Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Stumbling Through Act Two: Rehearsal Number Eleven
Only eleven rehearsals in and we have VERY tentatively pieced together the basic form! This seems both early but also late considering we have our producer preview in just six more rehearsals! Crazy! The agenda today was initially just to work the second half of the second act, but it's all very intellectual until we actually put it on its feet and fumble around a little. While an act two run is always slightly absurd without running an act one to generate the characters and initial plot points, we faced the implausible and gave it a shot. Darren, Kate and Charles bravely joined me on the stage for a piece together, and we sailed off into the great unknown...
First impressions? The changes made to the format seem to be promising at this point, although it's a little early to tell completely. Overall, the adjustments to the top and bottom of the act seem to work. We're still struggling with the second number in the act in terms of how to create a montage feel without it quickly solidifying rhythmically into a traditional verse/chorus structure. Jim (pictured left) and I chatted afterwards about this and we're thinking of letting Keith drive this number initially on the drums so as to give more melodic freedom. Due to the number of songs in the piece, I'm keen to have certain dynamics set throughout the story arc to guarantee some variety and musical surprises. We're also tripping on a new climax scene/song cascade dynamic - but it is still so new to us that I'm not worried at this point. It's designed to increase the protagonist's peril as we move into the last third of the act. However, without a true developed story and stock of characters, this progression often feels a bit conceited. An old habit also resurfaced tonight as well - namely, avoiding conflict or character change. This is particularly an issue for the protagonist who has to react to an awful lot of choices being thrown at him/her. Ironically, the qualities of our company that are making the process so joyful (namely level-headedness, calmness, being centered...) sometimes lessen the dramatic energy on the stage. Most of us are socialized to avoid conflict in life!
Tonight's stumble/bumble/humble through has, however, put us a little ahead of the game. I'm hopeful that we can now do a true full run next Saturday when we meet again. This will, ideally, solidify the form for us all and give me a chance to see where the structure itself is causing woes and where we need to focus our work. Gina DiRoma, my loyal Assistant Director from last season, will then join us on Sunday for the first time. We chatted briefly last night, and while she could make it sooner, it struck me that it might be helpful to get her first gut reactions once the format is up and running (or limping as the case may be).
Regardless of the roughness of the form tonight, I must confess that I started to feel that performance high that pulled me back to the director's chair. I so enjoy this year's company, and amidst the confusion and attempts to make sense of this seemingly crazy structure, there were many wonderful little jewels - Kate's crazy smoking lady, Kate and Darren's harmonious sibling duet, Charles' drug-addled friend and villainous thief, Jim torturing me on the piano while I was singing as Darren's bitter mother... I do love long form!!
We're officially at the half way point tonight between the first rehearsal and the first preview audience. Wow!!
Your in-the-middle-of-it-all Director, David C.
Only eleven rehearsals in and we have VERY tentatively pieced together the basic form! This seems both early but also late considering we have our producer preview in just six more rehearsals! Crazy! The agenda today was initially just to work the second half of the second act, but it's all very intellectual until we actually put it on its feet and fumble around a little. While an act two run is always slightly absurd without running an act one to generate the characters and initial plot points, we faced the implausible and gave it a shot. Darren, Kate and Charles bravely joined me on the stage for a piece together, and we sailed off into the great unknown...
First impressions? The changes made to the format seem to be promising at this point, although it's a little early to tell completely. Overall, the adjustments to the top and bottom of the act seem to work. We're still struggling with the second number in the act in terms of how to create a montage feel without it quickly solidifying rhythmically into a traditional verse/chorus structure. Jim (pictured left) and I chatted afterwards about this and we're thinking of letting Keith drive this number initially on the drums so as to give more melodic freedom. Due to the number of songs in the piece, I'm keen to have certain dynamics set throughout the story arc to guarantee some variety and musical surprises. We're also tripping on a new climax scene/song cascade dynamic - but it is still so new to us that I'm not worried at this point. It's designed to increase the protagonist's peril as we move into the last third of the act. However, without a true developed story and stock of characters, this progression often feels a bit conceited. An old habit also resurfaced tonight as well - namely, avoiding conflict or character change. This is particularly an issue for the protagonist who has to react to an awful lot of choices being thrown at him/her. Ironically, the qualities of our company that are making the process so joyful (namely level-headedness, calmness, being centered...) sometimes lessen the dramatic energy on the stage. Most of us are socialized to avoid conflict in life!Tonight's stumble/bumble/humble through has, however, put us a little ahead of the game. I'm hopeful that we can now do a true full run next Saturday when we meet again. This will, ideally, solidify the form for us all and give me a chance to see where the structure itself is causing woes and where we need to focus our work. Gina DiRoma, my loyal Assistant Director from last season, will then join us on Sunday for the first time. We chatted briefly last night, and while she could make it sooner, it struck me that it might be helpful to get her first gut reactions once the format is up and running (or limping as the case may be).
Regardless of the roughness of the form tonight, I must confess that I started to feel that performance high that pulled me back to the director's chair. I so enjoy this year's company, and amidst the confusion and attempts to make sense of this seemingly crazy structure, there were many wonderful little jewels - Kate's crazy smoking lady, Kate and Darren's harmonious sibling duet, Charles' drug-addled friend and villainous thief, Jim torturing me on the piano while I was singing as Darren's bitter mother... I do love long form!!
We're officially at the half way point tonight between the first rehearsal and the first preview audience. Wow!!
Your in-the-middle-of-it-all Director, David C.
