As week three begins, Wendy (Hall) and the students are doing ballet technique to Bon Jovi, while I am in reverie about the process-rich format of our program here at Summer Studio. When we came together as a faculty last summer, we agreed it was very important to pass on some of the skills in performing arts that would make for happy, healthy performers in the future. To that end, we teach technique exercises in dance, acting, and voice that we hope to be in each student's personal "bag of warm-ups" in their personal practice. We have regular "check-ins" about the work of the students; just this morning, one student shared her method of memorizing lyrics with the others. As many of us know, the performing arts can feel very competitive for a young performer; when that competition is removed, as our theory went, the student is more willing to take risks and grow. So far, it's also amazing to see the swell of generosity and trust that each student shows the group.
Speaking of creating a competition-free zone: a word about our showcase! The idea behind this informal showing (July 30th at 7:30pm! Free of charge!) is to highlight the students' work in acting, singing, and dance. Each student will have a solo piece in the showcase, which we hand-picked to show off the student's personality and range. We don't do auditions, but pick material based on our observations when building the all-cast numbers. No stress, no muss, no fuss, no tears. We will do some audition technique workshops in the final week, but our philosophy so far is to treat auditions as something that happens outside of this experience. Our job is to build up students for the tests they will face outside Summer Studio. (And, I might add, they each sound fantastic!) On Tuesday, each student will receive personalized vocal coaching from Ben (Rauhala), and I will work with each to transfer our monologue skills to song. Based on our very early work on playwriting, students are writing introductions, transition scenes, and short monologues to educate the audience on the "page to stage" connections. They are a hard-working bunch, and I couldn't be more proud of their work!
OK, ok, enough philosophy -- let's talk about STAGE COMBAT! Our own Chris Webb led us in an afternoon of kicking and hair-pulling that highlighted technique and safety. It was fun to watch -- and occasionally practice with Chris -- some really convincing and stomach-turning moves. (Don't be surprised if there's, oh, say, a CAT fight in the show.... Meow!) Thanks, Chris!
-Liz Fenstermaker, on behalf of the Summer Studio Team
Showing posts with label boston. Show all posts
Showing posts with label boston. Show all posts
Monday, July 20, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
Summer Studio Week 2
Hi, everyone!
Liz here again. We had a great first week with our strong group of students at Summer Studio. There are so many highlights, I'm not sure where to begin. One piece that was especially exciting for the group to work on was "Mama Who Bore Me" from Spring Awakening. At one point, Ben (New Rep Summer Studio, Musical Director) referred to them as a "choir of angels" singing -- which was an apt comparison. The group is also interested in looking at some of the original Bill T Jones choreography, so Wendy (New Rep Summer Studio, Choreographer) is looking into recreating some of his signature swirly moves. We also worked on "Invocation and Instructions to the Audience" from Frogs, which stretches our comic acting skills. Our facial muscle isolations and work on focal points are coming in handy -- and the group is seeing that Nathan Lane was not built in a day!
On Friday, we worked on monologues, which can be daunting and intense, especially on a sunny Friday summer afternoon. They dove right in, analyzing text for salient words, establishing objectives, and creating a physical life for their characters. It truly wowed me that their early work was so rich and their readings so expressive and natural. (On a practical note, I'm glad they'll be able to rock upcoming auditions with this new material.)
Oh, and how could I forget our new best friend Maurice Parent?! Part of the New Rep’s cast of Ragtime, Wild Party, and Cabaret, funny and charming Maurice came to chat with us about his life as a working actor and creating the role of black in Wild Party, whose music and original text we had sampled earlier in the day.
This morning, I'm watching Wendy give a technique class, and wishing more schools would have formal dance instruction as part of their arts curriculum so teens could have great teachers like Wendy. (There, I said it. Write your school boards!) Later today, each student will show a piece of their own choreography they created this weekend as "homework." One student told me this morning that she's done a production number and we each have a part. I guess I'd better go stretch!
Liz here again. We had a great first week with our strong group of students at Summer Studio. There are so many highlights, I'm not sure where to begin. One piece that was especially exciting for the group to work on was "Mama Who Bore Me" from Spring Awakening. At one point, Ben (New Rep Summer Studio, Musical Director) referred to them as a "choir of angels" singing -- which was an apt comparison. The group is also interested in looking at some of the original Bill T Jones choreography, so Wendy (New Rep Summer Studio, Choreographer) is looking into recreating some of his signature swirly moves. We also worked on "Invocation and Instructions to the Audience" from Frogs, which stretches our comic acting skills. Our facial muscle isolations and work on focal points are coming in handy -- and the group is seeing that Nathan Lane was not built in a day!
On Friday, we worked on monologues, which can be daunting and intense, especially on a sunny Friday summer afternoon. They dove right in, analyzing text for salient words, establishing objectives, and creating a physical life for their characters. It truly wowed me that their early work was so rich and their readings so expressive and natural. (On a practical note, I'm glad they'll be able to rock upcoming auditions with this new material.)
Oh, and how could I forget our new best friend Maurice Parent?! Part of the New Rep’s cast of Ragtime, Wild Party, and Cabaret, funny and charming Maurice came to chat with us about his life as a working actor and creating the role of black in Wild Party, whose music and original text we had sampled earlier in the day.
This morning, I'm watching Wendy give a technique class, and wishing more schools would have formal dance instruction as part of their arts curriculum so teens could have great teachers like Wendy. (There, I said it. Write your school boards!) Later today, each student will show a piece of their own choreography they created this weekend as "homework." One student told me this morning that she's done a production number and we each have a part. I guess I'd better go stretch!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Exciting Changes
Hi Everyone,
As we are preparing for the New Voices @ New Rep reading of DEPORTED / a dream play, Joyce has been rewriting the script based on our discoveries in the Boston University New Plays Initiative Workshop (please see my earlier entries).There are some major, exciting changes a-brewing! The dream-like quality of the play is growing and characters deepening and changing. I am so looking forward to sharing these changes with you in a public setting!
We have also confirmed the majority of our panel for discussion after the reading about the place theater has in the public discussion and processing on the issue of the Armenian Genocide. We are thrilled to have some wonderful members of the Armenian community on our panel including Ruth Thomasian (Founder and Executive Director of Project Save, the Armenian Photo Archive), Dr. Martin Deranian (the real life son of one of the principle characters in DEPORTED), Mariam Stepanyan (Executive Director, Armenian Library and Museum) and Tina Sajonian (President, BU Armenian Student Association).
We hope you will join us on Monday, May 4th at 7:30 pm for the reading of DEPORTED / a dream play!
Best,
Judy Braha
Director
As we are preparing for the New Voices @ New Rep reading of DEPORTED / a dream play, Joyce has been rewriting the script based on our discoveries in the Boston University New Plays Initiative Workshop (please see my earlier entries).There are some major, exciting changes a-brewing! The dream-like quality of the play is growing and characters deepening and changing. I am so looking forward to sharing these changes with you in a public setting!
We have also confirmed the majority of our panel for discussion after the reading about the place theater has in the public discussion and processing on the issue of the Armenian Genocide. We are thrilled to have some wonderful members of the Armenian community on our panel including Ruth Thomasian (Founder and Executive Director of Project Save, the Armenian Photo Archive), Dr. Martin Deranian (the real life son of one of the principle characters in DEPORTED), Mariam Stepanyan (Executive Director, Armenian Library and Museum) and Tina Sajonian (President, BU Armenian Student Association).
We hope you will join us on Monday, May 4th at 7:30 pm for the reading of DEPORTED / a dream play!
Best,
Judy Braha
Director
Monday, April 13, 2009
Discovering Cultural Components
Hi Everyone,
In February, we had a very exciting experience with DEPORTED / a dream play! Boston University New Plays Initiative gave us the opportunity to work on further developing an already strong script via a workshop production of the play with BU School of Theater students. Joyce and I spent 5 weeks working on the play in rehearsal with 9 BU actors and 3 designers. This rehearsal and performance process was invaluable to us! We learned a huge amount about the world of the play, the characters, the style and the use of Armenian dance, music and film images.
We had the extreme pleasure of collaborating with Apo Ashjian, Artistic Director of SAYAT NOVA DANCE COMPANY. Apo taught the actors in the workshop traditional Armenian dance that wove throughout the scenes of the play. We made some wonderful discoveries about how essential these cultural components were in weaving the play together and evoking a whole culture in a very private world. It became clear that these elements gave us a real link to finding the universal in the particular, to linking the vibrancy of the Armenian culture to the difficult memories of the genocide. It has been most important to us that we speak for life in this play and the opportunity to work with Apo and sound designers Liz Wallbridge and GW Roderigez in adding the dance and sound of historic Armenia to the play helped us immensely!
The reading for the New Rep will be the first reading of the newly revised script based on our discoveries from the BU New Plays Initiative workshop!
Best,
Judy Braha
In February, we had a very exciting experience with DEPORTED / a dream play! Boston University New Plays Initiative gave us the opportunity to work on further developing an already strong script via a workshop production of the play with BU School of Theater students. Joyce and I spent 5 weeks working on the play in rehearsal with 9 BU actors and 3 designers. This rehearsal and performance process was invaluable to us! We learned a huge amount about the world of the play, the characters, the style and the use of Armenian dance, music and film images.
We had the extreme pleasure of collaborating with Apo Ashjian, Artistic Director of SAYAT NOVA DANCE COMPANY. Apo taught the actors in the workshop traditional Armenian dance that wove throughout the scenes of the play. We made some wonderful discoveries about how essential these cultural components were in weaving the play together and evoking a whole culture in a very private world. It became clear that these elements gave us a real link to finding the universal in the particular, to linking the vibrancy of the Armenian culture to the difficult memories of the genocide. It has been most important to us that we speak for life in this play and the opportunity to work with Apo and sound designers Liz Wallbridge and GW Roderigez in adding the dance and sound of historic Armenia to the play helped us immensely!
The reading for the New Rep will be the first reading of the newly revised script based on our discoveries from the BU New Plays Initiative workshop!
Best,
Judy Braha
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Welcome!
Greetings from John Malinowski, lighting designer for New Rep's production of Picasso at the Lapin Agile. I'll be blogging here.
What a wonderful play Steve Martin has written and I can't wait to help bring it to life on the stage in Watertown at the Arsenal Center for the Arts. Danny Gidron, the director, Cristina Todesco, the set designer, Frances McSherry, the costume designer and I met a few weeks ago to brainstorm about the world of a bar in Paris in 1904, which is where Steve Martin set his play.
We decided that the specific period of Paris in the 1900s is a spark that ignited the playwright's imagination. The world of the play is much bigger than Paris in 1904. Steve Martin has imagined a bar where Picasso and Einstein might meet. What would they talk about? What sort of conversation could a brilliant artist and a brilliant scientist have in Paris together? What do they have in common?
I have not seen a production of this popular play, but after hearing the premise of Picasso and Einstein meeting in Paris, I was intrigued. I read the play fresh and open minded about what encounter Picasso and Einstein might have in the mind of brilliant comic.
I'll leave this entry here, where I began several months ago. A script in hand, the famous names etched in my mind, and a modern day comedian bringing them together.
The possibilities put a smile on my face as I sat down to read the script for the first time.
Please come back soon and share my journey.
- john malinowski
What a wonderful play Steve Martin has written and I can't wait to help bring it to life on the stage in Watertown at the Arsenal Center for the Arts. Danny Gidron, the director, Cristina Todesco, the set designer, Frances McSherry, the costume designer and I met a few weeks ago to brainstorm about the world of a bar in Paris in 1904, which is where Steve Martin set his play.
We decided that the specific period of Paris in the 1900s is a spark that ignited the playwright's imagination. The world of the play is much bigger than Paris in 1904. Steve Martin has imagined a bar where Picasso and Einstein might meet. What would they talk about? What sort of conversation could a brilliant artist and a brilliant scientist have in Paris together? What do they have in common?
I have not seen a production of this popular play, but after hearing the premise of Picasso and Einstein meeting in Paris, I was intrigued. I read the play fresh and open minded about what encounter Picasso and Einstein might have in the mind of brilliant comic.
I'll leave this entry here, where I began several months ago. A script in hand, the famous names etched in my mind, and a modern day comedian bringing them together.
The possibilities put a smile on my face as I sat down to read the script for the first time.
Please come back soon and share my journey.
- john malinowski
Monday, March 23, 2009
Fight Directing "Fool for Love"
Hello all,
This is Meron Langsner again. This time I’d like to give a quick overview of the fight directing process for Fool for Love.
Like any other design discipline, fight directing begins with the text. After giving the play an initial read, I go through it once more notating any violence or potential violence and where it fits into the script and plot structure. Those notes get sent to the Director, Bridget Kathleen O'Leary, and she and I have a conversation about what she wants out of each moment of violence so that I can go into the choreography with the entire concept of the production in mind.
Something that came up right away was the use of a lasso in this play. Lassoing is not a commonly practiced movement discipline around here and was not a part of my own training, so this was wisdom I had to seek elsewhere. An old friend of mine from martial arts circles, Dr. Peter Ward, an anatomy professor at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine as well as the head instructor of Greenbrier Traditional Martial Arts Society, happened to have this skill (he is from Wyoming). He came to our aid with a short instructional video he created and sent our way via the internet. This was useful not only in helping Tim Smith obtain that skill, but also in deciding on how certain set pieces would be placed in order to serve both the safety of everyone involved and that specific series of dramatic moments.
Before rehearsals started I attended a production meeting where I was able to assess how I would work within the parameters of the set and costume design, and equally important, get a feel for how the concept was coming together so that everything I composed would fit in with the whole. Ideally, it should be unclear to the audience where my work begins and ends in relation to the director’s. Knowing what the designs look like is an important aspect in making this happen. Questions I ask set designers include whether or not certain set pieces can take weight and/or impact, as well as whether small set pieces can be moved around and used in the fights. When looking at costume designs I need to know how much freedom of movement the performers will have as well as what kind of shoes they might be wearing during the fights.
The main part of my job, the work with the actors themselves, can often be very brief. In this case the entire composition of the fights took something like two ninety minute rehearsals early in the process, followed by a return trip to watch a dress rehearsal and give notes.
As my actors in this piece are very physically adept, I was able to give them some fairly difficult moves with confidence that they would assimilate them into their work safely and effectively. For some sequences they were given very precise movements meant to create very specific illusions. These were drilled in the moments they needed to happen, and then set. For some of those moments the actors and I showed Bridget some options and then we decided which one was most effective choice for that point in the characters’ journey. For other sequences, I gave the actors a framework in which to safely improvise the violence during the rehearsal process before setting it. In those sequences I used a “contemporary violence” technique developed by a woman named Ricki Ravitts, who is an esteemed fight director based out of New York City and one of my first instructors in the discipline. In this method the actors can create some fairly intense movement while staying both physically and emotionally safe. Many of the scenes between Tim and Stacy were developed with Ricki’s methods. The scene between Tim and Andrew was mostly “by the book” as it were, since the moment called for in the script is so specific.
Towards the end of the rehearsal process I attended a dress rehearsal and gave notes. The adjustments I had to make in this case were few and minor. An angle on one illusion had to be reset to sell well for the entire audience, and other than that all that was really necessary was to check in with the actors to make sure they still felt safe and comfortable with the choreography.
The violence in Fool for Love is an integral part of the storytelling. Though there are relatively few moments of actual assault on stage, each one is crafted into the play to move the plot forward.
This is Meron Langsner again. This time I’d like to give a quick overview of the fight directing process for Fool for Love.
Like any other design discipline, fight directing begins with the text. After giving the play an initial read, I go through it once more notating any violence or potential violence and where it fits into the script and plot structure. Those notes get sent to the Director, Bridget Kathleen O'Leary, and she and I have a conversation about what she wants out of each moment of violence so that I can go into the choreography with the entire concept of the production in mind.
Something that came up right away was the use of a lasso in this play. Lassoing is not a commonly practiced movement discipline around here and was not a part of my own training, so this was wisdom I had to seek elsewhere. An old friend of mine from martial arts circles, Dr. Peter Ward, an anatomy professor at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine as well as the head instructor of Greenbrier Traditional Martial Arts Society, happened to have this skill (he is from Wyoming). He came to our aid with a short instructional video he created and sent our way via the internet. This was useful not only in helping Tim Smith obtain that skill, but also in deciding on how certain set pieces would be placed in order to serve both the safety of everyone involved and that specific series of dramatic moments.
Before rehearsals started I attended a production meeting where I was able to assess how I would work within the parameters of the set and costume design, and equally important, get a feel for how the concept was coming together so that everything I composed would fit in with the whole. Ideally, it should be unclear to the audience where my work begins and ends in relation to the director’s. Knowing what the designs look like is an important aspect in making this happen. Questions I ask set designers include whether or not certain set pieces can take weight and/or impact, as well as whether small set pieces can be moved around and used in the fights. When looking at costume designs I need to know how much freedom of movement the performers will have as well as what kind of shoes they might be wearing during the fights.
The main part of my job, the work with the actors themselves, can often be very brief. In this case the entire composition of the fights took something like two ninety minute rehearsals early in the process, followed by a return trip to watch a dress rehearsal and give notes.
As my actors in this piece are very physically adept, I was able to give them some fairly difficult moves with confidence that they would assimilate them into their work safely and effectively. For some sequences they were given very precise movements meant to create very specific illusions. These were drilled in the moments they needed to happen, and then set. For some of those moments the actors and I showed Bridget some options and then we decided which one was most effective choice for that point in the characters’ journey. For other sequences, I gave the actors a framework in which to safely improvise the violence during the rehearsal process before setting it. In those sequences I used a “contemporary violence” technique developed by a woman named Ricki Ravitts, who is an esteemed fight director based out of New York City and one of my first instructors in the discipline. In this method the actors can create some fairly intense movement while staying both physically and emotionally safe. Many of the scenes between Tim and Stacy were developed with Ricki’s methods. The scene between Tim and Andrew was mostly “by the book” as it were, since the moment called for in the script is so specific.
Towards the end of the rehearsal process I attended a dress rehearsal and gave notes. The adjustments I had to make in this case were few and minor. An angle on one illusion had to be reset to sell well for the entire audience, and other than that all that was really necessary was to check in with the actors to make sure they still felt safe and comfortable with the choreography.
The violence in Fool for Love is an integral part of the storytelling. Though there are relatively few moments of actual assault on stage, each one is crafted into the play to move the plot forward.
Friday, March 13, 2009
The Last Word
March 13th
Well, it had to happen some time, the last words, the last words on this particular blog about this particular production. Who knows, it might be the last time I get asked to write a blog for New Rep, who knows and God forbid, but it might be the last time I ever work for New Rep. If life has taught me one thing, never expect anything, never assume, never predict and never take anything for granted.
I don't mean that negatively, really I don't, as I was saying to a friend of Will's, sorry Mr. Lyman, last night, I mentioned that the play makes you think about all that has happened in the past. To be honest, it also makes you think of what may and will come. It's a play of emotion, passion, all that matters, and all that doesn't matter.
There were a couple of things that happened last night, which whoever is reading this, may find interesting, and if you don't, well sorry about that. Still, I will try to give one last little insight to our goings on, for you our little stage junkie.
Last night, Will, or rather the character he plays André, was half way through his first speech as Oedipus, and there I was sitting in the chair happily listening to him, when all of a sudden it dawned on me, 'I never get tired of listening to this speech’, and yet I hated studying Oedipus at school. Perhaps it is because of a really rather dull teacher I had, but then again I'd seen the RSC do the play, and I was bored stiff with that. However, there I was thinking, 'I never get tired of Andre's Oedipus', and then I thought, 'I better start listening for my cue, otherwise I'll stuff it up and then I'll be mad for the rest of the show'.
The second thing, last night in the scene when I'm telling André about my new play, I was thinking, 'who the heck is talking, whose voice is it? It's coming out of me, but who is it?'
Was I 'in the moment'? I don't think so, after all I've been 'in the moment' before, when emotionally I am fully involved and present in the situation. But last night, it was the first time that the character was all there, and I felt possessed. I wasn't having to be conscious of my accent and inflection. It was all just coming out, a South African voice coming from my mouth, and I couldn't control it. Or as Mr. Lyman, put it, the characters are now in charge.
Finally, it's not because I want my own little 'Oscar' moment, but I just want to say thank you to the individuals I have worked with on Exits and Entrances. For they all deserve a mention.
Thank you for reading my blog. Thanks to Will Lyman (André), Chris Jorie (Director), Amy Weissenstein (Stage Manager), Candice Mongellow (Assist Stage Manager, Danielle Kellerman (Assistant Director), John Malinowski (Lighting Designer), Eric Propp (Costume Designer), Patrick Lynch (Scenic Designer), Basia Goszczynska (Prop Mistress), Dave Wilson (Sound Designer), and Ben Bryant, (The Lighting Dude)! What a team!
Also, my thanks to: Harriet Sheets (Managing Director) , Bridget O'Leary (Artistic Associate), Gia Podobinski (PR & Marketing Manger), Alison Anderson (General Manager), Mark Soucy (Development Manager), Desiree Pedrami (Development & Marketing Asst.), Christopher Webb (Education Associate), Becca Solomont (Cultivation Coordinator), Todd Michael Hall (Audience Services Manager), Rachael Donnelly (Box Office Associate), and of course Joseph O'Dea (Production Manager), (you may like the Yankees, but you are okay with me). The New Rep team! Thank you, and thank you!
Finally, to the House Managers: Dawn, Alison, Anna, Desiree and the new girls. Thank you. Oh and of course, my thanks to all the Ushers, you do a grand job and you are most appreciated.
Well that's it! Good day, God Bless, and hopefully till the next time. If there isn't one, well c'est la vie, and so adieu!
Ross
Well, it had to happen some time, the last words, the last words on this particular blog about this particular production. Who knows, it might be the last time I get asked to write a blog for New Rep, who knows and God forbid, but it might be the last time I ever work for New Rep. If life has taught me one thing, never expect anything, never assume, never predict and never take anything for granted.
I don't mean that negatively, really I don't, as I was saying to a friend of Will's, sorry Mr. Lyman, last night, I mentioned that the play makes you think about all that has happened in the past. To be honest, it also makes you think of what may and will come. It's a play of emotion, passion, all that matters, and all that doesn't matter.
There were a couple of things that happened last night, which whoever is reading this, may find interesting, and if you don't, well sorry about that. Still, I will try to give one last little insight to our goings on, for you our little stage junkie.
Last night, Will, or rather the character he plays André, was half way through his first speech as Oedipus, and there I was sitting in the chair happily listening to him, when all of a sudden it dawned on me, 'I never get tired of listening to this speech’, and yet I hated studying Oedipus at school. Perhaps it is because of a really rather dull teacher I had, but then again I'd seen the RSC do the play, and I was bored stiff with that. However, there I was thinking, 'I never get tired of Andre's Oedipus', and then I thought, 'I better start listening for my cue, otherwise I'll stuff it up and then I'll be mad for the rest of the show'.
The second thing, last night in the scene when I'm telling André about my new play, I was thinking, 'who the heck is talking, whose voice is it? It's coming out of me, but who is it?'
Was I 'in the moment'? I don't think so, after all I've been 'in the moment' before, when emotionally I am fully involved and present in the situation. But last night, it was the first time that the character was all there, and I felt possessed. I wasn't having to be conscious of my accent and inflection. It was all just coming out, a South African voice coming from my mouth, and I couldn't control it. Or as Mr. Lyman, put it, the characters are now in charge.
Finally, it's not because I want my own little 'Oscar' moment, but I just want to say thank you to the individuals I have worked with on Exits and Entrances. For they all deserve a mention.
Thank you for reading my blog. Thanks to Will Lyman (André), Chris Jorie (Director), Amy Weissenstein (Stage Manager), Candice Mongellow (Assist Stage Manager, Danielle Kellerman (Assistant Director), John Malinowski (Lighting Designer), Eric Propp (Costume Designer), Patrick Lynch (Scenic Designer), Basia Goszczynska (Prop Mistress), Dave Wilson (Sound Designer), and Ben Bryant, (The Lighting Dude)! What a team!
Also, my thanks to: Harriet Sheets (Managing Director) , Bridget O'Leary (Artistic Associate), Gia Podobinski (PR & Marketing Manger), Alison Anderson (General Manager), Mark Soucy (Development Manager), Desiree Pedrami (Development & Marketing Asst.), Christopher Webb (Education Associate), Becca Solomont (Cultivation Coordinator), Todd Michael Hall (Audience Services Manager), Rachael Donnelly (Box Office Associate), and of course Joseph O'Dea (Production Manager), (you may like the Yankees, but you are okay with me). The New Rep team! Thank you, and thank you!
Finally, to the House Managers: Dawn, Alison, Anna, Desiree and the new girls. Thank you. Oh and of course, my thanks to all the Ushers, you do a grand job and you are most appreciated.
Well that's it! Good day, God Bless, and hopefully till the next time. If there isn't one, well c'est la vie, and so adieu!
Ross
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
An Update
March 9th
Well as the weather wracks outside my window with wind, rain, snow and then whatever else has been picked up and blown across to rattle along our street. As this is all going on and the cats lie at my feet, I thought I better keep my word and jot a few more notes down for your enjoyment.
But firstly, I would like to thank the audiences. Yes, I would like to thank the public that have graced us with their company. For after all without our nightly paying guests, our performance, our 'art' would be nothing. So many thanks to you all, a very key ingredient to our production. I'd also if I may, take the opportunity to thank the House Managers and ushers, who keep the peace, tidy the theatre, become the welcoming faces at the start of the night and especially to the House Managers and Todd and Rachael in the box office who look after the theatre as we thrash about on stage. Oh and a big thanks to anyone who has kept up with my waffle, poor spelling and lapses in grammar. Oh and before I forget a big thank you to Jon and his willingness to talk about his experiences at The Market Theatre in Soweto in the 70's and 80's.
So if you had read my last blog, I described how I tried to avoid direct emotional experience to enhance the performance. Unfortunately, I didn't say it was unavoidable, did I? Also while working so closely with Will for so long, there are now those moments on stage where I don't know if it's 'in the moment' or the fact that as I've shared the company so long with this incarnation of Andre, that I really do get very choked with emotion at the end, and as a by product I can't help reflecting on my friends and loved ones that I have lost in my life.
As for talking about losing my Dad, I thought about that for a snap second on Saturday, and I nearly lost the plot, so I will stick to thinking of my character's father in future, and after all isn't that what having the God given gift of imagination is all about. That after all is what part of the challenge of acting is - the use of imagination.
One thing that I should report, last night as Andre was saying 'To be or not to be', I lapsed into dwelling on one friend I lost recently. Guardsman Darryl Hickey KIA in Helmand, Afghanistan 2007. So I suppose Daz, that one was for you. I also want to add that once again this has been one of my most treasured Theatrical experiences and I will always be in debt to Mr. Lyman. After all 'Everybody loves Will'. (If you have been to the talkbacks you'd really know what I'm talking about, although yes there is a little bit of inspiration to Raymond.)
Well must go.
Yours Aye,
Ross
Well as the weather wracks outside my window with wind, rain, snow and then whatever else has been picked up and blown across to rattle along our street. As this is all going on and the cats lie at my feet, I thought I better keep my word and jot a few more notes down for your enjoyment.
But firstly, I would like to thank the audiences. Yes, I would like to thank the public that have graced us with their company. For after all without our nightly paying guests, our performance, our 'art' would be nothing. So many thanks to you all, a very key ingredient to our production. I'd also if I may, take the opportunity to thank the House Managers and ushers, who keep the peace, tidy the theatre, become the welcoming faces at the start of the night and especially to the House Managers and Todd and Rachael in the box office who look after the theatre as we thrash about on stage. Oh and a big thanks to anyone who has kept up with my waffle, poor spelling and lapses in grammar. Oh and before I forget a big thank you to Jon and his willingness to talk about his experiences at The Market Theatre in Soweto in the 70's and 80's.
So if you had read my last blog, I described how I tried to avoid direct emotional experience to enhance the performance. Unfortunately, I didn't say it was unavoidable, did I? Also while working so closely with Will for so long, there are now those moments on stage where I don't know if it's 'in the moment' or the fact that as I've shared the company so long with this incarnation of Andre, that I really do get very choked with emotion at the end, and as a by product I can't help reflecting on my friends and loved ones that I have lost in my life.
As for talking about losing my Dad, I thought about that for a snap second on Saturday, and I nearly lost the plot, so I will stick to thinking of my character's father in future, and after all isn't that what having the God given gift of imagination is all about. That after all is what part of the challenge of acting is - the use of imagination.
One thing that I should report, last night as Andre was saying 'To be or not to be', I lapsed into dwelling on one friend I lost recently. Guardsman Darryl Hickey KIA in Helmand, Afghanistan 2007. So I suppose Daz, that one was for you. I also want to add that once again this has been one of my most treasured Theatrical experiences and I will always be in debt to Mr. Lyman. After all 'Everybody loves Will'. (If you have been to the talkbacks you'd really know what I'm talking about, although yes there is a little bit of inspiration to Raymond.)
Well must go.
Yours Aye,
Ross
Friday, March 06, 2009
Keeping it fresh
March 6th
The awful truth dawned on me last night, we haven't got long left! It's bad enough to know that after a year, I actually don't know when I will act again. But compounded to that fact, we have only days left to go, okay a week and a bit, but really it's not long left, and it's sad. Well it, the situation, saddens me, after all shortly I will be like the 'Playwright' reflecting on what has been.
Oh well, lets not get too depressed, after all, the good news, you (whoever you may be) will not have much of my blogging waffle left. I will try and provide enough amusement over the last few articles, although sadly not much scandal.
We had the added joy of a double show yesterday, which during the break I managed to enjoy a nice hard run to and from Cambridge. Word to other like minded actors, it's a great way to enjoy those double show days and a way of not spending your hard earned pennies in the delights of Pannera.
Alright, I know this is all really a lot of harmless waffle, so for anyone that may be wanting to glean some sort of, words of wisdom about 'the craft' of acting during production.
Well firstly you've come to the wrong place, but secondly in all seriousness, I'd say the following. We or rather I, during my drama school training was encouraged to 'the colouring of the word', this is especially useful in Shakespeare and indeed any well written play. You see, day in, day out, you cannot rely on being ' in the moment' it's not always there for you, especially during a long run.
At least it's not for me, and if it is for you, good for you, but if you are putting yourself through an extreme emmotional process day in, day out, and bear in mind I've been off book for 5 weeks, and I've been in productions that have lasted two months, it's not healthy, I mean after all I have to talk about a Father dying in this one. If I thought about my actual Dad, (who thankfully is still here in good health and long may he be), I'd be a wreck by now.
So anyway what I try to do, to keep it fresh, is that I try to keep everything new, by the way in which I work the script. I basically think about what I am saying (I can hear my mother saying, 'that's a first'), I let each thought come to me as I am finishing the last thought, just in the way I am writing this lot of old nonsense at the moment. I'm moving from one sentance to another, and if I find a particularly colourful thing to say, well I go ahead and say it. Sometimes, when I talk about the moon, I think about a full moon that I've seen on a clear night in Spain, the Alps, Africa, and even on all those clear nights in Afghanistan and when I talk about that moon, I really try and say it with the feeling of the way I saw one of those moons.
If I talk about dying I give the necessary weight to the word, the inference of the pain and the suffering, and the loss, but I really try to avoid thinking about the loved ones who've gone, or even those odd occasions when I dealt with death out there in Helmand Province in 2007. Occasionally I admit things slip, last night for example my final scene with Andre, I couldn't help but think about my old friend and neighbour, Michael Murray-Grant, and before I dwelt on his loss, I cheered myself on the bitter sweet moments of late night heated debates over numerous bottles of this and that. All this going on, whilst waiting for my cue, and staying in the scene, so you see for all those who go through the psycho-emmotional method, sometimes you'll find yourself so wrapped up in the process, that you'll forget about the person you are dealing with and the scene you're in.
On the other hand there are those who need to work on their gravitas, anyway before I sound like a critic. I'll be off The wife will be home soon, we need to have some time together, and of course give some attention to the cats.
Good day, God Bless and talk to you soon.
Ross
The awful truth dawned on me last night, we haven't got long left! It's bad enough to know that after a year, I actually don't know when I will act again. But compounded to that fact, we have only days left to go, okay a week and a bit, but really it's not long left, and it's sad. Well it, the situation, saddens me, after all shortly I will be like the 'Playwright' reflecting on what has been.
Oh well, lets not get too depressed, after all, the good news, you (whoever you may be) will not have much of my blogging waffle left. I will try and provide enough amusement over the last few articles, although sadly not much scandal.
We had the added joy of a double show yesterday, which during the break I managed to enjoy a nice hard run to and from Cambridge. Word to other like minded actors, it's a great way to enjoy those double show days and a way of not spending your hard earned pennies in the delights of Pannera.
Alright, I know this is all really a lot of harmless waffle, so for anyone that may be wanting to glean some sort of, words of wisdom about 'the craft' of acting during production.
Well firstly you've come to the wrong place, but secondly in all seriousness, I'd say the following. We or rather I, during my drama school training was encouraged to 'the colouring of the word', this is especially useful in Shakespeare and indeed any well written play. You see, day in, day out, you cannot rely on being ' in the moment' it's not always there for you, especially during a long run.
At least it's not for me, and if it is for you, good for you, but if you are putting yourself through an extreme emmotional process day in, day out, and bear in mind I've been off book for 5 weeks, and I've been in productions that have lasted two months, it's not healthy, I mean after all I have to talk about a Father dying in this one. If I thought about my actual Dad, (who thankfully is still here in good health and long may he be), I'd be a wreck by now.
So anyway what I try to do, to keep it fresh, is that I try to keep everything new, by the way in which I work the script. I basically think about what I am saying (I can hear my mother saying, 'that's a first'), I let each thought come to me as I am finishing the last thought, just in the way I am writing this lot of old nonsense at the moment. I'm moving from one sentance to another, and if I find a particularly colourful thing to say, well I go ahead and say it. Sometimes, when I talk about the moon, I think about a full moon that I've seen on a clear night in Spain, the Alps, Africa, and even on all those clear nights in Afghanistan and when I talk about that moon, I really try and say it with the feeling of the way I saw one of those moons.
If I talk about dying I give the necessary weight to the word, the inference of the pain and the suffering, and the loss, but I really try to avoid thinking about the loved ones who've gone, or even those odd occasions when I dealt with death out there in Helmand Province in 2007. Occasionally I admit things slip, last night for example my final scene with Andre, I couldn't help but think about my old friend and neighbour, Michael Murray-Grant, and before I dwelt on his loss, I cheered myself on the bitter sweet moments of late night heated debates over numerous bottles of this and that. All this going on, whilst waiting for my cue, and staying in the scene, so you see for all those who go through the psycho-emmotional method, sometimes you'll find yourself so wrapped up in the process, that you'll forget about the person you are dealing with and the scene you're in.
On the other hand there are those who need to work on their gravitas, anyway before I sound like a critic. I'll be off The wife will be home soon, we need to have some time together, and of course give some attention to the cats.
Good day, God Bless and talk to you soon.
Ross
Monday, February 16, 2009
Friendship and Revelations in Rehersal
February 16th
It's funny what comes out of the rehearsal process, and when I say this I am talking about matters that will not be evident when we get onto the stage. If any of these other matters, do happen to appear on our performance nights, I can safely say that they will more likely be found to be sitting in the audience.
I'm sorry I don't mean to be so cryptic, but I am trying to introduce such subjects as friendship, memories from the past, and perhaps I may even touch open all the discoveries I have made in the last week that I genuinely believe have helped me adding a deeper layer to the character of "the Playwright" in Exits and Entrances.
Friendship, to a degree is what you will see in our production it's after all a story that involves a friendship. A friendship of many levels and the way in which that friendship changes in a period over five years. Well needless to say, by working on such topics one soon thinks of one's own personal friendships and relationships. I think of my wife, my parents, my brother, my Grandparents both of blood and adoptive, of friends I've made over the years, the ones I've met whislt working as an actor, my army mates, old school friends and of course my childhood friends. I think of my close friendships, ones that have lasted over the years, and the brief but happy friendships over my rugby years, as well as the close ones made. You end up considering all the valuable lessons and experiences you gained in the company of others and the heartbreak and anger when friendships have ended.
We humans are a funny animal species, most of us thrive in being able to be in the company of others, we can't or at least I can't be happy in my own company for any considerable length of time. It's as though we are only complete by a relationship with others, and sometimes we find it in a spiritual format but we also need the actual physical presence of someone to at least share a chat and a bit of laughter.
So you see there has been quite alot of thinking going on, which is a somewhat differant experience from my last outing at New Rep, where my main concern was blowing my brains out on the right line! No seriously, I loved working on The Lieutenant of Inishmore, which by the way congratulations to Colin, Karl and Lynn for their 2008 IRNE nominations, where was I, ah yes, no I seriously enjoyed that mad comedy but the nature of Exits and Entrances stirs up a multitude of deep feelings.
Sometimes it's not even the script, at times it's just pure accident, for example the girls, Amy and Candice (our lovely stage management team) had to put some wax on a particular tough draw. In doing so the smell of the wax threw me back to to my childhood home and the smell of a polished hall floor and thoughts of a lady crying in our cloakroom, and my dog, and my sliced chin involving 'Superman' slippers, and Ireland rugby jersey and a carpet divider! You see all through some wax.
So you see, it's not just the joy of hard work and creative muscle flexing that I am getting out of these intense rehearsals, but a whole range of emmotions and feelings that could be really be gone into deeper detail if it wasn't for the fact that I have to go and do some rugby coaching.
So I guess new revelations found in week two of rehearsals will have to wait.
Hope you have all had a marvelous 'Presidents Day'.
All the best,
Ross
It's funny what comes out of the rehearsal process, and when I say this I am talking about matters that will not be evident when we get onto the stage. If any of these other matters, do happen to appear on our performance nights, I can safely say that they will more likely be found to be sitting in the audience.
I'm sorry I don't mean to be so cryptic, but I am trying to introduce such subjects as friendship, memories from the past, and perhaps I may even touch open all the discoveries I have made in the last week that I genuinely believe have helped me adding a deeper layer to the character of "the Playwright" in Exits and Entrances.
Friendship, to a degree is what you will see in our production it's after all a story that involves a friendship. A friendship of many levels and the way in which that friendship changes in a period over five years. Well needless to say, by working on such topics one soon thinks of one's own personal friendships and relationships. I think of my wife, my parents, my brother, my Grandparents both of blood and adoptive, of friends I've made over the years, the ones I've met whislt working as an actor, my army mates, old school friends and of course my childhood friends. I think of my close friendships, ones that have lasted over the years, and the brief but happy friendships over my rugby years, as well as the close ones made. You end up considering all the valuable lessons and experiences you gained in the company of others and the heartbreak and anger when friendships have ended.
We humans are a funny animal species, most of us thrive in being able to be in the company of others, we can't or at least I can't be happy in my own company for any considerable length of time. It's as though we are only complete by a relationship with others, and sometimes we find it in a spiritual format but we also need the actual physical presence of someone to at least share a chat and a bit of laughter.
So you see there has been quite alot of thinking going on, which is a somewhat differant experience from my last outing at New Rep, where my main concern was blowing my brains out on the right line! No seriously, I loved working on The Lieutenant of Inishmore, which by the way congratulations to Colin, Karl and Lynn for their 2008 IRNE nominations, where was I, ah yes, no I seriously enjoyed that mad comedy but the nature of Exits and Entrances stirs up a multitude of deep feelings.
Sometimes it's not even the script, at times it's just pure accident, for example the girls, Amy and Candice (our lovely stage management team) had to put some wax on a particular tough draw. In doing so the smell of the wax threw me back to to my childhood home and the smell of a polished hall floor and thoughts of a lady crying in our cloakroom, and my dog, and my sliced chin involving 'Superman' slippers, and Ireland rugby jersey and a carpet divider! You see all through some wax.
So you see, it's not just the joy of hard work and creative muscle flexing that I am getting out of these intense rehearsals, but a whole range of emmotions and feelings that could be really be gone into deeper detail if it wasn't for the fact that I have to go and do some rugby coaching.
So I guess new revelations found in week two of rehearsals will have to wait.
Hope you have all had a marvelous 'Presidents Day'.
All the best,
Ross
Friday, February 13, 2009
How everything is so interlinked, even from your early days of training.
February 12th
There have been a lot of books over the years written about the 'art of acting.’ Theories, methods, and lets face it many schools/academies/conservatoires/colleges of drama have been founded on the base of one style or another.
People/actors/artists have lived and died (in more ways than one) by what's the best approach to working as an actor. In fact, I remember working on a play on the London fringe with a chap who'd quit his day job and embarked on the life as an actor. He had no training whatsoever, and instead believed that he could do it all by reading books by Ugen, Stanislavsky, and all the forms that were in fashion in 1998. I don't think he ever for once thought about the joy of acting, and entertaining the audience.
Anyway I digress, which is what I do, by nature anyway. The point, or rather the original point was to introduce my subject for this particular blog's discourse. Which was, how everything is so interlinked right from your early days of training, to your first professional production on now to what must be the thirtieth! Thank goodness all that money I spent on drama school wasn't for nothing.
We are now right amidst the 'snot en trane' of our preparation, and although every day is still a joy, it is also hard work. It's what acting is all about, finding the 'right notes', the 'light and shade,' etc. You work at finding all the levels, running with the emotions, which for both Will and I, there are quite a lot to deal with, as well as the detailing, the fine tuning, and on top of all that, remembering the lines.
The funny thing everyday we find new ways too deal with a speech, a line, a reaction, sometimes I find it easy to make the change, sometimes it's a matter of finding the right intonation, sometimes a thought of 'what would it feel like if that happened to me', sometimes it's picturing what I say as I say it, sometimes it's the 'super objective', sometimes it's 'I wonder how he would pour the drink at this moment'.
Whatever way we go, I find the joy and disappointment of trying numerous other ways to try the speech, before we (Chris, and I) think that it's now going in the right direction. Or indeed it's even more fulfilling that we are going through a scene and we try it angry, jesting, pitying, hating, with love or just getting on and saying the lines, and then we ( Chris, Will and I) make a few changes and then it's like, 'oh yes, that's the way, wasn't that so simple'.
Of course it's probably me that's making it too bloody complicated, and I can't help but apologize to Chris and Will for my awful Hugh Grant apologizing antics, 'sorry, so sorry, that was, well awful, do you think we could try that again?'
Then on top of all that it's the ability to say the line, help put a toga on Will, while, bless him, there he is standing in his underwear as I witter on about dreams and Oedipus. Now before I go too far and reveal the story, I hope you get the idea that this play is a lot of bloody good fun! In fact, sometimes I am proudest that I can pour a drink, fold a pair of trousers, hold a prop script and say a line, all at the same time, now that's acting!
My thanks as always to Will, Chris, Danielle, Amy and Candice for their constant help and support everyday.
Also I am going to take advantage and say, Alison MacDonald, Happy Valentine's wifey, I Love You.
Cleo and Devon, (the cats) stop messing about!
Yours Aye,
Ross
There have been a lot of books over the years written about the 'art of acting.’ Theories, methods, and lets face it many schools/academies/conservatoires/colleges of drama have been founded on the base of one style or another.
People/actors/artists have lived and died (in more ways than one) by what's the best approach to working as an actor. In fact, I remember working on a play on the London fringe with a chap who'd quit his day job and embarked on the life as an actor. He had no training whatsoever, and instead believed that he could do it all by reading books by Ugen, Stanislavsky, and all the forms that were in fashion in 1998. I don't think he ever for once thought about the joy of acting, and entertaining the audience.
Anyway I digress, which is what I do, by nature anyway. The point, or rather the original point was to introduce my subject for this particular blog's discourse. Which was, how everything is so interlinked right from your early days of training, to your first professional production on now to what must be the thirtieth! Thank goodness all that money I spent on drama school wasn't for nothing.
We are now right amidst the 'snot en trane' of our preparation, and although every day is still a joy, it is also hard work. It's what acting is all about, finding the 'right notes', the 'light and shade,' etc. You work at finding all the levels, running with the emotions, which for both Will and I, there are quite a lot to deal with, as well as the detailing, the fine tuning, and on top of all that, remembering the lines.
The funny thing everyday we find new ways too deal with a speech, a line, a reaction, sometimes I find it easy to make the change, sometimes it's a matter of finding the right intonation, sometimes a thought of 'what would it feel like if that happened to me', sometimes it's picturing what I say as I say it, sometimes it's the 'super objective', sometimes it's 'I wonder how he would pour the drink at this moment'.
Whatever way we go, I find the joy and disappointment of trying numerous other ways to try the speech, before we (Chris, and I) think that it's now going in the right direction. Or indeed it's even more fulfilling that we are going through a scene and we try it angry, jesting, pitying, hating, with love or just getting on and saying the lines, and then we ( Chris, Will and I) make a few changes and then it's like, 'oh yes, that's the way, wasn't that so simple'.
Of course it's probably me that's making it too bloody complicated, and I can't help but apologize to Chris and Will for my awful Hugh Grant apologizing antics, 'sorry, so sorry, that was, well awful, do you think we could try that again?'
Then on top of all that it's the ability to say the line, help put a toga on Will, while, bless him, there he is standing in his underwear as I witter on about dreams and Oedipus. Now before I go too far and reveal the story, I hope you get the idea that this play is a lot of bloody good fun! In fact, sometimes I am proudest that I can pour a drink, fold a pair of trousers, hold a prop script and say a line, all at the same time, now that's acting!
My thanks as always to Will, Chris, Danielle, Amy and Candice for their constant help and support everyday.
Also I am going to take advantage and say, Alison MacDonald, Happy Valentine's wifey, I Love You.
Cleo and Devon, (the cats) stop messing about!
Yours Aye,
Ross
Monday, February 09, 2009
A Bit of Publicity
February 7th
So last night we ended the day with a bit of publicity, which like everything else was alot of fun. I must be a bad influence on my colleagues as an air of naughty schoolboy glee filled the room. Except when Chris (Jorie) had to impose some self-control and played the teacher and had me leave the room whilst he was being interviewed for the viral video promotion, to be fair he had Will leave the room as well, as a sign of equality and to spare me any offense, or so he claimed, I think Will would have taken up the mantle if I had been solely banished from our improvised studio.
Today we rehearsed in the Black Box, which was a change, thankfully it didn't cause that much of a differance to our work, although it did add to a sense of performance by being in the Studio. It's a lovely space and just a reminder of how spoilt one is working at New Rep, especially when some theatre companies struggle to have one decent rehearsal space and here we are with two.
Our work was in the same vein as the last few days, building on the layers, shaping our characters, processing our characters thoughts into the direction of our steps towards performance, going through the play, covering scenes that need elements of more formal 'blocking', discussing the direction we are taking, reviewing the work, then going back working through both tender and heated moments, finding the 'reality' and the 'art', getting to grips with the 'political' without becoming heavy handed and becoming flat tuned.
Right time to go, as you should know by now, wife and cats are waiting.
Cheers,
Ross
So last night we ended the day with a bit of publicity, which like everything else was alot of fun. I must be a bad influence on my colleagues as an air of naughty schoolboy glee filled the room. Except when Chris (Jorie) had to impose some self-control and played the teacher and had me leave the room whilst he was being interviewed for the viral video promotion, to be fair he had Will leave the room as well, as a sign of equality and to spare me any offense, or so he claimed, I think Will would have taken up the mantle if I had been solely banished from our improvised studio.
Today we rehearsed in the Black Box, which was a change, thankfully it didn't cause that much of a differance to our work, although it did add to a sense of performance by being in the Studio. It's a lovely space and just a reminder of how spoilt one is working at New Rep, especially when some theatre companies struggle to have one decent rehearsal space and here we are with two.
Our work was in the same vein as the last few days, building on the layers, shaping our characters, processing our characters thoughts into the direction of our steps towards performance, going through the play, covering scenes that need elements of more formal 'blocking', discussing the direction we are taking, reviewing the work, then going back working through both tender and heated moments, finding the 'reality' and the 'art', getting to grips with the 'political' without becoming heavy handed and becoming flat tuned.
Right time to go, as you should know by now, wife and cats are waiting.
Cheers,
Ross
Truly Entering the Rehearsal Process
February 4, 5, and 6th
Before this starts resembling my journal with only a couple of pages a month, I thought it best to add to my recent contribution. After all if I don't, they'll be at least two unhappy people, the lovely ladies who asked me to be this production's blogger!
We are now well and truly into the rehearsal process, and it is an experience where each day is another step not only to opening night, but more importantly it's a day of discovery and discussion, about the characters, the relationships that exist between them, the world that surrounds the characters, and the world that we the actors live in. It's a luxury (in the best sense of the word), each day is a luxury in the 'process' of rehearsal, a luxury in the work of an actor to explore thoughts, feelings, and relationships of the character that this play allows us to inhabit. It's a luxury in observation and reaction, a luxury to be on stage or at this present time, to be in the rehearsal room and watch Mr. Lyman at work or to be guided Mr. Jorie in finding ways to allow me to find the character of 'The Playwright'.
I wish I could be more detailed in these early days of rehearsals, but it's almost as if my attention is focused on the work that needs to take place in the rehearsal room rather than to be able to document it all down clearly. Then again, I know that sounds like an excuse, which to be fair it's a rather good one, but in all seriousness alot of what we discuss is part of the development of the character. Then again, once my day off comes round on Monday, I can put it all in perspective and bore all three readers that I have with a long detailed report of the 'story so far'. Or maybe at the moment I am running shy of reporting the day to day goings on, in fear that my charismatic 'Playwright' is turned into an avid reporter, which is fine if I was in Frost/Nixon but it's no good in Exits and Entrances. Mind you I've never been one for the method, but I am not going to run the risk.
Truth is, I am tired, it's late and the wife and cats are calling.
Cheers,
Ross
Before this starts resembling my journal with only a couple of pages a month, I thought it best to add to my recent contribution. After all if I don't, they'll be at least two unhappy people, the lovely ladies who asked me to be this production's blogger!
We are now well and truly into the rehearsal process, and it is an experience where each day is another step not only to opening night, but more importantly it's a day of discovery and discussion, about the characters, the relationships that exist between them, the world that surrounds the characters, and the world that we the actors live in. It's a luxury (in the best sense of the word), each day is a luxury in the 'process' of rehearsal, a luxury in the work of an actor to explore thoughts, feelings, and relationships of the character that this play allows us to inhabit. It's a luxury in observation and reaction, a luxury to be on stage or at this present time, to be in the rehearsal room and watch Mr. Lyman at work or to be guided Mr. Jorie in finding ways to allow me to find the character of 'The Playwright'.
I wish I could be more detailed in these early days of rehearsals, but it's almost as if my attention is focused on the work that needs to take place in the rehearsal room rather than to be able to document it all down clearly. Then again, I know that sounds like an excuse, which to be fair it's a rather good one, but in all seriousness alot of what we discuss is part of the development of the character. Then again, once my day off comes round on Monday, I can put it all in perspective and bore all three readers that I have with a long detailed report of the 'story so far'. Or maybe at the moment I am running shy of reporting the day to day goings on, in fear that my charismatic 'Playwright' is turned into an avid reporter, which is fine if I was in Frost/Nixon but it's no good in Exits and Entrances. Mind you I've never been one for the method, but I am not going to run the risk.
Truth is, I am tired, it's late and the wife and cats are calling.
Cheers,
Ross
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
1-15-2009 OPENING NIGHT!
We are open! Many final things were ironed out in tech and previews (during which I was too busy working on the show to blog much) and now the final product is up and running.
Rick got a standing ovation for his curtain speech, which was another touching Boston theatre moment.
I had a great time with this cast and production team and look forward to working with everyone again in future productions. My next two New Rep projects are a staged reading of my play, The Devil’s Own Game next month as part of New Voices @ New Rep, and composing the violence for Fool for Love, directed by Bridget Kathleen O’Leary which will go up at Downstage @ New Rep in March.
Rick got a standing ovation for his curtain speech, which was another touching Boston theatre moment.
I had a great time with this cast and production team and look forward to working with everyone again in future productions. My next two New Rep projects are a staged reading of my play, The Devil’s Own Game next month as part of New Voices @ New Rep, and composing the violence for Fool for Love, directed by Bridget Kathleen O’Leary which will go up at Downstage @ New Rep in March.
12-30-08 – Staging Nazi Scenes
One of the things we worked on today was the song “I Don’t Care Much,” in which the Emcee will appear bruised and with his arm in a sling and there will be Nazi guards in the club. This is also the scene that will include the biggest fight in the show, which I’ll choreograph later in the process.
One thing we’re working on in this scene is the placement of the guards. We tried a few variants. The first was Nazi guard would stand at attention on either side of the Emcee scanning the club. The sense of threat this created was interesting, but the option we decided on (which you’ll see in the production itself) is that the guards are off duty, sitting at tables in the club, drinking with everyone else, and being rowdy. And that their rowdiness would be an obvious problem that no one else in the club would do anything about. This was a very different sort of threat and made more sense for what we were doing with the rest of the scene.
Something that really struck me about the character work in this play is the way Paul Giragos is approaching the character of Ernst. Cabaret is popular enough musical that I don’t think I’m spoiling it for anybody reading this if I reveal that Ernst turns out to be a rather highly placed Nazi. And yet, this is one of the funniest and most charming characters throughout most of the play. I think that that is one of the things that makes the threat most real, and most powerful. The people who became Nazis did not start their lives as monsters, things happened that led them to go down that road. That said, Paul is playing him as an affable playboy who really believes in his cause. We really want to like Ernst, so the moment that we find out he’s a Nazi it really feels like a betrayal. I always felt that this sort of thing is one of the strongest humanist aspects of stage work. Putting a live face and a realistic and likable character on someone involved in what I can only describe as criminal politics has the potential to create a powerful impact on the audience. It’s a common strategy to dehumanize one’s opponents in war and politics. How much more would we learn as a society if we made it a more common practice to humanize those holding opposing viewpoints instead?
One thing we’re working on in this scene is the placement of the guards. We tried a few variants. The first was Nazi guard would stand at attention on either side of the Emcee scanning the club. The sense of threat this created was interesting, but the option we decided on (which you’ll see in the production itself) is that the guards are off duty, sitting at tables in the club, drinking with everyone else, and being rowdy. And that their rowdiness would be an obvious problem that no one else in the club would do anything about. This was a very different sort of threat and made more sense for what we were doing with the rest of the scene.
Something that really struck me about the character work in this play is the way Paul Giragos is approaching the character of Ernst. Cabaret is popular enough musical that I don’t think I’m spoiling it for anybody reading this if I reveal that Ernst turns out to be a rather highly placed Nazi. And yet, this is one of the funniest and most charming characters throughout most of the play. I think that that is one of the things that makes the threat most real, and most powerful. The people who became Nazis did not start their lives as monsters, things happened that led them to go down that road. That said, Paul is playing him as an affable playboy who really believes in his cause. We really want to like Ernst, so the moment that we find out he’s a Nazi it really feels like a betrayal. I always felt that this sort of thing is one of the strongest humanist aspects of stage work. Putting a live face and a realistic and likable character on someone involved in what I can only describe as criminal politics has the potential to create a powerful impact on the audience. It’s a common strategy to dehumanize one’s opponents in war and politics. How much more would we learn as a society if we made it a more common practice to humanize those holding opposing viewpoints instead?
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.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
About Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol
Early in 1843, as a response to a government report on the abuse of child laborers in mines and factories, Dickens vowed he would strike a "sledge-hammer blow . . . on behalf of the Poor Man's Child." That sledge-hammer was A Christmas Carol.
It only took Dickens about six weeks to write A Christmas Carol. A Christmas Carol was first published in 1843. Initially six thousand copies of the book were printed. More copies were ordered after the first printing was sold in only five days.
At the time Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol, Christmas wasn't commonly celebrated as a festive holiday. In A Christmas Carol, Dickens' descriptions of feasting, games and family unity combined with his message that Christmas was a time "when want is keenly felt and abundance rejoices" helped revive popular interest in many Christmas traditions that are still practiced today.
In 1867, Dickens read A Christmas Carol at a public reading in Chicago. One of the audience members , Mr. Fairbanks, was a scale manufacturer. Mr. Fairbanks was so moved that he decided to "break the custom we have hitherto observed of opening the works on Christmas day." Not only did he close the factory on Christmas day, but he gave Christmas turkeys to all of his employees.
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