I was in my first play in second grade. It was called Iron John and, because I had a natural aptitude for being precise and bossy, I was cast as the lead narrator. Two days before the show, we had a disastrous rehearsal. We missed cues, we missed, entrances—I’m pretty sure one of the princesses […]
Free stuff and here we go!
Ask for free stuff and you shall receive… Thus far, I have been very successful in procuring free stuff to fit into our close to $0 budget. I hope my luck holds. The Revels kindly passed along a wedding dress when their show finished last Saturday. Rockefeller Chapel graciously agreed to lend us a robe […]
B and B: Striking the right note
The challenge to successfully directing Durang is finding the right note to strike. While the content of the show- still borns, alcoholism, verbal abuse, general family dysfunction- are not funny on their own, the vehicle is hilarious, and it is important for the actors to be unapologetic and dive right in. As Durang says in his […]
A 50-50 Proposition
“Marriage is a 50-50 proposition,” Bette tells Boo. He responds: “Where do you come up with these sayings? On the back of matchpacks?” In spite of Boo’s scorn, I believe that directing is the same way. I like directing better than acting. Acting makes me realize all my inadequacies and the fact that my default […]
Bette and Boo: The First Read Through
The actors showed up in character and know exactly what they’re doing! Of course we started off with a bacon machine and an icebreaker. The Marriage of Bette and Boo is an ensemble piece, and I feel like it is important to build the community from the beginning. We are, after all, the Hyde Park […]
The Marriage of Bette and Boo: Auditions
And we’re off! Auditions are always difficult for everyone. I know the actors are worried about impressing the director, but I’m just as freaked out about making sure they have a good experience. For many people, this is their first impression of us, the Hyde Park Community Players, so I try my best to present […]