People for the ethical treatment of...

David Schmader's "E.R.P", directed by Hana Lass, presents a problem for the blog. It's hilarious, but I can't tell you why. Not to be cryptic, but it would totally kill the big reveal. What starts as a non-descript job interview for a man and a woman, (Opal Peachey and Ryan Spickard) takes a bizarre turn after the interviewers (Marty Mukhalian and Alyson Bedford) reveal just what it is that their company is so ethically concerned about. And it just keeps turning. It is full of great lines, and will definitely be a crowd pleaser.

Veteran Interview: Opal Peachey (DIRECTOR)

During lunch, I had the opportunity to briefly chat with 14/48 Festival veteran, Opal Peachey. Today she is directing Maggie Lee's play, The Guitar Case. While she scarfed her soup and skipped from song to song on Pandora looking for appropriately jazzy music for the band to play, she had the following to say about working with writers.

OP: "I wasn't familiar with Maggie as a writer before, but I'm so tickled when a playwright writes in a different style than they did the night before. It's really fun to see them shake it up a bit."

Based on Peachey's comment, I'm predicting we can expect in The Guitar Case a little more serious tone than we saw in Maggie Lee's Day 1 play, The Female of the Species.

In terms of progress on the piece, Opal seems confident. She said the overall level of stress at the festival always seems less on the second day. She also said that since The Guitar Case will be first to tech and first to perform tonight (they go into tech in less than an hour and a half!) the design team has made the show a priority and has already provided the actors with everything they need.

Jordan

Strangulation

It's 40 minutes until lunch. I haven't had a chance to check back up on Maggie Lee's play, but I did just see Deb Fialkow teaching Opal Peachey how to strangle someone with a piano wire. Should we be concerned?

Jordan

Are they on the floor?

THE WONDERFUL OPAL PEACHEY INSTRUCTING HER ACTORS TO LIE DOWN ON THE FLOOR LETTING YOUR SKIN BECOME ONE WITH THE CARPET.

JOHN Q SMITH HAS NO PROBLEM WITH THIS REQUEST.

ROB BURGESS HAS NO QUALMS WITH THIS, "DID YOU SEE THE SHOW I WAS IN LAST NIGHT... STANDING THE ENTIRE TIME."

JOHN FARRAGE AND HIS CREW RECEIVE WORD THAT OPAL PEACHEY IS LETTING HER ACTORS LIE DOWN... "IF ANY OF YOU LIE DOWN I WILL KICK YOU IN THE STOMACH." - JOHN FARRAGE

Virgin Update: Maggie Lee (WRITER)

Over breakfast this morning, I had a chance to chat with the only virgin writer at this weekend's 14/48 Festival, Maggie Lee, whose Day 1 play, The Female of the Species was a huge comic success. (Everybody loved the aliens.) It seems her background in writing sketch comedy has served her well.

When asked what she thought of the festival thus far, Lee said it was "overwhelming." Maggie also said that writing for two men and two women (her Day 2 assignment) was far "less challenging" than writing for three men (her Day 1 assignment), because there were more opportunities. (Apparently the only situation Maggie could imagine involving three men was an alien mating ritual?)

I'm sitting in on the rehearsal for Maggie's Day 2 play, The Guitar Case and so far, it sounds intriguing. Did I hear something about guns, Nazis, and mobsters? I'll check back a little later. I promised Maggie I would keep an eye on Opal Peachey (DIRECTOR) and The Guitar Case for her. However, from what we saw of Opal's work last night with Celene Ramadan's Cafeteria Blossoms, I'm guessing Maggie's play is in very capable hands.

Jordan

Good Morning Seattle

Your friendly neighborhood blogger, Jordan Rosin reporting for duty. As I sit in the meeting space, digesting my delicious french toast breakfast (thank you Alex Samuels), I thought I'd share with you a few things I've heard, and a few of the things I've learned thus far at 14/48.

Overheard at Breakfast

1. "Thank goodness for whoever brought the Emergen-C." Tammi Doyle

Learned

1. "No internal cues at all" are a 14/48 stage manager's favorite words to hear. (Tyrone Brown obviously knows how to garner favor of the 14/48 Stage Management gods.)
2. Invariably, the actors will always add words. As Opal Peachey says, "If you're gonna add "totally"s at least say it like a fifteen year old" (which means do it in character.)
3. Sleep is a good thing, but hard to come by.
4. The couches in the ACT lobbies make a great place for a mid-day nap.

That's all I can think of right now. Stay tuned for more insights and observations throughout the day. I can't believe we're doing it all over again!

Jordan

OPAL UPDATE

I was able to catch up with the amazing Opal. When asked how her day was going, she said... "I got the Boner Play."

Classical Plays... Musical Plays... Boner Plays...

More coming soon...

Q & A - OPAL PEACHEY

SLOOP: Are you feeling the slight bit anxious?

OPAL: I'm not hungover, so no. Feeling anticipation... the director's butterflies.

SLOOP: What do director butterflies look like?

OPAL: Not the prettiest of the butterflies. Probably more of a moth with the loud noises (demonstrates director butterfly sound... something like Tom Waits swallowing a squirrel)

SLOOP: How does 14/48 make you feel?

OPAL: When I direct at 14/48 I feel calm. Everything shrinks down and I find my center.

* Thank you for your time Opal and may you be safe from the infestation of Director Butterflies*