Excellent Review 2

Rita Moran's excellent review is available at...

http://www.venturacountystar.com/vcs/on_stage/article/0,1375,VCS_253_4808689,00.html

As usual, she's written a wonderful, well thought out review of a show that can be difficult to classify. Thanks to she and Mark Wyckoff at the Ventura County Star for giving us such a wonderful kick-off to the second half of our run.

I'm very proud of the entire cast and crew for delivering a consistently entertaining show. Thanks for all of your hard work!

Oh, and I started a blog for And Then There Were None, the Agatha Christie classic, to be produced in the spring of 2007 up at Conejo Players. Here's that link...

http://1stage.com/~sph/attwn/blog

- Sean

Erin's In

Friday night's show was pretty great, no surprise there. Erin had a great opening night, and Arryck jumped in for Noah perfectly. The rest of the cast seemed a bit drained before the show, but the energy on stage gave no hint of it: it was and continues to be great theatre.

This coming weekend will be the tough one, with a double bill on Saturday. If it's tough getting back into the swing on Friday performances, the energy drain of two back-to-back shows on Saturdays will take some getting used to.

Again, everything looks and sounds great. Look for a review from Rita Moran later this week. I'll post the link here.

- Sean

Audio Snippets 2

Here are some more sound snippets from the show in MP3 format.

• Alas For You - Todd
• Beautiful City - Todd, Kamahni, & Company
• By My Side - Jessica, Sara, & Company
• Day By Day - Lori Lee & Company
• Entre' Act - Company
• Light of the World - Company
• On the Willows (Instrumental) - Bill Wagner, Michael Deutsch, John Boyd, Josh Halpern
• Tower of Babel - Company
• Turn Back, O Man - Lorraine & Company
• We Beseech Thee - Noah & Company

- Sean

Audio Snippets

For those interested, here are some sound snippets from the show in MP3 format.

• Save the People - Todd & Company
• All For the Best - Todd, Kamahni, & Company
• Learn Your Lessons Well - Sara & Company
• All Good Gifts - Spanky & Company
• O, Bless the Lord - Amberlee & Company
• Epilogue - Lori Lee & Company
  

- Sean

Blogging

I love Pearls Before Swine...






- Sean

Great Second Weekend

Buoyed by the success of the first weekend and the glowing review, the cast did a fantastic job integrating Noah into the cast. The show looked and sounded better than ever, and the "Safety Net" offered by the whole cast is great. When an audience is less than responsive, the cast cheers, laughs, and responds to each other, just as a set of friends would, and it is magical because they pull the crowd along with them.

Sara left the cast after Sunday's show (planned), but she will be supporting us from the audience towards the end of the run, and will definitely join us for the cast party. I enjoyed the quiet sweetness she brought to the role. (So, Erin is reading this right now saying, "So, what? I'm loud and mean?") Nope, different actresses, different takes on the role, plain and simple. Both are great. (You're welcome, Shawn.)

And we get Arryck back this weekend, which will be fun. Not that Noah isn't. He is. But a change of pace is always fun, and it's neat that we get to mix and match performers in this production. I'm all for stability and consitency of the production, but this weird little bit of chaos has actually made for a more stable and consitent show, believe it or not.

It all goes back to that "Safety Net" I mentioned earlier. As the show progresses, they are each expanding the depth and breadth of the net, allowing each other to become a bit more daring. Not with ad libs or dramatic tangents (which still bug me), but in finding freshness each performance and letting the audience in. This will be paramount starting July 1 with the dual performances (matinee and evening), as they will be physically exhausted by the evening and will have to find the energy.

It exists among them, and they're experiencing it now, which is cool.

Pickup rehearsal on Thursday for Erin and Arryck. Same time, same Bat Channel.


- Sean

The Godspell Motto

This is a snippet from a 1975 issue of Dramatics Magazine, talking about the "Godspell Motto"

Meanwhile, at the Promenade, at 7: 26 each night a sold-out crowd hears ten voices from back stage chanting the “GODSPELL Motto,” as they prepare to take the stage: “Keep the corners of your mouth turned up. Speak, in a low, persuasive tone. Listen, be teachable. Laugh at good stories, and learn to tell them . . . for as long as you are green, brother, you can grow.”

A copy of the full article is here...

http://www.geocities.com/sloanpeters/dramatics1.htm

- Sean

Production Calendar in HTML Finally

Google has finally finished the HTML viewer for their Calendar Tool. Here's the link to our production calendar in HTML format...

http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=jg75j7vsp96p6pvggcplfk642o%40group.calendar.google.com

- Sean

Excellent Review

Thanks to Stacy Wiebe of the VCReporter for a glowing, supportive, and well-written review of our show. A link to the online review is here...

http://www.vcreporter.com/article.php?id=3494&IssueNum=76


- Sean

Opening Weekend

Opening night and Saturday evening were a blast. We had after-parties both nights at La Dolce Vita, and it was a great way to blow off steam from the hard work of tech week.

Friday night was good. Minor things went wrong, things that only a cast or crew member would notice. The ad libs blossomed a bit more than I'd like. My family loved it, particularly the kids, which is big return on investment for me. With the exception of a few audience members, the crowd was somewhat reserved in their response. It was a good, solid performance.

Saturday was off for several people, but again, only to a degree that cast or crew would see. Ad libs that had occurred on Friday suddenly grew legs and had children of their own, so that will be my first note to the cast on Thursday's brush-up.

Noah joined us in the audience. He'll replace Arryck next weekend, and then again two weekends later. Sara's final performances are this coming weekend as well, so we'll hopefully have a little send off for her.

So here are a few things to ponder, rolling into Thursday's brush up rehearsal:

• Review your lines. Lines that were delivered perfectly for three weeks suddenly evaporated or became weird mutant dialog both Friday and Saturday.
• Stop ad libbing. You lose faith in yourself and your fellow performers by adding extra crap that wasn't done in rehearsal. Please stop. Most of it isn't the least bit funny.
  
• Trust my direction. As a director, I'm able to see the whole picture, things that you as one person cannot. Don't go off in another direction because it suits you.
• Don't polish a turd. If a line stinks, it's not going to get better by drawing attention to it and making it bigger than it is, or worse, by ad libbing to milk it. PLEASE DON'T.
• Review your choreography. We drilled and drilled and drilled the choreography to make it look effortless. Saturday in particular was not a pleasant sight for many of the numbers, choreography-wise. Going bigger is NOT the way to compensate. Personalize the steps and don't tense up.
• Review your music. Most of the LOVELY multi-part harmony we rehearsed with Bill has become little more than two octave melody. Let the music pull the show together for you.
• Sing your part. There are three HUGE voices in this show: Lorraine, Spanky, Todd... oh, and Erin once she joins us. Remember when you're singing back-up or chorus, and allow those other soloists to be heard. In the recording I made on Saturday night, I heard a lot of the three people mentioned, and not enough of the rest. Balance your voices, please.

Finally, continue to let the events of the play wash over you and affect your characters. That is the most astonishingly wonderful thing that HAS happened as the show has embraced the audience. Let them in to witness your joy and pain as the character.

Great job, and see you on Thursday. We'll be rehearsing with the recording I made on Saturday rather than the rehearsal CD.

- Sean

Wow

Directing is usually about compromise.

You start off by imagining everything that a show could be. You fantasize about all of the wonderful possibilities that the script and music offer. You play the cast recordings over and over and over, letting the visual images wash through your mind, and you grab onto the ones that are fantastic and colorful and spectacular. You start describing or sketching out what the elements will look like, how they will make the audience feel. And then once all that wonderful stuff is loaded onto your palette, you begin to arrange it into a vision of what the show will be.

"Stop. This is the beginning."

But then you have to start compromising. You start worrying about budget and space issues and budget and technical constraints and availability of people and more budget and calendars... it's maddening. That's when some of the stuff starts to get taken off of the palette. That's when the shape and complexity of some of the stuff starts to change on the palette.

Then, there's more compromising. You welcome the artists and craftspeople who will be presenting this vision to the audience, your cast and crew, into the mix to share and evolve the vision of the show. Again the things on the palette begin to change. But now, sometimes they actually get knocked off the edge. Sometimes new things randomly fall on the palette.

By the time you get to this point in a show, all of that wonderful stuff you imagined and dreamed of typically constitutes about 40% of the content of the show that is presented to the ocean of family and friends on opening night. The conversation Afterwards is nice and happy and filled with pleasant but bland comments like "Yeah, it was good!" and "It was such a great show!" When pressed for what their favorite parts were, they will instinctively force a polite smile, look to the upper right of their head, searching for a thought, and then will begin to rattle off most of the more memorable components, trying hard not to open the program for factual back-up.

You in the mean time are left with a 60% deficit of your original creative vision, and a slightly hollow shell of a show you'd dreamed of.

Usually, but not this time.

If I were to gauge how much of my original vision was in the finished product, there's no question that it is a solid 100%, and that is thanks to the dedication and talent of everyone involved. What's even better is that I was also able to incorporate and accommodate the visions of those involved as well.

This show just blows me away. It wasn't until last night's preview performance that I realized it. We've actually done it: we've put together a production that breaks the mold not only of previous productions of Godspell, but also the perception of what "community theatre" is. I can't wait for tonight's performance to slough off the directorial mantle further and be truly affected by the show. I'll have my family and friends with me, and I'll also be able to see the show through their eyes, particularly the kids. I can't wait!

Oh, and today is my 15th wedding anniversary to my loving and lovely wife Marya. Happy Anniversary, honey, and thanks for letting me achieve this. It's a wonderful gift you've given to me that I can now share with the rest of the world.

Please, please, please spread the word about this production!

- Sean

The Show Biorhythm

The dress rehearsal last night was very satisfying: some parts were phenomenal, most were very good, while a few just didn't hit the mark. But it was a great rehearsal.

Every time I direct a show, I notice how a show's "biorhythm" kicks in during tech week. What usually occurs is a trade-off of "great" rehearsals on even nights and "lousy" rehearsals on odd nights (or vice versa). The key is that this greatness/lousiness thing is supposed to flip-flop on a daily cycle, allowing you to "predict" what sort of an opening night you'll have.

But it's just not that easy here. For some reason, the actors in this show don't seem to lose any ground with stuff they've established that is good. So, say if Todd has already mastered Save the People, he's not likely to mess it up by trying a drastically different approach two nights before opening. I try to let everyone know when something they do is just right so that they can focus on how they did it. Then they can lock it in for every performance.

So, where do we need work? Here are some general notes that I've given routinely over the course of the past few weeks:

• Perform with a purpose and urgency that will drive your character through each scene. If you can't find a reason for your character to be on stage, then the audience won't want to watch you, plain and simple.
• Listen to the other characters through the ears of your character and watch them through your character's eyes, then, respond to them through the voice of your character.
• Picking up the pace does not mean speaking faster. Speaking so fast that the audience cannot understand you SLOWS down the pace, as they have nothing to carry them through the conversation.
• With the intelligent lighting instruments in the house, the white noise is higher than normal. PROJECT your voice more, and speak with more volume and intensity.
• Remember whenever possible to position yourself on stage so that the WHOLE audience can see you. The Petit Playhouse is an unusual space, so adjust accordingly.
• Move the menhirs quietly but deliberately.

All the elements are in place, and we're ready for an audience tonight.


- Sean

Dotting i's and Crossing t's

Well, we're in the final stretch.

Tonight is the last traditional rehearsal. Thursday night is the preview performance, and we're on our way to a full house. I've asked the Elite office manager to start a reservation list for the preview, primarily because we've got several parties traveling a fair distance to get here, and I don't want them left out. Remember, this is an invitation-only preview. Unless you were invited by Tom Eubanks or I, please don't just show up. And for those who were invited, you might want to call the ETC box office at 805-483-5118 and get your name on the list if you're coming.

I'm going to try something a little different for the preview performance, and actually invite the audience to sit through notes after the show to help us fine tune the show a bit more. I'll lead with my notes for two numbers or so, then Tami will give the choreography notes, then I'll field any questions comments from the audience for that section. We'll continue until we're through the show. I'll ask the audience to focus their comments on the positives, and the minor tweaks we can perform to make it a better audience experience (sound levels, couldn't hear certain actor, couldn't see a scene...). What they won't be offering will be critical feedback on the acting, singing, or dancing. That's my job.

It should be fun. Heck, it already is fun.

Here are some more photos:




Lorraine MacDonald delivers Leonardo Da Vinci's philosophy during "The Tower of Babel" in ETC's Godspell, running June 9 through July 16, 2006. The production features new arrangements and stagings suited to the intimacy of the Petit Playhouse.


Arryck Adams portrays Buckminster Fuller during "The Tower of Babel" in ETC's Godspell, running June 9 through July 16, 2006. The production features new arrangements and stagings suited to the intimacy of the Petit Playhouse.


Arryck Adams plays a lowly tax gatherer in ETC's Godspell, running June 9 through July 16, 2006. The production features new arrangements and stagings suited to the intimacy of the Petit Playhouse.


Lori Lee Gordon sings "Day By Day" in ETC's Godspell, running June 9 through July 16, 2006. The production features new arrangements and stagings suited to the intimacy of the Petit Playhouse.


Lorraine MacDonald performs the favorite "Turn Back, O Man" in ETC's Godspell, running June 9 through July 16, 2006. The production features new arrangements and stagings suited to the intimacy of the Petit Playhouse.


Spanky and Amberlee Peterson articulate the mouth of a Pharisee judge in ETC's Godspell, running June 9 through July 16, 2006. The production features new arrangements and stagings suited to the intimacy of the Petit Playhouse.


Todd Weldon prepares wine for Lori Lee Gordon, Lorraine MacDonald, and the others in ETC's Godspell, running June 9 through July 16, 2006. The production features new arrangements and stagings suited to the intimacy of the Petit Playhouse.


Todd Weldon suffers at the hands of his persecutors in the finale of ETC's Godspell, running June 9 through July 16, 2006. The production features new arrangements and stagings suited to the intimacy of the Petit Playhouse.


Custom set pieces ("menhirs" or "long stones") are shown holding props and costumes from ETC's Godspell, running June 9 through July 16, 2006. The production features new arrangements and stagings suited to the intimacy of the Petit Playhouse.


Hope you like them.


- Sean

Da Band & Da Photos

The band is frikkin' awesome.

Some of the numbers are slow, but they will come up to speed. One or two are REALLY fast, but will also get adjusted.

I am just blown away how good the whole thing sounds after only ONE evening with the band. Even the percussion works well now. Cool.

Lulu and J.C. each got a crack at running the light cues, and both did pretty well, all things considered. We'll tweak the cue points more later, but all is good.

Leana and I worked until about 3:00 AM to get the upper piping for the menhirs finished. All of the props are now nested in the upper portions of the menhirs. And they look great.

Everything else is really down hill, and it's mostly just directorly stuff. The through line was not there last night for the most part. This was thrown off by the band, but we have two good nights to re-establish it. Everyone is strong, but there is a way to go for everyone before it has a WOW factor that is necessary.

Right now, there are a several funny pieces, several poignant pieces, and several pieces that look and sound great, but they don't connect. That is what we have to do tonight.

And here are the two publicity photos I'm releasing:

Todd Weldon performs a slight of hand to the amazement of his followers in Elite Theatre Company's production of Godspell, running from June 9 through July 16, 2006. The show features new arrangements and stagings tailored to the intimacy of the Petit Playhouse.



The cast performs "All Good Gifts" from Elite Theatre Company's production of Godspell, running from June 9 through July 16, 2006. Cast members are (from L to R) Sara Penman, Kamahni Huck, Lorraine MacDonald, Spanky, Rudy Larrazolo, Arryck Adams, Todd Weldon, and Jessica May. The show features new arrangements and stagings tailored to the intimacy of the Petit Playhouse.

That's it for today!


- Sean

Two Long Rehearsals

Saturday rehearsal was long, no two ways about it, but we got the bulk of the necessary work out of the way.

Arryck worked and worked and worked the choreography, fine-tuning the problem areas. This lasted most of the morning, and we broke for lunch at about 1:20. Thanks to Leana (finally spelled correctly, sorry) for the food and keeping us on track. The afternoon was a full runthrough with SOME of the lights. By 5:00 PM everyone was ready to call it quits. Right as I was cleaning up, I tripped on the power adapter cord for the lighting board and knocked it on the floor. Fortunately, it survived, only the LED bezel and one of the slider posts got popped off. I opened it all up and got it all put back together, and all was well. I went home, smiled at my kids on the way up to bed, and fell asleep.

Sunday was not necessarily long, but was REALLY arduous, as most cue-to-cue sessions are. That, and I had to finish by 5:15 PM so that I could scurry back up to Thousand Oaks PAC for the kids' evening dance recital. The cast and I got through most of the show, with only the cues from We Beseech Thee on remaining (about 1/5 of the show left). With over 160 cues, Leana is a bit concerned that it might be too much for Lulu to do, but we're going to give it a try. She's a VERY smart kid, with a HUGE attention to detail. I think she'll surprise us.

Tonight, we get Bill and the band. YAY! I can't wait to hear this thing come together. No more damned rehearsal CD!

- Sean

Silly Stuff

Before we jump into the hell that is tech week (already there, actually), taken from a cue in the previous post, here are the alternate versions of the songs in the show that we'd like to perform:

• Tower of Blah-Blah
• Prepare Me (watch out for that cord...)
• God Shave the People
• Gay by Gay
• Learn Your Choreography Well
• O Bless the Lord of Dance (more paddle turns for you, Erin)
• All For the Rest (please stop banging the canes on the floor so damn loudly)
• All Good Riffs ("...the warmth to swell Lorraine...")
• Right of the Girls
• Percussion Simplified: Two sets of hard eights, please (versus 100 measures of insanity)
• Beautiful Pity
• Pulled Back, Old Man (You Fosse, you Fosse, then Martha Graham, Martha Graham...)
• Alas, You Jew
• By My Thigh
• We "Biatch!" Thee, Fear Us
• On da Wiwwows (WTF was my secret signal with Todd again? This matzoh and raspberry Crystal Light tastes like ass.)
• Finale ("Oh Todd, you're sweating...")
• Beautiful City, Again (can we do a few more measures of this, 'cause it's pretty)

- Sean