14/48: The World's Quickest Theater Festival Blog
Friday, January 29, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
14/48 Over The Rainbow Weekend Photos by Auston James
Hello 14/48ers. Here is a link to the photos from the Over The Rainbow/Into The Fire Weekend. I think I got shots of just about everybody, so if you can't find one of yourself be sure to check the Tech Albums, you might be in there. If you use a photo, I'm grateful for a photo credit. Love you all, Auston http://gallery.me.com/austonjames
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Post Everything
The thing about 14/48 is that it happens and then it's gone, which makes recapping the event after it's all said and done kind of pointless.
You weren't there? Well, you didn't get to see David Schmader's stunningly spot on ode to bad theater experiences, for one thing. You also didn't get to see that entire cast nail it, every single one of them, with all due kudos for the direction. The next thing you missed was Keira MacDonald in Marcy Rodenborn's* Birds Fly. Then Scotto Moore's scifi hilarity. Then a double date with your subconscious.
And that's just the first act. Then there's the second act.
After all of that has taken place, there's the massive hanging out of everyone involved, past and present. The history in the room. The new connections made. The people who worked vigorously for well over 48 hours, dealing with all of the stresses and pressures; they finally get to release. What they all have in common is the shared experience with everyone else in the room.
Veteran and Mazen Award Winner Charles Smith looks at the scene around him and remembers when it was being done at Seattle Mime on the top floor at Oddfellows Hall.
Paul Mullin congratulates Jonah Von Spreecken on his virgin weekend, Schmader gets talked into one last shot of Jose Cuervo, and Tim Moore rounds up the band so that cigarettes can be had. And there are the Sanders, and Fullerton, and Davidson, and Toms, and Moon, Wooster-Brown, Viertel, Tagavilla, Middleton, Poole, MacDonald, Jordan, Janusz, Keene, Walsh, Hyland, James, Lass, O'Connor, Belyea, Witmer, Gonzales, Butler, Van Heel, Harris, Ahiers, Bell, Schwartz, Jensen, Rodenborn, Lloyd, Kuhlman, La Plant and on and on and on and on.
It's a blast, and telling you all about it now serves no one.
It happens and then it's gone. Until July.
You weren't there? Well, you didn't get to see David Schmader's stunningly spot on ode to bad theater experiences, for one thing. You also didn't get to see that entire cast nail it, every single one of them, with all due kudos for the direction. The next thing you missed was Keira MacDonald in Marcy Rodenborn's* Birds Fly. Then Scotto Moore's scifi hilarity. Then a double date with your subconscious.
And that's just the first act. Then there's the second act.
After all of that has taken place, there's the massive hanging out of everyone involved, past and present. The history in the room. The new connections made. The people who worked vigorously for well over 48 hours, dealing with all of the stresses and pressures; they finally get to release. What they all have in common is the shared experience with everyone else in the room.
Veteran and Mazen Award Winner Charles Smith looks at the scene around him and remembers when it was being done at Seattle Mime on the top floor at Oddfellows Hall.
Paul Mullin congratulates Jonah Von Spreecken on his virgin weekend, Schmader gets talked into one last shot of Jose Cuervo, and Tim Moore rounds up the band so that cigarettes can be had. And there are the Sanders, and Fullerton, and Davidson, and Toms, and Moon, Wooster-Brown, Viertel, Tagavilla, Middleton, Poole, MacDonald, Jordan, Janusz, Keene, Walsh, Hyland, James, Lass, O'Connor, Belyea, Witmer, Gonzales, Butler, Van Heel, Harris, Ahiers, Bell, Schwartz, Jensen, Rodenborn, Lloyd, Kuhlman, La Plant and on and on and on and on.
It's a blast, and telling you all about it now serves no one.
It happens and then it's gone. Until July.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
The Last 7:00pm Meeting in January 2010
If you've been following the festival for awhile, you should know the War Cry of 14/48:
Artist Liaison: 8 o'clock show?
All: OPENING NIGHT ENERGY!!!
Artist Liaison: 10:30 show?
All: CLOSING NIGHT ENERGY!!!!
Artist Liaison: If you think you're talking too loud?
All: SPEAK UP
Artist Liaison: and if you start feeling tired?
All: RAISE THE FUCKING STAKES!!!!!
Therese Henning, owner of the Seattle Body Bar, is providing massages for artists through the 8pm show.
Tech was a real bitch with the light board losing all pre-set cues from last week and last night. Derek Van Heel restored EVERYTHING in 40 minutes. That's why tech started late. It was a technical error. Nobody had anything to do with it. If you could have fixed the board in under 40 minutes and you didn't have the exact tech experience you wanted, then you may bitch.
Otherwise, say "Thank you Derek Van Heel for staying calm and professional. If I can write you a letter of recommendation to NYU's Tisch School of the Arts' MFA Lighting Design Program to which you're applying, I'd be happy to help you."
Play #4 has live fire in it. Murphy is in charge of the fire extinguisher. Do not fuck with it, do not fuck with her during show #4.
Artist Liaison: 8 o'clock show?
All: OPENING NIGHT ENERGY!!!
Artist Liaison: 10:30 show?
All: CLOSING NIGHT ENERGY!!!!
Artist Liaison: If you think you're talking too loud?
All: SPEAK UP
Artist Liaison: and if you start feeling tired?
All: RAISE THE FUCKING STAKES!!!!!
Therese Henning, owner of the Seattle Body Bar, is providing massages for artists through the 8pm show.
Tech was a real bitch with the light board losing all pre-set cues from last week and last night. Derek Van Heel restored EVERYTHING in 40 minutes. That's why tech started late. It was a technical error. Nobody had anything to do with it. If you could have fixed the board in under 40 minutes and you didn't have the exact tech experience you wanted, then you may bitch.
Otherwise, say "Thank you Derek Van Heel for staying calm and professional. If I can write you a letter of recommendation to NYU's Tisch School of the Arts' MFA Lighting Design Program to which you're applying, I'd be happy to help you."
Play #4 has live fire in it. Murphy is in charge of the fire extinguisher. Do not fuck with it, do not fuck with her during show #4.
That Time is here... 6:13pm
It is that time after dinner has started, tech is almost done. Anyone who has done tech sits and eats. Catch up on the shows and the weekend. The next gig... but no one really talks about what's coming...
No one wants to REALLY talk about what could happen. Just the funny stories which you've read below. I think if someone totally unaware of 14/48 walked into this room, that person would think "This is a room full of spies. They're all on the same team. They're all good guys. But they're getting ready for the Final Battle."
No one wants to REALLY talk about what could happen. Just the funny stories which you've read below. I think if someone totally unaware of 14/48 walked into this room, that person would think "This is a room full of spies. They're all on the same team. They're all good guys. But they're getting ready for the Final Battle."
The Beige One Signing Off
Pretty good day today, only downside is missing the tech for show #1.
But tech is over, things are basically set. All that's left now is the band meeting and then the shows. I plan to be back in time for the 10:30p show, which promises to be a massive release for all of these people.
It's dinner time, and everyone is eating the delicious food brought in from Bizarro's restaurant. For dessert, the cast enjoys pies and brownies cooked especially for this occasion by Carol Roscoe (thanks, Carol! Flipping great, and the apple/cheddar pie is...I'm drooling again.)
Okay, been a great time this weekend, but I gotta eat, and then stage manage K Brian Neel's Vaud Rats for closing night. I now leave you in the very capable hands of Andy Jensen and Austin James.
TTFN!
tbo
But tech is over, things are basically set. All that's left now is the band meeting and then the shows. I plan to be back in time for the 10:30p show, which promises to be a massive release for all of these people.
It's dinner time, and everyone is eating the delicious food brought in from Bizarro's restaurant. For dessert, the cast enjoys pies and brownies cooked especially for this occasion by Carol Roscoe (thanks, Carol! Flipping great, and the apple/cheddar pie is...I'm drooling again.)
Okay, been a great time this weekend, but I gotta eat, and then stage manage K Brian Neel's Vaud Rats for closing night. I now leave you in the very capable hands of Andy Jensen and Austin James.
TTFN!
tbo
Tech Show #7 Jonah Von Spreecken's Pretty Flowers
Correction, it's the Rainbow Song, from the Muppet Movie, and not the Muppet Show theme.
Another calm crew (maybe it's the later tech time that allows this to be the case). Von Spreecken and JD Lloyd give us a demented and colorful child's world, which the actors are having a good time exploring (Amanda Williams' lisp is priceless and truly, Betty Campbell and Clara Rodriguez as a young children? Goodness). Action takes over the Falls Theater and incorporates the band (both 14/48 mainstays).
They get through tech ever so calmly, and the final band cue finishes just as lights go to black, without rehearsal..."OH YEAH!" exclaims band figurehead, Tim Moore.
Another calm crew (maybe it's the later tech time that allows this to be the case). Von Spreecken and JD Lloyd give us a demented and colorful child's world, which the actors are having a good time exploring (Amanda Williams' lisp is priceless and truly, Betty Campbell and Clara Rodriguez as a young children? Goodness). Action takes over the Falls Theater and incorporates the band (both 14/48 mainstays).
They get through tech ever so calmly, and the final band cue finishes just as lights go to black, without rehearsal..."OH YEAH!" exclaims band figurehead, Tim Moore.
Tech Show #6 La Cris Jordan's Beyond the Rain
Not even two minutes into tech, and this crew earns the "calmest group during tech" award. They spend it running the last cue in the piece, which is fairly detailed. Here's the argument for keeping things simple: they will leave tech having mastered the major trouble spot in their play.
Looks like Jordan's decision to pull things back for this play seems to be paying off nicely.
Looks like Jordan's decision to pull things back for this play seems to be paying off nicely.
Tech Show #5 Nick Stokes' Conducting Business
The band shows off its impressive golf swing sound effect.
Sylvie Davidson is in the SR vom clearly muttering her lines to herself. Why is Kaleb H-K wearing a band-aid on his finger?
This is one of those shows that will continue to solidify the closer it gets to the performance, but the actors/directors feel overwhelmed in breaking it down to its component parts for something like tech. It is tough.
However, they are all performing it impressively and I suspect that it'll kick so much ass by the 8pm showing.
As tech closes, the quality of the band's set list is making me lose my tater mind.
Sylvie Davidson is in the SR vom clearly muttering her lines to herself. Why is Kaleb H-K wearing a band-aid on his finger?
This is one of those shows that will continue to solidify the closer it gets to the performance, but the actors/directors feel overwhelmed in breaking it down to its component parts for something like tech. It is tough.
However, they are all performing it impressively and I suspect that it'll kick so much ass by the 8pm showing.
As tech closes, the quality of the band's set list is making me lose my tater mind.
Tech Show #4 David Tucker II's The Prisoner of Id
There is a rubber chicken in the house. Matthew Middleton gets to wear a zoot suit, the lucky SOB. Restaurant setting, the band plays a muzak version of Barry Manilow's "Mandy," which is about as redundant as saying something twice but in slightly different ways.
"The cue is when Ray Tag lights the candle."
The piece is running so smoothly that they graciously allow the tech crew to move on so they can make up for lost time.
The split reality genre of 14/48 plays is used to great effect in this piece.
"The cue is when Ray Tag lights the candle."
The piece is running so smoothly that they graciously allow the tech crew to move on so they can make up for lost time.
The split reality genre of 14/48 plays is used to great effect in this piece.
Tech Show #3 Scotto Moore's Sending A Message
They discuss where the main prop will enter from and spike it. The band rehearses the Rolling Stones' "Time Is On My Side." The rest of the furniture is set. Ray Gonzales writes down the run crew's choreography. Five of the show's 20 minutes have elapsed.
The definition of what a blackout means is discussed. Several examples are shown of what could occur. This is a tech heavy-ish piece, so precise actions are decisions are deliberated. 10 minutes have elapsed.
The band rehearses a sound effect. The cues are set. Group energy is turning punchy.
The central prop, a time machine, has been constructed cleverly with items generally found laying around.
Five minutes left, the cue to cue continues.
Mik Kuhlman confirms with Ray Gonzales that his suggestion is necessary. Two minutes left.
Cue to cue complete and the band breaks into Huey Lewis' "Back In Time."
The definition of what a blackout means is discussed. Several examples are shown of what could occur. This is a tech heavy-ish piece, so precise actions are decisions are deliberated. 10 minutes have elapsed.
The band rehearses a sound effect. The cues are set. Group energy is turning punchy.
The central prop, a time machine, has been constructed cleverly with items generally found laying around.
Five minutes left, the cue to cue continues.
Mik Kuhlman confirms with Ray Gonzales that his suggestion is necessary. Two minutes left.
Cue to cue complete and the band breaks into Huey Lewis' "Back In Time."
Tech Show #2 Marcy Rodenborn's Birds Fly
Can't give anything away, which makes this moment difficult to describe. So here's a snippet.
Three women in fatigues, the band segues from Mission Impossible to When You Wish Upon A Star, lights go to black.
'Nuff said.
Three women in fatigues, the band segues from Mission Impossible to When You Wish Upon A Star, lights go to black.
'Nuff said.
The Estrogen Brigade Is Riding Low
Marcy Rodenborn's Bird's Fly, which features a cast of three women (Lyssa Brown, Keira MacDonald and Jen Moon), and is directed by Tina La Plant has been flying under the radar most of the day today. Hmmm, what to expect.
Actor Check In: Chris Ensweiler
Here's Chris Ensweiler, sporting a proposed costume for his piece, David Schmader's Pretty Little Blue Birds. Of note, the pants, which are actually Deb Fialkow's skinny jeans; "they're baggy on him," she points out.Virge Ensweiler has been having a good day today. "Where else can you hear Hannah Lass say 'you know, you're almost doing it already...But, if you want to,you can freeze in that position wehre it looks like you're tea-bagging me'?"
Blue Steel3pm Director's Meeting
We learned that stage manager Lou Butler has a Culinary Arts Degree form the University of Alaska. Someone joked that her thesis was on venison. Lou replied "I know how to gut and skin a moose in 2 minutes. A moose is bigger than you."
Anyway......
Only 2 directors were late (3:03pm ain't 3:00). The following is paraphrased:
~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#
Lou: You know there are no light changes when these scenes change, right?
Director: Derek said it could be done.
Lou: If Derek can do it in 20 minutes, it's yours.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#
Director: 3 pages, 187 cues
(pause)
Lou: (a look that speaks "Is this really how you want to use your time?")
Director: Okay. Lights up when he exits with the sandwich, lights out.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#
Director: The band has a number of golf ball cues.
Lou: I'm concerned about a golf ball going down the vom and being left there.
Director: the actor can pick it up afterwards.
Lou: In the dark.
Director: ....I'll make sure the actor picks it up.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#
Director: The band will play the last 4 bars, and vamp while the the actors crawl downstage, then the lights will do a slow fade but cross into blue before going all the way out. Simple yet complex
Lou: ... Next?
~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#
Director: they argue "did not did too did not did too" til page six
Lou: Whoa. til page six?
Director: Oh sorry. I jumped from page one. There aren't any cues until page six.
Lou: I knew that.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#
Lou: Good work everyone. (Deb Fialkow whispers in Lou's ear) I've just been informed that the light board has lost all its preset cues. So tech will be a little delayed. Please arrive to the theatre at your assigned time with the expectation that you will start at least 5 minutes late.
Directors: Hm.
Anyway......
Only 2 directors were late (3:03pm ain't 3:00). The following is paraphrased:
~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#
Lou: You know there are no light changes when these scenes change, right?
Director: Derek said it could be done.
Lou: If Derek can do it in 20 minutes, it's yours.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#
Director: 3 pages, 187 cues
(pause)
Lou: (a look that speaks "Is this really how you want to use your time?")
Director: Okay. Lights up when he exits with the sandwich, lights out.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#
Director: The band has a number of golf ball cues.
Lou: I'm concerned about a golf ball going down the vom and being left there.
Director: the actor can pick it up afterwards.
Lou: In the dark.
Director: ....I'll make sure the actor picks it up.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#
Director: The band will play the last 4 bars, and vamp while the the actors crawl downstage, then the lights will do a slow fade but cross into blue before going all the way out. Simple yet complex
Lou: ... Next?
~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#
Director: they argue "did not did too did not did too" til page six
Lou: Whoa. til page six?
Director: Oh sorry. I jumped from page one. There aren't any cues until page six.
Lou: I knew that.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#~#
Lou: Good work everyone. (Deb Fialkow whispers in Lou's ear) I've just been informed that the light board has lost all its preset cues. So tech will be a little delayed. Please arrive to the theatre at your assigned time with the expectation that you will start at least 5 minutes late.
Directors: Hm.
Breadstick Update
Here is the latest stage of the breadsticks...They're getting ready to be placed in the oven and will be ready by dinner time.
Pretty much, everyone is pretty stoked about this, the exception of course, is Kitchen Imp Kate Parker, who expresses her opinion thusly:
*-
Austin James' Photos from Saturday 1/16 Morning
Kaleb Hagan-Kerr
Sylvie Davidson & Betty Campbell
Becky Poole. Coffee. STAT. Keira MacDonald seems skeptical.
Virge playwright David Schmader & David Tucker
Sick boy David Hogan, twins-expecting Darian Lindle, Alyson Scadron-Branner
Connor Toms & Hannah Lass, no chemistry here whatsoever
Actor Draw
The lunch room in action.Getting Ready For Tonights Show!
Eric Lane Barnes, not only proving he exists, but that he can play all of these instruments as well
Alyssa "Fire Muppet" Keene
Connor "Dry Hump" Toms & Mik "Doing The Honors" Kuhlman
Amanda Williams & Ben Burris (Create your own caption and post it in the comments)
Michael Mowery, Dana Sweeney, Derek Van Heel
David Bennet & Ashley "Miss Kent" Bagwell
Ray Tagavilla, Matthew Middleton, Betsy Schwartz, Khan Doan43 Tickets Left for the 8pm Show
If the 8pm is the only one you can make, call ACT's Ticket Office at (206) 292-7676.
See those two seats on the left? Those are probably gone now. If $20 is a little steep for you to see 7 plays based on "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" you can get $10 tickets for the 10:30pm show while supplies last at Goldstar.com.
And if you think "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is a lame theme, then you hate this child.
He picked the theme at random after the 8pm show.
Overheard
"We're in the 7th floor smoking lounge with the moose head."
Code or literal truth? You be the judge.
Code or literal truth? You be the judge.
Speaking Of The Band
Friday night's show leaned heavily on country/western standards for the band; today promises to be a bit more diverse. On tonight's slate:
* Leslie Gore's Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows. "Leslie Gore is a lesbian," notes pianist Eric Lane Barnes (who, like David Hogan, is powering through today.
* Lee Greenwood's Proud To Be An American.
* Some Commitments type of blue eyed soul.
* A Django Reinhardt original piece.
* And, for the sake of being completists, the Muppet Show theme song.
* Leslie Gore's Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows. "Leslie Gore is a lesbian," notes pianist Eric Lane Barnes (who, like David Hogan, is powering through today.
* Lee Greenwood's Proud To Be An American.
* Some Commitments type of blue eyed soul.
* A Django Reinhardt original piece.
* And, for the sake of being completists, the Muppet Show theme song.
Alyssa Keene and the Terrorist Level Alerts
This is the proposed name for the band tonight, and they're discussing the possibility of wearing primary colors during the show.
The reason for this is that today there are two plays dealing with the war/terrorist issues, as opposed to last night's one.
Now before you go clicking away from this page, remember that tonight is being described as a light and fun evening.
Can these two notions co-exist in one evening? The track record indicates that the answer is yes.
The reason for this is that today there are two plays dealing with the war/terrorist issues, as opposed to last night's one.
Now before you go clicking away from this page, remember that tonight is being described as a light and fun evening.
Can these two notions co-exist in one evening? The track record indicates that the answer is yes.
Rehearsal #5 - Conducting Business
The cast is split in two by the time I walk in to this rehearsal, and the reason is simple: Nick Stokes' piece slices two moments in time and separates them so they're happening simultaneously...at least that's what I gather from talking to Ashley Bagwell and Andrew McMasters. There's also something about one actor/character being the same as another actor/character, and there's golf involved. Or something.
In the other half of the rehearsal room, Kaleb Hagan-Kerr and Sylvie Davidson rehearse an awkward meeting where what they say and what they're thinking about what they're saying run up into each other. "Do you think he got that I was out walking?" Davidson asks before turning her focus back to him.
It's a jumpy battle between the conscious and the sub-conscious writ large. Should be interesting.
In the other half of the rehearsal room, Kaleb Hagan-Kerr and Sylvie Davidson rehearse an awkward meeting where what they say and what they're thinking about what they're saying run up into each other. "Do you think he got that I was out walking?" Davidson asks before turning her focus back to him.
It's a jumpy battle between the conscious and the sub-conscious writ large. Should be interesting.
