Early Impressions from Show #5 and #6

Jennifer Jasper has a beautiful, sweet touching piece in Etymology last night. Today she has written a play called No Apologies, being directed by Hana Lass, featuring Marianna de Fazio, Marty Mukhalian and Cody Smith. In my three minutes of eavesdropping, it sounded like a play about a couple (played by Cody and Marty) struggling to raise their daughter (Marianna) with a value system they believe in. Given the theme of 'over indulgence', something tells me the value system might be a little... unorthodox.

Hana, Marianna and Cody during first (or second) read through.
Photo: Agastya Kohli

Down in the Lower Falls Lobby, Scott Abernethy and Danielle Daggerty are working on their two-hander, written by Courtney Meaker, directed by Stan Shields. There are pirates, and there are zombies. Stan requested the band to start the show with "jaunty pirate music". Lighting designers are looking for some ship rigging gobos. They were not optimistic on having any zombie gobos, unfortunately. More about this show during tech, I am sure!

Scott and Danielle, during 'table work'
Photo: Agastya Kohli

The Saturday Lineup

Friday night at 14/48 was fantastic. How will Saturday stack up? Will things get really weird when the writers tackle 'Overindulgence'? That all remains to be seen, but here is the lineup that will answer those questions in less than ten hours.

Atomic
Writer - Erin Stewart
Director - Keni Cohen
Actors - Darius Pierce, Ryan Spickard, Melissa Fenwick, Sydney Tucker

Macrophages
Writer - David Schmader
Director - Anthony Winkler
Actors - Emma Bamford, Alyson Bedford, John Farrage

The Program
Writers - Lisa Koch & Peggy Platt
Director - Andy Jensen
Actors - Katie Driscoll, Kate Witt, Jesica Avellone, Sam Read

Atlas Movers
Writer - Keri Healey
Director - John Langs
Actors - Opal Peachey, Allison Strickland, Rachel Sedwick, Joe Zavadil, Chris Shea

No Apologies
Writer - Jennifer Jasper
Director - Hana Lass
Actors - Marianna de Fazio, Marty Mukhalian, Cody Smith,

Shorty Says Goodbye
Writer - Courtney Meaker
Director - Stan Shields
Actors - Danielle Daggerty, Scott Ward Abernethy

Whatever Gets You Through The Night
Writer - Zoe Fitzgerald
Director - Charles Smith
Actors - Sara Porkalob, Lisa Viertel, Trick Danneker, Ben Burris, Joe Ivy

Here we go Saturday

The writers and directors are meeting over their plays now, and it looks like Friday was so good the 14/48 gods are trying to recreate it. Three of the pairings will be the same as yesterday - Erin Stewart and Keni Cohen, Peggy Platt, Lisa Koch, and Andy Jensen, and Zoe Fitzgerald and Charles Smith. Zoe and Charles even find themselves in the same slot, closing the night. Your other pairings are David Schmader and Anthony Winkler, Keri Healey and John Langs, Jennifer Jasper and Hana Lass, and Courtney Meaker and Stan Shields.

Rehearsals everywhere.

The various groups are now scattered all over the ACT building, from the basement to the 8th floor, with design, sound, and lighting people roaming back and forth to get everything in order as we hit 3 hours to tech.

The random casting draw has worked splendidly for Stan Shields, working on Keri Healey's noir 'Curtains!'.  Talking with Lisa Viertel and Kate Witt, they couldn't be happier with their team. After the first read through they were set on who everyone was going to be. Witt and Chris Shea have that midwestern earnestness, and Viertel... well, let's just say that there may be a bit of a bonus for Kitten fans. It seems Miss Viertel's Principal may have what you would call Matron-esque attributes.

Stopping in at rehearsal for Mr. & Mrs. Hargrove, the farce is getting ramped up as they work toward, 'Less romantic, more frantic!' As they rerun a scene, this is looking like a hilarious stop in the second half of tonight's schedule.

I am very curious to see more of Zoe Fitzgerald's 'Good Night'. I arrived right as they headed off to break, but Charles Smith has described it as a sweet little play that is not your typical play seven.

Checking in on Play 3

Jim Moran's two-hander called "Gulliver's App" stars Mark Boeker and Charissa Adams.  Stan Shields is directing.  They are having fun.  Stan is a good director.  They have a wee dressing room in which to rehearse so I feel right on top of them - just the way I like it.  Next hour they are going to drill drill drill to get completely off book.  Stan's gotta make the director's meeting.  OH!  I've never been to one of those.  I got 4 minutes to get there.

Mark Boeker and Stan Shields
Photo by Teri Lazzara

Charissa Adams and Teri Lazzara
Photo by Teri Lazzara

Charissa Adams and Mark Boeker
Photo by Joe Iano

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 - Show 2

Great - now Stan Shields has a light special for the end of the show. And where is the special? By the mother, f-ing band. The band is going to take the special right after they eat the strawberry toppings and smoke it back in the alley. Not that I really have a problem, as long as they offer me some.

When I woke up this morning I thought, "Dude, I want to watch some trippy children's show."
Thank you, show two.

Jose sitting on a couch, Stan talking loudly...

The food trough has cleared out and I noticed veteran actor Jose Amador still sitting on the couch. Jose tried to describe his show to me but the only thing I got was a whole lot of jibber-jabber. Something about music, shooting dogs, making love to eachother... the usual.

With all of the rehearsals literally occuring on top of one another, a person can easily hear virgin director Stan Shields' booming voice. So loud.