most significant presence for many moments.
I don't want to speak on behalf of the actress of course, but if I had to guess I would say she too is getting things to use from not only me, but others in the room, even during their silences, and so on all through the cast.
It is these things that take some time to develop. It is these things that begin to take form when everyone is present at rehearsal. I suppose that in an absolute emergency, such things can be partially replicated in the absence of scene partners, but one would never get as much or as deep a performance for the audience, nor as satisfying an experience for the actor. At least if the actor is me.
The next official rehearsal is Friday, but several people are going to try to meet on Thursday to go over trouble spots, and discuss issues, and I want to be there for that.
So yes, an almost complete turn around in town and productivity from the previous rehearsal night. Here's hoping it stays that way.
Saturday, February 06, 2016
Crap Out
I have to unfortunately report that about half of the cast was unable to make it to last night's rehearsal. Because of this, we once again could not rehearse in any productive way.
The director of the company was, understandably, unhappy about this.
I, frankly, am becoming a bit disappointed myself. I'm still not in a panic, and I actually have less invested in the overall picture than do the leaders of the company itself. Still, I have to admit I'm starting to wonder when we will actually be rehearsing on a regular solid basis.
And when we do, will it be enough? The short answer is, it will have to be, because our director said he wouldn't allow the show to go on stage if it isn't good enough. He asked the rest of us present what we thought of that position. With regret, we all agreed; we can't put on a show that is unprepared.
That being said, the show is not cancelled as of now. The ticking of the clock is certainly becoming louder with each week that passes, but hope isn't lost. It will require more people prioritizing the show over most other things from now on, I will say, but there is time for that to happen.
We did have a bit of a discussion about acting and directing in lieu of a rehearsal. Those of us with questions or concerns about specific aspects of the production got to bring them up. Though not a rehearsal, I think that was still a productive use of time. The show will ultimately be better for it.
I wish I had more positive, interesting things to report. But despite the best of intentions, this is how community theatre often unfolds. It seems to be more frequent with this show than most, but I can say from experience that the unwavering dedication to bring about the best show possible can sometimes be quite difficult to extract from actors and crew who volunteer.
A lot of wonderful, challenging work gets done on this level anyway, and perhaps that is the true essence and power of community theatre; thing get done anyway. The trade off is that they don't always get done anyway. They can't be forced when people have other things they are doing for much of the rehearsal process. I'm not saying I like or agree with this tendency, I don't. But if that is the tendency, all one can do is commit to a project and hope for the best.
Next rehearsal is tomorrow afternoon.
The director of the company was, understandably, unhappy about this.
I, frankly, am becoming a bit disappointed myself. I'm still not in a panic, and I actually have less invested in the overall picture than do the leaders of the company itself. Still, I have to admit I'm starting to wonder when we will actually be rehearsing on a regular solid basis.
And when we do, will it be enough? The short answer is, it will have to be, because our director said he wouldn't allow the show to go on stage if it isn't good enough. He asked the rest of us present what we thought of that position. With regret, we all agreed; we can't put on a show that is unprepared.
That being said, the show is not cancelled as of now. The ticking of the clock is certainly becoming louder with each week that passes, but hope isn't lost. It will require more people prioritizing the show over most other things from now on, I will say, but there is time for that to happen.
We did have a bit of a discussion about acting and directing in lieu of a rehearsal. Those of us with questions or concerns about specific aspects of the production got to bring them up. Though not a rehearsal, I think that was still a productive use of time. The show will ultimately be better for it.
I wish I had more positive, interesting things to report. But despite the best of intentions, this is how community theatre often unfolds. It seems to be more frequent with this show than most, but I can say from experience that the unwavering dedication to bring about the best show possible can sometimes be quite difficult to extract from actors and crew who volunteer.
A lot of wonderful, challenging work gets done on this level anyway, and perhaps that is the true essence and power of community theatre; thing get done anyway. The trade off is that they don't always get done anyway. They can't be forced when people have other things they are doing for much of the rehearsal process. I'm not saying I like or agree with this tendency, I don't. But if that is the tendency, all one can do is commit to a project and hope for the best.
Next rehearsal is tomorrow afternoon.
Monday, February 01, 2016
85%
That's about how far off book I was in actual rehearsal of the play on Friday night.
I had more of the lines in my head, but it's all a different ballgame once you are up on stage delivering them. It takes another week or so to get them to the point that you remember them under the pressure of a scene.
Plus, schedules haven't allowed my and my main scene partner much time to run the scenes together, so that a bit of a factor as well.
I still need to study the lines, no doubt. Especially a few of the ornate ones from Laughter of the Gods. Yet it still felt good to have the script out of my hand for much of Friday's rehearsal. There is a long way to go for the whole production and a shortish amount of time remaining to get there. But even when I have to call for a line several times, a threshold always feel crossed once I perform without constantly referring to the script. The real artistic, creative work begins soon.
Sadly, that work couldn't take place for me yesterday afternoon. Too many people had to miss rehearsal, so neither or the two plays I am in could rehearse, and I was dismissed. Some good came out of it though...the whole cast for Philip Glass, the show I am not in, was present, so they got to work their show a bit extra yesterday. So though i didn't get anything done personally, the production as a whole moved forward.
That's the catch in being in an evening of one-act plays. (Which I've done several times now.) When it's an ensemble cast that appears in each, one or two people missing can derail the whole evening. So there may be less work in some areas, but it can take longer, and require more patience than a standard show in others.
In a full length show, you can generally run different scenes when people are missing. For one act plays, there is a rather gaping hole to fill in their absence. You can do it, but it requires a whole different mind sent. Plus it's less than ideal.
But that is how it goes for this production. Every production has something that drags progress a bit. I still at this point have no reason to believe it won't work out. As this blog has shown, I have been in plays that have had far less time, and were much less prepared than this one. There are some annoyances with the schedules of the actors, but I'm not even in "concerned" stage yet.
Rehearsal again tonight at 5:00PM. That is the more difficult day and time for me, as it just starts to throw off my daily rhythm. Friday is late enough for it not to matter, and usually Sunday afternoon's are flexible. Like a matinee performance. But 5:00PM is such an odd time for me.
But it's not 9:00AM, and I have been there before rehearsing and even once, performing. That, my friends, is almost not even theatre.
I had more of the lines in my head, but it's all a different ballgame once you are up on stage delivering them. It takes another week or so to get them to the point that you remember them under the pressure of a scene.
Plus, schedules haven't allowed my and my main scene partner much time to run the scenes together, so that a bit of a factor as well.
I still need to study the lines, no doubt. Especially a few of the ornate ones from Laughter of the Gods. Yet it still felt good to have the script out of my hand for much of Friday's rehearsal. There is a long way to go for the whole production and a shortish amount of time remaining to get there. But even when I have to call for a line several times, a threshold always feel crossed once I perform without constantly referring to the script. The real artistic, creative work begins soon.
Sadly, that work couldn't take place for me yesterday afternoon. Too many people had to miss rehearsal, so neither or the two plays I am in could rehearse, and I was dismissed. Some good came out of it though...the whole cast for Philip Glass, the show I am not in, was present, so they got to work their show a bit extra yesterday. So though i didn't get anything done personally, the production as a whole moved forward.
That's the catch in being in an evening of one-act plays. (Which I've done several times now.) When it's an ensemble cast that appears in each, one or two people missing can derail the whole evening. So there may be less work in some areas, but it can take longer, and require more patience than a standard show in others.
In a full length show, you can generally run different scenes when people are missing. For one act plays, there is a rather gaping hole to fill in their absence. You can do it, but it requires a whole different mind sent. Plus it's less than ideal.
But that is how it goes for this production. Every production has something that drags progress a bit. I still at this point have no reason to believe it won't work out. As this blog has shown, I have been in plays that have had far less time, and were much less prepared than this one. There are some annoyances with the schedules of the actors, but I'm not even in "concerned" stage yet.
Rehearsal again tonight at 5:00PM. That is the more difficult day and time for me, as it just starts to throw off my daily rhythm. Friday is late enough for it not to matter, and usually Sunday afternoon's are flexible. Like a matinee performance. But 5:00PM is such an odd time for me.
But it's not 9:00AM, and I have been there before rehearsing and even once, performing. That, my friends, is almost not even theatre.
Monday, January 25, 2016
White Out!
I live basically in the bull's eye of the recent Blizzard of 2016, as does the Black Box Arts Center. So the last two rehearsals were cancelled. Today is not cancelled, but given my semi-rural location, my access lanes and such have not yet been plowed. So I am forced to miss today's scheduled rehearsal, which bugs me.
I've been working on the script, though. I am about 75% off book for the longer play I am in. The shorter one, I have not spent as much time on yet, but I will as the week wears on until the Friday rehearsal. (Which I certainly hope will find my street plowed.)
The production already has dealt with a lot of schedule conflicts, so I'm not happy about contributing to even more. But I decided years ago that no rehearsal was worth driving in dangerous conditions. Besides, it's not about dangerous at the moment; it's about I live down a half a mile lane covered in three feet of snow, and wouldn't be able to get out to drive dangerously if I were inclined.
But it gives me some time alone to ponder my character, and the shows in general. It could be a net plus to have these few days away from straight up rehearsing. I'd rather have the rehearsals, but in their absence, much good can and will be accomplished.
I've been working on the script, though. I am about 75% off book for the longer play I am in. The shorter one, I have not spent as much time on yet, but I will as the week wears on until the Friday rehearsal. (Which I certainly hope will find my street plowed.)
The production already has dealt with a lot of schedule conflicts, so I'm not happy about contributing to even more. But I decided years ago that no rehearsal was worth driving in dangerous conditions. Besides, it's not about dangerous at the moment; it's about I live down a half a mile lane covered in three feet of snow, and wouldn't be able to get out to drive dangerously if I were inclined.
But it gives me some time alone to ponder my character, and the shows in general. It could be a net plus to have these few days away from straight up rehearsing. I'd rather have the rehearsals, but in their absence, much good can and will be accomplished.
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Slow Going
I've had two rehearsals since the last post here on the blog. One on Sunday, and one last night. Sadly, last night was called off early, because several unavoidable, difficult circumstances arose which prevented a "quorum" if you will. That is to say, there were simply not enough of us present to work. (Though we did read through the lines of the shortest play as best we could.)
Naturally, I would prefer that schedules and circumstances didn't keep people away so much. I'm not worried yet, however. It;s fairly typical of a community production to have more than a few absences. I'll admit this show has seen more in a shorter period of time than most, but I don't think that puts us in any kind of trouble at this time.
We do need to get off book soon, and I have until the start of next month to do so. I'll have to work at it, but I should be there, especially since someone will be prompting for a few days after that anyway.
About 98% of the time in such situations, things work themselves out. I'm not sure how it happens exactly, but speaking from my own experience, rare is the show that can't open on time because of problems.
The director of the shortest show (an original script) has suggested we warn audiences about the mature subject matter and adult language involved. There are differing views on this throughout the theatre world, but I came out in favor of the warning, at least in this venue. It's a slightly-conservative area, and the venue itself has for the last few years been home mostly to children's theater. Giving parent the opportunity to make the conscious choice to keep kids away from the show is only good policy, in my view. (Or perhaps for adults who don't want to deal with mature subject matter.) I'd much rather have the warnings than have surprised and shocked people get up and leave en mass in the middle of a performance. (Something that happened at this same venue when it was under different management during a "mature audiences" show previously, if I remember correctly.)
So a warning it is.
In different news, the heat doesn't seem to be working on the venue just now. I had a similar issue last year this time when I was rehearsing The King is But a Man. It's been frigid in this area lately, too. Just have to keep moving.
Heavy snow is in the forecast for our next rehearsal, this Friday evening. So that might get cancelled. Huge pain in the backside.
But still nothing to panic over. Again, such is community theater, especially in an area with rough winters such as this one. The cast is talented for the most part, and right now I see no reason why we can't make it a quality production despite the rough early going.
Naturally, I would prefer that schedules and circumstances didn't keep people away so much. I'm not worried yet, however. It;s fairly typical of a community production to have more than a few absences. I'll admit this show has seen more in a shorter period of time than most, but I don't think that puts us in any kind of trouble at this time.
We do need to get off book soon, and I have until the start of next month to do so. I'll have to work at it, but I should be there, especially since someone will be prompting for a few days after that anyway.
About 98% of the time in such situations, things work themselves out. I'm not sure how it happens exactly, but speaking from my own experience, rare is the show that can't open on time because of problems.
The director of the shortest show (an original script) has suggested we warn audiences about the mature subject matter and adult language involved. There are differing views on this throughout the theatre world, but I came out in favor of the warning, at least in this venue. It's a slightly-conservative area, and the venue itself has for the last few years been home mostly to children's theater. Giving parent the opportunity to make the conscious choice to keep kids away from the show is only good policy, in my view. (Or perhaps for adults who don't want to deal with mature subject matter.) I'd much rather have the warnings than have surprised and shocked people get up and leave en mass in the middle of a performance. (Something that happened at this same venue when it was under different management during a "mature audiences" show previously, if I remember correctly.)
So a warning it is.
In different news, the heat doesn't seem to be working on the venue just now. I had a similar issue last year this time when I was rehearsing The King is But a Man. It's been frigid in this area lately, too. Just have to keep moving.
Heavy snow is in the forecast for our next rehearsal, this Friday evening. So that might get cancelled. Huge pain in the backside.
But still nothing to panic over. Again, such is community theater, especially in an area with rough winters such as this one. The cast is talented for the most part, and right now I see no reason why we can't make it a quality production despite the rough early going.
Friday, January 15, 2016
100%
Tonight was our first rehearsal with everyone in the cast present, as schedules finally calm down a bit.
Beyond that important milestone, however, it was a rather ordinary night of rehearsing for me. We ran both of the shows I am in with limited interruption. (Though we didn't get to the end of Laughter of the Gods.)
The director of the whole production and leader of the company was pleased with how everything went. So were most of the people in the cast, myself included.
Nobody is off book yet, though I am working hard to get there as soon as I can. But setting that aside, some good character moments are starting to develop on stage.
I myself have had a solid sense of who I wanted my character in the shorter play to be almost from day one. I've had a bit more trouble getting to know my character in Laughter but aspects of him are starting to appear, even though I'm still walking around holding my script. I do find Dunsany's lines stilted much of the time, but the more I say them, the less in the way they get of my bringing some kind of character to life.
I also am on stage with no lines for about a 4th of the play near the end. This offers me the opportunity to work on inner monologue, and the ever important performance between the lines. I take particular pride in being able to stay in character and do interesting (but not distracting) things when I am in the background of a scene. I've often found that people who aren't acting when they are silent stick out like a sore thumb on the stage.
That's about as profound or insightful as I can be for tonight. Sometimes it's good news when nothing huge happens, either good or bad during the rehearsal process. I think every show needs a certain number of "steady-as-she-goes" rehearsals, where things just sort of hold their own-that sort of slow, but steady and certain evening of solidification. That was tonight for the most part.
Next rehearsal is Sunday afternoon.
Beyond that important milestone, however, it was a rather ordinary night of rehearsing for me. We ran both of the shows I am in with limited interruption. (Though we didn't get to the end of Laughter of the Gods.)
The director of the whole production and leader of the company was pleased with how everything went. So were most of the people in the cast, myself included.
Nobody is off book yet, though I am working hard to get there as soon as I can. But setting that aside, some good character moments are starting to develop on stage.
I myself have had a solid sense of who I wanted my character in the shorter play to be almost from day one. I've had a bit more trouble getting to know my character in Laughter but aspects of him are starting to appear, even though I'm still walking around holding my script. I do find Dunsany's lines stilted much of the time, but the more I say them, the less in the way they get of my bringing some kind of character to life.
I also am on stage with no lines for about a 4th of the play near the end. This offers me the opportunity to work on inner monologue, and the ever important performance between the lines. I take particular pride in being able to stay in character and do interesting (but not distracting) things when I am in the background of a scene. I've often found that people who aren't acting when they are silent stick out like a sore thumb on the stage.
That's about as profound or insightful as I can be for tonight. Sometimes it's good news when nothing huge happens, either good or bad during the rehearsal process. I think every show needs a certain number of "steady-as-she-goes" rehearsals, where things just sort of hold their own-that sort of slow, but steady and certain evening of solidification. That was tonight for the most part.
Next rehearsal is Sunday afternoon.
Tuesday, January 12, 2016
Three Days of One-Der
Since last I wrote here, I've been to three production rehearsals. They have mostly been blocking "rehearsals," or more accurately, they have been meeting during which the blocking is introduced to the actors. Important, and at times tedious work in any production. It's not the type of work that can be written about in any interesting way. The directors placed the actors in their respective plays on the stage for each page. End of that story. Such decisions almost always evolve and change a bit during rehearsals anyway, as a production wears on.
As a reminder, this is an evening of one-act plays. Three of them, to be exact. I appear in two of this. The first is just under an hour long, the second, and final of the evening is about 15 minutes long.
I do have to make a significant correction at this point. Previously I had said that the two plays I am in were written by members of the company. The scripts and the publicity for the audition that I saw didn't list the playwrights, only the titles, so this was my conclusion.
I was incorrect. The shorter one is in fact written by the head of the company. But the longer of the two plays I am in, called Laughter of the Gods was written nearly one hundred years ago by the Irish playwright Lord Dunsany. The original script is a full length play, billed as "a tragedy in three acts." It has been edited down to a one-act play for our production. (I am uncertain by whom.)
From what I've gathered in my research, Dunsany is rather obscure outside of fantasy fiction circles. (Where he is considered a bit of a pioneer, due to his common themes of magic and divinity.) There is also little to be found about this play, though I did determine it ran on Broadway for just over one month in 1918. The Punch and Judy Theater, for those interested in such factoids.
I found one brief modern review for the script. A consumer who purchased a volume of Dunsany's work on Amazon considered the script "stilted." As I work to memorize the lines of the play, I can say I agree with the assessment. With a handful of exceptions, there is very little poetry in the script, and at times the diction is a nightmare. Still, an interesting choice to stage such a play today, albeit an abridgment. I'm starting to see my character (Ludibras) a bit more clearly now. The director even allowed me to approach a line differently than the way he has initially planned, which was good of him.
I met one on one with the actress playing my character's wife On Sunday before rehearsal. I'm glad I did so. I said in my previous post that a lot of directors don't "allow" that. Our director encourages it. Things will change and evolve as they always do, but I feel I and the actress, (whom I had never met before this show) have a better understanding of both one another, and our respective approaches to our characters.
If you've read this blog regularly, you know how often I say this: feeling comfortable and amiable with your cast mates isn't 100% necessary for a high quality show, but it makes it a damn sight more likely and easier.
The director of the whole company, (and author of the shorter play) did tell me he liked where I was going with my character in that play. That's probably the main "news" to report for now. As I think about it, I don't think I've ever performed any role in front of the playwright who wrote it before. I was an A.D. for a show that a local playwright wrote, and he came to rehearsals. The same thing happened in college, in fact. But I've never been in this situation before.
It's not as awkward as I thought it might be, though it is a short play, and the playwright himself has to appear in it too, I believe, because of the lack of cast members. There's probably too much to worry about for me to feel too awkward about it.
That's been the only major difficulty in this production so far: schedules. We've not had the whole cast together on one night yet. This of course makes blocking and character work somewhat difficult. Yet I feel most sympathy in this regard for the one play I am not in: Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread by David Ives. I was in that same play years ago, and it requires such exquisite precision in both rhythmic line delivery and stage placement that any missed rehearsal is equal to two missed rehearsals in a more standard show.
Plus in this production the director is making use of dance moves, which means a choreographer, who already has limited time to commit to rehearsals. I sympathize with the plight of that part of the production, but I won't lie; I'm relived I won't have to be doing that show again! Once is probably enough for that one.
Next official rehearsal is this coming Friday.
As a reminder, this is an evening of one-act plays. Three of them, to be exact. I appear in two of this. The first is just under an hour long, the second, and final of the evening is about 15 minutes long.
I do have to make a significant correction at this point. Previously I had said that the two plays I am in were written by members of the company. The scripts and the publicity for the audition that I saw didn't list the playwrights, only the titles, so this was my conclusion.
I was incorrect. The shorter one is in fact written by the head of the company. But the longer of the two plays I am in, called Laughter of the Gods was written nearly one hundred years ago by the Irish playwright Lord Dunsany. The original script is a full length play, billed as "a tragedy in three acts." It has been edited down to a one-act play for our production. (I am uncertain by whom.)
From what I've gathered in my research, Dunsany is rather obscure outside of fantasy fiction circles. (Where he is considered a bit of a pioneer, due to his common themes of magic and divinity.) There is also little to be found about this play, though I did determine it ran on Broadway for just over one month in 1918. The Punch and Judy Theater, for those interested in such factoids.
I found one brief modern review for the script. A consumer who purchased a volume of Dunsany's work on Amazon considered the script "stilted." As I work to memorize the lines of the play, I can say I agree with the assessment. With a handful of exceptions, there is very little poetry in the script, and at times the diction is a nightmare. Still, an interesting choice to stage such a play today, albeit an abridgment. I'm starting to see my character (Ludibras) a bit more clearly now. The director even allowed me to approach a line differently than the way he has initially planned, which was good of him.
I met one on one with the actress playing my character's wife On Sunday before rehearsal. I'm glad I did so. I said in my previous post that a lot of directors don't "allow" that. Our director encourages it. Things will change and evolve as they always do, but I feel I and the actress, (whom I had never met before this show) have a better understanding of both one another, and our respective approaches to our characters.
If you've read this blog regularly, you know how often I say this: feeling comfortable and amiable with your cast mates isn't 100% necessary for a high quality show, but it makes it a damn sight more likely and easier.
The director of the whole company, (and author of the shorter play) did tell me he liked where I was going with my character in that play. That's probably the main "news" to report for now. As I think about it, I don't think I've ever performed any role in front of the playwright who wrote it before. I was an A.D. for a show that a local playwright wrote, and he came to rehearsals. The same thing happened in college, in fact. But I've never been in this situation before.
It's not as awkward as I thought it might be, though it is a short play, and the playwright himself has to appear in it too, I believe, because of the lack of cast members. There's probably too much to worry about for me to feel too awkward about it.
That's been the only major difficulty in this production so far: schedules. We've not had the whole cast together on one night yet. This of course makes blocking and character work somewhat difficult. Yet I feel most sympathy in this regard for the one play I am not in: Philip Glass Buys a Loaf of Bread by David Ives. I was in that same play years ago, and it requires such exquisite precision in both rhythmic line delivery and stage placement that any missed rehearsal is equal to two missed rehearsals in a more standard show.
Plus in this production the director is making use of dance moves, which means a choreographer, who already has limited time to commit to rehearsals. I sympathize with the plight of that part of the production, but I won't lie; I'm relived I won't have to be doing that show again! Once is probably enough for that one.
Next official rehearsal is this coming Friday.
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