December 24
Today was largely spent blocking the book scenes. Directing is a fascinating process because there is this fine line between completely prescriptive direction and setting up a framework for the actor’s own creativity to fill in beyond the directorial composition. We’re always in search of moment to moment specificity in the theatre, but where in the collaboration those specifics get decided on is really hard to place.
That said today’s scenes had a lot of gags and comic moments in them. They’re all fairly early in the play, so much of the heavier themes aren’t apparent on the surface yet. I have a theory that people won’t cry at a show unless they’ve already laughed, so the humor is well placed here.
What’s also so important that never gets discussed enough are the moments between the lines. Reactions to lines can be as powerful as the lines themselves. That’s one of the strengths of good writing, that it can be mined by actors and directors for actions and reactions. One aspect of Rick’s direction that I particularly admire is his control of rhythm. It’s often the spaces in between the lines where the rhythm of a scene can be found.
I was thinking about some of the a historical moments in the show. Fraulien Kost is always bringing home sailors as part of her patriotic duty. I read it as a sign of the remilitarization of Germany. That would not have been happening just yet in terms of history, but the way that the show compresses time it makes dramatic sense. There is also a really interesting moment in terms of Cliff’s language lessons. Most Continental Europeans learned (and probably still learn) British English and British pronunciation, so an American teaching English in that period would be working against a specific establishment.
We’re still fairly early in the rehearsal process. Later on I hope to get into detail about certain moments and maybe talk a little about how some of the stage combat works once we get up to the fights.
Have a good holiday!
Meron
Monday, December 29, 2008
Stage Combat for CABARET
December 23
Perhaps this is only of interest to stage combat types, but those people who have read one of the published scripts may not be aware that there is a fight written into the score that is not mentioned in any readily available versions of the script that I’ve read. It takes place among the ensemble in one of the club scenes during a dance number. What’s especially interesting is that the direction is only that there be a fight during a specific portion of the music. Not which characters are fighting or why, but only that there is a fight. Rick and Kelli and I discussed just how much havoc might be wreaked in that moment. We know that we’ll want maximum chaos in a fairly contained time frame. That moment of composition hasn’t happened yet, but the foundation for the character conflicts that lead to the physical confrontation have started to be set.
Meron
Perhaps this is only of interest to stage combat types, but those people who have read one of the published scripts may not be aware that there is a fight written into the score that is not mentioned in any readily available versions of the script that I’ve read. It takes place among the ensemble in one of the club scenes during a dance number. What’s especially interesting is that the direction is only that there be a fight during a specific portion of the music. Not which characters are fighting or why, but only that there is a fight. Rick and Kelli and I discussed just how much havoc might be wreaked in that moment. We know that we’ll want maximum chaos in a fairly contained time frame. That moment of composition hasn’t happened yet, but the foundation for the character conflicts that lead to the physical confrontation have started to be set.
Meron
First Rehersal
December 19, 2008
Hello everyone! My name is Meron Langsner. I’m the fight director and one of the assistant directors for Cabaret, and I’ll be one of your guest bloggers for this rehearsal period. Last season I was New Rep’s Playwright in Residence through the National New Play Network, and I’ve done all sorts of things with the company including writing, fighting, curating, and teaching.
I signed on to this project back in May, not knowing it was going to be Rick’s last show here. That said, I really feel privileged to be a part of it.
The rehearsal hall was filled with a mix of new and familiar faces, even including a former student of mine from Tufts! It’s a pretty large project, so the diversity of talents we have at work here adds to the excitement. I’ve been doing quite a bit of research on the cabaret movement in Berlin and other related areas and I’d been waiting to be able to apply that scholarship in the context of the production.
This rehearsal was about design and dramaturgy presentations, discussing the concepts of the production, and doing the first read through/sing through so we could start to get the voices and characters together.
What we’re exploring in this production is the fragility of civilization. The show is set at the end of Germany’s Weimar Period and ends with the rise of the Nazi party. This is heavy stuff we’re dealing with. Part of what makes this show so effective is how much fun it is. We’re in mid party when one of the ugliest parts of the modern era begins. “In here, life is beautiful.” But we can’t be in there forever, and the longer we wait, the uglier it gets.
Along with the design presentations (which I won’t get into as you deserve to be surprised), my fellow AD Adrienne and I did dramaturgical presentations. She covered the general period in terms of WWI history and the Weimar government and I concentrated on the cabaret movement.
I go into this in more detail in my program note of course, but it’s worth saying here that the cabaret movement of the time was something really special with no real modern equivalent. It sort of occupied a place between popular entertainment and the avant-garde. The movement began in Paris and spread from there, adapting to the specific culture of each new location. The basic structure was a small stage for a small audience, numerous entertainments linked by a host, and much smoke and drink. The character of the entertainment was often satiric, sexual, and topical. Berlin as a city was known for having an especially biting wit, and its entertainments followed suit.
History plays an interesting role in this show. In many ways, the more knowledgeable you are about history, the more problems you might have with the book. But what’s important to remember is that in this context aesthetics trump accuracy. The more I look at the a historical moments of the play, the more I see the human truth they are getting at more than the chronological moment they are meant to represent. I may be talking about these moments more as the process goes on as it’s a really interesting problem in period pieces.Rehearsal was called off early as the blizzard was just beginning, but even with the semi snow day we’re off to a really great start.
Hello everyone! My name is Meron Langsner. I’m the fight director and one of the assistant directors for Cabaret, and I’ll be one of your guest bloggers for this rehearsal period. Last season I was New Rep’s Playwright in Residence through the National New Play Network, and I’ve done all sorts of things with the company including writing, fighting, curating, and teaching.
I signed on to this project back in May, not knowing it was going to be Rick’s last show here. That said, I really feel privileged to be a part of it.
The rehearsal hall was filled with a mix of new and familiar faces, even including a former student of mine from Tufts! It’s a pretty large project, so the diversity of talents we have at work here adds to the excitement. I’ve been doing quite a bit of research on the cabaret movement in Berlin and other related areas and I’d been waiting to be able to apply that scholarship in the context of the production.
This rehearsal was about design and dramaturgy presentations, discussing the concepts of the production, and doing the first read through/sing through so we could start to get the voices and characters together.
What we’re exploring in this production is the fragility of civilization. The show is set at the end of Germany’s Weimar Period and ends with the rise of the Nazi party. This is heavy stuff we’re dealing with. Part of what makes this show so effective is how much fun it is. We’re in mid party when one of the ugliest parts of the modern era begins. “In here, life is beautiful.” But we can’t be in there forever, and the longer we wait, the uglier it gets.
Along with the design presentations (which I won’t get into as you deserve to be surprised), my fellow AD Adrienne and I did dramaturgical presentations. She covered the general period in terms of WWI history and the Weimar government and I concentrated on the cabaret movement.
I go into this in more detail in my program note of course, but it’s worth saying here that the cabaret movement of the time was something really special with no real modern equivalent. It sort of occupied a place between popular entertainment and the avant-garde. The movement began in Paris and spread from there, adapting to the specific culture of each new location. The basic structure was a small stage for a small audience, numerous entertainments linked by a host, and much smoke and drink. The character of the entertainment was often satiric, sexual, and topical. Berlin as a city was known for having an especially biting wit, and its entertainments followed suit.
History plays an interesting role in this show. In many ways, the more knowledgeable you are about history, the more problems you might have with the book. But what’s important to remember is that in this context aesthetics trump accuracy. The more I look at the a historical moments of the play, the more I see the human truth they are getting at more than the chronological moment they are meant to represent. I may be talking about these moments more as the process goes on as it’s a really interesting problem in period pieces.Rehearsal was called off early as the blizzard was just beginning, but even with the semi snow day we’re off to a really great start.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Meet the Christmas Carol Cast - 2008
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SOFIA JULIA HAUSER - (Tiny Tim) A big fan of Bollywood, Sofia also enjoys karate, skiing, piano, biking & drawing. She has appeared in Bye Bye Birdie, Willie Wonka & The Chocolate Factory and Cats.
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Meet the Christmas Carol Cast - 2008
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BROOKE HARDMAN is thrilled to make her New Rep debut after relocating to the area from Chicago last year. Her Chicago credits include Man From Nebraska (Steppenwolf), The Doctor’s Dilemma (Writer’s Theatre), The Romance Cycle: Pericles & Cymbeline (Court Theatre), Voices From Jerusalem (The Next Theatre), The Vow (Stage Left) and Nathan the Wise (Chicago Festival of the Arts) among many others. Brooke was also an Artist in Residence at The Court Theatre for three seasons where she taught Shakespeare to high school students on Chicago’s south side as part of their Artists in the Schools initiative. Her regional credits include Portia in Julius Caesar (Montana Shakespeare in the Parks), Street Scene, The Winter’s Tale, and Annabella in ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Mary Stuart and The Last Hurrah (Huntington Theatre Company), Henry IV, parts 1 & 2 and Lainie Wells in Two Rooms at The Vineyard Playhouse where she was also a staff member for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. New York credits include Kathy in Moonchildren, and Desiree in Pains of Youth (Act2 & Williamstown Theatre Festival at HERE). She has also performed as a stilt walker with Chicago’s Redmoon Theatre Company and the punk rock marching band Mucca Pazza. Brooke is a founding member of Shack Productions, an independent film company that has produced nationally distributed feature films, documentaries and several short films that have been screened at festivals and theatres across the country. Brooke has trained with Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and Shakespeare & Company and holds a BFA in acting from Boston University’s College of Fine Arts. She is currently the Artistic Director of ArtFarm Enterprises, a sustainable arts organization located on the island of Martha’s Vineyard where she lives with her husband Brian Ditchfield.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
First Rehersal
Wow! After the first day of rehearsal for SANTALAND, I’m very excited, a little exhausted, and more than a little terrified. A one man show is a huge lift and just learning the lines is a full time job. The good news is that it’s such a funny script and Chris Webb (the director) and Sara Johnson (the stage manager) and I are already having a blast. None of us have been involved in New Rep’s past successful productions of SANTALAND, so we’re discovering it for the first time and making it up as we go. In any case, I feel confident that we're going to have a terrific show, and I'm really happy to be working for the first time at New Rep. I’d write more, but my script is staring at me and shrieking, “LEARN ME!!!!!!!” More soon!
Kraig
Meet the Christmas Carol Cast - 2008
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BECKY WEBBER
Playing the roles of Belle & Hermione, Becky is a 2008 graduate of Brandeis University. She spent the past summer playing fiddle in the Commonwealth Shakespeare production of As You Like It. Other credits include The Berkshire Theatre Festival.
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