First hour of rehearsal

I decide to hang out for the beginning of rehearsal in the studio theater at OTB. The combo of Virgin Writer Moll and NOTORIOUS veteran Brian Faker sounds fun.

Brian's first words "Picture if you will prison"

He is explaining how he does this-
Pass it out, parts you probably are not going to play.
Just read it. No acting.
Get every world right.
See what it is.

He is explaining how he will be staging it small to start in the space they are working in and how he is COMPLETELY PISSED OFF at how the stage is set up. (noted last night as well.)

As they read Brian notes words that people say that are notes in the script, things that are all in capitols.
They actors are holding back ALOT to just read the play. I think I see their actor brains exploding out of their heads with the strain of NOT acting it as they read it. All the adrenaline of the draw and then sitting down and holding back all that energy. Ouch.

The design team comes in. Brian tells them something about the drawing being wrong or something? I am not clear. He wants to play it all in one area I think. Continuation of his general dissatisfaction with the stage set up. I think this will not be the last time we hear about this from him.

He sets his costume priories. Besides uniforms he REALLY needs a billy club and a hat.
Brian goes ahead and casts it while he is chatting with costumer Hannah.
He is giving Ahren VERY specific lighting needs. 30 minutes in and he is already showing the designers where on the set everything is going to happen. His brain is going so fast I think smoke is coming out of his ears. DAMN! I never know that much this early! Design team has what they need for now and takes off with the promise to check back in an hour or so.

Doug Willot (Virgin Actor) asks Brian about if he should do something (missed what his thought was)
"Actually just learn your lines and do what I tell you"
Chuckles from everyone.
He is kidding. Sort of.
"No actually..." he talks about how he will be relying on their ideas/improv skills as the "get this thing going" but he wants people to make sure they do they lines.

They start reading again. With their real parts now, and acting is in on!
Moll is laughing right away.
Brian busts out laughing.
This is a KILLER cast, I can tell already. It is awesome to watch them jump right in, they are totally milking this comedy already.

But what will Brian say when they get to the end?

Second read done-
Brian asks "Any questions?"
John Farrage has a small character question. No one else does yet. Brian shifts the casting of two characters.
He asks if Moll has anything to add. Not yet.
Some discussion of what a shiv is. Sharp weapon like a knife. Mike Dooly adds that he he "watched the F%$& out of Lock up" so he knows all about it. Shivs could be made out of anything. Even paper. Juicy.

Third read now-
It's getting bigger. Snort laughs now. Actors are shifting around in their chairs more as they read. Leaning in. Taking bigger breaths. Focusing on each other more.
Director and writer are CLEARLY loving it. It is going to be really funning.
They are done with this read and discussing again. They start talking about the ugly stuff under the funny.
"As ruthless as you can make yourselves, it's gonna be pretty funny when..." (I can't tell you what happens, that would ruin it.)
This seems like a really perfect group for this piece.

Brian does a quick check in on the personal needs of the actors. Parking? Babies to take care of? He wants to make sure they have time for their lines etc. They are going over the plans for the day. He hopes to back off from them after tech so they can do what they need to do.

Few more big picture notes from Brian-
Line perfect is critical. Don't improvise the lines. Not only will it piss him off but it won't be a good service to the play. It is funny as it is.

I am going to have to leave soon so I can be surprised tonight, this is a fun one! DON'T MISS IT!!!