Likeness Update

So, rehearsals are cruising along. The cast is fantastic and have been working really hard to find the subtleties of this complex play. We've been through about two weeks of rehearsals and we'll be breaking in a few days for the holidays. I'm excited by what I'm seeing and I think the actors are really beginning to sink into their roles. I do think the Christmas break will give the actors a great opportunity to focus on their scripts. Have a great Holiday!

LIKENESS - What's next...

So that's what's next...It may not be Tahiti, but directing is directing...

For everyone who hasn't heard, I'm directing again. Right after In The Ebb, I got a call about Manhattan Theatre Source's playwriting festival: InGenius. They were looking for directors so I threw my hat in the ring. And, lo and behold, I was chosen to direct and co-produce a full length play called Likeness. Written by David Caudle, www.davidcaudle.org, the play is about a painter and his subject in Colonial Boston. I'll soon be posting details on the GTTP website, but, in the meantime, know that production has begun on the New York debut of this really beautiful, remarkably modern, period piece about the artistic struggle, and truth and beauty, and freedom and revolution, and the lofty ideals upon which a nation, (namely ours) was formed. We will open January 9th for an 8 performance run and whenever I have time I will post updates on the process here.

The Party's Over...for now

So the show is over. I'm sorry it's taken me so long to post my "post mortem" (for lack of a better term), but I went through a bit of after show depression and only recently came out of it.

As many of you know, I had some VERY grand intentions about this blog. I intended to post at least once a week (if not more) during the rehearsals to really give that "inside view" of the process. But, during rehearsals things got a little crazy and there wasn't an opportunity to sleep much (let alone post regular reports about the show). So here I am, almost a month after the show has closed and there have been no regular reports. I'll try to fill everyone in...

There's this great exchange in the movie SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE that totally sums up my experiences on IN THE EBB:

HENSLOWE: Mr. Fennyman, allow me to explain about the theatre business. The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster.
FENNYMAN: So what do we do?
HENSLOWE: Nothing. Strangely enough, it all turns out well.
FENNYMAN: How?
HENSLOWE: I don't know. It's a mystery.

There were many times during this process when it truly felt like insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster. I mean, it's not brain surgery, no one's life was at stake or anything (of course that fact may be the reason I chose directing instead of doctoring - I don't mind some pressure but I don't do well with the "this dude's life depends on your actions" kind of pressure – but I digress).

No, no one’s life was at stake but as far as the success of the production was concerned (the success of the launch production for my own theater company that I created from nothing and that I hope will one day pay my bills) the path to that success really did feel like a condition of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster.

We had set issues and scheduling issues and lighting issues and, of course, money issues. We had no running crew so I sort of had to wear that hat, except for the days when I dragged the fiance and the friends into various crew positions. And with all of that, with this constant feeling that the show was a house of cards on the verge of collapse, it truly did turn out well...and I have no idea how. I mean, we didn't have a dress rehearsal...no I'm not kidding. The first time we ran through the entire show, without stopping...was opening night. And yes, I worked very hard to make the show work...And yes, I was blessed with an absolutely killer script...And yes, I had what was quite possibly the best cast ever assembled...but despite that, I have no idea how we pulled off such a successful show. (and, tiny sidenote, the fact that I had an absolute blast even when it looked like the entire thing was about to crumble, I guess that’s just evidence that perhaps I have chosen the correct prefession to devote my life to…)

My only regret about the entire show was that there were no reviewers in the audience so except for the satisfied audience members (and I know that that is no small exception) we have no proof of the how well the show went.

...and I guess, in the end, that's one of the reasons I feel I'm not done with IN THE EBB. There's more to be said and there're more people to reach and I feel that the show is still crying out to be seen...at least it feels that way to me.

So, as Rick (Casablanca Rick) says, “maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but some day”...I'd like to do it again, hopefully with the same cast, hopefully with more money and hopefully with an even bigger audience.

But, without question the show was a resounding success and a wonderful way to launch the theater company and to honor my uncle for whom the company is named.

...and not to toot my own horn or anything, but damn am I proud of it.

For pictures from the show and for updates when more things happen with it, check out www.intheebb.com.

Week 2

So we've had 4 performances. It's going very well. We have had good reception from our audiences so far. And I'm really happy with the way the cast and crew are sinking into the show. There are always a couple of things that you wish you could change, but since I've been needing to run crew, I haven't been able to see a lot of the show and so, can't take notes. It's a shame and a lesson I've definitely learned for future productions. Locking in crew will be step one for the next production.

That being said, we are hitting that point in a production where a director passes the reins of the show to the stage manager and cast...it stops belonging to the director and starts belonging to the performers - it's always a hard transitional point for me.

The cast and crew are doing an amazing job and I'm absolutely thrilled with what I have seen of the show. I'm hoping we'll be able to get some press to come and see it and maybe even review it...fingers crossed.

If you haven't seen it yet, get your butt to the Sage Theater - only 5 performances left. Details can be found at www.intheebb.com.

I'll post again soon.

"Tonight Tonight Won't Be Just Any Night..."

Tonight IN THE EBB will open (the above is supposed to be to the tune of Tonight from West Side Story)...

But, aside from being a fun play on the song, it's also true. In 9.5 hours the debut performance from GTTP, IN THE EBB, will open at The Sage Theater, 711 Seventh Avenue. Come check us out - 9 performances only. Tickets available at www.smarttix.com.

I cannot express how excited I am that after a year and a half...we have a show!!!

I have much to do before curtain so I should run, but I wanted to just give everyone out there in blogland the update.

SEE YOU AT THE SHOW!!!!!

One Week Down

So the first week of rehearsals has concluded.

We basically spent this first week with the text. We've been talking a lot about who these characters are and what drives them...yes, what are their motivations, what are their actions? How do they relate to each other and why? Why do they say what they say? Why do they behave the way they behave? All of that really meaty textual analysis that's where we've been this first week. We've staged a couple of moments and scenes but really right now, it's all about the ditalking. Some of the work we're doing to find these characters has focused on improvs and theater games and some of the discoveries we're making have been downright surprising to me...and I honestly thought I knew these shows inside and out! Man, I love my job...

We've also been fine tuning the scripts themselves. The nightly phone calls between me and Camilla have been really fun as I update her on how the rehearsals are going and what's working and what's not and she scrambles, in the midst of writing her dissertation prospectus, to also rewrite whole scenes from the plays. She's a superwoman, folks...and that ain't no exaggeration!

Next week our focus, as the actors get off book, will be in staging the scenes - really moving them through the events of the play and starting to find not just who these characters are, but how they exist in the worlds we are creating for them on stage. Can. Not. WAIT!

The August 23rd Fundraiser...or not...

So, I'm sure some of you are wondering: "wasn't there supposed to be a GTTP winetasting this Saturday? Why didn't I get an invitation? Does Jessica think my money isn't good enough for her?"
...I assure you that is not the case.

For those of you who have not heard the saga...I had a place in mind and was having trouble hearing back from the guy in charge, who we'll call Vinnie. I went back and forth and at many points had been assured that the space was booked and that we were good to go (hence my mention of it in the last newsletter) and then, when I finally Vinnie on the phone (and that was VERY difficult to do), I was told (a week and a half before the winetasting) that the venue wasn't available and that they'd have to do the winetasting another time. Pissed doesn't begin to describe it.

So I spent a couple of days composing my angry retort in my head and BFitW (that's best fiance in the world, for those of you not hip to the abbreviations of the kids these days - OK, I made it up but the title still applies), BFitW spent several days making calls and figuring out a way to do the winetasting somewhere else and with some other distributors. The decision we came to was that we're going to push the winetasting to September 20th. The show will be in its opening weekend and, though it would be good to have that money now, I think there will be better attendance at both the show and the fundraiser if they happen in conjunction with each other.

But, the saga does not end there. Two days ago, I get a call from the original venue - this time from a different guy - we'll call him Foley. He asks me if we're on for Saturday. After a bit of spluttering and a few what the hecks (though, I assure you "heck" was not the word racing through my head) I said that I had been told by Vinnie that it wasn't available and so I had had no choice but to cancel it. So Foley tells me, "yeah, we fired Vinnie and the venue was available the whole time."

So, not to sound all valley girl or anything (damn, I'm dating myself with that comment) but I'm totally bummed. It's too late to arrange for the wine tasting this weekend (aside from the fact that I'm not sure I can get the necessary 30 people to the event in 4 days time) I have already scheduled rehearsals for all day on Saturday. And, there's no other weekend before the show opens when we're not rehearsing, or out of town or both. So basically it means I'm out a big fundraiser that was supposed to happen during the rehearsal period. Very frustrating! And I need to talk to Foley and see if there's another time that we can do something.

It's just a big bummer. Not tragic or anything. Not unrecoverable, but seriously a bummer. This is my bummed face:

: (

(yeah, I know. It's not very original, but it totally captures my feeling when I think of what could have been)