Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Closer to Performance

So it's been a bit more than a week since I've started rehearsal for "Seven Deadly Sins," and it's going pretty smoothly. I'm playing multiple roles, in fact I just added another one yesterday. We open on Thursday, February 10, at 9:30 pm. We run for 4 weeks at that time slot, then move to 8 pm. The theater is called The Next Stage, and is near La Brea and Sunset. Tickets are $20 a person, but for each person who says they came to see me, I get $5! Woot! Also, they do industry comps for agents etc. I'm trying to decide if I should use the postcards I have, with my old headshot on them, or the printed ones for the show, to send out to agents and managers. I don't think I have my phone number listed on the headshot ones, so it should be ok, since I got them done when I was still in Baltimore.

I'm looking forward to performance, I'm almost off-book now. The sketches are really starting to come together! I'm pretty happy with the choices I'm making with the characters, and I'm playing my newest one very similarly to the way the previous actress did, if only because that was how the director wanted it. But it was also a good, strong choice, and I'm pretty sure I can own it myself. I'm definitely having a great time, that's for sure, it's a really free, creative environment, different from Kentwood in about a thousand ways!!

Chris Berube, who runs the theater, is really open to producing and lending space to projects. He says if we have a piece we really want to do, or a workshop we want to try, he'll give us the space for rehearsal and performance for free, as long as he gets a percentage of the door. Pretty fair, I think! One of the other actresses said she loves Tennessee Williams, and really wants to do some, and he said if she wanted to put a show on she could. Just like that, and based off of an off-hand comment. It probably helps that he doesn't have a board or paying membership he has to appease in any way, he just does what he wants since it's his name on the lease. Everyone in a show is a member automatically, and gets free admission to other shows, and that membership is good as long as they stay active in the theater! I think he may start charging admission though if they haven't seen or done anything there in like a few years.

Basically, I'm pretty excited to be in the group, especially when I hear that people like Paul Reubens and Alan Rickman come by pretty often. I think the show is gonna be good, and I can't wait for curtain!