An Evening at the Theatre

It wasn't just because we couldn't get tickets to see The Santaland Diaries. Dick Strohmeier was in Black Comedy, along with Chuck Powers. So Ken and I decided to attend opening night.

It's difficult to talk about the show without giving away the central concept, which I found unique and very entertaining. The play relies a great deal on physical comedy, of which I'm a huge fan. Physical comedy needs to look real instead of, well, staged. I think a more seasoned cast would have looked less choreographed.

I thought William Speakman, who played Brindsley Miller, did fairly well. It might have been opening night nerves, but I would have loved to have seen Alex Koceja really let loose as Harold. Amy Swaim as Miss Furnival was just plain funny. Chuck and Dick were charming in their respective roles. Lilly Nelson was a powerhouse as Clea.

Ken and I sat in the front row. Twice I had to adjust myself for fear of getting hit with a prop. For me, that's the beauty of live theatre. Things don't always go as scripted. It's a testament of a true actor to deal with unreliable props, or props that fall other than where expected. The cast did a great job in dealing with these issues, and had so much fun I wished I had been in the show.

Four words - Thank goodness it's over!

During the run of a show those four words usually don't enter my vocabulary until closing on the 3rd weekend. This show ran one weekend, just 4 little days. Still, I cannot tell you how happy I am that the show is over. From a testy costumer, the set falling down during final dress to dealing with an ungiving actress each night, the show was very trying. Theatre is supposed to be fun and this show was anything but fun.

There were a few positive things. Mallorie and I worked on the show together. She ran lights and did a great job, especially with the "fireworks". Our stage manager, Sarah, and our artistic designer, Deborah, were wonderful to work with. Also, the KLT community really rallied around Randy, our director.

Still, I'm so glad that it's over. I'm looking forward to some down time.

Southern Jersey Charm

Tonight at "Firecracker" rehearsal, Randy asked me if I could do a Southern Belle accent, you know the kind,voice just dripping with schooled Southern charm. I told him I certainly could, but he'd have to wait until next week. In "Open Season" I use a New Jersey accent and don't want to go back to the show mixing up my accents. (There is one particular line that I find very hard to deliver in a Jersey accent. It usually comes out sounding very Southern!)

Anyway, Thursday performance tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it. I've missed the cast and Eric!

Read Thru, The Miss Firecracker Contest

Ken is running spotlight for Theatre Alliance's "A Year with Frog and Toad" so he wasn't at read thru tonight. But the rest of the cast was:
Abby Cockman is Carnelle
Libby Maddox is Popeye (she was really good at callbacks)
Megan Hoffman is Tessy (she was also great at callbacks; very versatile)
Robbie Spencer is Mac Sam

I'm feeling a bit "out of the club". Abby and Libby are drama teachers, and Robbie graduated with Randy from UNCG. Megan is currently a student at UNCG having just changed her major from music to theater. Ken also has a background in theater; he directed several shows in college. So I'm the only one who never studied theater at an institute of higher learning. I just hope I can hold my own.

Auditions, The Miss Firecracker Contest

Well actually, today was callbacks for "Miss Firecracker". Auditions were this past Tuesday and Wednesday, but since I was in tech, Randy agreed to let me read at callbacks. So Ken and I rode together to Greensboro.

Ken was the only guy at callbacks, which is a very good omen. Ken is a great actor, so I've no doubt that he will get Delmount; he read very well for the part. I read for the part of Elain. (Delmount's sister.) There was one other woman that read for Elain. She was okay, just a little stiff. Randy said he had seen enough and could cast today and let everyone know.

Just a little bit ago, Randy called and offered me the part of Elain. I accepted. I just hung up with Ken. He was offered the part of Delmount. So,this will be the 3rd show Ken and I have done together, and I'm continuing my streak of jumping from production of one show into rehearsals for another one.

Okay now to relax before the second performance of "Open Season"......