I cried like a baby

After Plaza's Thank You Party last April, I ordered a script for Enchanted April from Amazon. However, it was a lazy Sunday morning in August before I finally made time to sit down and read it for the first time.

I got halfway through the second page and had to jump up and read it aloud in my kitchen. I was enthralled! One character in particular—Lotty—jumped out and simply enchanted me. Exuberant and quirky, confident yet uncertain. She hopes for some enchantment to change what we have into what we wish for—rather than the other way around (!!). Throughout the rest of the script, I connected more and more with the character, and by the end longed for the opportunity to play her. But... actors know how that goes... We've all been crushed enough times to be realistic.

Through two more readings of the script, I started to fear that disappointment, and had almost decided not to audition. The whole story is so wonderful, this character so kindred, that I didn't know how I could bear the very real possibility of putting my soul through the wringer in the audition process, letting my hopes rise, then not being cast at all. We all know it happens often. I've blogged several of my own such experiences.

But I couldn't not audition. I went in with an open mind. I just wanted to do the show, to be a part of bringing the story to Plaza's stage. I could see myself as Rose, too. Or even Costanza or Mrs. Graves with enough age makeup. At callbacks I was very nervous but didn't hold back. Gave it my best effort, then tried my hardest not to hope.

Calls were to be made Tuesday, and I... stressed... all... day. I was operating on only a few hours's sleep, so I was a hot mess all day. I dreaded the idea of going to bed that night with no role.

So when I got the call—for Lotty—I was so shocked and relieved and tired that I literally cried. I hope I said thank you before I hung up, not sure. I was bawling, but managed to shouted with joy before crying some more. With shaking hands I texted my best friend, who, it turns out, was also cast, making this role that much more special.

I am unbelievably excited!

Speaking of Shakespeare

Auditioning for Kiss Me Kate tomorrow. I feel like this director prefers to use me as stage decoration (as another director so aptly put it), so the most I'm actually hoping for is Hattie, though I'd really love to play Lilli. I'm hoping that my having played Juliet in my youth will stand me in good stead, and I've been reading Shrew aloud to practice the language. But I'm not holding my breath.

It's perhaps a little strange how the Bard infiltrates. My bestie and I got tattoos today. I knew I only had funds for a basic quote, and I had it narrowed down to "There are never enough 'I love you's," (Lenny Bruce) and "Not all victories are about saving the universe," (The Doctor). But on the way there, I changed my mind and ended up with "Like madness is the glory of this life," (Shakespeare). He ended up with a Stanislavski quote: "Love art in yourself, and not yourself in art."

Yes, we are theatre nerds. How did you know?

Theatre junkie weekend

It was another crazy theatre junkie weekend. At 8 am Saturday, we were headed out the door to make it to my Noises Off audition, which went well, I think. I was only auditioning for Poppy because of my numerous conflicts, so that's the only part I read. A 45-minute drive for a 2-minute audition. However, worth it either way. If cast, yay. If not, I can't regret not giving it a shot.

Then it was on to White Christmas rehearsal, to which we were not called until 10:30. I guess I'm known to be good with accents, because the actress playing Martha (Judy played Golde when I was Yente nearly two years ago--I helped her with her Yiddish accent then) consulted with me about what sort of voice Martha would have. I pointed her toward http://www.dialectsarchive.com/, where she could listen to New England 'natives' speaking. I related how I use my long drive to and from work or theatre to find a character's voice, to experiment with dialect and cadence. I look at the character's word choice, research unfamiliar expressions and colloquialisms used. Judy and I share the approach that finding the character's voice is an essential first step to determining who s/he is, why she says what s/he says, and how s/he reacts to various situations and other characters.

After White Christmas rehearsal, it was a quick trip home, then back to perform two shows of Clue: The Musical. I love when actors finally settle in to a show, grab it by the cojones and own it. Pace, energy, intensity all take flight, and the show is suddenly a thousand times better than it was even the day before. That was yesterday. Thursday and Friday evening shows were good, but Saturday's shows were spectacular. This is probably why some theatres do more than one preview. Or a preview, a $5 night, maybe a Pay-what-you-can night. Putting a show in front of an audience adds a whole new dynamic, of course, and some shows require a higher level of comfort and familiarity with how the audience overall will respond before it can fully ripen. Alas, such is Clue. Next weekend will be a bit of a challenge, though: we have another actor stepping in for our Professor Plum. Who has not seen a whit of the show since tech week. Fingers crossed.

Today we saw another theatre's production of Clue, which was very good. They had a solid alto among the suspects, and an upright bass in addition to piano and percussion, so musically they sounded better in some numbers. But overall, I like ours better, of course.

During that show, I felt my phone vibrate. Afterwards, after we'd chatted with the cast, I remembered that I probably had a message. It was the stage manager for Noises Off letting me know that my conflict were just too great, which I suspected would/should be the case. It was actually a bigger relief than I thought it would be. While I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to do Noises Off, the stress of doing it NOW would be significant.

So I shall be auditioning for Cash on Delivery (which I am already slated to costume) on November 4th. That director is a principal in White Christmas, so his conflicts are the same as mine.

Love this chaotic life!

To catch a crayola-clad killer

Onward! Clue: The Musical opened this weekend, and it is so much fun! The hardest part of this show for me is keeping a straight face.

The musical is based on the board game, and ours specifically on the 1963 version. Our in-the-round set looks much like the 1963 board, with the playing surface (i.e. the board) painted on the floor, and the rooms painstakingly replicated on the walls (by artist Julie Lee) behind each room box on the floor. A wood table on wheels and a 60's style office chair are the only set pieces, and we have larger versions of the 1963 playing cards for audience members to choose.

It is one of Plaza's long-running 'jokes' to seize any opportunity to fit the locale of Godley, Texas, into a show where it wouldn't be anachronous or inappropriate. If it's a modern-day show, and there are any place-names mentioned, there's a good chance that one of those places will be Godley, Texas. Clue is no exception, and I'm ridiculously honored to be the one to deliver the line. I have to hold for more laughter there than anywhere else in the show.

Opening weekend comments:
"Great accent!"
"Lovely voice!"
"Beautiful hair!"
"You must have studied under Columbo!" (This one's my favorite!)

A large number of patrons who saw the show this weekend have already purchased tickets to see it again, which I think shows more than anything else how wonderful the production is.

Also this weekend: I was able to attend White Christmas rehearsals for the first time, and am giddy for that one, too. It's going to be a sweet holiday must-see. Lots of bright music with a big joyous ensemble and kick-booty talent in the lead roles.

Blessed indeed.

I'll miss my castmates...

Steel Magnolias closed last night and I feel like I should write a wrap-up for posterity's sake. Right now all I can say is it was about the hardest show I've ever done, and I'm glad to be done with it. Maybe in a month or two when I'll have the benefit of a little more perspective.

We had great audiences yesterday, which made those last two shows so much better. During the bows of the matinee, the skies opened up outside and it started pouring rain. So there were still a lot of patrons gathered, waiting for a break in the deluge, by the time the cast got out of costume and made our way out to eat before the next show. I was in my rehearsal clothes from earlier, tattoos flashing, my hair braided and frizzy from the wigs, but still in my Clairee age makeup. One patron was quite startled. "Oh wow. You're young!" Another wasn't sure who I'd played. "Were you the tall skinny one?" Another seemed to be familiar with how accurate playbills can be. "I thought the picture in the program was a mistake!" So I guess I made a fairly convincing senior citizen. LOL

After the final show last night, I gathered up almost all of the props and pieces that I personally provided (a trunkful, and I realized this morning I forgot a few things), put my costumes in order, picked up a bunch of trash, put prop pieces away, hugged my castmates, and left. Pretty sure I didn't miss anything, since there was no mention of any sort of anything except getting out. Which I did.

I made the long drive home and got to bed before midnight (!!!), slept until 8, and am now looking ahead to tech week for Clue, and then diving into White Christmas rehearsals next Saturday, and auditioning for Noises Off the following Saturday.

Theatre makes my heart happy, even difficult theatre. So blessed to be able to do this.

Sly beauty, it says so in the newspaper!

Steel Magnolias closes this weekend, and we finally got a review. This is MY pertinent snippet from the article in the Glen Rose News by S. Prince.

"Stacey Greenawalt King is Clairee Belcher, the football-loving, widowed wife of the former mayor, who possesses sly beauty and quick wit. She epitomizes a saucy Southern Belle aging with grace and humor, delivers zingers left and right, and lends perfect balance and diffusion during moments of grief. Ms. Greenawalt King hits the proverbial nail on the head with her performance."

Check out my fan kicks!

I will never claim to be a dancer, yet at the same time, I'm not incapable of it. I'll never win the Chita Rivera Dance Award, but I can generally hold my own in most musical theatre dance numbers with enough practice.

I've never had the gripping urge to practice my fan kicks into a choreographer's face. Until very recently. Left, right, left, right, look at that extension, the curve of the foot, the smooth arc of motion, the blazing showgirl smile!

And there aren't even any fan kicks in the show.

So here's the point of this post. Future producer/director self: If your choreographer thinks infinitely more of himself than he does of the actors, if he took the job only for the paycheck (and particularly if he makes that fact known to the actors), and if he needs to repeatedly tell the actors how amazing and clever he is and how much training he has and how many years he's been making actors crazy with his snide and condescending style... You're gonna have a bad time.

In this case fortunately, nearly every one of the actors has as much stage time under their belts as said choreographer, have worked through much tougher dance numbers with other choreographers, and are able to look ahead to the end of the process. Thus we gallantly refrain from violence while he's near and vent when he's not.

And then we spend several hours outside of rehearsal to practice, so that when we perform much better a few days later, the choreographer, thinking it's only third time to run it, once again reminds himself and everyone else how amazing he is because obviously he did a great job teaching it.

Fan kick!