732-first read through

The cast of 7:32 was together, minus 3 actors, for the first time yesterday morning. It was the reveal of our final workshop script and the first time they got to hear the music. Thrilling!

One of my favorite parts about working on a new script with a talented cast is the creative energy in the room, there is nothing like it. Every member of the cast was listening intently to every word a song, ready to ask questions as they arose or just take it all in. Afterwards we spoke about somethings that could be clearer, all with positive energy.

This cast made KT and I extremely excited to begin rehearsals because of the way they spoke of the script. There is one thing I hate in the rehearsal process of a new play and that is negative energy. There is never room for that in the rehearsal room but especially with new plays. I'm not sure when I learned this but there is a right way and a wrong way to offer a critique of a new play. The right way to go about it is to ask a question, like "I'm unclear on XYZ, could you explain why Y is there with X?" then give the playwright a chance to explain. Maybe that will answer the question, maybe it won't. A good, receptive, playwright will see the question as an opportunity to talk about something in the play that was unclear and we brainstorm from there. Sometime the solution is a line change and sometimes the director is responsible for making it work. Either way, it all gets figured out in the process, or at least (we hope) the majority does.

The wrong way involves stating your opinion as fact or repeating the phrase "On the page"-this bothers me. If you don't see it on the page theres a good chance it's not there for a reason. Perhaps, it's the in direction or the way a word is said. People are so quick to judge things that aren't "On the page" but that is what the director is there for.

I am happy to say that our entire cast carried a positive energy with their questions and there was none of the above with them. yippie!

Rehearsals start on Tuesday October 19th-it's gonna be a crazy 4 days!

Today and tonight I have meals with good friends. For brunch it's my High School drama director, and also my adopted stage mother with three friends who were in my directorial debut senior year. I directed CLUE, I made three people cry...opps. But it was a great show, such precision! (ha ha). Tonight is dinner with a mixed group of friends from college, shows, and stagedoor. I am looking forward to a lovely Sunday.