the director's blog

Blogging & reblogging theatre things. From a director for the stage. If you have any questions, ask away!

[housetohalf]

Techblr, take my hand. Do you trust me? Of course you do. Listen.

So I’ve had an iPad for awhile and have been wanting to integrate it into my SM work, but have never had the right opportunity, or my PSMs or advisors were not really for it. Which is understandable and fine.

Anyways, I’m solo ASMing this really small show. Like 4 actors small. Like no intermission small. Like 4 chairs and a coffin small. SMALL. So I thought this would be a good show to try using an iPad to make my run paperwork. Now please bear in mind the following screenshots are from today’s 10/12 so they’re not prettied up and perfect yet.

Keep reading

[themarydina]

This has been on my bucket list since it first opened. I’m so happy I was finally able to see it. And now I have zero words. But so many thoughts: I loved it. The lights, the projections, the scenic design, the actor, the puppy, the choreography, the walking on walls, THE MATH. I could go in on each of these topics but then this post would be a novel. Just do me a favor: If you haven’t already seen it, GO. NOW. (at Barrymore Theater)

[albinokid1026]

On the 20th anniversary of my friend and collaborator Jonathan Larson’s death, I share this photo I snapped of him during rehearsals at the New York Theatre Workshop. His energy in the rehearsal room was always so positive. I miss him very much, and I remain forever grateful to him for his major role in transforming my life in every meaningful way.

[thedirectorsblog]

Rip❤️

[thedirectorsblog]

Why theatre?

I switched my major around a few times in college. I had no idea what I wanted to do and in some ways I still don’t. When I decided to drop the education part of my English education major at the end of my junior year, my parents were concerned, rightfully so. I attempted to comfort them by saying that I wanted to work in theatre. And went on to explain that I would go to grad school to learn more about the craft, but also to network with theatres and the people in the industry. I am now finishing my final year in my Master’s program and I think my parents are still confused most days but they are also way more supportive now (yay parents!). While I no longer have to answer the question “why theatre” from my parents, I do continue to have that conversation with many extended family members, friends, and even strangers. When you say you are working in theatre, most people immediately jump to the conclusion that you are an actor and that your only goal is to perform on Broadway, just like all the other wanna-be-actors in the world. Once upon a time, I had an interest to act and sing, but I am now more focused on directing and arts administration work (Google: company manager, stage manager, and theatre manager). Most people, my family included, have no idea those are jobs offered in theatre. And to be completely honest, I am still learning there are other jobs offered within theatre that does not involve singing and dancing.

As I am only a short six months away from graduating form my Master’s program, I am forced to look for potential jobs and I wished I knew I wanted to work as a company manager of a theatre back in 2009 when I was applying to colleges. Yes, it would have saved me money and I could’ve had internships at a much younger age, which might have led to a full time job sooner, but at the same time, the experiences I have had at 23 would have been very different if I were 20. I’m the same person I was at 20. I like to think I’m more mature and have my life more together. The journey I took to get to where I am now allowed me to experience other incredible jobs in theatre that do amazing things. I have a greater appreciation for the craft because of the opportunities I have been given. I have met many beautiful people who have different dreams and have incredible stories and have inspired me to keep going. I can only hope I will have that same affect on someone in the future.

So, why theatre? Well, because theatre is so much more than the actors and dancers. It is so much more than Broadway itself. Theatre is its hard working ushers, producers, theatre managers, audience service representatives, teachers, students, directors, designers, patrons, security guards, company managers, performers, technicians, and facility workers. There are countless more and they often go unnoticed and without any thanks. It’s a beautiful thing to be apart of a live production that moves its audience members to tears, but it is an equally beautiful thing to be apart of a theatre organization that works together with all of those positions to offer productions and experiences to the world.

[thedirectorsblog]

First rehearsal

After many months of pre-production work for this show, I’m very excited to finally get in the rehearsal room with the actors tonight! These next 3 months are going to be interesting but I’m very excited to get going! Now I just need to finish putting together my presentation for Wednesday... (oy!) 

Are any of you guys working on shows currently or preparing to start on a show? Let me know! :)

[thedirectorsblog]

From Drew Gasparini's song "Two Little Lines". If you've never heard of him, please go look him up! He's on YouTube and his albums are on iTunes! He's awesome & so are his songs. You won't be disappointed.

[thedirectorsblog]

The following is something I wrote on my person Facebook that I thought would be appropriate for Tumblr as well. Before I jump into the post, I just want to say that I support marriage equality. But I don't choose to focus this post on my views and beliefs. I found this to be very interesting. I usually never post things on here that could cause a debate because I don't believe MY Facebook post is the place for it. When in company of others, I always prefer to listen in on these types of conversations to try to understand the "other side's" point of view because arguing each other points will do no good. If both sides are shouting their thoughts, which side is listening? To progress anywhere in this world - as a society or as an individual - I believe we need to listen to each other and not for the sake of responding but for the sake of truly listening to someone's thoughts. "I think people should be allowed to love who they love. If people are respectful and pure in that love, they should not be judged for it. They should not be given any less credence or rights on the grounds of who they love." - Jessie Mueller

[thedirectorsblog]

Ode To My High School Drama Teacher

So I recently heard that my high school drama teacher won Teacher of the Year for my (very large, very old) school district. This is such a big deal for the community, particularly any of the alumni who participated in her drama program at the school! As I’m sure others here can relate to, arts tends to take a back seat when it comes to awards and recognition. She’s one of the only teachers I can think of that would stay at the school past midnight to get her work done. She’s extremely talented and really helps the kids who walk through the auditorium and stage doors (her classroom). It’s truly inspiring and it got me thinking of my time with her. More importantly it got me reminiscing about where I came from.

Flash back (many years) to senior year of high school. It was senior awards night and the theatre department just read an insert of my essay I had submitted for scholarship money. I had won. And that marked the first time in four years I think I had "won" anything.

Now flash back even further into my past: middle school. My chorus class went to the high school to see the spring musical: Footloose. It was a matinee show during school hours for the middle/elementary schools in the district to go and get a taste of what the high school could be like! Needless to say I fell in love. I knew that I wanted to be up there doing what those "big kids" we're doing.

I loved my experience doing the shows in high school. It was always so much fun. My group of friends were formed from the theatre and music departments. I even dated a guy who did tech for the shows. My mom became president of the board for the arts and was in charge of the stage makeup for the shows. It was the truest sense of a second family for me. I always worked hard but I never had "the dream" to be that famous actor on Broadway. I guess I knew I just wasn't as good as others. It may seem pessimistic but it was also just realistic and I was completely ok with that. The only goal I had was to get a lead role by my senior year - mainly for the experience. This was a goal I never shared with anyone.

To say I was involved in the arts programs at school was an understatement. During my senior year I was the president of the chorus, a member and coordinator for the Tri-M music honor society, and apart of the Thesbian society. I was also a dance captain and the teacher's assistant for both the drama and choir teachers. I auditioned every year for the musicals and worked hard each time that I was placed in the top dance ensemble group. But when I was called back for one of supporting lead roles I was elated. I remember working on the callback song in the living room with my mom for HOURS. Literally hours. I even got an applause in the callbacks when I finished my song. Spoiler alert: I didn’t get the role. I was devastated but I only allowed myself to feel sorry for myself for a few hours. I decided to go to the director (my drama teacher) and ask her what she thought I did "wrong". We talked and eventually I became at peace with the outcome. Some of my peers, on the other hand, were not so peaceful about the situation. They told me that they felt I should have gotten the role - and not the sophomore. Many tried to provoke anger or any negative emotions from me. I never gave them the satisfaction because I was looking at the bigger picture: the musical, the end result. I put on a brave face and told them I was ok with the situation. It wasn’t just about me. But if I allowed it to become about me then it would ruin the bigger picture and the end product and I would not allow that to happen. I decided to put my extra time to good use and offered my services wherever they needed me. I made the top dance group for ensemble, was given a small speaking role (5 lines!), and was named dance captain for this show. I also typed up the program (including 50+ cast bios OYE!). I helped my best friend (who was a lead) with her dance solo, stayed after rehearsals to clean up and came in on the days off to paint sets! I was definitely lovin' life.

Now back to the senior year awards. I wrote an essay on my experience with the theatre department and how not getting the lead that year was the best thing that probably ever happened during my time there. In fact, I was so inspired that when I graduated I wanted to become a high school drama teacher!

I was inspired to work with kids and teach them the ways of performing but also convey a message that if you don't get what you set off for, to not give up on your dream but maybe alter your path! You may find a passion for something else. For me, I found my passion for directing, working with kids, and even working in arts administration, company management. These things I may not have ever discovered had I been cast as that lead role all those years ago.

I am beyond grateful for my drama teacher and my musical director/choreographer. She taught me so many things that I still use in master classes and workshops and rehearsals today! I am also so incredibly lucky that my school district believes in its arts programs. Compared to many other schools I have visited or heard of, my alma mater truly respects the work of the countless educators, volunteers, students, and parents in the theatre and music communities.

When I graduated college, I sent my drama teacher a Facebook message. I thanked her for her work she did with me in high school. I think everyone should reach out to an old teacher or mentor to thank them and just tell them you appreciate their hard work and their help. Sorry this is obnoxiously long. If you made it down here, you're a trouper!! X

[thedirectorsblog]

Competition: it's healthy, right? I mean the human race is competitive. But as actors, directors, designers, etc, we feel conflicted. We don't want to be competitive because it can counterproductive to our own craft; yet we feel that if we aren't competitive then we are lazy or complacent. (Note: this is not meant to be applied to all rather this is based off of my friends I know in this business.) We are many things. We are not perfect. How do "just bloom" in a world, rather, in a craft, that is competitive and requires 1000% hard work and dedication? How can we not compare ourselves to others? Does that not make us better? I love the concept of this quote. I am striving to be more like this quote. But I can't help but ask those questions. If anyone has any answers or thoughts, feel free to add 'em!

[thedirectorsblog]

NEW PROJECT ALERT :)

So I've started on a new project: a stage adaptation of Pride & Prejudice! This is a completely different and new experience for me as I am assistant directing the show this time and it's for a BFA Acting program! I'm excited to finally share this news with all of you! And since I'm not fully in charge of this project, I will hopefully have more time to blog about it so if you have any questions for me or anything you'd like me to blog about please private message me and I will try to do it! We don't start rehearsals until September bc that's when the school starts the fall semester but we are casting now! That gives the actors plenty of time to do their research and work on their lines!!

[thedirectorsblog]

Helllllo all musical theatre and theatre lovers - I am looking for new musicals to add to my iTunes. Tell me what I should look into! :) Thanks in advance!

[scenicdesign]

What is the future of theater?

This is a large question that breaks down into two categories: theater and Broadway theater.  

Considering the way theater is taught in universities and conservatories around the country, the theater is bound to stay actor-centric, rather then director-centric like Germany.  Whether you view an actor-centric theater as a good or bad approach, it lends itself to a culture of like minded artists creating collectives, think tanks and theaters that want to push the ground of what theater is and can be.  Groups and artists like Temporary Distortion, Michael Friedman, Punchdrunk and Ivo Van Hove (if you don’t know these people/companies look them up) are attempting to push the medium and the art of theater.  Together they are exploring the role actors, design, text and form play in a theatrical performance.  At the root of it they are taking:

RISK

Risk is the future of theater.  Only thru risk comes a reward.  What constitutes a risk is a personal artistic question, but when you approach a design with the intent of risk, you’re bound to expand personal artistic limits as well as the collective understanding of design.

·      What if you wore Occulus headsets with Hooke headphones so you could “beam” into a live show from the front row?  

·      What if we removed the master and commander idea of theater, like the operator operating the light board, and instead the lights were trigged by systems built into the set for the actors to control?  (Working on this idea myself now.)

·      What if robots, holograms and drones replaced the role of the actor?  (See Third Space Theater’s upcoming production of E.P.I.C.A.C.)

·      What if the audience heard the whole show thru headphones and then what if those headphones decided what role you play – i.e.: audience or impromptu actor?  (Already happening.) 

Testing the limits of technology as a storytelling device and challenging the expectations of form is the future of theater.  

In terms of Broadway it’s really not worth discussing. Broadway is capitalism and like the movie industry is heading towards a system where shows become too big to fail. See Spiderman Turn Off The Dark = 70 million dollars.   I will concede that a few shows on Broadway have artistic merit, but when the description of your show starts with “High Profile Celebrity makes Broadway debut in _____________” the goal of your production clearly isn’t to tell a great story but to make money…

What are your thoughts on the future of theater?  

- bc

[birdlaces]

Scenic design for Paramount Theatre’s Les Misérables by Kevin Depinet

[thedirectorsblog]

That's awesome!

[broadwaycom]

PHOTOS! Brian d'Arcy James and the cast of SOMETHING ROTTEN welcome you to the Renaissance

[not-normal-next-to-normal-deact]

listen up theatre nerds

so a friend gave me the idea to start a post that tags a bunch of peeps with primarily theatre blogs, so that us theatre nerds can find each other easier.

so if you run, or follow people who run, primarily theatre blogs, reblog this, add people, tag people, whatever.

*this includes people who post about any aspect of theatre, including musical theatre blogs, acting blogs, techie blogs, etc.*

[bwayfan25]

headcanonsforwicked

[thedirectorsblog]

Show up. Pay attention. Tell the truth. Don't be attached to the results.

[thedirectorsblog]

What You Mean To Me

If you have not seen the broadwaycom video of Finding Neverland the Musical’s song “What You Mean To Me” you need to stop reading right now and click the link here!! You won’t regret it.

(Photo from Broadway.com’s Youtube Video)

As a director for the stage, I can’t help but look at performances and just see the movement and creativity of a director or choreographer. I notice the emotion within the movements. I notice the beats. I notice the emotion from the hands and feet, even the nose and eyes! It’s truly crazy. But I’m sure other production people can say the same thing about their craft. And what performers Laura Michelle Kelly and Matthew Morrison do in this video is pure magic.

I’ve always loved the Disney’s Peter Pan film but when Johnny Depp’s film “Finding Neverland” came out, it was game over. “Finding Neverland” was an incredible story that needed to be told and I’m glad it was told. I’m not sure if there are other films like “Finding Neverland” or “Saving Mr. Banks” but, as a creator and artist, I find those kinds of stories very motivating. Something about how a single person can live through so much bad yet produce such greatness, it’s just... WOW!

While I haven’t seen the Broadway production of “Finding Neverland - The New Musical” yet, I have seen rehearsal footage as mentioned above. (Side note: I do plan on seeing the show next month!) I always get nervous about musicals that come from movies or tv shows. I can’t explain it and I try not to 'write it off’ until I’ve seen it. And I typically try not to make a habit of ‘writing off’ any given show just because I don’t like it because it’s art. Art is subjective and it’s objective and it’s personal. I could go on forever about that but I won’t do that here (-mentally saving that idea for another blog post though).

Anyway, when I saw the “What You Mean to Me” video posted on Broadway.com’s Youtube page, I had chills and I was speechless. I was pleasantly surprised by Matthew Morrison’s seemingly easy transition from Glee teacher to struggling playwright. I was completely blown away by Laura Michelle Kelly’s performance in this 3.5 minute clip. I’ve never seen her perform before and I just couldn’t believe she was able to have that much control with her voice. I’m very excited to see her live to say the least. But after my 2nd or 3rd time watching the video, I began studying their feet, their hand movements, and their spacing throughout the song. 

At the beginning of the song, they start at opposite ends of the room - with a ghost light standing between them. Once they start singing, they both start walking towards each other and you can instantly feel the passion between them. I’m not sure if this was choreographer Mia Michael’s intention but there were a lot of ‘close-to-touching’ moments - as if both characters wanted to hold each other but stopped short due to fear: “I won’t lie, I’m a little bit frightened of my imagination”. About 1/4 of the way through the song Morrison grabs Kelly’s hand and they do not let go of each other until the end of the brief dance break. And by the look of their facial expressions, they are coming back to reality after a brief moment of seeing what it could be like if they let go of their inhibitions and would just be together. Luckily they only stay apart for a few seconds and the second time they sing “I won’t lie, I’m a little bit frightened of my imagination” they are grasping onto each other’s arms and staring into each other’s eyes as if they are saying they are more certain this time. And again, they hold onto each other until the end of the song which ends in a kiss. 

Such beauty comes from simplicity. I liked how the choreography was minimal yet intricate. I enjoyed seeing a new type of choreography that will grace a Broadway stage. It wasn’t the typical Musical Theatre choreo but it didn't seem out of place either. 

I think my little excited rant is over for now. This video not only moved me but it has equally inspired me to create more! And I can’t wait to see the whole production!! If you’re interested in seeing the show for discounted tickets, please consider visiting TodayTix or downloading their app!