Updates from Floors 1 through 3

Let's start in the Lalie and head up from there.

Ben, Sarah, Megan and Mark
Photo: Agastya Kohli

Manny's crew (Mark Boeker, Justin Huertas, Ben McFadden, Megan Ahiers and Sarah Winsor) are running through lines and finding the funny in Eric Lane Barnes' script titled Slice of Life. The cast is enjoying the script - trying to go off book - like a fledgling chic. Manny is sitting back and enjoying the show.

Up in the Allen Theatre, Peggy Gannon is driving her foursome of Alex Samuels, Lantz Wagner, Rachel Ross and Rebecca Shepherd through some detailed table work.

Rebecca Shepherd, Alex Samuels, Rachel Ross and Lantz Wagner
Photo: Agastya Kohli

As the cast looks away from the scripts, Alex asks Peggy, and I quote, "Did any set discussions get had?" Peggy looks straight at him and says, "please explain the intent of your question". Then she turns to me and asks, "can I get some new actors?"

I tell her I'll look into it and walk towards the Allen Theatre green room, where Paul Budraitis is directing Matt Smith's play 21 Run, starring David Brown King, Jason Harber (Mazen!) and Chris Ensweiler.

Jason is sitting in front of 21 little paper cups, pouring pretend booze into all of them. Then he starts drinking the 21 shots and as he hiccups his way through the 21 shots, he starts arranging the cups in the shape of a pyramid, pausing once or twice to check his phone for incoming text messages.

He pours.
Photo: Agastya Kohli

He drinks.
Photo: Agastya Kohli

He burps.
Photo: Agastya Kohli

I predict this sequence will result in rolling laughter like the bouncing babies did last night. Thank you Mr. Brendan Healy for the babies and Mr. Matt Smith for the shots.

Morning Meowing with Playwright and Director

Peggy Gannon and Brendan Healy
Photo by Teri Lazzara

Day 2 - Writers and Directors

Everyone looks surprisingly perky.  It's going to be fun.

Oooo - I'm eavesdropping on the director/playwright meetings.  So fun to listen to Tina LaPlant (playwright) and Tim Hyland (director) reading her play aloud and discussing - so intense.  I think I heard her say "Sister Pig."

Maggie Lee, The Picture of Inspiration, Suzanne Cohen

Moving on to Suzanne Cohen and Maggie Lee who are doing drawings of the space.  Suzanne looking for guidance from coffee drinking Maggie who has a picture - oh I must get a picture of that picture.  I got a picture of the picture - well kind of - where's that awesome photographer.  Maggie says the picture is "inspiration."  I don't know what it is.  Maggie says, "Does that sound crazy?  I know it's crazy?"  She is giggly when exhausted and says, "Michael Mowery is going to be mad at me."  In other news, it's weird that she has a picture of a pig on her t-shirt.  What's going on with pigs in my morning.

Peggy and Brendan.  "Everything is lies!" says Peggy.  Mr. Healy has those sexy man bedroom eyes which are brought to us by sleep deprivation - ohhhhhh bring on the hot hot hot playwright love. Talking it up with a big Diet Coke.  Peggy says, "I don't know how I feel about that now that it came out of my mouth." Yet Brendan responds, " Uh yeah - I see what you mean but I think it will work either way.  Being the chief ham that I am I think it should say..... " (OH MY GOD!  Another pig reference!)  I'm outta here.

Jose Amador and Teri Lazzara
Photo by Teri Lazzara

Wisdom from Big Cheese Belyea as he peeks in on Peggy and Brendan, "The writer can imagine it to be a certain thing but the director has to make it real and make the experience for the audience." Brendan adds, "and for your mom."  (I'll be his momma.)  As Tim Hyland approaches, Shawn Belyea adds, "Mazen award winners - I think you know sh&*%t!."

Continuing the eavesdropping with my boyfriend (let's make out!) Jose Amador.  Crickets.  Where is his playwright Jim Moran?  I can report that Jose is very quiet and writing things on paper.  He looks intense and maybe a little crabby but definitely dreamy.

I plant myself under a cafe table where director Paul Budraitis and playwright Matt Smith are intensely discussing Matt's play.  Paul says, "There's a cat under the table."  Golly, I would meow at him any time.  Hot director in the room!  Woot!   Matt Smith heating up the room next to him.  I love the collaboration at the beginning between the director and playwright.  This is fun.  The playwrights are surprisingly communicative about what their dreams and aspirations for final production are.  Matt says, "Exactly, exactly" and "I see what you mean!" in response to Paul's suggestions, requests for clarification and questions.  Matt:  "I think that what is important to this is THIS.  Getting the idea from HERE."  He's pointing at the script so I don't know what they're talking about but probably because I'm distracted by their cute shoes.  Gotta go.  There's a film crew surrounding me and I should be doing something to distract them from my cleavage which is HUGE today.

Uh oh - I neglected my new boyfriend Manny Cawaling.  He's already completed his playwright collaboration.  He confirmed that he was excited about his conversation with Eric Lane Barnes.  "We talked about his script and he gave me license to add new dimensions (no details of course we don't want to give anything away) which excites me.  Balancing the telling of the story to serve the playwright yet adding my creativity to it."   I ask, "Will there be balls?"  "There are always balls, Teri, always."  Excellent!

I left out the collaboration of Jonah Von Spreecken (playwright) and Stan Shields (director).  Stan got locked outside and therefore I missed talking to him prior to the draw.  Jonah just came by and indicated that he is thrilled with the casting - see separate post for cast info.  And I would like to meow around with both Jonah and Stan.

But will they all have pigs?  What's with the pigs?

Smiley Happy People in the House

Here are three pics taken by my 14/48 photographer boyfriend, Joe Iano.  www.ianophotography.com

Shawn Belyea, Peggy Gannon, Jodi-Paul Brown-Wooster

 Shawn Belyea, Jose Amador, Jodi-Paul Brown-Wooster

Lantz Wagner, Carolyn Marie Monroe, Unknown (I'm working on it), Ben McFadden

Rehearsals Underway

The playwrights got here first and turned in their plays. Then came the directors and designers, and started reading them. Finally, the actors were picked, scripts handed out, rehearsal spaces assigned, and Bullitt cabaret cleared out.

Peggy Gannon talks to Alex Samuels,
Charles Smith and Andrew Murry.

They're scattered all over ACT theatre - in Busters, in Lower Falls Lobby, in the Allen, in the Allen green room, on the 8th floor, in the Lalei and in the Bullitt dressing room #4!

If you linger in any of the rehearsal spaces, you might overhear some serious theatre making, like Peggy Gannon telling her cast "As long as we're not all coming from a place of anger, I think we'll be fine."

In a different space, Ben McFadden suggests, "let's go Monty Python with this... we can always pull it back if we need to".

"Or take it further", director Paul Budraitis responds.

Over in Allen Green Room, director Suzanne Cohen tells the cast to take it from the top. As the actors get in place, Sara Coates yells out "let's turn this bitch into a musical!" Virgin actor Justin Huertas chuckles, "done and done!"

Back in the Bullitt, the designers are discussing props and costumes. "We need three babies and dog that fall from the sky. The second baby needs to bleed when it hits the ground", explains K.D. Schill.

Justin Huertas, Adria LaMorticella and Sara Coates
rehearse Obstakles For To Make Honeymoon.

"Does it actually need to bleed, or are they wrapped in such a way that you can't really tell?" Gary Menendez seeks clarification.

"Well, he'd like a splatter effect", responds K.D. Schill, referring to director Manuel Cawaling.

"That's fine. We have plenty of babies. We can get a blood pack, and weight it so it hits blood pack first." Gary Menendez has solved another problem.

14/48 caravan rolls along.

Shot with a Mazen...

Just had a shot of scotch with Mazen winner Peggy Gannon. Yep, she won't be able to stand up by the 10:30 show... this is going to be awesome!

GOOD MORNING 14/48!!!

"GOOD MORNING 14/48!"

- This entry is for Peggy Gannon (14/48 VET) and all those working today

At this moment:

* 14/48 steering members are running around town picking up food and such

* Playwrights are putting the final touches on their masterpieces

* Troy Fischnaller is at his morning yoga class getting ready for the day ahead

* I'm about to slap some patchouli on and then hop a public bus down town

Peggy Gannon just entered the building.

She is here to eat. And also, possibly help.

Jodi-Paul is both manning the door and folding programs. He is keeping it real, as they say.

Playwrights are showing up again and injecting some much needed rejuvenation into the proceedings. Afterall, these guys just rested up all day. Well, at least in Chris Haddad's case, I can't speak for the others.

RANDOM QUOTE TAKEN COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTEXT: Deb Fialkow:"Is that my butt? Yep, that's my butt." And then later on: "Not only was it my butt, it was my boy on my butt."

Tech is over, now, and went over without many complications (from what I hear). Actors - those still not doing the last minute rehearsals, anyway -band members, and tech crew are coming downstairs to partake in this delicious QFC chicken. It's funny how delicious chicken can pick up a room -- Energy is definitely picking up; everyone's at the point where they're realizing, "Holy Shit, we're actually gonna do this."

Because guess what. Curtain in 1 hour, 28 minutes.