Well, dear readers, here we are on Sunday, the final tech and dress rehearsals before our first preview tomorrow night. To say I am petrified would be a large understatement. There is just too much that’s still not where it should be, both acting-wise and tech-wise, and frankly, I think it’s just going to be what it will be. We started yesterday’s run-throughs over an hour late, and therefore only got in two run-throughs instead of three. We also reshot one of the video segments, so that took time, and I didn’t even get to work notes like I wanted to. I’ve blocked out an hour to finish doing that today. We had a very spotty first run-through – a few laughs from our publicist, but mainly the actors fumbled far too much, and from my point of view just about every laugh in the show wasn’t there. So, I spent what little notes time I had working on the laughs and timing of same. We finally got the fershluganah video projector working, and it’s really good, except for the fact that no one can figure out how to make it go black when we’re done with each segment. We tried an A/B switcher, but the minute you switch the projector thinks its lost the signal and you get “searching for signal” on the screen and then a screen saver. The projector has to be on from the top of the show – there’s no way to turn it on and off, as the lamps take three minutes to cool down, and about a minute to arc up. Tomorrow the fellow who lent us the projector is coming down to see what he can do, but we’re just about out of time and something has to be done or the audience will be looking at a DVD menu for the entire play (which also precludes getting the stage fully dark for lights out). We finally just gave up on another effect, and are just making do the best we can. And I have until Monday evening to figure out a different way to stage a key moment of the play, because the space we’re in is just about impossible to have the bit work the way it’s meant to. I shall be pondering this until I fall asleep and then all morning.
The evening run-through was better – the first half of act one actually went quite well (that was what we’d done the work-through of notes on), and then an actor fumbled a line, and then the energy went into the toilet and remained there until the end of the act. Even the end of the act, which is pretty much fool-proof, was sloppy and labored. Some of the second act worked well, and some didn’t – seeing the video segments was very helpful, I must say. So, it was the good, the bad, and the ugly yesterday. I’m trying my hardest to get rid of the bad and the ugly, but it’s been a hard road, thus far. I don’t even know if the play works, frankly. I’m just trying to get it smooth and running the way I want – then I need to step back and actually look at the thing in terms of any fixes that may need to happen. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll be able to implement any changes for the first two weeks, because the actors are slow studies. It is truly frightening to think that we’re going to be reviewed on Friday and Saturday, after only four previews. Pray for Rosemary’s Baby.
Doing a thriller is tricky, especially a thriller with laughs and black comedy. Doing a thriller is tricky when you’re used to doing musicals – there are times I just want to throw in a snappy number. I think most of the staging works, and I know there are good things in the play, but I just can’t see them right now for all the fumbling and technical hurdles. I really wanted to be past all that stuff by today, but we’re not and we’ll just have to mush on as best we can. The video thing has to get fixed by Monday’s preview – I do NOT want to preview this show with the audience looking at a DVD menu for the entire show, especially when the chapter stops give away things and especially when you can’t get the stage completely dark. The one thing that works wonderfully is the start to finish rain outside the window.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I have to put on my thinking cap and figure out how I’m restaging a key moment of act two.
The nice man didn’t cometh yesterday, I’m afraid to say. I had several run-ins with my lighting designer. He and the set guy are a team, and I have never met such ego-ridden uncooperative people in my life. Whenever I ask a question or express a concern I am met with head-shaking, as if I was a moron and an incompetent. I asked for a lighting adjustment last night, as some end of act one business was happening in way too dim a light. He shook his head at me and just gave me so much attitude, and I finally snapped, “Don’t shake your head at me – discuss if you like, but don’t shake your head at me again.” He’s begrudgingly making the change – he loves his dim, moody lighting, and I prefer actually seeing what the actor is doing. If that makes me a moron and an incompetent, oh, well.
I have also felt negativity in the theater when we’re running the play, and I’m going to remove anyone, no matter who they are, who sit there with arms folded and negative looks on their faces. The actors feel it (and because the seats are so close to the stage, they can actually see it), I feel it, my assistant feels it, and who needs it right now? It’s not the same as audience negativity – if one has audience negativity regularly, then the play isn’t working or the production isn’t working, or the performances aren’t working – that’s all understandable. But to have members of our creative team sit there like statues with negativity pouring off them like maple syrup, well, I just don’t cotton to it, nor do I silk to it or even satin to it. So, only positive people in the theater today.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, but my thinking cap on, I must really try to have three complete run-throughs, I must allow no negativity in the theater, I must try to stay positive and energetic and focused, and I must hope that we only have the good, and no the bad and the ugly. Today’s topic of discussion: I’m afraid it’s going to have to be free-for-all day – the day in which you dear readers are charged with making with the topics, so that we can all post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we all pray for Rosemary’s Baby.