A special kind of people known as Show People

So, today was my day off and tonight I was completely bored at home.  That can be a dangerous thing for me.  I gives me time to think and re-think and obsess and generally drive myself a bit insane.    I start asking myself questions -- everything from why am I so bored to why don't I have anyone to hang out with to some even darker things that I won't go into here.

However, tonight's main question can from something someone said to me earlier in the day.... "Why do you do live shows at the Arcadia when there is already a community theatre group in Wellsboro doing really great shows?"

Now I have been asked this question before and I usually just shake it off with "I like having my own thing." as my default answer.  But in my introspective boredom today, I seriously considered the first part of the question --- Why do I do shows?

Well I suppose the simple answer is because I love it.  I love theatre.  I love bringing a great story to life on the stage. I can lose myself in a great show.  I really like working with talented people and seeing what they can bring to a role.  I really love it when an actor surprises me and takes a role or a song to a whole new level of passion and interest.  I will cite a moment -- when I did Sunday in the Park with George last year, the is a point in Act 1 -- We Do Not Belong Together and a point in Act 2 -- Move On.  We were rehearsing these scenes but they just weren't clicking for me.. They lacked the emotional connection I thought the songs needed.  After talking with the actors, we tried the songs again and I got chills -- they understood what I wanted and figured out how to deliver it and sang and acted with such passion and feeling that it was something beautiful to behold.  In that moment, I remember saying to myself -- This is why I do what I do.

If I'm being honest, I must admit that I like being in control of everything, which is why I hardly ever let anyone help me.  I guess I would have to also admit that I like the power that comes as a director.  Telling people what to do and how to act can be fun.  But on the whole, for me, it's all about love -- love of theatre, love of the people who share my joy in theatre. 

I also like the friends I make.  I have worked with dozens of actors.  I stay in contact with many.  But there are a special few that I now consider good friends and that means more to me than those people know.

Now, there are reasons why I don't do theatre.   I don't do theatre for money.  There is none.  I don't do theatre for praise or awards or acclaim.  I am happy with "Thanks for a great show." or "It was great working with you - I really enjoyed it and learned a lot."  That means more to me than any award.  Of course I like all that stuff.  Who doesn't want to be praised?  It doesn't happen very much but when it does, it's nice.  I wish I could garner some awards, take shows to festivals and have all the great press that some other performing groups have --- but not for me -- I only want that to recognize the talent and passion of the actors I work with.  But I can't deny that recognition for efforts would be appreciated.

Now there is a flip side to this question -- why do people want to do shows with me?  To be honest, many times I am not sure.  I'm certain there is the love of performing.   And just as I do, there are many who just love theatre.  There is also the getting to shine and be a "star" thing.  But any actor can get any of that with any director.  So, again, why me?

I have been told that I am fun to work with.  Ok.  That's nice.   I like fun.  Working on a show should be fun.   But what else?   The choice of shows I pick?  Possibly -- I like to do challenging and different shows that actors and audiences may not get to experience.  To learn something?   I do try to make each show I work on a learning experience for those involved.   But do people of high school or college age do a show so they can learn something, especially after spending all day in a learning environment?  I would say maybe a few do.  Many learn things without even knowing it.  I can be sly like that - teaching things in a way that people don't even know they're learning.

So why else would people do a show with me?  I can't promise trips to Europe to compete with other theatre groups.  I can't promise the experience will generate those facebook comments like "I will remember this forever" or "What a life-changing musical experience!"  Now maybe that happens.   If so, great.  I've never had anyone tell me that however.

All I can promise is a great theatre experience where we tell a good story and put forth a quality production .... and have a little fun along the way.

So I guess I am asking those who have worked on a show with me .... Why?  Feel free to comment.  I suppose I am looking for a little of that whole praise thing -- I could use a little ego boost I guess.   But I am curious.   Perhaps feedback will make me a better director. 

Anyway ... thanks for reading.  I promise the next post will be less heavy.

No One Is Alone

In the musical "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown", one of first lines of dialogue is "Lunchtime is about the loneliest time of day."  I have come to realize that statement to be true.  I seem to always end up by myself for lunch recently.  Now, I actually like being alone most of the time.  But there is a diffenece between being alone and being lonely. Also, there's something about have to eat alone while everyone else has a partner(s) that makes me feel lonely.  Hence why i tend to always be asking people to eat with me.  Call it insecurity, call it tramatic residue from an awful high school experience -- I just hate that lonely time.

So, you're probably wondering what this has to do with theatre.  Well, there are several great songs that address and capture the whole loneliness thing very well. And I thought why not share them here.

ENJOY!

I'm All Alone

A Quiet Night At Home

Alone in the Universe

Live Alone and Like It

No One is Alone

Moving On

So, graduation time is upon us.  This past week, several people that I have comes to know well and regard as friends finished their college career and now transition into the "real world".  Soon some high schoolers I know will be moving on to the next stage in life -- college.  I thought it appropriate to highlight some Broadway tunes appropriate to the sentiment of goodbye and moving on.

SOME THINGS WERE MEANT TO BE
from Little Women

MOVE ON
from Sunday in the Park with George

FOR GOOD
from Wicked

ONCE BEFORE I GO
from The Boy from Oz

GOODBYE UNTIL TOMORROW
from The Last Five Years

EVERY GOODBYE IS HELLO
from John and Jen

and just for the hell of it .....
SO LONG, FAREWELL
from The Sound of Music

I'm just a Broadway Baby

So, back in March, I was production manager of Mansfield University's production of the classic musical THE SOUND OF MUSIC.  The ladies of that production are currently in New York City singing in a concert version of that musical at Carnegie Hall.  This got me to thinking about all the great women who have become legends of the Broadway stage.  So, in honor of those ladies and my Sound of Music ladies, I thought I would post some videos and photos of those great ladies of the Great White Way .....

 Julie in My Fair Lady

JULIE ANDREWS

Angela in Sweeney Todd

ANGELA LANSBURY

Chita in Kiss of the Spiderwoman

CHITA RIVERA

Bernadette in Into the Woods

BERNADETTE PETERS

Patti in Gypsy

PATTI LUPONE

Ethel in Annie Get Your Gun

ETHEL MERMAN

Mary in The Sound of Music

MARY MARTIN

You're the Top!

Cole Porter
1891-1964

Next to Stephen Sondheim, my favorite song composer is Cole Porter.  Like Sondheim, he is one of few composers of musical theatre that wrote both music and lyrics.  His music a has touches of jazz and blues.  His lyrics are quite sophisticated.  Although he wrote hundreds of songs for various revues and musicals, he is most famous for 2 shows ..... ANYTHING GOES (1934) and KISS ME KATE (1948).

He lived quite a life.  There is a great bio movie about him called  DE-LOVELY starring Kevin Kline that you should check out. 

Here are some clips of Cole Porter songs that are my favorites ....

NIGHT AND DAY

BLOW GABRIEL

LET'S FALL IN LOVE

TOO DARN HOT

I'M ALWAYS TRUE TO YOU IN MY FASHION

WELL DID YOU EVAH?

and what I think is my favorite Porter song and one of my top favorite musical theatre songs .....

SO IN LOVE

Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd

So this is one of my 3 favorite musicals ever.  I love the score, the story, the complexity, the drama --- it's just a great piece of theatre.  It's a wonderful melding of musical theatre and opera.  There's humor and darkness.  It's macabre, yet there are moments of sillyness.  I dare anyone not to be affected in the watching or listening to of this masterwork.

First, some background on the show ...

SWEENEY TODD
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by Hugh Wheeler
based on a version of Sweeney Todd by Christopher Bond

opened on Broadway in 1979

winner of 8 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score, Best Director (Hal Prince), Best Actor (Len Cariou) and Best Actress (Angela Lansbury)

licensed by Music Theatre International

Synopsis

Sweeney Todd is a musical thriller about a 19th century London barber who goes on a murderous rampage. In the past, the evil Judge Turpin framed Todd (known then as Benjamin Barker) and raped his young wife. Todd was unjustly incarcerated in a penal colony for 15 years. However, when the show begins, Todd has managed to return to London and has come seeking revenge. He rents a room over the shop of Mrs. Lovett, the proprietress of a struggling pie shop. Todd’s thirst for blood soon expands to include not only the judge but also his unfortunate customers. Meanwhile, Mrs. Lovett happily puts the bodies in the meat grinder and uses the human meat in her meat pies – which become extremely popular with the citizens of London.

"A Little Priest" with Angela Lansbury & George Hearn

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I first came to love it my freshman year in college when it was that year's spring musical.  I would sit in the back of Straughn Hall and watch rehearsals and was fascinated by the story and music.  I had never thought that a musical could have such a dark subject and yet be funny and moving as well.  This was also my first exposure to the music of Stephen Sondheim, who I regard as a genius.  I will direct this show at some point in my life ... and maybe even take on the title role myself, if I ever feel confident enough. However, I like it so much that I am way too critical about it and won't allow myself to do it unless all the parts alight -- casting, set, orchestra etc.

Things to consider ....

• this musical is operatic in structure and scope
• there are a lot of high tenors in both the leads and chorus
• the main roles of Sweeney and Mrs Lovett are some of the greatest and most difficult acting and singing roles in musical theatre
• although the show seems large in scale and emotion, there is great subtlety and nuance in the music and characterization.
• you will need razors and a barber chair - not easy props to find

You've Gotta Have Heart

So first post --- I guess I should talk about a show that I am currently working on -- DAMN YANKEES.   First, a little background on the show ....

DAMN YANKEES
music & lyrics by Richard Adler & Jerry Ross
book by George Abbot and Douglass Wallop
based in the novel "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant" by Douglass Wallop

opened on Broadway in 1955

winner of 7 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Actor (Ray Walston as Applegate), Best Actress (Gwen Verdon as Lola) and Best Choreography by Bob Fosse

licensed by Music Theatre International

Synopsis
DAMN YANKEES is the only successful musical comedy built around the American national pastime of baseball--the baseball story neatly combined with the age-old Faust theme. Joe Hardy is a middle-aged, happily married baseball fan. He is found in his living-room watching a game over the television. Joe is in the depths of despair, for his favorite team, the Washington Senators, seems incapable of getting a winning stride. Suddenly the devil, in the person of Applegate, visits him with a proposition: Would Joe be willing to trade his soul if the Senators won not only the pennant but also the World Series? Joe is more than willing; he has never put much stock in his soul in the first place. Suddenly Joe sheds years. More than that, he has magically acquired singular powers as a baseball player. Meanwhile, Van Buren, manager of the Senators, tries to build up his team's morale ("Heart"). It is a hopeless job, for the Senators can hardly expect that their new rookie, Joe Hardy, could be of any use in lifting them from their habitual doldrums. But Joe proves the spark plug necessary to send the team flying at full speed for victory after victory.
Things may be rosy for the team, but Joe is in black despair. He misses his wife, Meg, sorely. His conscience also bothers him: he has disappeared from home without leaving a clue to his whereabouts. He tries to lift his spirits by renting a room in her house just to be near her. But this only tantalizes him further, since he is unable to tell Meg that he is really her husband, alive and well.
Applegate, alias the devil, once again steps into the picture. In an effort to win Joe completely away from his wife, Applegate enlists the services of Lola, a beautiful witch, to capture Joe's heart. Lola coquettishly tells Joe that she is in the habit of getting anything she goes ofter ("Whatever Lola Wants"). She then performs a seductive mambo ("Who's Got the Pain?").
The Washington Senators, with Joe as star, come out on top in their league. The World Series is at hand. Despite the team's success, and despite Lola's wiles, Joe misses his wife and wants to get back to her. Suddenly he realizes that if he does not play in the World Series the Senators cannot win; and if the Senators cannot win the World Series his bargain with the devil is broken. Thus Joe manages to keep his soul, lose Lola, return once again to his wife and once again assume the unexciting identity of a middle-aged baseball fan.

Highlights from Damn Yankees at Papermill Playhouse

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I have always liked this show.  It was the first musical I was involved with... ever.  In high school I was in the pit orchestra, playing the trombone.  This is a big show -- as were most shows written in the 1950s. Sets, costumes, dancing -- it has all the trappings that come with a the label "big show". That in itself can be intimidating. Add to that fact that it is a men heavy show and I can see why the show is not done very often. That's a shame because it really is a good show with some great songs and great scenes. What led me to choosing this show was that I liked the idea of scaling the shows down for a small stage and yet attempt to keep it just as exciting and fun as any large scale production. That takes some serious planning and thought. You have to use a small space well and move actors and scenery around carefully.  There were many things to consider with this show ...

• It show requires 2 lead men, 3 lead women and 3 supporting men.
• Damn Yankees is a great show for groups that have a lot of men.  The baseball team is strongly featured and requires strong singing and dancing.  There are also a few small male roles that don't require much singing at all.  It's a great show to get guys involved in musical theatre. I find it easier to get men interested in being in a musical if the parts they can play are something the can feel comfortable in. That usually means very masculine characters -- baseball players, pirates, villains, gangsters etc. So if you ever get to direct a musical and think you have men who could be persuaded to audition for a musical if the roles were something they could embrace, then this show might be a very good choice.
• A strong male actor is needed to take on the role of Applegate (the Devil).  This role is much more of an acting part - he only has one song. 
• The role of Lola can be quite challenging as it requires the triple threat of actor-singer-dancer.  She does need a level of sexuality to her performance, but this can be tailored to the actor and the theatre.
• The orchestra requirements are quite large and there is no piano part.  However many groups either pare down the parts or use a pre-recorded orchestra.
• Be aware that when you license the show from Music Theatre International, that you will be getting the original libretto and orchestrations, not the ones from the 1999 revival. 
• There are several settings (a 1950s home, the ballpark, the locker room, a park, a theatre, plus a few other.
• There are many places from which to rent the costumes, especially the baseball uniforms and 1950s dresses.  However, many of the costumes can be found in closets and thrift stores.
• The main props are a lot of baseball equipment, which usually can be borrowed from a local school.

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In the end, the production is one I am very proud of.  I was able to mix a cast of high school students and college students.  Audiences loved the show.   The cast seemed to love the show.  It was great to work on such a classic piece of musical theatre literature.   I loved being able to take a large show and scaling it down for a small stage, but still keep the scope intended by the authors.