Saturday

Saw an invite on Facebook yesterday to participate in workshopping a play today, so I signed up and went.  We spent seven hours looking at/reading language, doing group movement exercises, working out harmonies in a song, doing a read-thru and then a discussion of the script, and what we discovered, and then working out some specific movement to feel out sections of the script...basically, taking the words off of the page and seeing what they looked like when you physicalized/vocalized them.  There were three of us (I think) that were neither cast nor crew for the show, but everyone more-or-less participated in all aspects of the process.  It helps to get everyone on the same page, and also to see the process, and the work involved with each element it takes to put a show together.  For me, having had my foot out of the process for the past 2 1/2 months, today was a godsend for experience.  I learned new ways of looking at character and movement; some historical, song-learning techniques; history, use of language, etc.  I'm glad they were open to letting me participate (it turned out that I do know a cast-member, but walking into the room this morning, I knew no one.)  I know it's not all that common to get this experience while working on a show, totally depends on the director and/or the budget, so, I'm grateful to have been a part of this one.

Went to the third night of 14/48 Mixed Tape last night.  (Plays from past 14/48 shows were selected by the public(?), and then the four directors got to each choose seven to direct and cast from them.)  Last night seemed to be broadly played for laughs, and the audience enjoyed it.  My favorite plays were the more serious ones, felt like the actors dug a little deeper, with the exception of "21 Run" by Matt Smith, which was sorta' humorous in a dejected way.  A man is celebrating his 21rst birthday all alone because his best friend forgot him, and he doesn't actually seem to have any friends, and Jason Harber brought moments of vulnerability to that, especially when he starts taking 21 shots in his living room, all alone.  Ben Burris played his imaginary Ninja Armadillo friend, and he was wonderful.  Hannah Mootz and Trick Danneker in "Pause Rest Worship" by Heidi Heimarck also brought a lot of depth to a mother who gave up her child (and then apparently went to prison for a while) and her boy who has grown up not knowing her, only she visits the roadside chapel where she gave him up, once-a-year to pray for him.  And my favorite was Mark Fullerton in "Bliss Potetntial" by Scotto Moore, about an aging, ecstasy-addicted, rockstar who grants a no-holds-barred interview to a rock journalist.  He was lovely.  He brought much vulnerability and subtlety to that character.  All directed by Paul Budraitis.  I could only afford to go to one night, (have tuition and rent due).

I have no closing thoughts, so I'll leave that hanging then.