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Behind the Drama
Feb. 12th, 2009 12:41 amThere has been much going on with me . I spent almost 3 weeks with the Big Honking Musical.
Tech rehearsal week alone was 71.25 hours. So there has been much overtime and rejoicing.
It is a Gospel version of" Jesus Christ Superstar" It is huge in every way. It has a HUGE cast,
(59 people ) , HUGE set with lots of automated moving set pieces, and a the biggest sound console I have ever seen.
It has the blessing of the powers that be in London. In fact, both Tim RIce and Mr Lloyd Webber
have flown over to see it and both gave it thumbs up!
It looks great but the work load on every one is intense. The sound team has microphones on 38 people and a 10 piece band.
Nearly every cast member is wearing solid white so wardrobe is in stain removal hell. There are so many people in the show that we ran out of
dressing rooms. The 29 person choir has to make do with temporary dressing areas that have to be cleared every night.
And , of course, the computer controls for the set and sound have each gone down for a few desperate minutes (or hours).
But , it spite of all the crazy, it is a amazing show. It looks as though it will have a life beyond this production.
Since we are producing partners, we could make a cut of the profit.
Here's hoping it plays forever.
I worked through opening then trained my replacement and moved to open the next show.
This one is the winner of our Graduate Student Playwriting Competition. I went from crazy large show to
manageable and cozy one. I only feel a little guilty. I have just six cast members in a ninety minute comedy.
But we have had our own little dramas. Last Saturday one of the actors had to rush home. There was a family emergency.
So our understudy was called in for the next day. She got the message on her phone while out to dinner with her
boyfriend. Shortly after they were robbed at gunpoint while going to their car. The poor girl got 3 hours of sleep before
coming in to a fast run through , costume fitting, and a two show day!
In two weeks both shows will be history. It is a wacky way to make a living.
Tech rehearsal week alone was 71.25 hours. So there has been much overtime and rejoicing.
It is a Gospel version of" Jesus Christ Superstar" It is huge in every way. It has a HUGE cast,
(59 people ) , HUGE set with lots of automated moving set pieces, and a the biggest sound console I have ever seen.
It has the blessing of the powers that be in London. In fact, both Tim RIce and Mr Lloyd Webber
have flown over to see it and both gave it thumbs up!
It looks great but the work load on every one is intense. The sound team has microphones on 38 people and a 10 piece band.
Nearly every cast member is wearing solid white so wardrobe is in stain removal hell. There are so many people in the show that we ran out of
dressing rooms. The 29 person choir has to make do with temporary dressing areas that have to be cleared every night.
And , of course, the computer controls for the set and sound have each gone down for a few desperate minutes (or hours).
But , it spite of all the crazy, it is a amazing show. It looks as though it will have a life beyond this production.
Since we are producing partners, we could make a cut of the profit.
Here's hoping it plays forever.
I worked through opening then trained my replacement and moved to open the next show.
This one is the winner of our Graduate Student Playwriting Competition. I went from crazy large show to
manageable and cozy one. I only feel a little guilty. I have just six cast members in a ninety minute comedy.
But we have had our own little dramas. Last Saturday one of the actors had to rush home. There was a family emergency.
So our understudy was called in for the next day. She got the message on her phone while out to dinner with her
boyfriend. Shortly after they were robbed at gunpoint while going to their car. The poor girl got 3 hours of sleep before
coming in to a fast run through , costume fitting, and a two show day!
In two weeks both shows will be history. It is a wacky way to make a living.
