Band Pictures from Joe Iano

Joe Iano shared some amazing pictures of the band with blogger 2 of 2 (that's me, if you've lost track). Enjoy!

TECH - Eggs of Green by Scot Augustson

Shawnmarie Stanton playing the harp is like having my brain massaged with a warm oil... so incredibly soothing! Lets just say the band gets its harp on between shows #2 and #3 tonight.

Oh yeah, and the fire which you may have read of earlier... so beautiful. Hats off to 14/48 vet James Frounfelter on his nifty creation.

Carol Roscoe is bouncing between the band and the actors doing her directing thing... which she does very well. She didn't use my sweater in her show last night, but I've forgiven her for this.

4:21 and we're rolling right on up to 8pm opening!

3 Things

As I walked to the theatre to get my binder from the stage, 3 things happened:

* Tim Hyland took me to the vault room which is now a lounge. If you're coming to see the show tonight do not, I repeat, DO NOT shut the vault door. The only person with the combo died about 50 years ago.

* When I arrived in the theatre there was a single spotlight shining on the keg of beer, tapped the night before at the meeting. This was a sign from the 14/48 gods to have a glass of beer (or foam, as was my case.)

* The band was meeting up and discussing the layout for the evening. For all of those keeping track at home, virgin band member Shawnmarie Stanton will be playing the harp at some point this evening (possibly leading out of show five!)

Lunch is upon us and actors (including Troy Lund, Michael 'Bama' Katt and Ryan Higgins) have started to make their way back to the food table. In a few short hours will be the DIRECTORS MEETING followed by a string of TECH REHEARSALS!

Phish is in the building...

The last thing I was expecting when walking into the theatre was to relive seeing Phish at Alpine Valley in 1999... but that's exactly what happened. Basil Harris had this incredible group jamming. Stringing together some mesmerizing beats. After about thirty minutes and a dozen hippies wandering in and setting up blankets in the aisles later, the sound guy said, "How does that sound?"

This put an end to the jam sessions and the band proceeded to jump into a rendition of Blackbird. Who doesn't love the song Blackbird? Raise your hands.

Also, an update on our virgin band member Shawnmarie Stanton - she was blasting on the saxophone during the jamboree. Doesn't look like she's having any trouble adjusting to this lifestyle.

After getting the hippies out of the aisles and hearing Basil saying to the sound guy, "Can we get less funk," I left the theatre... I left the theatre a better person... and craving some brownies.

VIRGINS

While all of these virgins are at home asleep, dreaming about what their first day of 14/48 is going to present them, I sit awake thinking about my encounters with three of the "pure and innocent" this evening. Encounters which make school boys giggle and grown ups blush... below is what a few VIRGINS had to say before the big dance:

COLLEEN ROBERTSON (ACTOR)
"I'm afraid of nudity. Not really feeling the nudity," Oh brother, you never admit out loud that you don't want to be in the scene with nudity because you're going to then end up in the scene with nudity. Silly virgins... Anyway, I pressed further and asked if having animals onstage might help her with the nudity, "Yes, a flock of sheep that they can't control."

ROB BURGESS (ACTOR)
When asked how he felt about nudity, Rob said, "Prosthetics." Hmmm... interesting. Probably easier to accomodate than the flock of sheep.

SHAWNMARIE STANTON (BAND)
I missed my window of oppurtunity to ask her about how she felt about nudity, since this was quickly becoming the theme, but she told me which instruments she may be playing... "Harp, flute, saxophone and vocals."

Thank you to these VIRGINS for giving me a few minutes because that's all I really need.

Design Visits

I spent some of my morning with Gary Menendez, a designer who has been volunteering for 14/48 for four years ("And I've only missed one weekend that whole time"). Gary is one example of why 14/48 works. And why it works so well.

Gary is a professional carpenter who volunteers for 14/48 "because I love it." He designs and creates and builds and pulls together set pieces, props, costume pieces, and whatever else directors, designers, and actors ask for with a team of about four other volunteer designers.

The designers read the plays and then meet with the directors on "design visits" to talk about what each show will need. I went with Gary on his design visits. Here are some quotes and snippets that I saw and overheard from actors, designers, and directors during our visits:

"I need a chair. Plaid if possible. Ugly if possible. More trailer-parky than anything else." (director Katjana Vadeboncoeur)

"This play is about show choir. Its perfect, I was IN show choir!" (actor Jason Harber)

"And then there is a line- something about baby coochies. And then a blackout. We'll figure it out in rehearsal." (director Elizabeth Eller)

"James, your my first call for a shotgun. I need a shotgun and I thought of you. So call me back." (Gary Menendez leaving a voicemail for James Frounfelter)

"We need a life-size PBR can. Oh yeah, and a Jesus beard."

"So there's a chipmunk and a beaver? Right, two beavers." "Ok, so we need two beavs?" (Conversation between Gary and Katjana)

"I got in Jim Jewell's play. Which is funny because he told me he thought of me when he wrote this character. And then I read it and she is written with a really shrill voice. So, I was like, oh, thanks Jim." (actor Shawnmarie Stanton)

"Well, we need more flashlights. We always need flashlights as props. And phones. Those are what we need every weekend. Flashlights and phones. And dildos and porn." (Gary Menendez)