I opted to cover both rehearsals this week in a single post. Namely because nothing influential enough to affect the overall progress happened either day.
I will say my friend, and executive director of the Black Box Arts Center took some pictures of me this week, in hopes of creating a poster for the show. When that happens, I'll see if I can post it here. She says she isn't very experienced in such things, though is certainly more so than I am. in the end, if the posters exist and have the correct information, I'm sure they will be just fine.
Rehearsal on Thursday felt a bit off a few times. Truth be told, had it been a performance it would have still been acceptable, but I stumbled in places I usually didn't stumble. I was, and am, somewhat annoyed at myself for this, but then I have to remind myself that this is like any other show; there will be less than stellar rehearsals. True, the show goes on in two weeks, but nothing happened in the rehearsal on Thursday that will derail that. It just wasn't my smoothest run through, whether because of fatigue or other factors. I'll review some of the speeches between now and my next rehearsal (Tuesday) and do better.
I admit, because of the cold, and the lateness of the hour I have to rehearse (sharing the venue with another show), I still haven't given myself a full intermission at rehearsals. I "get on with it" after a brief rest between acts. This may not sound like a big deal, but I should by now try to rehearse in the same circumstances that a performance will be in, and the performance will have an intermission. I want to practice resting without gearing down or falling asleep at the half, or something.
The running time of each half deviates no more than two or three minutes each night, even on the night that was a bit off. This is always good news. It means I'm gaining consistency.
I could stand to up the energy a bit in the second half, though, I must admit. (Another reason to give myself full intermission during rehearsal.) I will also probably have to flip the work lights on and off myself, so I'll probably practice that a few times as well in the coming two weeks.
Two weeks!
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Monday, February 09, 2015
Smooth Skating on Thursday
I only just now got around to posting an update on Thursday night's rehearsal for "The King is But a Man." It went well, though, and there is not much to report. It was the coldest night thus far in the theatre for me, however, so instead of declaring it smooth sailing, I chose "smooth skating" as the phrase most appropriate.
Heating issues aside however, the play does continue strengthen with each performance. I am in a sense glad I go in mostly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It can be tiring experience to rehearse that play, and the cold makes it more so. Doing ti twice in three days can sometimes be quite the burden, but then I get an ample break between Thursday and Tuesday, so I have time to recover.
I have continued my efforts get a poster for the show together, which I hope to have done in the next ten days at most. I also recently wrote my actor's bio for the program. I think that covers most of everything it needs to, but I will look over it a few more times before turning it in.
There are still a few places in the show's Shakespeare plays that I stumble with. Generally they are the same places, so I may spend extra time perfecting them in the coming days. So far I have been able to self correct during the rehearsals, with one exception, wherein I had to start over. It would not be the end of the world to make such an error in this show, the way it is designed. I still want to avoid that, of course. As Richard II says, "Yet I'll hammer it out."
I haven't yet taken a full intermission between acts when I rehearse, opting for just a short break between. I may this week integrate a full length intermission, however, so I can get a sense of how much my mind and body will have to adjust to a full break. It will also give my throat some rest, which it probably needs between acts. I want everything to feel as it will during performances, (with the exception of the temperature which I hope will be higher for the show itself.)
No decision has been made on lights, per se. If they are to be the real theatre lights, I'll need someone to man them. If just the work lights, I could possibly shut them off myself after my exits.
Heating issues aside however, the play does continue strengthen with each performance. I am in a sense glad I go in mostly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It can be tiring experience to rehearse that play, and the cold makes it more so. Doing ti twice in three days can sometimes be quite the burden, but then I get an ample break between Thursday and Tuesday, so I have time to recover.
I have continued my efforts get a poster for the show together, which I hope to have done in the next ten days at most. I also recently wrote my actor's bio for the program. I think that covers most of everything it needs to, but I will look over it a few more times before turning it in.
There are still a few places in the show's Shakespeare plays that I stumble with. Generally they are the same places, so I may spend extra time perfecting them in the coming days. So far I have been able to self correct during the rehearsals, with one exception, wherein I had to start over. It would not be the end of the world to make such an error in this show, the way it is designed. I still want to avoid that, of course. As Richard II says, "Yet I'll hammer it out."
I haven't yet taken a full intermission between acts when I rehearse, opting for just a short break between. I may this week integrate a full length intermission, however, so I can get a sense of how much my mind and body will have to adjust to a full break. It will also give my throat some rest, which it probably needs between acts. I want everything to feel as it will during performances, (with the exception of the temperature which I hope will be higher for the show itself.)
No decision has been made on lights, per se. If they are to be the real theatre lights, I'll need someone to man them. If just the work lights, I could possibly shut them off myself after my exits.
Wednesday, February 04, 2015
More is Less? (For this Blog Anyway.)
In some respects, a productive, satisfying rehearsal is bad for the blog here. It means I have fewer detailed considerations to share with you, my loyal blog readers. It is, however, a good "problem" to have.
As I said, last nights rehearsal was solid. I can say that in the more passionate speeches I was able to produce more of an edge than I have been recently, without spilling over into melodramatics. Olivier always advised to always "leave something in the tank" during such moments. To not go 100% at any time, lest you risk appearing over the top, or exhausting yourself too early. In that regard, though I'm still tinkering with the dials, I feel I'm on solid ground.
Also going well are the blocking and the props. I still implement a partially improvised movement for much of the show, but more and more specific blocking has presented itself which adds to any given scene. From here on out, however, unless something major comes to mind, I will endeavor to keep the blocking consistent for most of the play. In these final few weeks, I think that's important.
The heating in the building continues to be a bit of an issue. These are cold rehearsals! However, though I'm never ignorant of the temperature, as I rehearse I do warm up, or otherwise become distracted from the chill. The only effect it has is on my voice; I think my throat is more tired at the end of an evening of rehearsing on chilly air than it otherwise would be. Yet I come home to have some tea, and things are right again.
Every week or so I post a video on the venue's Facebook page. Usually it's a brief mention of how things are proceeding or what I'm working on. This time, however, the video was a sample of the product. I delivered one of the speeches from the play. The speech from where I got the title. "The King is But a Man," from Henry V. I paid to boost the Facebook reach for that one. I have no idea if I did that correctly or not. I've never tried it before. Hopefully it will attract some interested patrons.
I was also put into contact with someone who expressed interest in making the posters for the show. I have not heard back from them as of today, but just in case I have made a rudimentary poster myself. I have no idea how to do such things, so it was all guess work. I don;t even know if a printer's shop could print the file as is. But I want to have a back up ready.
Also I heard from a friend of mine who might be able to secure a spot for me in some small, local venue where he lives, so I could perform it there one night in the future. Nothing definite yet though.
Yet that's what I hope for with this show; I hope to take it to other venues for a night or a weekend. Any venue that welcomes me, I'd pretty much be willing to visit and perform in as a guest. A between shows kind of thing. I could even perform this show with someone else's rudimentary set on stage if I had to. I designed it that way.
Exciting things are happening, though. I hope that people will come to see this, as I think they will be entertained. I've put much work into this over the last year, and entertaining others would be the pay off.
The current venue has set the price at $10.00. All proceeds go back to them. Give them a call or check out the link to their Facebook page above, and maybe you too can come see me!
As I said, last nights rehearsal was solid. I can say that in the more passionate speeches I was able to produce more of an edge than I have been recently, without spilling over into melodramatics. Olivier always advised to always "leave something in the tank" during such moments. To not go 100% at any time, lest you risk appearing over the top, or exhausting yourself too early. In that regard, though I'm still tinkering with the dials, I feel I'm on solid ground.
Also going well are the blocking and the props. I still implement a partially improvised movement for much of the show, but more and more specific blocking has presented itself which adds to any given scene. From here on out, however, unless something major comes to mind, I will endeavor to keep the blocking consistent for most of the play. In these final few weeks, I think that's important.
The heating in the building continues to be a bit of an issue. These are cold rehearsals! However, though I'm never ignorant of the temperature, as I rehearse I do warm up, or otherwise become distracted from the chill. The only effect it has is on my voice; I think my throat is more tired at the end of an evening of rehearsing on chilly air than it otherwise would be. Yet I come home to have some tea, and things are right again.
Every week or so I post a video on the venue's Facebook page. Usually it's a brief mention of how things are proceeding or what I'm working on. This time, however, the video was a sample of the product. I delivered one of the speeches from the play. The speech from where I got the title. "The King is But a Man," from Henry V. I paid to boost the Facebook reach for that one. I have no idea if I did that correctly or not. I've never tried it before. Hopefully it will attract some interested patrons.
I was also put into contact with someone who expressed interest in making the posters for the show. I have not heard back from them as of today, but just in case I have made a rudimentary poster myself. I have no idea how to do such things, so it was all guess work. I don;t even know if a printer's shop could print the file as is. But I want to have a back up ready.
Also I heard from a friend of mine who might be able to secure a spot for me in some small, local venue where he lives, so I could perform it there one night in the future. Nothing definite yet though.
Yet that's what I hope for with this show; I hope to take it to other venues for a night or a weekend. Any venue that welcomes me, I'd pretty much be willing to visit and perform in as a guest. A between shows kind of thing. I could even perform this show with someone else's rudimentary set on stage if I had to. I designed it that way.
Exciting things are happening, though. I hope that people will come to see this, as I think they will be entertained. I've put much work into this over the last year, and entertaining others would be the pay off.
The current venue has set the price at $10.00. All proceeds go back to them. Give them a call or check out the link to their Facebook page above, and maybe you too can come see me!
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