Theatrical Criticism

Since [title of show] opened I have been working really hard trying to get the word out about our show and drum up an audience. In working toward this end I have been getting in touch with a couple of local critics and asking them to come review the show. One of them wrote back that he didn't like the show itself but he'd try to get someone out to see it. I think that's an interesting comment. Is he saying that because he doesn't like the show he would give it a bad review no matter how good it might be? Since when does criticism hinge on weather or not the critic likes the show, the composer, the lyricist, the director, the actors, the set designer, the costume designer or the producing organization?

Dictionary.com defines the word "criticism" as "the act or art of analyzing and evaluating or judging the quality of a literary or artistic work, musical performance, art exhibit, dramatic production, etc." That being said I ask the question, should critics let their personal views enter into their review? If they don't like an actor, director, etc. should that opinion play into their review. I have always been under the impression that the goal of criticism was to look at a work as a whole and determine weather or not the parts add up to that whole. Has the show reached the goal it has set for itself and do the parts, i.e. actors' performances, sets, props, costumes, sound, lighting, etc. all do their part to reach that goal? In my opinion, if a critic lets his or her personal opinion enter into the discussion then they aren't doing their job. I say, save personal opinions for your blog or an op/ed piece or a book you're thinking about writing.

More to come!

A Busy Summer

Things have been very busy since I got back from the Czech Republic. The day after arriving home I was thrown into rehearsals for Sweeney Todd at Ohlook PAC out in Grapevine. Ohlook is a theater school that works with kids from about the age of six all the way up to adults. Over the summer they have a crazy performance schedule with the children's shows happening during the day and the more adult shows at night. Our rehearsals took place from 2 to 6 everyday while rehearsals for Ohlook's productions of Reefer Madness and Evil Dead: The Musical took place in the evenings.

The plan had been for Ohlook's new building to be built before the summer which, of course, didn't happen. As a result a lot of the summer shows are being rehearsed and performed in the Cafegymnasitorium at the Clarinden School in Southlake. It's not ideal at all. There are no dressing rooms, no "cast only" bathrooms, and while there is a stage, there is literally no wing space. It's just a raised stage floor with steps leading up to it and then three large, bare walls. There are almost no lighting instruments in the space and no mikes. The director brought mikes from the high school where she teaches but apparently she didn't see fit to let Ohlook use them for the rest of the summer so they are doing the best they can in a space where the sound doesn't carry very far once it comes out of your mouth. Many of the roles in Sweeney were triple cast which presented all kinds of problems. It made rehearsals problematic in that rehearsal time was not doled out fairly. Those who were favored by the director tended to get more rehearsal time while others were seriously under-rehearsed. Not an ideal situation.

Once we were open, James and I started rehearsals for [title of show]. This has been my first experience directing a full scale musical. Granted, this is a very intimate, no frills show, but it's 90 minutes with all four on stage most of that time and I had never directed anything with a running time longer than an hour. I managed to avoid panicking by being incredibly organized and prepared. I have Candace Evans to thank for that. Three summers ago when we worked on Cabaret together she was the textbook example of what a well prepared director should be.

But this isn't about me. Our cast is AMAZING and needs to be commended! I have been so blessed to be working with Marianne Galloway, Jennifer Pasion, Marshall Warren and John Davenport. I couldn't ask for better! They have worked so hard in rehearsals and taken everything James and I have told them and made it better than I could have hoped for. I extend a giant thank you to them!

On paper it looked like we had lots of rehearsal time but due to the Ohlook performance schedule and James being the music director for both Reefer and Evil Dead, we could only rehearse four days a week. The cast rose to the challenge and has done an amazing job! We managed to pull the show together in about nine days of rehearsal which is VERY fast and not ideal. The cast got into the habit of meeting early to run lines before rehearsal which was a tremendous help! I wish we'd had time to routine the show a little more but no matter. I am thrilled with the wonderful job they are doing!

This past monday we made an appearance at Mama's Party to promote the show. Sometimes the audiences there are small but we were lucky enough to be on the bill with the Brookhaven JC production of Chess so a lot of students were there. Our cast performed four songs from the show and a lot of the Brookhaven kids said they were planning on coming to see our show which is very exciting! We had small audiences our opening weekend so hopefully things will improve as time goes on. Lord knows I'm doing as much as I can to promote the show with the resources I have available.

The garden in Plano is going great! I am really enjoying it. Things are really starting to thrive and grow and we're starting to see the results of all our work. Soon we'll have tons of egg plants, peppers and okra. The gourds, squash and mellons are doing well, also. We had an attack of aphids in the cucumbers which was surprising as we've been doing everything possible to prevent them. James thinks the week of rain we had a while back made things too damp and that left the door open for the little motherf-ckers! LOL. We've been using garrett juice and an organic insecticide on them and I think it's working. The leaves don't look shiny anymore and the new growth looks very healthy and is putting on flowers. Hopefully we'll have a huge crop before it's all over. The compost pile is doing great! We moved have of it into the second...what would you call it?...receptical?...containment area? Who knows. Anyway, we separated the compost into two parts and layered in hay to allow it to aerate itself. They hay will break down and add to the compost, of course. As we dug, we could feel a lot of heat coming off of the compost. The center is VERY hot which is exactly what is supposed to happen. Over the winter we should be able to till some wonderful, nutrient rich "compost dirt" into the raised beds to enrich the soil! YAY!!!

I guess that's about it. I am constantly thinking of things that would be a great blog subjects but I never write them down so I forget them. I will work harder. For the time being this will have to do. I hope it's remotely interesting.

More to come!

I'm sitting here at 140am waiting for my iphone to finish downloading its new software. Ever since the last update which coincided with the release of the 4G my pitiful 3G has been acting all kinds of crazy. It's taking a while so I thought I'd write a blog which I wait.

Ever since I returned from the Czech Republic I have been incredibly busy which has left me no time AT ALL for clay. It doesn't help that kids camps are going on right now but I think they may be over so I'm sure it's safe to step across the thresh hold again. Their not going to remember who I am!

What's keeping me so busy? Well, right after I returned stateside I immediately went into rehearsals for a production of Sweeney Todd being done at Ohlook. Sometimes they do larger shows with a mix of adults and kids and this was one of those shows. I played Beadle Bamford, surprisingly, for the first time. I have had some opportunities in the past but it has never worked out. We did twelve performances and while it might not have been the most professional production I've ever been in at least I got to learn the role, get twelve performances and write it on my resume.

After we opened that show, James and I started rehearsals for [title of show]. This has been a labor of love. Labor being the operative word. James and I have had to be the costume designers, set designers, props designer, producers, go fers and anything else our non-existent "staff" would do. Honestly, I don't really mind it as it is great fun and we get to do the show the way WE want to do it.

It is a wonderfully written show all about the creative process and how a group of friends relates to one another as the quirky musical the write starts to become successful. We have a wonderful cast, all very good friends, and we've been having a lot of fun. The artistic director at Ohlook has been great. She has been very hands off because she knows that we know what we're doing and as a result we've been able to do the show exactly the way we want to do it which is thrilling. The cast is so good I can't say I've had to give a whole lot of guidance as to their concept of the show. Mostly I've shown them blocking then tried to stay out of the we and just let them have fun and play and create the characters' relationships on their own. I'm big on pacing and intent and connecting the dots of hte plot so that's mostly where my notes lie. I think it's going to be a good production. It's played on a TINY stage and truly is just four chairs and a keyboard, as the song says. I'm sure opening night will be fantastic!

I guess that's about it. I've just been consumed with these two shows. I decided not to take voice lessons in Summer II because I knew I wouldn't have time to learn new music what with [title of show] to direct. I am trying to push myself to get everything done by next may so I can graduate. There's relatively little left to do. Keep your fingers crossed!

so that REALLY is it! I wish I had more to say. I'm always thinking up subjects to blog about but then I think they'll be too ranty for words! I must be terribly dull. Sigh....