So we've only got two more shows left for ALL MY SONS at AGL here in Lex-ville. I must say, this production has been very close to my heart. It is the first show I've been a part of as a new father, and with all the Father/Son themes running through this piece, it has been a very emotional ride for me. But overall, it's been a blast. I've gotten the opportunity to work side by side with Adam Luckye, and I gotta tell you... it's been a privelige. Adam is one of the most giving, spot-on guys you'd ever want to work with. He's there 110% - night in and night out, and it's been inspiring to watch...the rest of the cast has also been a joy to work with, and I hope to get the opportunity to do it again with each and every one of you...any of you Central KY types who haven't seen this show yet...do yourselves a favor and get your butts to the theatre! It's well worth it...if I do say so myself! BTW- rumor has it that the Lex. Shakes BOWL O RAMA is scheduled for this Monday night @ 10:30 pm at Southland lanes... our AGL team is a bit thin right now, and we could use some more players, so gimmie a shout out if you're interested.
and now for what you've ALL been waiting for...
The next topic of discussion IS: What particular production that you've been involved with (acting / Directing/design/etc) has had the greatest emotional impact / effect on you?
AS ALWAYS - bonus points for whomsoever gets my title reference...Right now Mr Anon from the BORO is leading the game with 2 big points!
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16 comments:
young guns? huckleberry finn was pretty influential to me. right timxx? actually, a show I did in high school, "Summertree", and a Christopher Fry show, "The Ladies Not For Burning", as well as a readers theatre piece entitled "The Partygoers" directed by Jerry Davis were the three shows that still resonate with me.
I must admit that every show I've been associated with has made some impact on me, even when I was just doing props and wasn't deeply involved with the rehearsal process. Probably the one that has touched me the most, though, was Jesus Christ Superstar last summer. The combination of such powerful subject matter, top-notch direction, and a cast and musicians who poured their sweat and souls into each night (during rehearsals and performances) left me drained and elated for weeks. Add to that the magical atmosphere of the Arboretum, surrounded by thousands of people -- well, it was quite a buzz. My favorite moment from the whole production was during the second night. It had been threatening storms all evening, and we were nervously (and quickly!) proceeding with one eye on the clouds. We made it to the crucifixion; we knew we were going to complete the show. And then it gently began to rain. Just a little drizzle. The whole crowd was stone silent as the rest of the show played out. Even though I was still performing my job and (quietly) calling light cues, we were all in a different place right then. And that moment summed up the beauty and magic of theatre.
But ya know, timxx, for another great all-around production -- I'd have to go with Side Man. What a treat that show was. Who knew that family dysfunction could be so much fun?
I just remembered another "impact" moment - this one's funny. The other day I popped in the OCR of "Bat Boy: The Musical" and as soon as the opening number kicked in, I *still* remembered where all those bloody light cues were! And this is almost 2 years later! Aaaaggghhhhh!
So sorry, Mr Anon...the reference is NOT from YOUNG GUNS (allthough that does give me some future ideas!) Think more in a musical vein. BON voyage...(*hint)
AC/DC, baybeeee!
There have been many shows that were incredible experiences. THREE CHEERS FOR THE PEANUT GALLERY was such an awesome experience that, in order to fight those awful after-show blues, I started what is now DIVA WORLDWIDE, INC. An "e-network" of theatre friends and colleagues to help us all keep in touch with each other. It has even helped some people get work!
Now I can't get that song out of my head, Tim. Thanks! :)
And all cause of the lil ole Peanut Gallery? Shucks!!!
BTW- WE HAVE A WINNER!!!! AC/DC it is...you RAWK Millsy!
Thanks Tim. The passion you have for the theatre is so obvious and contagious. We need more folks like you out there. It was an absolute blast yelling and screaming at you for a month. And acting on the stage with you was fun too. Heh heh. Your baby is too friggin cute. How did that happen? (insert another heh heh if you will)
And for those keeping tabs, it's "Luckey." But I've never had it misspelled like that before. Usually the leave out the "e" which makes it look made up. You think I could make up a name like that? Luckye. I might keep that one.
Waiting for Godot was an incredible experience for me. My Vladimir was such a giving and compassionate actor. We clicked amazingly and it worked so well. Performing that show day after day (three weeks) really solidified the meaning of that show for me too. Still my favorite play.
Side Man was wonderful because I worked with a great cast and crew, phleghm or no phleghm. You who were there know what I'm screaming. And I got to kiss Laurie Genet. I mean C'MON!!!!!
And of course All My Sons was one of the best. It stirred things up in me that I feel will stick around for a long time, for better or for worse.
Those of you who missed it and had the chance to see it, really missed it. That's all I have to say.
I'd have to say Death and the Maiden. Trying to get inside the head of a "possible" torturer and interacting with his "possible" victim was a very intense experience, including being tied up for most of the play and gagged for part of that time. Dealing with the issues of guilt, responsibility, mistaken identity, justice vs revenge, and the abuse of political power in Chile were very timely since the production coincided with the reopening of the Pinochet case. The intimate setting of Natasha's in Lexington also put the audience right on top of us.
A good guess, but I was refering to RICK JAMES' classic of the same name...
FYI- I have had a few shows that fall into this category. In chronological order...
-DARK OF THE MOON: Cool show- first big role I really had outside of HS theatre. GOt to act alongside my big bro Jerry (haven't had that opportunity since, btw) and it was the last show I did with Laura Salmon before her murder (I'll do a nice big PEANUT GALLERY related post on this one day real soon)
- ANGELS FALL: Jerry directed me in this , my first POST HS role, and it was not only a fabulous show, but unfortunately my Father passed in the middle of the run. The night he finally slipped away we decided to do the show in his honor. Needless to say, it was quite powerful...
HAIR: My favorite college production, AND the production where all this X business started...GREAT cast as well...for 8 weeks, we lived like the hippies we played. Feel free to draw your own conclusions...
SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS- Met my baby mama in this production- nuff said! (I think I also did irreprable damage to my lower back due to about 16 pratfalls per show!)
CATFISH MOON- two words KENNEDY CENTER, baby!!!!! Let THAT die, bitches!!!!
THREE CHEERS FOR THE PEANUT GALLERY- Getting to see my first full length show onstage (and to participate w. the Nashville cast) was a joy like none before.
ALL MY SONS- First show as a dad- very powerful, moving experience...despite the fact that I "caused the first act to drag" (lol)
as a member of the real, '85 peanut gallery, I must say that watching three cheers was prreeetttyyy interesting. oh, rocky!
Truly, my friend, that ALSO made it very special, in that many of the peeps that characters were based on were in attendance.
BUT , as I say, more on that in a future post....
i'd have to say that while bash...latterday plays is still one of my favorite performances i've ever given (the lesson learned by one gut wrenching scream), suburbia has to win the title hands down, no contest. rick8 and skoehler, you can stop reading - you know and lived the story.
2 nights before opening i was picked up from dress rehearsal at the theatre - we were getting notes and the stage manager signaled to me...i thought i was in trouble because i was kind of drifting off during notes. that wasn't it at all. i left the theatre with two people from synogogue that i'd known since i was 3, and as i was leaving i terrifiedly conjectured to bebe and the sm that my brother had killed himself.
i was right.
suburbia not only has a suicide at the end, but there's a huge monologue about a dead brother that i had to deliver.
opening night was the day of the funeral - several cast members and the director were all there. i fell completely apart and howled into the cosmos as the coffin was lowered. once back at my parents' house, my father came into the room where i was resting and told me that my sm had called and that it was completely my decision as to whether or not to do the show that night. i looked to both of my parents for an answer, but they were adamant that it needed to be my own decision; i had no idea what to do.
i chose to go on that night, and when i sat downstage for what was probably one of the most difficult moments of my life - sooze's dead brother monologue - i looked out at my focus spot and the director was sitting right there, with me every step of the way.
when i finally got offstage i fell into another cast member's arms, a completely limp wrecked shell, and suddenly i was lifted into another pair of arms and carried off into a more soundproof rehearsal room. it was my director, who held me tightly and told me to just let it all out. i sobbed and sobbed for most of the rest of the act, and when i finally lifted my head i noticed that i had completely soaked his shirt through and through with snot. i looked at him, and tearfully said "i got snot all over you!" and his calm all encompassing reply was "babygirl, that's why i wore cotton."
i don't remember a lot about that show, or that time; difficult would be an understatement here. but i remember little moments - i remember a cast and crew supportive beyond belief who held me up through every second - many of whom i'll always feel incredibly connected to because of those shared utterly human moments. i remember the feeling of having tuly built something with these people- something that couldn't be knocked down by death and tragedy. i remember a very snotty blue shirt.
kinda hard for that not to have a huge emotional impact on someone...
Well HELL!!!! I'm always a day behind!!! Let's see...AGL's SIDEMAN....hands down!!!! I read this play in acting class...became obsessed with it. I don't think I've ever been so nervous at an audition..as I was during the SIDEMAN auditions. You all know what that's like, when you want to play a character SOOO bad, and you want to be a part of telling such a beautiful story. Before auditions, someone told me that Laurie Genet and Adam Luckey were going to be at the auditions. Well, that just made substancially more nervous. So, through throwing up in the bathroom before the audition,chain smoking, reading well with Adam, Chris, Kate, Pete, and Laurie...I finally got the call from Natalie (the greatest stage manager in the world)that I had the part. Honestly, it was one of the most exciting days of my life. I was out doing "buttery nipple" shots with friends and celebrating the fact that I was asked to to be a part of something that meant so much to me. Also, to act with two of the best actors around.
Sideman was the most rewarding artistic experience of my acting career thus far. This story was very, very close to my heart...being the product of a dysfunctional, broken home...and being raised in family with LOTS of alcoholics, drug addicts, etc. I completely understood who Clifford Glimmer was,,,,and I understood his family. I don't think I have ever loved a character as much as I do Clifford. As Adam said about All my Sons...it was hard to shake that play/character from my psyche....actually I don't think I ever will..it will stay with me for a long time. The rehearsal process was amazing. I really don't have words to explain how quickly everyone came together, everyone worked their asses off. It was the first time that I had been a part of something where EVERYONE was on the same page. I owe SOOO much to X...more than he knows. His direction was unlike anything else I had experienced as an actor. So many times I had felt like a puppet with directors, wanting to have more freedom to explore and discover. Tim gave me all the room to explore and discover that I wanted. Not giving me a specific way to do something, there was no "do it like this"...there was "think about this", or "you can look at it this way, or you could possibly look at it this way". I was like "holy hell" I get to make my own decisions here!!! I get to create this guy on my own!!! I love X with all my heart, and I say it all the time...but I really would read the phonebook for this man.
And working with such an amazing cast and crew. Everyone was so in tune with their characters, and everyone brought so much heart and reality to their characters. I had been a fan of Adam and Laurie's work for so long, I was so nervous/excited to be working with them. There were times during rehearsals that I would stand against the wall (watching the others rehearse) and was like "good lord"...I'm in the presence of some really talented MFer's. Well, I could go on forever about Sideman...I really loved that show, the cast, crew, our beloved stage manager NATALIE CUMMINS, and THE MAN...X. Davis
Although it wasn't the BEST production I've been involved with, it was the most life-changing-- the 2003 edition of "Three Cheers for the Peanut Gallery" at Boone. All those people. Those late nights. The emotional stakes were really ripe for some of us, especially me at the time (going through divorce, tons of other personal stuff). And... my first directing stab.
Swept the end-of-season awards for us, too. There were certainly things I would change about it in hindsight, but that's the way it always is ain't it? It was dirty and crumbled in places, but as Jimmy Rabbite says in "The Commitments":
"It was raw, sure, but there were bits where it was brilliant. I was watching the faces."
2004 Boone was an awesome cast. I still brag on them. But, for sheer personal impact, "Peanut Gallery - 2003". Thank you to Tim X for giving us such cool s**t to say.
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