Humour. It’s funny. Not the onstage stuff. That’s art. Or craft. Or magic or something. I’m talking about what goes on backstage, and offstage. It probably all falls into the “you hadda be there” category, but I’m gonna go ahead and write about it anyway. Audiences often comment, “You look like you’re having so much fun up there!” And to some extent we are. In my experience, most actors come to work and make an effort to be at least pleasant, and cheerful, but more often, amusing, ready to find the humour in whatever occurs between the half-hour call and places. Or to cause it. They generally put down whatever stuff has bedeviled them during the day, auditions, and traffic, and bills and boyfriends, and try to make each other feel like we might be capable of putting … [Read more...]

Audiences. They’re like snowflakes. No two are alike. Yes. We do notice you. Example: we had a group last week who apparently thought it was a walking tour. Right from the get, they were changing seats, wandering thru the house, leaving and returning. Sometimes it’s as tho’ they’ve come to church, but not one of those shouting and jumping churches. Last night during our onstage half-hour they were so chatty I thought surely they’d be very vocally responsive and laffing. Pero, no. But then they stood at bows. It’s great when there are groups of students. So much of the show has to do with people who’ve spent the greater portion of their adult lives working, but everybody loves Gabe singing, “This is my first job…” and the students especially like “…and I’ll be … [Read more...]

When this was a rehearsal blog, I had a pretty good idea what idea might write… I thought I’d write about the rehearsal process. Now that we’re open… So ….what?? Well, here’s some of what happens for us. Me. Learning to play the show eight times a week with the same passion and intensity that was almost unavoidable at the end of the rehearsal period. There’s a certain amount of adrenaline and terror that accompanies the previews and the opening, and the game is to quickly find a substitute. So we entertain each other during both of our half-hour calls. And some of these people are seriously funny. (read: Michael Mahler) I suppose for some actors there’s that immersion in deep concentration that offers a seamless transition from backstage to onstage. Mostly, for us, the … [Read more...]

We’ve finished our first week of previews and the audience response is quite positive.  I’m sure it’s a happy moment for producers when some of the attendees actually pay to get in.  For me, I’m just glad somebody likes it.  There comes a point where the notes, even tho’ they’re obviously meant to help make one’s performance an artistic experience; a moment that will last thru the ages and leave audiences gasping in awe, are just a pita. Did you follow that sentence? Me neither. But you can tell when your friends say things like, “Congratulations!” or “It’s so great to see you up there!” and they really bump up the enthusiasm on the line reading. We’re not getting too many of those, and that’s gratifying. The week itself sucked. Really. Once again, the … [Read more...]

Parts of the process right now are kinda hilarious …from the right POV. The looks on our faces when we’re asked to do something “on the other side.”  Or when they explain how they’ve decided to solve some “problem.” (why is that a problem?? I like that prop!! I just learned how to do that.) You know, instead of say, crossing to the left on this lyric, instead, cross right and do that little turn to the other side. What’s happened is that I’ve started to lock in little bench marks throughout the show, and matched up some lyrics with being at a particular time and place in the universe. And it gives me some small confidence that I won’t stop the show cold in its tracks, humiliate myself, and piss-off everybody in the building. But the creatives have watched it and … [Read more...]

So that was tech week. For the uninitiated, it’s not really that much fun. The hours are long, the work is difficult, everyone is tired and often frustrated. Several of us are coming down with some sort of upper resp/sore throat thing. It feels like there’s nothing in the universe other than mistakes. No god, no light, no planets, no Einstein, no Egypt, just mistakes. It makes seeing the inherent joy of collaboration, creativity, singing, art, show-biz, friendship, the box of doughnuts; you name it - just a little tricky. We survived our invited dress last night. That was kinda the goal among the cast: survival. Most of us were in a “no blood, no foul” frame of mind. The humour was decidedly gallows, and if no one died, we’d call it success. No one died…as far … [Read more...]

I’m a little geeked-out being in the room. Not physically so much. That’d be like going to a ballgame and saying, “ooo! I’m in the same building as A-Rod!” god, I hate not being able to call up the name of any Chicago players that’d even have the potential of geeking me out. But rather, you know, working on this really potent project “with” Stephen Schwartz. I mean, we’re doing our part in the process of creation. Collaborating. I ought to enjoy the moment. (back in a sec…) Ok. These don’t really pop up every day. And I think as actors we need to give ourselves credit for what we bring. Besides doughnuts. But here’s the cool Stephen Schwartz story. The creatives all went to lunch and while they were there, their waiter and the hostess, completely unsolicited, … [Read more...]