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May 9, 2008
| It's the end of the first week of rehearsal of The Lady with All the Answers and I am thrilled with the way things are proceeding. Judith Ivey came to the first rehearsal raring to go, and was nearly off-book in the first two days. Tomorrow, Saturday, we will run the play, both acts, for the first time and we would not have been able to do this if she had not come in to rehearsals so remarkably prepared. Many actors prefer to learn lines during the rehearsal process using that time to let the script and the physical geography of the play evolve together. And normally Judy does that, but this time she decided to come in off-book since it is a solo piece. It is so amazing to work in this way from a director's standpoint, because the actor is making choices from the get go. You have a lot to choose from and have opportunities to take different tacks on scenes with facility. It also gives the actor tremendous confidence and grace playing moments with assurance and with an informed sense of ownership. More and more as an actor, I try to come in off-book in order to give the director more to assess and work with, as well as build my own self confidence in making the journey of the play. It feels effortless and quite inspired and I am really quite in awe as are our stage manager Rose Packer and Cori Kabot our production assistant. Not to mention how much fun it is to work with Judy again. More anon, Beej |
Top: Judith Ivey; Bottom: Judith Ivey and Stage Manager Rose Packer |
March 27, 2008
Today Larry Gelbart drops in for the weekend to see how Better Late works for the audience. Previews begin tomorrow and we will watch and learn how the play expands with the addition of the new cast member - our audience. It's an exciting time and as much as I enjoy tech, experiencing the play with an audience in previews is undeniably my favorite, not just as a director but certainly as an actor. It is the exhilaration of discovery and surprise, the thrill of verification and the puzzle of problem solving that makes previews so challenging and fun. The reviewers haven't been in to influence the audience, and the possibilities seem endless, because the expectations of a new play are not formed by prior opinion. Thrilling and raw, previews are, along with rehearsal, my favorite time.
I for one am pumped up to have Larry come to see the actors' work. A playwright has a picture in mind when he writes, but the reality of actually seeing actors in a literal environment can be a revelation. We will all be a bit nervous about his being here, but not as nervous as he will be to see his work in front of an audience. It won't be the first time though since we saw an early version at Interplay on Dec. 17th, and with the help of the Edgerton Foundation, we have had extra time and resources to develop the work. It has been a god-send for us since our resources are limited.
The development of new work has always been a challenge for us, in large part due to our modest budget. Since we began the Interplay Reading Series we have seen some of our "children" grow to be produced at other theatres as well as our own; Better Late is one of those, as is Gas For Less by Brett Neveu, which will be produced by the Goodman next year directed by our friend Dexter Bullard (who directed the first reading here at Northlight last season). We are very proud of the program and its amazing success.
On with our previews, and I can't wait!
More Anon,
Beej
March 25, 2008
Enjoy these rehearsal photos of Mike Nussbaum, John Mahoney and Linda Kimbrough - in the rehearsal room and on the stage!
March 9, 2008
Dear Blogites:
This week we began rehearsals for Better Late with our stellar cast: John Mahoney, Mike Nussbaum, Linda Kimbrough, and Steve Key. Larry Gelbart came in for the first read thru to fill us in on the back story, and to lend moral support. His co-author Craig Wright is steeped in production of his TV series Dirty Sexy Money but is with us in spirit and we look forward to a visit from him during previews. Larry delighted the cast with great stories that only 5 decades in the theatre can provide and was inspirational in his praise and observations. It is fascinating to work with such an amazing professional, whom Craig Wright referred to as one of the world's finest writers. And that is certainly true. Larry has been very responsive to our questions and incredibly collaborative and I feel privileged to have this experience. The cast feels the same.
Our Gala was certainly that, hosted by Beth Broderick, the star of last season's Bad Dates, with E. Faye Butler knocking 'em dead with a trio of gorgeous numbers. It was a delightful night, and our Gala Chairs, Lisa Laurent Peckler and Julie Anastos did another killer job of bringing us all together to celebrate this singular season.
The board presented me with the Evie award, which is given to a board member who best exemplifies the qualities and dedication exhibited by Evelyn Salk, our founding board member. I dedicate the award to Evie and to Candy Corr my wife who has earned it more than I, believe me.
Ten years. It is amazing to me that time has gone so fast. With Better Late I will be directing my fourth show in a year, followed by The Lady with All The Answers starring Judith Ivey. I am privileged to have this job, to have the opportunities to explore my art, and expand my work. I am fortunate to have an extraordinary team headed by Tim Evans, our Executive Director, on board helping me set our sights on the future. We have great plans for Northlight, for our subscribers and our audience. It is an exciting time and as challenging as any time in our history. Thank you for joining us on the ride.
November 9, 2007
Today was one of those days when you remember why you made the choice to devote your life to theatre. Today was the first reading of Better Late by Larry Gelbart and Craig Wright.
Last winter, while we were in rehearsal for Lady here at Northlight (Craig Wright’s Jeff-nominated play about friendship, politics and personal responsibility), I had a conversation with Craig about an idea his mentor Larry Gelbart had, which Craig thought would make a good play. I told him I had made an offer to John Mahoney and Mike Nussbaum to do a play—the rights to which were unavailable at present. I asked he and Larry would be interested in taking their new idea and writing it with John and Mike in mind. He said he would call Larry and ask him if he was interested.
H
e did, he was, and here we are, nearly a year later, reading the fresh first pass in a small reading for artistic staff and my partner in Northlight leadership, Tim Evans. Craig arrived last night, wrote all night, slept two hours and then handed us a 70-minute play which none of us had time to read until we sat down together at noon.
As John, Mike, Linda Kimbrough and Steve Key turned page after page, reading the words that Larry and Craig have passed between them, a play emerged, people appeared, stories unfolded, and the thrill of hearing a story for the first time shivered down all our spines. I think we all knew that we had something special, and that Larry and Craig were gifted artists at the top of their considerable game.
What Craig and Larry have come up with is furiously funny, achingly heartbreaking, and deeply rooted in the marrow of our collective human experience. At the end of the reading we all were very moved and truly exhilarated because we realized that this first draft would become something more than we had anticipated.
Craig outlined his thoughts and plans, conferred with Larry on the phone (who was back in LA), and we talked about staging, characters and shape of the play. His next step is to go back to LA and work on the play with Larry, returning for the Interplay reading on Dec. 17th with the next version of the script. That script will be read for the Interplay audience with the hope of learning what the next steps will be, before starting rehearsals in earnest in March. We have an extra week of rehearsal on this project thanks to the Edgerton Foundation so we have plenty of time and resources.
It was one of those days that make the rough ones, the frustrating ones, worth the challenge. I am so excited to get started. And so grateful that I asked Craig if he and Larry would be interested in turning their idea into this project.
If I were you, I would be here on Dec. 17th. It’s going to be an exciting night.
More Anon,
Beej
photos: (top right) Rosie Forrest, Lynn Baber, Craig Wright; (left) Linda Kimbrough, John Mahoney; (bottom right) Steve Key, Mike Nussbaum.
October 3, 2007
I had lunch yesterday with the Artistic Associate of Actor's Theatre of Louisville, Sean Daniels. Sean worked at Dad's Garage in Atlanta for many years then spent three years at the California Shakespeare Festival. Mark Masterson, the Artistic Director here at ATL, brought Sean on board to help engender an edgy, forward-looking aspect to the work. It is the same impulse we at Northlight have in bringing in Meghan Beals McCarthy as our dramaturg and literary manager.
Sean and I were talking about the future of American Regional Theatre and he said he was interested in work that is more "theatrical," that is: the kind of stories that you can only experience on stage and not see on TV or in a movie theatre. I think we agree that if we are to give the audience of the future a reason to leave their high-definition home theatres for a night out, they should experience something that can only happen in a room full of strangers.
Sean's career has been very interesting, starting with his work at Dad's Garage (the “Second City” of Atlanta) and then moving to a Shakespeare Festival. He has a perspective that is at once raucous and fresh and yet informed by the structure of the regional theatre as it is practiced today. The concept that “theatricality” is the acknowledgement of the defining characteristic of theatre is not new, and yet many new scripts that we all read come to us less as a celebration of that theatricality, and more of an audition for a job as a staff writer on the next hot TV series.
Subliminally we are giving our audience the opposite of our purpose for being: that we are not aesthetically different than what they can get in their living room, that the process of creation is less satisfying and the experience is the same. More and more of these scripts do not push the envelope in style and scope. The challenge to lift the work from the page to the stage and to celebrate the limits of the small stages is never met. The movement began with Odets and hasn't changed. It’s a bit frustrating as an Artistic Director to receive script after script from young and talented writers who set their work on the set of "Three's Company," and who may have something to say were it not for the environment or form wrapping their themes in the same old package.
Imagine the challenge of the Humana Festival, which produces 6 fully produced new plays every year, all meant to be seen in less than three days, and all traversing different themes, styles, aesthetics, and tones. They must read literally 1,000 scripts to arrive at the six they choose and many of those overlap in the style in which their playwrights limit themselves. In a conversation with Mark Masterson, ATL’s Artistic Director, we talked about the future of regional theatre and our audiences. Many regional theatres are seeing single ticket sales rise but subscription sales falling. Louisville is quite healthy and their audiences are wonderful, if last night's preview of my production The Underpants is any indication. They feel a sense of propriety about the Humana Festival and celebrate the more adventurous work. Mark fully understands the blend of his audience and the industry folk who travel from all over the world to see the work at Humana. It is a challenging job and one that requires the mature and broad vision Mark displays in choosing the 24 theatre pieces his institution mounts every year. 24 plays! I am in awe of Mark. I only choose 5 and that is gut wrenching, although I always feel there is so much more I would like to do if I had the money and the resources. It is a unique challenge and Humana is quite an experience for a viewer, to live through a weekend of six new plays. I highly recommend it if you are as much a theatre junky as Candy and I are.
Sean and I didn't settle anything but the bill at our lunch, but I came away sharing his viewpoint and with a sense of optimism that the future of regional theatre will be in good hands when their time comes.
More Anon,
Beej
September 26, 2007
I've just returned from a 36-hour trip home to Chicago, to see a run thru of The Miser in between rehearsals of my own production of Steve Martin's The Underpants at Actor's Theatre of Louisville. Fall could not be a busier time for any theatre artist and this year is no different.
Mark Lococo, our director for The Miser, is overseeing a brilliant cast, and it was so much fun to revisit the play and see them all in process, working on this fast and furious farce. The set is going up and the costumes are being readied and they, like me, start tech this week.
Down here in Louisville we start tech Friday night adding all the elements, which will transform our rehearsal production into the event that 600-plus people a night will experience in the Pamela Brown Theatre. Tech is always a revelation; during these days so many things are adjusted to make the leap.
And the two plays have so many things in common. Carl Sternheim, who wrote the original play from which Steve Martin adapted The Underpants, is called the "German Molière." His sense of silliness is inspired lunacy, at once insubstantial and yet resonant with social commentary. As for Molière, I don't thing there is any question that he and his troupe were the Second City of their time, commenting on the society and the personalities who lived in it. He walked very close to the line of political correctness and threatened to anger the king and his courtiers with every play he wrote. He was brave and brilliant and I think all of our efforts for both productions are aiming to bring that sense of madness, mayhem and theatrical risk to our work.
As for Northlight, we strive to bring a classical piece to you our audience every year. We want to breathe some life into our theatrical heritage and find the chord of resonance between the "Then and Now."
It occurs to me that as our Baby Boomers – of which I am one – begin to lay down their burdens and assess their gains, take stock of their lives and count their blessings, we need to realize that we are merely stewards of the gifts we have been given. How we have nurtured our good fortune (assuming we have) and how we bestow those gifts and to whom and for what, is how we will be judged as a generation. We did not fight "The Big One” (though we went through the Vietnam War), and we did not suffer the collapse of an entire world economy; our collective wealth is staggering. What legacy we leave will say much about who we are and how we changed the world. It’s not just about money either, it’s about our intellectual wealth and our value systems: how we raised our children and the values we instilled in them. As President Bill Clinton says in his new book Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World, "Almost everyone -- regardless of income, available time, age, and skills -- can do something useful for others and, in the process, strengthen the fabric of our shared humanity."
This is the reason I turned to Molière and a play I have personally done twice, to open our season. Of course it’s a lot of fun too, and for many of you, that is why you come to the theatre. But underneath The Miser is a real artistic imperative. As you enjoy Mark and the cast's work, I invite you to see that over the centuries playwrights examine the same issues we wrestle with today. Are we listening? Are we changing? How will we be remembered? Will we be Harpagon or Anselme? And will we leave the earth a better place than we found it?
Well, I gotta go get in my Underpants. Even Carl Sternheim and Steve Martin knew Molière was a genius. I hope you will see it too.
More Anon,
Beej
P.S. And pick up a copy of Bill Clinton's new book, Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World.
September 24, 2007
I got an e mail today from Tracy Letts. Then another one from Lynn Baber our artistic administrator. They were forwarded from someone who told us of the death of Ellie Punkay. I know you don't know who Ellie is, but we in the theatre community knew her.
Ellie was the odd little woman who saw every production in Chicago theatre. She would take off from work and take public transportation from her northside home no matter how far away the theatre was.
At Northlight Ellie would come to our Backstage with BJ events on Friday afternoons, listen to the talk with the designers and directors or actors, and then would astonish us by referencing everything with a catalogic knowledge of the Chicago theatre scene.
She knew all of us, what roles we did, what the plays were about, who designed them, directed them or choreographed them. She was astonishing. It was humbling to know that our little lives were being noted and followed by someone with such passion and diligence.
We are diminished by this, all of us. Ellie was as much a part of the theatre community as any of us. If you are reading this you are clearly a member of our little world. And today we are one family member less. Joe Van Slyke, Gene Jansen, Ellie Punkay... little by little we lose those of us who helped keep the foundation firm. Without the Ellie Punkays of the world, we strut and fret our little lives for fewer friends who watched us grow up, hone our craft, and witness our work written in water.
I will miss Ellie. She never actually addressed me as BJ or Beej or anything really. But she showed up on the bus, even in the snow, every Friday for Backstage with BJ. I don't know if you know what that meant to me personally, but it meant the world to me.
Ellie died alone in her apartment and was found days later. And I am in Louisville directing a play and won't be able to get to the funeral Mass which may have already taken place. But this play that I am directing will be for her. And I will miss all of her laughs in the wrong places. I'll hear them in my head, and I will feel the loss.
I wanted to enclose a portion of the e-mail I received:
Take a moment or two, if you will, and if you feel comfortable, to just remember her.
-From La Paz
David Heimann
And Ellie...see you at the stage door.
More anon,
BJ
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