Topic: OPENING NIGHT 1 (Read 24225 times)

bk · « **on:** January 14, 2006, 12:26:45 AM »

Well, you've read the notes, the notes have spoken to you, you have spoken to the notes, and now it is time for you to post until the cows come home - they may be attending our second opening night.

bk · « **Reply #1 on:** January 14, 2006, 12:27:07 AM »

And the word of the day is: PRAGMATIC!

bk · « **Reply #2 on:** January 14, 2006, 12:30:07 AM »

And now - Dino at the piano.

George · « **Reply #3 on:** January 14, 2006, 12:35:26 AM »

Man, I hate[/i] it when I post (and lose) a message when the day changes.

Stephanie · « **Reply #4 on:** January 14, 2006, 12:37:24 AM »

Bruce, I'm sorry you didn't feel it went as well as it could have. I wish I could say who gives a flying fig what the critics think anyways, but I know in your business, it's a big deal. However, if it's any consolation, I've never been one to give a flying fig what the critics have to say.

And besides the fact, because you know every little nuance of the play, things stood out more obviously to you than hopefully the audience, so I wouldn't count the critics out just yet.

It's still a brilliant play, and if Matt's fans, and your boardmembers here have anything to say, word of mouth will fly no matter what.

Stephanie

George · « **Reply #5 on:** January 14, 2006, 12:37:45 AM »

BK, I'll bet that the reviewers will be kinder to the show than you think. You're your own worst critic. I'm sure that it'll be a rounding success!!

DakotaCelt · « **Reply #6 on:** January 14, 2006, 12:41:49 AM »

Quote from: George on January 14, 2006, 12:35:26 AM

Man, I hate[/i] it when I post (and lose) a message when the day changes.

I hate that when that happens. I was going to comment that I have done soem community theater.

I woudl have to say one of the funniest experiences i had at an opening night was when I was in college and they were doing Richard Sheridan Brinsley's play, "The Rivals". They had this one poor gal in a very deep cut dress and she was very flat chested. They forgot to sew her lifts properly adn she bent over the props popped out

THe other opening was an outside play I was in. It was ceremoniously cancelled by a tornado baring down on us

DakotaCelt · « **Reply #7 on:** January 14, 2006, 12:43:03 AM »

Quote from: Stephanie on January 14, 2006, 12:37:24 AM

Bruce, I'm sorry you didn't feel it went as well as it could have. I wish I could say who gives a flying fig what the critics think anyways, but I know in your business, it's a big deal. However, if it's any consolation, I've never been one to give a flying fig what the critics have to say. And besides the fact, because you know every little nuance of the play, things stood out more obviously to you than hopefully the audience, so I wouldn't count the critics out just yet. It's still a brilliant play, and if Matt's fans, and your boardmembers here have anything to say, word of mouth will fly no matter what.

Stephanie

I echo you Stephanie and you could not have said that better. I am sure it was excellent

George · « **Reply #8 on:** January 14, 2006, 12:50:23 AM »

Well, I'm afraid that I must be going. I have to go to work ~~tomorrow~~ later today...I don't ususally work on Saturdays, I just don't want to use vacation for the times this week that I left early.

So, goodnight DakotaCelt and Stephanie! And again, welcome to you both!

George · « **Reply #9 on:** January 14, 2006, 12:51:47 AM »

And goodnight, BK, too.

bk · « **Reply #10 on:** January 14, 2006, 12:53:33 AM »

I am my own worst critic, so we'll see what happens. As Doris Day so beautifully put it, Whatever Will Be, Will Be. I may or may not read them - haven't decided yet. LA critics, whether the review is good or bad, are generally not the greatest writers in the world. We lucked out for the most part on What If last year, but you know what - the reviews didn't help at all. Word of mouth did, though.

We've got some interesting folks coming tonight, including Rose Marie, and my pal Richard Sherman.

DakotaCelt · « **Reply #11 on:** January 14, 2006, 12:57:23 AM »

Quote from: George on January 14, 2006, 12:50:23 AM

Well, I'm afraid that I must be going. I have to go to work ~~tomorrow~~ later today...I don't ususally work on Saturdays, I just don't want to use vacation for the times this week that I left early.

So, goodnight DakotaCelt and Stephanie! And again, welcome to you both!

I shall head for some zzzzzz's also....

Break a leg tonight with the show BK!! I am sure the cast will do well with the great material...

DakotaCelt · « **Reply #12 on:** January 14, 2006, 12:59:10 AM »

Quote from: bk on January 14, 2006, 12:53:33 AM

I am my own worst critic, so we'll see what happens. As Doris Day so beautifully put it, Whatever Will Be, Will Be. I may or may not read them - haven't decided yet. LA critics, whether the review is good or bad, are generally not the greatest writers in the world. We lucked out for the most part on What If last year, but you know what - the reviews didn't help at all. Word of mouth did, though.

We've got some interesting folks coming tonight, including Rose Marie, and my pal Richard Sherman.

Sounds like a lovely evening. I have started working with deaf students and theatre. WE hope to do Children of a lesser God. A native from North DAkota, Phyllis Frelich, made a name for her self in that play.

Rodzinski · « **Reply #13 on:** January 14, 2006, 04:48:15 AM »

Congrats, BK, on opening night!

It seems like every opening night I've had as a director has seemed similar to what you describe. Energy a little off, despite a packed and enthused audience, laughs from the night before suddenly missing, and actors begin to press a bit...

And what people have told me is Friday can be a weird night for theatre. Lots of people are coming from work, end of the week, people's minds are just settling into the weekend. They are ready to pay rapt attention to a show, but maybe not to open up and laugh just yet. Add to this the opening night jitters, and the heightened expecatations, and it can feel not quite "right", but then it turns out everyone in the house is enjoying themselves more than they let on.

Michael · « **Reply #14 on:** January 14, 2006, 05:44:40 AM »

The best opening night was when I receieved opening night tickets for Sunday In the Park With George from BK's pal Stephen Sondheim.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 14, 2006, 06:04:56 AM »

Congratulations are in order for:

DECEIT - its author-director, cast and staff! Press on to Night Two!

DR TPUNK for her birthday & ascension to God(dess)hood.

DRRODZINSKI for posting pics of the party.

DRJOSE for the Bargain of the year at Old Navy.

DRJOSE - all of those strange happenings last night could be attributed to Friday the 13th AND a full moon, I would imagine. Very strange stuff....maybe today will be better.

Oh....and deaf gay bears.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 14, 2006, 06:09:15 AM »

Hmmmm.....best opening night.... Many exciting opening nights, but I guess the one of the best was the first time I directed JOSEPH & THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT in 1991 or '92. It went very well and I had a good young cast of High School & College students, but they were not as enthusiastic about the production as I was.

But on opening night - the audience was great, all of the numbers "hit" and all of the bits worked, and we used the Mega Mix from the (then) newly released CD of the London Cast with Jason Donovan (this was before it was ever done on tour, and my pianist and I transcribed it and worked it out from the CD) - and it was a GREAT success!

Jrand73 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 14, 2006, 06:17:23 AM »

Hmmm....two worsts....both of them similar.

September, 2001. I played Felix in a production of THE ODD COUPLE, a role I have always wanted to do. My friend Ernie played Oscar. Unfortunately, he didn't bother to learn his lines.

It was torture. I never knew what he was going to say - I never knew what act or scene he was going to be in. But it was my job to get us back where we were supposed to be and make sure we said everything we were supposed to. Of course I had to do this while cleaning the apartment, having a sinus attack, and other prop handling duties. I would do all right until he called ME by his name.... Which he did often all throughout the run - which included the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center in the middle of our second week.

It was still fun - but I would like to do it again - even with Ernie, if he would remember his lines.

The second was just last September - when I played Jules in My Three Angels. Again the guy playing the lead angel NEVER got his lines, and he would just stand there not talking - he was never in character - everything was a mess.....and at the end of the night he was convinced he had done a great job and "the audience never knew."

Oh, they did....it was a miserable run...

Jrand73 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 14, 2006, 06:19:49 AM »

Well I am going into the World of Wisdom 4 hours early - hopefully there will be enough customers to warrant that! But my sister asked me, so I said Okay! Why not?

Back after work....which is MANY hours away.

Michael · « **Reply #19 on:** January 14, 2006, 06:25:48 AM »

BK:

You should ask the people at the El Portal Theater to change the announcement about Deceit. They mispronounce Kritzerland. It sounds more like Christerland.

And also I just a picture of the Forum theater at the EL Portal. Are you doing the play in the round???

DearReaderLaura · « **Reply #20 on:** January 14, 2006, 06:35:39 AM »

BK, I'm sorry opening night didn't go as smoothly as was hoped. I didn't think critics went to opening night for that reason.

DearReaderLaura · « **Reply #21 on:** January 14, 2006, 06:41:02 AM »

My opening night (and closing night) story:
My friend and I wrote a Christmas play once. We set it in a store with greedy children and weary parents. The Santa told the real story to the children. Our Santa was the most Santa-like man from our congregation. The children all knew their lines and their cues from the speaker before them. All went well when we practiced with the children. Santa, however, ad libbed in the performance, which threw the children off completely. They didn't know when they were supposed to speak.

TPunk · « **Reply #22 on:** January 14, 2006, 07:00:21 AM »

Of all the shows I've been involved with, I think my favorite opening nights have been the school performances I used to direct. My top two faves are The Wizard of Oz and The Trial of the Big Bad Wolf.

I adapted and shortened The Wizard of Oz so that it could be performed by 100 fourth graders on risers and a small stage. The night of our performance, the kids were so excited, they all hit their notes, the energy was unbelievably high and the audience had the greatest time. It was a magical evening.

The Trial of the Big Bad Wolf was special to me not only because the show was fabulous, but because it was a triumph for one girl in the cast. I'd taken a chance in casting a girl who wasn't having the greatest year, academically, socially and at home, in a leading role. It was a huge character role and she really struggled and was very unsure of herself. She ROCKED the audience on the night of the performance. I had teachers and staff coming up to me for weeks afterward saying they couldn't believe it was the same girl. I can't think of an opening night better than that.

William E. Lurie · « **Reply #23 on:** January 14, 2006, 07:04:45 AM »

Best opening night I attended: Memorial Day 1961 - Chicago - Ethel Merman (who had never toured before) in GYPSY. She (and Chowsie) got a standing ovation as entrance applause. I had always heard that she was wonderful on opening nights (but less so other times) and this was the case... although IMHO Angela was better in the role a dozen years later.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #24 on:** January 14, 2006, 07:08:39 AM »

Good morning, all! Today I get to sleep late and then play in Toyland at home. Perhaps I'll even finish the Volume Two notes.

My weirdest opening night was when I still thought I would be an actor, and I was playng the Major General in a production of THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE. At the end of my entrance song, I was supposed to slam the tip of the sabre I was carrying into the ground between my feet. Well, I did but I slammed the sabre into the tip of my bbot, vutting by big toe and performing the last 15 minutes of the act wondering if I was heavily bleeding heavily. They bandaged my toes (I got two of them) and sent me back. I spent the opening night party at the ER getting repaired and shot full of tetanus vaccine.

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #25 on:** January 14, 2006, 07:17:30 AM »

BK, I think you are your own worst critic and I suspect that reviews will be be better than you imagine. Having been at the early reading, I can say the play's construction is solid, you play fair with the audience, the laughs are there, and all the twists are cleverly done. It is, in my opinion, the best mystery you've written and it works very well both as a thriller and as theatre. And, as I think directing may be the very best thing you do, I doubt that you've left anything to chance there and that the play covers all its bases neatly and smoothly with your usual polish and eye for detail.

It is tough to get laughs rolling when you have a third house full of critics, but they also can't be deaf to the intermission and after show buzz going on around them either. And just because they weren't laughing doesn't mean they weren't enjoying it or with it.

Like Fred Willard's wife, I think the play has the potential to be one of those solid regional theatre hits and get done everywhere. You might call Sam French and get someone from there to see it. It should definitely be published by them and, if it is put in their catalogue, it will get done all over the place for years to come. But, of course, it should have a helathy professional run first...and I think it will.

Matt H. · « **Reply #26 on:** January 14, 2006, 07:27:58 AM »

Good morning!

Partly cloudy skies today and much colder than in days past, but it IS January, so I'm rolling with the (weather) punches.

Matt H. · « **Reply #27 on:** January 14, 2006, 07:31:14 AM »

As you said, bk, reviews didn't matter a whit to WHAT IF? so forget about reviews and hope the remaining performances entertain the audiences which is what it's all about anyway.

There is a critic in town who writes for a weekly free entertainment rag that has never given me less than a mixed review whether in a play or a musical. I can't do enough to please him no matter what I play, so I just stopped reading him altogether. Even if I got a good review, I'd have to entertain the fact that he was right the times he slammed me, and I don't think he was. So he is persona non gratia to me; I don't care what he writes.

Matt H. · « **Reply #28 on:** January 14, 2006, 07:33:36 AM »

The most exciting opening night I was ever a part of was FOREVER PLAID. After the show, we were swamped by people who weren't familiar with it, didn't know exactly what it was they were going to see, and were enchanted by the whole enterprise. My entire PLAID experience is probably the most fulfilling and rewarding experience I've ever had on stage: comedy that always worked, hugely enthusiastic audience reaction to the music and moves, and sentiment of the piece.

JoseSPiano · « **Reply #29 on:** January 14, 2006, 07:35:09 AM »

Good Morning!

Like DR elmore, I slept in too. Just needed the rest, wanted to sleep a bit more. In any case...

It appears the rain has stopped for now - we had quite the downpour last night around 3:00am - the sound of the rain on the deck woke me up. But, again, no rain outside now, just a lot of overcast. So... I'm thinking I might go for a short run - and put some of my new Old Navy workout clothes to good use. We shall see...

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Author Topic: OPENING NIGHT 1 (Read 24225 times)