And That's the Whole Ball of Wax

Had the pleasure of watching the second act of tonight's 10:30 show among the crowd. What a palpable enthusiasm in the room, among actors and attendees alike.

With that it's time to celebrate!

Signing off. Thanks, everybody. Yer beautiful.

We're at our last intermission!

Standing-room-only crowd in stitches.

A Success of a Show

It didn't take much of Broadway Behind Bars for our stage manager to pipe up backstage, "This is too good." It's a play about a ragtag group of convicts fumbling through the staging of a new musical. The thing hit a really lovely range of emotions, drawing out sympathetic 'awes' and guffaws and all kinds of sounds in between.

All actors from all seven plays are now onstage taking bows, confetti in the air, a beaming audience filing out as we prepare for 10:30.

One performance to go!

Comic Relief Aptly Titled

Comic Relief came together nicely for a beguiling performance. Our two characters, graduating high school seniors, exchange some endearing thoughts on sex, the future and Eliza Dushku.

The play is set in a comic-con autograph line, one boy dressed as Green Arrow, the other as Joker. A couple self-referrential jokes and puns elicit just the right amount of groaning and eye-rolling.

A Little Soft Porn for the Start of Act II...Starts Act II

A Little Soft Porn for the Start of Act II just killed it.

It's a play about sperm. That is, our four characters are sperm, at first attempting to distract one another in an effort to prevent an...incident during copulation. Then eventually it's time, and they organize an 'evacuation plan.' The whole play takes place under the loud moaning of 'Clarissa,' who drives the sperm-men--and incidentally the audience--to a perverse and titillating distraction.

Thunderous noise as actors withdraw. Good old fashioned adult humor.

Rescue Her, Intermission

Augustson's Rescue Her is a mind trip. So much of a trip, in fact, when it concluded our lights engineer turned to me and joked, "We should let the 10:30 audience know they should bring their own acid." A hallucinogenic journey into a strange world of confusion and loss.

And with that, intermission is upon us. Be back shortly.

Bliss Potential, a Play on Penance

Bliss Potential is among my personal favorite offerings of the weekend. The play, as I mentioned in the tech write-up, is brilliantly acted by Roy Stanton And Ahren Buhmann. At lights up, with Stanton alone onstage, I was so taken with his physical work, how masterfully he stepped into the body of a drug addled, broken rock 'n' roll icon, I turned to the gentleman next to me in the booth and said, "He's so damn good."

An engrossing, complete narrative about guilt on the heels of revenge on the heels of being done wrong. Not too shabby for a ten minute play, eh?

My Oh My in Full Effect

My Oh My clipping along well, a portrait of a man escaping the hardships of life into the unadulterated joys of "Griffey rounding third" in the 1995 ALDS.

Page One on Point

Several changes to Page One choreography since I saw it in tech a few hours ago. Cheering crowd seems to approve of the Dirty Dancing dance number. Twas a pleasure to see the thing in its entirety, a comedy about smut-peddling 'journalists.'

With that we're off and running!

The House is Open!

We're just a few minutes shy of showtime! The place is filling out rapidly and buzzing.

One of our playwrights backstage just assured me: "The energy is f#####g perfect."

Tech VII: Broadway Behind Bars

And we're running tech on our seventh, our last show not only of the evening, but of the festival at large: Broadway Behind Bars, by Eric Lane Barnes. They're tweaking some lighting cues and drilling with the band. Sounding awesome, an appropriate way to end the show.

I'm gonna hurry off to snag dinner, but shall return to post on the show as it all goes down live at 8.

See y'all soon. The show's gonna be fantastic.

Loud Noises Still Unexplained

Loud noises continue to come from the shop area and, although numerous people claim they have seen work being doing in there, the true source of the racket has to be identified.

"It's that zrrrrr kind of sound," said Jodi-Paul, "I've been hearing it all day. Along with some thuds and a few klinks. Not the kind of noises you want to hear in such an old building. Could be ghosts."

Ron Darling, technician, had a different answer.

"We're working in there. Building set pieces for tonights show."

Whether it be ghosts or human, one thing is certain- set pieces are beginning to show up on-stage.

Tech VI: Comic Relief

Our sixth show, Ben McFadden's Comic Relief, tackles the friends-separated-by-high-school-graduation story. It's our second two-man play of the evening, set in a line at a celebrity meet-and-greet. It's simple scenario, a sad one, treated here with a comedic edge.

Stan Shields to direct Wolverine: The Musical

"I'm not a musical person!" exclaimed Shields earlier in the day.

This is easy to say before spending a romantic day with an inspired Eric Lane Barnes piece. After spooning with a bit of lyrical genius, Shields is singing a different tune.

"This stuff is really fun," said Shields quickly, "I have hopes to continue with musicals. Like Wolverine... Wolverine: The Musical would be off the hook!"

As he said this, Shields donned three plastic knives from the craft services table and ran around the room quoting lines from the movie, X-Men.

After witnessing the genius director huddled over a piano with his actors this afternoon and leading the sing-a-long in the Canoe Room, I for one can say, "Mr. Shields, please keep showing us your musical claws."

Tech V: A Little Soft Porn for the Start of Act II

Well, Carl Sander's A Little Soft Porn for the Start of Act II takes the cake as our dirtiest play of the weekend. With a title like that, one would expect so.

They're running tech now and...boy. I just typed up a few quotes from the script but immediately decided against posting them. Come see it. It's very raunchy and very funny.

Well done, boys.

Ahiers on the verge of a sugar OD, "Not my fault" says Bradshaw

Megan Ahiers has consumed an unhealthy amount of sugar claim numerous regional doctors with large salaries.

Exclaimed Dr. Sal Nettle, "With the amount of sugar she's had enter her body, she'll probably be pooping Peeps tomorrow morning."

"It's just not right," continued Nettle, "the human body can only take on so much sugar before it begins to sweat syrup."

So who is to blame. Many say John Bradshaw is the leading culprit after leaving dozens and dozens of delicious baked goods for everyone's enjoyment. Others would claim that Megan herself is to blame for not having the ability to say, "Only one."

Thank you to John Bradshaw for all of the sweet treats and keep an eye on Megan around 10:15 when she crashes on a couch and sleeps for 14 hours.

Tech IV: Rescue Her

I have a lot of trust in the writerly abilities of Scot Augustson, whose Rescue Me is running tech as I type. These disconnected bits I'm previewing are perfectly confusing, without context. You see there's been some trouble with a set piece and lighting, a good deal of interruption. It happens.

So I can't promise you much. I assure you there'll be at least one moment that involves anthropomorphised animals. My interest is piqued--it's looking good, the little bit I've seen.

Props to John Farrage and the cast for keeping composure and maintaining a patient approach.

"Do you remember how you finally figured out you weren't yeast?"

Chris Bell folds programs, elderly patron says, "That's my job."

In what has been a day of drama, Chris Bell and an elderly patron got into a 10 second verbal exchange over who should fold programs.

"I've been here since 10:50 waiting for the internet to come back on-line so I could put up a blog," said Bell, "Gots to do something with my time."

The 75 year old patron, both blind and subjected to using a walker, said, "I've been doing this job for 51 years and to have some young, homeless man take it from... that's just not right."

More to come on this story as information comes to us.

Tech III: Bliss Potential

Tonight's two-man play, Bliss Potential, is now in tech. They just ran the thing through in its entirety and have some time remaining to touch up a couple moments, which the thing hardly needs at all. Roy Stanton and Ahren Buhmann have made some fantastic decisions. I quite like this play, the most serious of the night, thus far. By far. Great work by J.D. Lloyd. He's attentive and true to the script while instilling the scene with his own astute sensibilities.

Tech II: My Oh My

Any diehard Mariners fan would be eager to help you recollect October 8th 1995, the day the M's took on David Cone and the Yankees at the Kingdome in game five of the American League Division Series. The Mariners of that time have a profound place in my memory, heros of my childhood.

I'm not going to get to see a full run of Jim Jewell's My Oh My before the show, as the cast is only hitting transitions in tech. But I'll attest to having been driven to nostalgia by the fragments they ran. I eagerly await having the narrative gaps filled in.

Not even four hours to go!

Page One

These guys took on some ambitious work, necessitating a lot of drilling on a couple particularly challenging moments, doing a lot with the live band. It's light, in the name of fun and reference.

Because they're doing so much with the band they were unable to touch on all of the material in tech, short of time. Thus I've yet to catch a complete run-through of the play. Looks I'll be seeing it for the first time at 8:00, with the live crowd. Such is the nature of this process, one of the best parts of this grand ordeal.

Tech I: Page One

The band's cooking on full heat now saying, "This sounds great, this is gonna be great." They're drawing from a lot of genres tonight, from surf to rap to classic rock. From upstairs earlier I thought they had a record on. They did not.

It's 3:30 and suddenly tech is on: "Nik Perleros, your time starts now."

Meanwhile, from the hallway, a phrase strikes my ear, "Boys, we're going shirtless!"

Activity in all directions, in this labyrinth of a theatre. Everything is suddenly gaining shape, identity, form. Seeing folks trying on different interpretations of lines, phrases, gestures. One of my favorite parts of a day at the 48: Getting up on our feet.

You know you've uploaded too many photos when Facebook tells you the album is full and it's only lunch of day 2. Saturday's photos have moved to here.

Song Rehearsal

I'm catching fragments of some solid Eric Lane Barnes monologues over music. Our Mazen recipient is deep in conversation with director Stan Shields whilst tickling the 88 for the guys of Broadway Behind Bars which, as one might guess, incorporates a little song.

Costumes Arriving

Or I assume that's what's happening, as suddenly Detective James Crockett is in the room.

"You guys wanna head upstairs and we'll block out the last of the second half of that dance?"

One Hour, Seven Minutes 'til Tech

I'm seeing eyes coming off scripts as actors commit lines to memory. Everyone having eaten, having caught brief breaks, we're doing the pre-tech hustle.

Overheard

The band, just now, "This is a dream playlist, this is awesome!"

The mirrorball is in full effect, it's like a disco in here. Enjoying a funky, filthy rendition of Bryan Adams' Summer of 69.

Design

Please forgive the lousiness of this pic, which I just snapped with my laptop camera. These are a few of the umpteen lists the fine people in design are using to make sure the things that are supposed to get done get done.

Initial Deductions about Tonight's Shows:

It seems, to start, that there will be:

* Choral song, choreographed dance

* More than a little Seattle nostalgia

* Naughty behavior

* Actors playing actors (?). Most meta.

* Yes, more beer

That's just the tip of the iceberg, my friends

I've gathered the show's gonna start off with a bang: Nik Perleros and the men of Page One, this evening's first production, just borrowed my computing machine to watch a video online. I don't wanna give anything away, but if I'm giving hints...

Saturday morning photos up here.

The Band is Back

The band's getting warm with a scorcher of a cover. Here's a hint:

Reflection on Last Night

So I watched last night's 8:00 show from the booth, where I blogged on it live. That was a treat. For the 10:30 show I moved backstage, to see it all from another perspective. But I couldn't get a wireless signal. I reasoned with myself, "Nobody's probably reading a live blog-feed at 11:00pm anyhow, and so I hung out with the keg a little while and rested my bones before the trek home.

But before my internet connection went kaput I wrote something I figured I might as well share this morning:

----

"The energy backstage between tonight's first and second shows--among actors, directors and writers alike--is vibrant. There's a palpable sense of relief for the first performance having gone well, and also something of a trench camaraderie, like, 'One day down, one day to go; we're in this crazy thing together.' A fraternity: I've overheard several men reflect on how smoothly things have gone, the marked absence of [social] drama.

It all manifests in raunchy jokes, dances moves, beer and banter galore backstage. The joint is loose, the pump is primed, the blood is coursing. We're past all the "Whys" and "Hows" of the day and on to "LET'S DO THIS!"

-----

In other news, I'll betcha a dollar Jim Jewell's My Oh My has got something to do with the mid-nineties M's. Hearing a lot of Niehaus right about now, talk of Edgar and Tino and Moyer and the old guard.

Okay, one more roster change:

Sadly, Matt Smith is under the weather, currently heading home.

His blogging pants (a misnomer, as bloggers don't necessarily wear pants), will be donned by Mr. Chris Bell.

Welcome, Mr. Bell

Changing the Roster

Morning, all.

So last night was a resounding success by any measure I've devised thus far. But no time for self-congratulations now, we're all back at the grindstone to finish this festival out. With style, we dudes.

We've got a couple lineup changes:

Eric Ray Anderson will not be participating today. So Mr. Andrew McMasters (JetCityImprov), who blogged with me all day yesterday, will be putting on his acting hat.

And so Mr. Matt Smith, who's been writing on this morning's developments, has joined me here to blog it up.

Lastly, one of today's seven world premier scripts is by Mr. Ben McFadden, who has stepped into the slot vacated by Mr. Jose Amador, who wrote last night.

Props, costumes, lights and glitter

The Design Team has met with each director, and their list of props and costumes are coming together. We'll need some Ed Hardy shirts, a bluetooth, a Big Gulp, party poppers, and "as much Mariner stuff as possible." Also glitter.

If that wasn't enough evidence that it is Guys Weekend at 14/48 (besides that whole glitter thing), the design team also needs a couch, TV tray, and snacks.

Your scripts, directors and actors

1. "Page One" by Russ Banham, directed by Nik Perleros

Starring Jesse Sherfey-Hinds, Ray Williams, Rob Jones, Truman Buffet

2. "My Oh My" by Jim Jewell, directed by Ryan Higgins

Starring Bob Williams, Mark Fullerton, Chris MacDonald

3. "Bliss Potential" by Scotto Moore, directed by J.D. Lloyd

Starring Roy Stanton, Ahren Buhmann

4. "Rescue Her" by Scot Augustson, directed by John Farrage

Starring Ashley Bagwell, Erik Van Beuzekom, Dave Clapper, Agastya Kohli

5. "A Little Soft Porn for the Start of Act II" by Carl Sander, directed by Peter Dylan O'Connor

Starring Alex Garnett, Tim Gouran, Evan Whitfield

6. "Comic Relief" by Ben McFadden, directed by Peter Jacobs

Starring Jason Marr, Ben Harris

7. "Broadway Behind Bars" by Eric Lane Barnes, directed by Stan Shields

Starring Andrew McMasters, James Weidman, Jason Sharp, Shane Regan and Michael Bama Katt

Sorry for the late start

Technical problems with senor Internet here Saturday morning, but no worries, the actor draw just happened and we'll be getting all the great 14/48 news out now.

The mood is positive here this morning, with much chanting of "dude dude dude" as actors, designers, directors and writers crowded around for the actors draw. Jodi reports there aren't many notes to give, that last night went great.

This is Day 2 of the insanity of 14/48, which is kind of like blowing up the Death Star and then going straight on to blowing up another Death Star. Even though there is clearly a lot of fatigue in our artists this morning, there's coffee, there's camaraderie, and there's 7 scripts. Go 14/48!

A whole lotta photos from Friday night here.

It's like drinking fire!

Sent from my iPhone

Jodi Paul (as paraphrased by Andrew McMasters)

" They know that it does not take bringing in artists from New York or LA to make great Theater!"

Truer words were never spoken. Except at the 8pm show...

Getting ready for 10:30

Yet's get this thing going..... it's the CLOSING NIGHT of these shows, and the casts are rarin to go!

And Tomorrow's Theme Is...

"My best time ever!"

And so the playwrights are off to make magic once again. Godspeed, gents. A ripe, open theme like this oughtta spur on some primo material. I for one won't miss it.

Our Fathers

Carl Sarder's Our Fathers didn't get to do a full run in tech. No, sitting in the audience for the brief rehearsal I can attest to having seen them do maybe ten percent of the script. So the premier of the play, which I just witnessed, was just about as much a surprise to me as it was to the patrons in attendance.

The play is a mosaic look at fatherhood. Touting the largest cast of the evening with five actors, each character embodies a different facet of or approach to fatherhood. One man is focused on the education of his child, pontificating about the beauties and complexities of nature and the human body, compelling his child to learn. One man treats his baby as a pal, musing absentmindedly about the nature of the toothpaste bottle, nursing his can of cheap beer as his baby nurses a bottle. One man speaks of the harsh and scary "out there" we so pervasively fear. One speaks of his former spouse, mourning a loss. And one admits, in spite of so much dread and expectation, not to regard his offspring as a ball and chain, but a source of viable growth and perspective, at one point saying, "The thing I learned from you is that what I thought was a cage is just another room." It's a really lovely collage that, even without very much of a narrative, held attention throughout. It's the pleasure of being a fly on the wall, witness to a series of confessions, discoveries and admissions.

We Return for the Second Half of the 8 O'clock Show with Jacks and Rule of Three

Four tender performances turned in for Scot Augustson's Jack of Diamonds, drawing the huge crowd into an attentive hush.

And now the stooges of Eric Lane Barne's Rule of Three hit the stage like a depth charge, portraying the icons in the winter of their success, aging, fallen out of the public eye. Throes of laughter. Fantastic physical comedy out of these three gentlemen.

Fair Accompli

We're at intermission, having just experienced Mr. Amador's psychological Fair Accompli, this evening's foremost head-scratcher. It's a play about delusion, a man enduring the confounding effects of having been administered "the serum," which confuses, enrages, engenders paranoia. The narrative leaves one feeling uneasy, not on sure footing, a second-hand madness by exposure. Imagine witnessing a sinister hypnosis or a mindwashing, its violent results, a discomfiting aftermath.

On the Outs

Great to see On the Outs in full form. With only two actors the play maintained tension, cooking all the way through. Topical and fierce, set in a prison, Bama Katt and Chris MacDonald, under the auspices of Stan Shields, drew some poignant moments out of Russ Banham's compelling script.

David Russell - 14/48 Band

David Russell:

"I haven't been in the 14/48 band in about eight years. It's been great being back."

Running in Circles

The guys are doing some great work with Jim Jewell's monologues, of which each actor gets one. A lot of memorization in this script, men standing alone in spotlights, and they're killing it. I tip my cap to the mighty memorization skills, and again to the subtlety with which each of the three actors can execute an oration. Moving.

Wrestling Match earns a gold star

BIg laughs and big claps over Scotto Moore's "Wrestling Match." Yelping from an enthusiastic crowd as we transition to our second play, "Running in Circles."

Start to finish

Having watched the shows in rehearsal since this morning, it is beautiful seeing them in action!!!

And Away We Go

The band's on point and cultivating the vibe as Mr. Jodi-Paul Wooster welcomes the crowd, explains the the process and introduces this evenings theme: FENCED IN!

And we're under way.

Tim Moore prepares for the show...

Sent from my iPhone

Alrighty: The house is open and we're almost under way, just a moment shy of curtain. Electricity in the air.

"There's no standing room out there, it's crazy, and people are still in the lobby."

The box office is sassy!

Sent from my iPhone

A few more photos from this afternoon here.

The first suggestions are submitted for the Saturday night theme.

Sent from my iPhone

Colors are more vibrant

NAME: Ray Williams

14/48 Virgin

What piece are you doing? "Our Fathers"

How is the 14/48 experience so far? “it's good. I am in a five person play, so the line load is light...”

What can we expect to see tonight? “Five fathers relating to their children, or trying to, in five different ways”

How has 14/48 changed you so far? “It is something I have always wanted to do, so now I can check that off my list. Other than that, colors are brighter, smells are more vibrant. There is a void in my heart that is now filled."

Phew: We Made it Through Tech

What better way to end tonight's eclectic mix of talent than with a little song and dance? We're all in luck with Our Fathers. We men seem to like to write plays with beer in them. Go figure.

And speaking of beer, I'ma grab one, grab a sandwich, and make myself handsome in anticipation of seeing y'all's beautiful, shining faces shortly. Am certifiably amped.

Our Last Show, Our Fathers, About to Run Tech

Rule of Three adds yet another flavor to the dish, a straight-up slapstick romp that's as stooge as you'd ever need. Clapper, Hagen-Kerr and Van Beuzekom do very handy work with a meticulously detailed and physical challenge. Fun and accessible.

And we're on to teching our seventh show, Carl Sander's Our Fathers, less than two hours away from the big event.

Go team.

Steering Committee

Erin Bryn Fetridge:

Steering Committee

"This is my first time on the Steering Committee, being a deeper part of a group I have been involved with since 1998. Everyone has been awesome and amazing.

It's nice seeing the work on the day from where I am on the other side. Watching everyone do their thing - the look of fear and frustration and concentration on their faces.

I feel super lucky to be here and be a part of it."

Coming up on the Homestretch, Teching Jack of Diamonds

Scot Augustson's Jack of Diamonds is really a lovely little play, sad and sentimental, yet in its way hopeful and full of love. It's structured as two simultaneous vignettes, a fugue of two moments separated by time, skillfully connected to allow glimpses of a tragedy from seemingly disparate, irreconcilable perspectives. It allows plenty of insight, yet leaves room for wonder and inference. I like this script a lot.

And, while we're on to good news, we aren't behind schedule anymore. It's amazing what a lot of hustle and a lot of talent will do for you.

Overheard at rehearsal v2

Eric Ray Anderson:

"let's do the sticky one more time..."

Half Way Through Tech and We're Clipping Along

Seems we're running a little behind schedule, figuring out light cues for Jose Amador's Fait Accompli, our fourth show. The script seems to be consistent with Mr. Amador's classification of it this morning, "a little weird." Psychological. We're fortunate to have a lineup of diverse shows in store for the evening.

We're just three hours shy of show time!

Overheard at rehearsal

Ryan Higgins:

"oh my god this is gonna be fun! Then when you pick up the sonogram..."

Tech Run: On the Outs

On the Outs is our one play this evening with fewer than three actors, a cool counterbalance to our two previous offerings. It's a grisly drama that I'd believe as a part of a longer play. A longer play I'd pay to see, no less. Captivating performances here. Can't wait to see it in full form, all fleshed out this evening.

Tech Transition Number Two. Next Up: Play Three, On the Outs

Running in Circles, while I hadn't the opportunity to see it in its entirety (the guys are jumping from cue to cue), gives a strong impression kindred to Albee's Three Tall Women. Without giving too much away, it's a look at dynamics between old and young, and so the natures of growth, experience, loss, gain, decay.

The blocking is sensitive to the script, playing with this concept of circles and things revolving. The costuming too is tastefully attentive to the writing, consistent with a clear and powerful theme, underscoring it.

Now here comes the rehearsal transition into Banham's On the Outs, our play number three.

A swell of music. Lights rise...

Decidedly not a crazy Sci-Fi play

NAME: Shane Regan

14/48 Veteran

What piece are you doing? "Wrestling Match"

How is the 14/48 experience so far? “Going well. We are the first show, and I was the first actor name drawn!”

What can we expect to see tonight? “Decidedly not a crazy Sci-Fi play. Mark Fullerton and I have a 'Virginia Wolfe' type relationship where we air our drama in public.”

How has 14/48 changed you so far? "It hasn't yet, but it will. This is the easy part, we put it all together. Now we have a little time to develop it. It's that time of the day when every choice feels stupid.

What do you do when that happens? "Push through it. Make a bold choice and be honest about the choices you make."

Tech Transition, Wrestling to Circles

Show number one just enjoyed a smooth run-through--not a line dropped or beat missed. A little tweaking and the thing is decidedly on its feet, a tidy relationship study with heart.

Gearing up now for a clean transition into Jim Jewell's Running in Circles, this evening's second offering.

Quote from the room

"creepy people are barefoot man..."

Tyvek Suits?

NAME: Jason Sharp, James Weidman, Nik Doner

14/48 Veterans and Virgin

What piece are you doing? "Jack of Diamonds"

How is the 14/48 experience so far? “Going well…”

What can we expect to see tonight? “Actors remembering lines… knock on wood. A bunch of hot tall men. Some tall drinks of water and two men in tyvek suits”

How has 14/48 changed you so far? Nik – "I was hoping for a Scott Augustine piece, to do something funny and silly. This is really cathartic, and it’s definitely better. It makes you delve into stuff.” James - "And we will have a MADNESS song stuck in our heads all weekend…”

Five Minutes

The stage is filling with objects and bodies, including a couple beautiful little fences the good people in design manifested.

"Five minutes to tech please, five minutes!"

First up of course, Scotto Moore's "Wrestling Match."

More Cigarette Breaks

NAME: Stan Shields

14/48 Veteran

What piece are you doing? "On the Outs"

How is the 14/48 experience so far? “It’s going well! The piece is a seemingly chance encounter in a weight room”

What can we expect to see tonight? “I can’t answer that…”

Can’t, or won’t? “ Won’t. If I do, then there is no point in watching it. Let’s just say, it will be a fairly topical subject…”

How has 14/48 changed you so far? “This is my second time directing, so it’s a little easier. I have a better idea of what I do and don’t have to worry about and what I can and can’t worry about. Basically, I have more cigarette breaks…”

Taking a quick lottery break... Won five bucks.

Sent from my iPhone

Make a Choice

NAME: Evan Whitfield

14/48 Veteran

What piece are you doing? "Fait Accompli"

How is the 14/48 experience so far? “Good! Very fun and interesting. The play is very rich for a short play. It’s has about three layers of reality…uh…I don’t want to give too much away…”

What can we expect to see tonight? “I kind of already answered that…. It’s a little trippy, but you should be able to follow it easily.”

How has 14/48 changed you so far? “It forces you to collaborate quickly, to make a strong decision and go with it. You don’t have the opportunity to founder (or flounder) around. You just have to make a choice and go."

More photos rolling in here.

Challenge Yourself

NAME: Eric Ray Anderson
14/48 Veteran

What piece are you doing? "Running in Circles"

How is the 14/48 experience so far? "I’m loving it! I only acted once before, and I can’t remember what year it was…. And I wanted to act again, but for a couple of years I was not available. Then I started playing in a band, so I was invited to be in the 14/48 band, which I have played in almost every year since that time. That first year in the band was as frightening as acting for the first time, after that, I sort of started to find a comfort zone in the band. And the whole idea of 14/48 do something hard, so I am challenging myself this year by acting.”

What can we expect to see tonight? "The play is the same guy, in three stages of his life having a conversation with himself at the other stages. I’m the old guy. The casting for this was great, because it all fell into place very easily in the first read through.”

How has 14/48 changed you so far? “I felt I got very lucky on the draw… I feel that one way 14/48 can work is similar to a normal process is, it can be the right amount of time and the right people for the positions. At least, at lunch it feels this way…. Like it will all fall into place. Also – in the past, I have wondered what it was like to rehearse and have the band bass and drums running through your rehearsal. Now I know.”

Slapped around!

Sent from my iPhone

Virgin Interview - slapped around!

NAME: Dave Clapper

14/48 Virgin

What piece are you doing? "Rule of Three"

How is the 14/48 experience so far? "It's great! I broke my glasses while we were practicing slapping..."

What can we expect to see tonight? "The three stooges in real life!"

How has 14/48 changed you so far? "I'm pretty inspired! Meeting a lot of new people who I have never worked with before. It's great!

We're Full-Swing

The band's sounding darn nice. Hearing some Gershwin, some Jethro Tull, talk of Beastie Boys and Oingo Boingo. A veritable smorgasbord of tasty sounds.

Meanwhile actors pace about with eyes fixed on scripts, committing so many new lines to memory.

Lights rise and fall on the stage, ladders are moved hither and thither, Mr. Ulman walks from room to room shooting some lovely, lively images, which can be seen here. Plates and napkins emerge from the kitchen in preparation for a pending (if brief) feast.

Everyone's doing a good job of occupying the same space without stepping on each other's toes. So much going on at once.

Sounds of Progress Resound

Design details seem to've been hammered out and we're on the the next phase: Runners are running to gather props as the sound of a saw emanates from downstairs, the construction of a brand new fence.

Meanwhile, music is in the air as the band does its thing. The many sounds of progress!

It seems folks have transitioned from "What?" to "How?" The smiles I'm seeing, the laughter amidst the madness, indicate that people are keeping pace and digging the process. Woo hoo!

The Mazen

Big congratulations to Michael Owcharuk, our Mazen recipient! Mr. Owcharuk was unable to make last evening's briefing (hence the delay of this announcement), but today we have him in the flesh, doing what he does with characteristic skill and prowess.

Photos from last night and this morning are here.

Designers Unite

Sitting in with designers as they get down to brass tacks about what they need, what will work, where to get it and how. These are some clever and organized people at work.

"I need a low fence, a flask, a transistor radio..." Geeze.

Actors are Drawn!

And the results are:

1 - Scotto Moore/John Farrage - "Wrestling Match"

Shane Regan

Jason Marr

Mark Fullerton

Ahren Buhmann

2 - Jim Jewell/JD Lloyd - "Running in Circles"

Eric Ray Anderson

Rob Jones

Jesse Sherfey-Hinds

3 - Russ Banham/Stan Shields - "On the Outs"

Bama Katt

Chris MacDonald

4 - Jose Amador/Peter Dylan O'Connor - "Fait Accompli"

Bob Williams

Truman Buffet

Ashley Bagwell

Evan Whitfield

[Intermission]

5 - Scot Augustson/Peter Jacobs - "Jack of Diamonds"

Jason Sharp

James Weidman

Nik Doner

Roy Stanton

6 - Eric Lane Barnes/Nik Perleros - "Rule of Three"

Dave Clapper

Kaleb Hagen-Kerr

Eric Van Beuzekom

7 - Carl Sander/Ryan Higgins - "Our Fathers"

Agastya Kohli

Ben Harris

Ray Williams

Tim Gouran

Alex Garnett

The Troops are Rallied

We just heard the rundown, the dos and don'ts of the affair, where not to go, what not to touch, how to be good participants. Schedule's dropping shortly.

Shawn Belyea hits the stage to award the Mazen, which circumstance prevented us from doing last night. A standing ovation for the winner. As a newcomer, I'll leave to a vet to announce the recipient to y'all good people.

The actors are all here now, and the drawing commences...

Titles

And our scripts are called:

1 - Scotto Moore/John Farrage - "Wrestling Match"

2 - Jim Jewell/JD Lloyd - "Running in Circles"

3 - Russ Banham/Stan Shields - "On the Outs"

4 - Jose Amador/Peter Dylan O'Connor - "Fait Accompli"

[Intermission]

5 - Scot Augustson/Peter Jacobs - "Jack of Diamonds"

6 - Eric Lane Barnes/Nik Perleros - "Rule of Three"

7 - Carl Sander/Ryan Higgins - "Our Fathers"

Actors' names are in the buckets; next thing, casts assemble. Boy I'll tell ya, it's just as advertised, one hell of a breakneck pace indeed.

Directors, meet your scripts.

And we have our pairings! In order of performance, they are:

1 - John Farrage directing the work of Scotto Moore

2 - JD Lloyd directing the work of Jim Jewell

3 - Stan Shields directing the work of Russ Banham

4 - Peter Dylan O'Connor directing the work of Jose Amador

[Intermission]

5 - Peter Jacobs directing the work of Scot Augustson

6 - Nik Perleros directing the work of Eric Lane Barnes

7 - Ryan Higgins directing the work of Carl Sander

I'ma track down our titles and let y'all know shortly.

A hush has fallen over the theater as the men get acquainted with the material.

And so it begins.

And thus concludes my 14/48 virginity. I'm honored and delighted to be in fine and talented company, and looking forward to a whirlwind weekend, keeping y'all abreast of the play-by-play.

ToJ is filling with bleary-eyed and smiling writers and directors, most with coffee in hand of course. Lots of foot tapping going on, folks chomping at the bit to go go go.

I'm hearing a lot of, "How'd the writing go?" "...Am. Tired. Am done." "Your play any good?" "...Yes. Yes ,I think so."

The drawing of director/playwright pairings begins very shortly. Stay tuned.

First-time writer, long-time band member...

So I'm over halfway through with my play and I like the arc of it. I think I've given fun stuff for all three actors to do. This was way easier (and more fun) than I'd feared. I hope this isn't just the caffeine talking . . .

An example of a fence

What will the writers make of the theme "Fenced In"? Men trapped in tight quarters...the mind can only wonder. (Unless it is the mind of a 14/48 writer, in which case the mind not only wonders - it creates a script directors, actors, designers and band members will all put on in t-minus 21.5 hours!)

Drawing results

1 – Scotto Moore – 4 Dudes

2 – Jim Jewell – 3 dudes

3 – Russ Banham – 2 dudes

4 – Jose Amador – 4 dudes

Intermission

5 – Scot Augustson – 4 dudes

6 – Eric Lane Barnes – 3 dudes

7 – Carl Sander – 5 dudes

Go write, ye brave writers! Use the word "ye" - that's pretty writerly