Hell week- continued...

So day 2- Friday- went much like day 1- It was hot and sticky and so was I and not in a good way.

Saturday I had "off"- although dh K and I had several social engagements and shopping to get through- and we managed.

Sunday - from noon, the hot part of the day, on!- was our set-building marathon.

I have to say, it was pretty awesome. From bare cement to 3 painted façades and several accent/ masking units in 5 hours in the hot sun- amazing.

One of the aspects I love about the set-building day is the camaraderie of all the families working together. We see dads and siblings on set-building day that we haven't met before. Also, everyone is involved. Everyone, especially this time, had something to do: lift something, clean something, cut something, paint something.

It is "many hands make light work" at its finest. It is *satisfying*, too, to see tangible results of your work- unlike many of the other of the director's tasks.

So, that was a long, satisfying day.

Yesterday, Monday, was the first dress rehearsal, and we brought in the sound equipment. We brought in the lighting, too, but didn't have time to deal with that on Monday. Maybe tonight.

There are issues that we discovered with the set that we must address: the enormously wide stage has huge areas that need masking to hide the backstage areas. Everything needs stabilizing due to the wind.

And my sound designer apparently attended entirely different meetings- with me- than I did! Because the sound design is NOT Western at all. The farts I asked for and the chimes I asked for are not there. We will see if it is amended today; if not, it will be a long night tonight or an early morning tomorrow for me - with or without the sound designer.

Oh! And, daily I've been getting sunburns, despite increasingly desperate efforts to stay out of the sun. No worries today, though: it's supposed to rain!

Of course it is!

I'm ready for theatre magic to kick in, whenever...

Hell week: day 1

We open one week from yesterday.

Yesterday was the start of hell week for me.

It's Comedy of Errors- sometimes literally!- Shakespeare in the Park, with teen theater troupe. TWO complete casts: one traditionally cast, one all female- except for Dr. Pinch, who is a guy in drag.

The last week of July. A heat wave.

Yesterday was the first day the actors were not allowed to call for line.

Oh, how I dread that long, painful day in the rehearsal process. Doubly dreadful this time, two run throughs, one for each cast.

And, to add to the delight, a storm.

I arrived at the amphitheater to find the storage rooms had flooded. The cement space in front of the stage (we plan to use it for seating) was flooded- three or more inches deep in places.

Joy.

NOT.

We unloaded additional collected props, set up for rehearsal, pulled out what had been soaked to dry.

I set up my director's chair and opened my notebook- and my umbrella.

And, as predicted, it was awful.

But... I actually laughed out loud - at the *play*- in a few places.

There is hope!

tech week

I am about to enter hell.

Tech week is called "hell week" by many, many theater folk. It's when in bringing it all together, it all falls apart- and, with luck, prayer, hard work and theater magic, it all comes together.

On Sunday, teens and adult mentors are gathering for a one-day marathon creating our set. The challenge this year is a new bandshell amphitheater - yea!- with a CEMENT FLOOR- boo! Fortunately, our design concept is Western cardboard cut out facade with bright primary colors and Southwestern rose and tan and taupe for neutrals- so it actually fits in with our concept if the audience can see braces and supports.

At least, I will tell everyone that it's an artistic choice!

Monday we bring in the rented lights and the rented microphones. We bring in the costumes and the props. We add the sound track.

Tuesday we add make up and hair.

Wednesday: final dress tech rehearsal. As close to show conditions as possible.

Thursday: OPENING #1!

Friday: OPENING #2!

(Oh, did I forget to mention that on each of those days I am doing everything TWICE? Once for each of two casts?)

Double hell.

thanks, Anthony and Karen

You made me laugh. There is hope.

costumes and designs and props oh my!

Looking forward to a fun day on Monday of props and costumes to try on and play with as we sort things out for the costume parade.

I hate this play

Even though I have directed and produced and performed enough plays to know that this happens almost every time, I still don't like this place where I have explained and explored and expounded and the actors still don't get it and it will never be funny and Shakespeare is STUPID and doesn't know how to write.

Past experience reminds me that it will get better, in fact it will most likely get great but right at this moment I hate this play and I don't want to go to rehearsal.

I would really rather stay home and read trashy novels and eat cookies.

But, instead, I am going to get up, get going, and do battle with teens and Shakespeare once more.

It doesn't help that yesterday I saw one of "my" kids who has opted not to do this last show with me, and this reminded me of several other absences of those I had thought/hoped would join me for this last adventure of this phase of my life.

Why do theatre?

I believe that theatre has the power to transform lives. It certainly transformed my life. Theatre's power comes from its immediacy and its vital human connection. There is intimacy and relevancy in sharing the human story through theatre.

In my research as I teach and learn, I found this wonderful video that captures much of what I believe theatre can do. The video can be found at http://www.ted.com/talks/patsy_rodenburg_why_i_do_theater.html