The first time I heard my text read, it was like watching a toddler take her first steps - no joke. (Infinite thanks to the Bridal Salon at Painted Bride Art Center.)
One of my favorite pieces of feedback (granted, from my mom), was that you could hear my voice through the actresses' voices - which hopefully speaks to the writing, but also certainly to the wonderful ladies up on stage, who truly breathed life into this collicky creature.
As we started auditions this round, I told Meg, my director/constant-reassurer-of-all-good-things-to-come (or at least that there will be something on stage and that I will not die), that I would pretty much be useless at this point. "I just can't stop being excited to hear other people say my words. I like them all."
One of my favorite pieces of feedback (granted, from my mom), was that you could hear my voice through the actresses' voices - which hopefully speaks to the writing, but also certainly to the wonderful ladies up on stage, who truly breathed life into this collicky creature.
As we started auditions this round, I told Meg, my director/constant-reassurer-of-all-good-things-to-come (or at least that there will be something on stage and that I will not die), that I would pretty much be useless at this point. "I just can't stop being excited to hear other people say my words. I like them all."
Meg assured me she'd be able to handle it (see above title), and here we are, a couple weeks into rehearsals. Doing what, you ask? Excellent question!
Reading
Can't lie, this part is still super exciting to me. Plus I've caught some typos, some phrases that trip people up or don't quite make sense, or some words that get repeated and so must be changed to things like "virago."
Text Splicing
This is the first time I've deliberately picked the order of the individual stories, which is actually super empowering. (In the past there's been shuffling or making other people choose for me.) But to keep in the chaotic, tumbly feeling of memory and experience, we've been playing around with splicing stories together - inserting a sentence from one story into another, repeating phrases in rounds, and overlapping two different stories against one another.
So far, sound has mostly consisted of inserting breathing phrases into certain texts, but there are also plans for things like dropping an actual piano on stage. (Don't tell Meg. Or First Person Arts. Or Christ Church Neighborhood House. In fact, let's just keep this hush hush for now.)
We're working with the idea of three stations for the set - places where the story can be told from or take place, and around which we can build movement, like a bed, a desk, etc. It took us a while to get to the third station, mostly because of all the smart suggestions from the whole team, including shark tunnel, pile of boys, an ex in a cage, and 12 Grimmauld place (the team has also noted a number of Harry Potter comparisons in the text).
One of my performers brought us Bus Stop, an amazing improv game where each person creates a small movement, and then the next has to repeat it and add on another small movement. I have invented a technique I call "bodystorming," and am now convinced I can be a choreographer. Meg is now convinced that someone is going to die flying off a bench. But seriously, wow. I have some smart, talented ladies on my side here, and I'm psyched to get started again tonight.
Sounds
So far, sound has mostly consisted of inserting breathing phrases into certain texts, but there are also plans for things like dropping an actual piano on stage. (Don't tell Meg. Or First Person Arts. Or Christ Church Neighborhood House. In fact, let's just keep this hush hush for now.)
Set
We're working with the idea of three stations for the set - places where the story can be told from or take place, and around which we can build movement, like a bed, a desk, etc. It took us a while to get to the third station, mostly because of all the smart suggestions from the whole team, including shark tunnel, pile of boys, an ex in a cage, and 12 Grimmauld place (the team has also noted a number of Harry Potter comparisons in the text).
Movement
One of my performers brought us Bus Stop, an amazing improv game where each person creates a small movement, and then the next has to repeat it and add on another small movement. I have invented a technique I call "bodystorming," and am now convinced I can be a choreographer. Meg is now convinced that someone is going to die flying off a bench. But seriously, wow. I have some smart, talented ladies on my side here, and I'm psyched to get started again tonight.
The True Story, or Vicious & Multiple & Untrue After All will premiere as part of First Person Arts RAW at the First Person Arts Festival (November 8-17, 2012).
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