My life is fun!
Anyway - the two readings in Feb went GREAT! It was both challenging and exciting to jump in as director on projects that were already cast with people who didn't know me from Adam...and get a polished and professional performance together in almost no time. Plus I was able to get a short play written and submitted by the deadline for the Abingdon's next Benefit Play series: The Gossip Plays. I thought that would be a fun topic to write around, but truth be told I banged my head against a brick wall for weeks trying to come up with a concept that wasn't completely trite and overdone. I'm not 100% sure I accomplished that goal, but I feel good about what I did write. And if it gets accepted I'll let you all know. In the meantime...I don't think I mentioned this before (and talk about burying the lede!) LifeDream Productions (that's me!) will be producing a new play by Amy Piper, to be directed by me starring Maureen Van Trease and Susan McBrien in the 2012 Planet Connections Theatre Festivity this June! I am so excited to be working on this piece THE CLOSET - I think it's a perfect play for the festival circuit and from the first time I read it I have wanted to put my directorial mark on it. Susan and Maureen both have won acting awards at the Planet Connections festival in past seasons (Maureen for playing Marie in my play HELL IS WHERE THE HEART IS last year!) and I think they are perfectly matched to bring these characters to life. And the extraordinary Ameer Muhammad has agreed to bring his talents to bear as Stage Manager which is an extreme blessing for this producer director. Of course things could change between now and June - all of the people involved are so incredibly talented that it would not come as a surprise to me that someone would want to hire them and pay them much more than showcase code stipend - and if that happens the show will go on and we will adapt....but I have a pretty strong feeling that this is the team to watch! http://planetconnections.org/festivity-2012/full-productions/
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I haven't been consistently bloggerific have I?
Than may be about to change as things seem to be heating up a bit. And the first piece of news is that I've been asked to direct two pieces for the Abingdon Theatre's Benefit series: The Denial Plays. This is two evenings of 10-minute plays, (Staged readings - i.e. book in hand,) inspired by and played on the set that has been created for their mainstage production of Lost on the Natchez Trail. Cool set by the way. In Series A (Feb 7 at 6:30 and 8:30) "Death and the Matron" by Barbara Bleier In Series B (Feb 14 at 6:30 and 8:30) "The Curse of the Living Dead" by Lily Rusek Met my cast for Death and the Matron last night; interesting process for this, in that I step in to direct but was not part of the casting process; a first for me. Playing Mariam is Joan Shepard and in the role of Death himself; Kim Allen. A pleasure to meet the actors and playwright and to begin the work. I'll meet The people involved with "The Curse of..." next Tuesday; Lily and the actors: Patti Mariano, Shari Brittany, Bill Nabel. (That is the same night that "Death and.." opens - the next two weeks are going to be crazy!) Not having a hand in casting does present a unique set of challenges - and opportunities. So much of the tone of the play is set by the actors involved; no matter how adept at transformation, there's always a core energy that exudes from each individual. And especially for a reading like this, where the rehearsals are limited, you're rather dependent on that energy. I'm enjoying the challenge! And I'm very grateful to have this opportunity. More news coming soon! m |
MmSkirBlogMusings on creating...and whatever else it is that I do. hypnosis, life coaching, writing, acting, directing, taking leaps of faith, etc. Archives
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