Turn up the Spotlight

Theatre is a collaborative art - musical theatre even more so.  Director, designers, technicians, actors, musicians all work together to bring a piece of theatre to life on the stage.  In community theatre, at least in my experiences, I have taken on the role of director, designer, choreographer, sound guy, pit musician, and other roles -- usually at the same time.  There are pluses and minuses to that, but for the most part I enjoy the control I have and creativity I get to use in being the guy who wears many hats. 

Now, for the most part, have stayed away from wearing one hat --- actor.  Now I have acted before -- I was in the musical Big River and the musical Annie Get Your Gun -- both supporting roles.  I have even been on stage in 2 shows I directed -- I played the Wolf in Into the Woods and the voice of the plant in Little Shop of Horrors.  Now let me tell you the being in a show that you are also directing in very challenging.  Your focus is so fractured in dealing with blocking, set building etc. -- then add memorizing lines and music on top of that -- it is not for the faint of heart, and honestly I discourage other directors for doing it unless they have to.  Although there is a handful of roles I would love to play on stage, I would much rather let someone more talented take those parts on.

However, as a director, I feel that sometimes I forget what an actor has to go through in the process of bringing a part to life on the stage.  So, in an effort to constantly improve as a director and understand the role of actor, I am again, after 7 or so years, going to be on stage ... and direct the show as well. Now it is not easy for me to be on stage.  I am not a trained singer and only a mildly trained actor.  I used to have huge stage fright as a kid.  So being on stage for me can be a bit frustrating and a bit scary.  But I have as of late, felt like I just need to get up on stage and feel what's it's like to being under the lights again.

The show is called THE APPLE TREE.  It is from the same creative team that wrote Fiddler on the Roof.  It is a collection of 3 small musicals all based around men, women and temptation -- The Diary of Adam & Eve, The Lady and the Tiger, and Passionella (a twisted version of the Cinderella story).  I'm only playing a supporting role (3 actually).  But I have to sing and act... and memorize ... and design the set .... and block the show ... you get the idea.   Oh, and just to make it more of a challenge, I have a huge production of CABARET five weeks after this show.  What can I say -- I like to keep busy.  But I have 2 great leading actors to work with, a solid small chorus and some extra directorial help that should make this a memorable and fun show to work on.

So, if you want to see me as you probably never have seen me before (I mean I'm playing a singing snake for God's sake), come to the show August 9, 10, or 11.   I can guarantee you'll have fun.  And me being on stage may not happen again in the near future, so if you wanna witness something that may never happen again, you should come.  Just be kind in any comments or criticism.   You don't wanna hurt my feelings.  I'm a sensitive actor after all!

Moments in the Woods

I remember the moment vividly, which is saying alot since it was over 20 years ago.  I was sitting in the back of Straughn Hall at Mansfield University watching a rehearsal for their spring musical.  Back then, Mansfield had a theatre department and did 4 shows a year.  I had already seen great productions of Midsummer Night's Dream and Little Shop of Horrors in the fall and knew that these theatre people did great stuff.  But I had never heard of the musical they were now working on so I was curious about what I was going to see.  It was their first dress rehearsal and first rehearsal with the orchestra.   As the house lights went down, and the music started, I was hooked - not with the production itself, but with the work and the music.   It was amazing to me -- the lush and haunting melodies, the rich and complex harmonies, the accompaniment, crazy rhythms.  I had always loved theatre, but this composer and his work spoke to me in such a way that my life was affected deeply.  The work was Sweeney Todd and the composer was Stephen Sondheim.

After that production, I wanted to find as much of his music as I could but the Music Library was limited in recordings.  I remember stumbling across CDs of his newest shows at the time - Into the Woods and Assassins -- at the mall one day.  I bought them and brought them back to my dorm room.  I laid on my bed and listened for 2 hours straight, mesmerized but what I heard.  They were even better than I thought.  Later I discovered the other great works such as Sunday in the Park with George, A Little Night Music and Company and the lesser know shows of Merrily We Roll Along and Follies. 

Then, when I was a senior in college, Into the Woods was chosen as the spring musical.  I had to be involved.   I worked up the courage to audition -- something I had never done before.  I wanted to play Jack.  However, that was not to be.  But, at the bottom of the cast list was a note about needing and assistant director.  So, again, I mustered up the courage and went to talk to the director and see if he could use me.   I'm not sure what he saw in me, but he gave me the job and we have worked together and too many shows to name.  Thus began my directing career --- all initiated by Stephen Sondheim.

Now those who know me well know that I love Sondheim and his work.  I'm not sure if I can really express what I feel when I listen to his music.  I am moved, transported, and always in awe of his genius.   I have had the pleasure of directing several of his shows, and it is always such joy to do so.  I love to be challenged and his work can certainly do that.  His lyrics are poetic and yet conversational.  His music is integral to the story being told and not just a song in between dialogue.  I always feel like I become a better director and better student of musical theatre any time I get the chance to work on one of his shows.

Actors seem to thrive on the challenge and complexity of his music and lyrics.  They work harder and really take hold of their characters, more so than in a musical with simpler tunes and words.   I get a much better product from the actors because of this, and that is something to behold.  One of my favorite examples of that was in my production of Sunday in the Park with George.  There are 2 scenes between the leads of George and Dot.  They are scenes rich with emotion and nuance.  They music and lyrics for the 2 songs (We Do Not Belong Together and Move On) are some of Sondheim's finest work, in my opinion.  When we were rehearsing the scenes, I felt like the scenes seemed flat.  They lacked something -- I wasn't sure what.  I talked to the actors and tried to convey my thoughts on these pivotal scenes.   I wanted the frustration and the love and the to mix with the music and give me the chills I thought should come from these scene.   They next time we did those pages, I had those chills!   They got it!  You could tell the actors felt it.  The rest of the cast felt it.  It was a moment that really made me feel proud to be a director and to work with actors and work with such great material.

Now I could write endlessly about each work of Stephen Sondheim, and probably will write more about him in the future.  But for now, I thought I would post some photos from my productions of his work all of which have a special place in my heart.  If you don't know much about Sondheim, you strongly urge you to listen to his songs.  They are, in my opinion, the best in musical theatre.

(ASSASSINS, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, PUTTING IT TOGETHER, SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, INTO THE WOODS)

Brush Up Your Shakespeare!

Earlier this week, I posted a status on Facebook ... "My kingdom for 2 amazing female singers and a strong chorus."  This was in reference to show I would like to do this summer.  Today I was talking to a friend who asked me about this show I wanted to do this summer called My Kingdom.  I laughed.  Now, in case there are some other out there who might wonder why I would laugh at this, here's the reason... there is no show called My Kingdom.   The status was a reference to a line from Shakespeare's Richard III -- "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!"


This little exchange got me to thinking ... I wonder how many other phrases that have Shakespearean origins are either not known at all or people aren't aware that they are actually from Shakespeare.  So here are some of my favorite Shakespeare phrases.  Maybe you can work them into your next conversation and confuse the hell out of your friends.... or at least sound infinitely more cultured!

All the world's a stage, and all the men and women are merely players.
       AS YOU LIKE IT


That but this blow might be the be-all and end-all here.
     MACBETH


True it is that we have seen better days ....
     AS YOU LIKE IT


The better part of valor is discretion.
     HENRY IV pt. 1


O brave new world that has such people in't!
     THE TEMPEST


Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit .... I will be brief.
     HAMLET


I'll not budge an inch, boy; let him come and kindly.
     THE TAMING OF THE SHREW


The course of true love never did run smooth.
     A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM


I must be cruel to be kind.
     HAMLET


Cry "Havoc!"  and let slip the dogs of wars.
     JULIUS CAESAR


He hath eaten me out of house and home!
     HENRY IV pt.2


According to the fair play of the world, let me have audience.
     KING JOHN

For goodness sake, consider what you do.
     HENRY the EIGHTH


But this denoted a forgone conclusion.
     OTHELLO


Th' hast spoken right, 'tis true.  The wheel is come full circle, I am here.
     KING LEAR


Good riddance!
     TROILUS & CRESSIDA


I will wear him in my heart's core, ay, in my heart of hearts, as I do thee.
     HAMLET


But I will wear my heart on my sleeve.
     OTHELLO

Knock, Knock! Who's there?
     MACBETH


The lady doth protest too much!
     HAMLET


Lord, what fools these mortals be!
     A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM


Men, at some time, are masters of their fates.
     JULIUS CAESAR


Though this be madness, yet there is method to it.
     HAMLET


If music be the food of love, play on!
     TWELFTH NIGHT

What, all my pretty chicken,... in one fell swoop?
     MACBETH


Good night, good night!  Parting is such sweet sorrow.
     ROMEO & JULIET


What a piece of work is man!
     HAMLET


The play's the thing.
     HAMLET


When in the why and wherefore, is neither rhyme nor reason.
     A COMEDY OF ERRORS
By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes.
     MACBETH


Why then, can one desire too much of a good thing?
     AS YOU LIKE IT

What's done is done.
     MACBETH


Nay, if our wits run the wild goose chase, I am done.
     ROMEO & JULIET