Closure

A GLORIOUS FAILURE
By Stacy Parker Joyce

I believe that theatre should be THE MOST AMAZING THING EVER or a GLORIOUS FAILURE. There should be nothing in between. And so I say with pride that my first foray into the world of online education was a most glorious failure. However, I still believe that this can be an interesting and useful way to provide an online option to class work in Acting, a subject that by its very nature requires personal interaction. I also think it CAN provide a peak into the world beyond the typical college student's small college town and connect them to artists all over the country, or even the world. This experience has simply illuminated some issues that must be addressed in order to move forward.

1. Student & Outside Artist commitment- I think my biggest problem was student and outside artist commitment to the project. The majority of students seemed very excited by the project at the outset, though there were some "what does this have to do with me" concerns (more on that later), and the guest artists seemed concerned about time commitment, but game to try, (though some ensemble members just flat out admitted they would not be participating because they do not enjoy communication through blogging. So the subject pool was more limited on that end from the outset). After deciding to apply for a grant and taking 8 hours of online courses on how to set up an experiment, I think I became too worried about having an "unpolluted subject pool". I didn't want to force anyone to do it. How could I measure if it was successful if I was forcing people to participate? Ah, BUT what I lost sight of is that in education we force students to do things for grades. I mean that's what they pay me the big bucks for. Do they WANT to do a research paper on Crime & Punishment in Elizabethan England? NO! Do they WANT to read a Chekhov play? NO! But I force them to do it. Some still hate it, but some are surprised to learn they find the task interesting and everyone learns something whether they want to or not. So, mistake #1 was not making the Blog (reading & commenting on it) mandatory for all students in my class. Now of course I can't dangle a grade over the head of the outside artists, but to ask them to commit their time to this project, time that many of them just do not have, without any kind of compensation was foolish. I should have waited to start the project until I secured funding to pay 5-6 guest artists to "work" the blog. Then, they would have additional motivation for continued participation and if they didn't participate, I would not feel bad at all harassing them to do so. I would hope EVENTUALLY students and guest artists would ENJOY doing this and not be worried about grade or pay, but this kind of commitment and connection takes time to foster and grow.
NEW PLAN: MANDATORY BLOG PARTICIPATION for STUDENTS, PAY for GUEST ARTISTS

2. Blog Content- When I first spoke to Michael Dailey (Assoc. Artistic Director at Strawdog) about this idea, it was literally "Hey, let's make a blog between your students and the company" "Yeah, that sounds fun!" And we thought that everyone would just, well, I don't know, talk...about...stuff...you know, whatever the people talk about on blogs. But then I took that flippin' online course and again I began to second guess myself. How can we gauge learning if there is no structure? What do I hope the students to learn? How can I make sure they DO learn and don't just talk about celebrity gossip and last night's episode of Project Runway? Now, I think the initial "Let's talk about, uh, stuff" plan was indeed too vague, however I think I went too far in the other direction and provided too much structure which turned many people off and made the Blog feel, to many, like a chore rather than something they would want to check and be a part of. And since it was wrapped up in the two shows each "company" was producing, I fear that those who were not a part of either of those productions were less inclined to be part of the blog even though my theory was that the productions were to just be a jumping off point for discussion. I think I needed to trust the students and guest artists to just TALK to each other about what is on their mind in a forum that is dedicated to emerging and existing theatre artists.
NEW PLAN: EVERYONE WILL BE INVITED TO POST. EVERYONE WILL BE INVITED TO COMMENT. I WILL TRY TO CHANGE TO A FORMAT THAT PROVIDES "TOPICS" that can be started and then people comment to those different topics. I guess this is considered a "forum" or "discussion board". (http://thelivingcanvas.com/tedforum/ or http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/ would be examples of formats to possibly try) AS MODERATOR/EDUCATOR I can start discussion threads on topics I hope the group to explore together, but ANYONE would be able to start their own discussion threads.

3. Personal Interaction- I had always hoped to bring together the students with the guest artists, live and in person, at some point during or after the project. Due to the timing of the grant I was applying for I knew I would have to wait and hopefully get money and then hopefully get the face time in late spring. However, I now believe that in the future I need to secure funding FIRST and BEGIN the project with some kind of Workshop or Panel Discussion so that everyone can meet face to face first and then move to the cyberworld.
NEW PLAN: GUEST ARTISTS WILL BE INVITED TO MSU FOR WORKSHOP OR PERFORMANCE PRIOR TO THE ON-LINE COMMUNITY GOING LIVE.

I continue to believe in the potential of this project and I look forward figuring out how to implement what I have learned from this experiment in future projects.

Geo's Post # 6

10 out of 12 hours of tech is always exhausting. I’m just thankful that I actually had tech stuff to do. I was a part of the process, it made me feel useful. All it took was for me to put some spike marks down and I felt like I was a part of the “real crew” team! No, really, I’m serious. This may sound lame, but not being able to help with tech worries me. This was the first show where I felt like I was in charge of where the set pieces need to be…so it was by duty and responsibility to get it done…..I was useful. Plus, I didn’t sit around on my butt doing nothing…that’s the worst part. I learned about the crap that crew members have to put up with from actors. Not only from the uber cast, but also from myself. There were some people, cast and crew alike, that drove me up the wall!! The things that people demand…and if you know me at all….that is not the way to approach me! I almost punched somebody…but I try to play nice. Then there was the subject of touching other’s props. Though, technically it wasn’t a prop, it was my CUE SHEET!!! Some idiot moved my cue sheet that had my flow chart on it. It took me almost half of the first act to find it. DON’T TOUCH OTHER’S STUFF!!!

Geo's Post #4

“How does the implementation of the design elements or pending implementation of design elements affect your work?” As an Uber crew member, this design is very conducive to the role that I play. I am one of the people responsible for moving the set pieces. And how I move them will affect the productivity of the show as a whole. So, I had to visit the set often in the shop while it was being built. I had to see how big it was and how fast I could move the pieces without it being dangerous. Another factor that played to this was the costume. The costume is always a challenge, especially the shoes. These things determine the way that you will ultimately move on stage. I do feel the worst for the girls. I couldn’t begin to imagine walking in heels and even breathing at the same time! On top of that, doing the other stage business. But, on a more character development side…it could be very helpful or not so wanted…
I remember doing a Footloose a couple of years ago. I played the leading character’s( Ren) uncle Wes. Now, in the script, there isn’t a specific reference to where this man works. So, I made that up for myself. Me thinking outside the box, decided that since I( a black male) was playing a character who lived in a small town(let’s be honest—there weren’t too many black people in this small town) should have a top notch job. So, Mr. Wes Warnicker was to be a consultant at some firm. When our design presentations were given, there was nothing that disagreed with that. Our costume designer came to the presentation with a collage of 80’s clothing from magazines. No specific costume for anyone. Then there was the actual fitting. I went into the room and there was a custodial jumper waiting for me with my name on it! Now, don’t get me wrong…there isn’t a thing wrong with being a custodian! But, there is something to be said when you’re doing a show like Footloose, that centers around a small town in Hickville, USA and the only black character just happens to be a custodian. Let’s just say that that changed a lot for the character I was building.

Post #6- Greg

After our respective Techtastic Weekends, Reflect on Tech. How did it go? What did you learn? Were you able to continue your own actor work while still being a part of the detailed, difficult process of folding all the technical elements into the production.

Technical rehearsal went well. I was scared at first because of the complexity of the show. But how can tech rehearsal go wrong with FIVE AMAZING UBER CREW MEMBERS! WOW! Is all if have to say. I am kind of jealous that I am not an uber crew member. They are a force. Don't fuck with them!

I learned to trust other actors onstage, even the ubercrew. I thought we were going to run out of time because the opening number took three tries if I am not mistaken! But we got through teching the WHOLE show AND got a run through in! I was able to work as an actor too. Stacy was totally right. She asked us to use the 10 of 12 as a rehearsal rather than a GOOF OFF. I am thrilled to be apart of this fun, new, and interesting idea! GO TRIUMPH!!!

PS. The phantom has yet to take me away to his underground liar! Thank heavens for Patricia, my bodyguard (aka. assistant trap door opener.) Holly and Patricia will ensure my safety! TAKE THAT COGER PHANTOM!

POST #7 That's a Wrap!- Greg

Well I am walking into the Triumph of Love a very proud man. It's weird, I am proud of my work, BUT I AM EVEN PROUDER OF THOSE WHO I SHARE THE STAGE WITH. Each one of the actors and ubercrew members has done magnificent work. It was amazing to watch my peers grow in one week! Each has done exceptional work.

Overall, this show has been troublesome, enlightening, fearful, romantic, and rewarding. I have learned a lot of things about myself as an actor and the true struggles one must go through. This experience has been rocky with the death of my grandmother and my sisters pending divorce, but I wouldn't change anything that happened for the world. The emotional energy that was taken from me was a lesson learned that no matter how realistic I may be, I need to look on the brighter side of life. After Triumph, I am taking a break and will be working for the rest of my days here in Springfield. Every Saturday, I am going to be collaborating with a superb dancer by the name of Sandra Lopez for her senior BFA concert! I can't wait.

The audience seems to really LOVE the show too. After talking to some friends, they really enjoyed the opening number, the closing number, the ubercrew, and everything as a whole. Two theatre goers have even said, "I think that has to be the best show I have ever seen put on a stage." What a compliment! I will be sad because the end of Triumph is near. However, I will be free to make some money from the current financial situation I am in! HAPPY TRIUMPH and BREAK A LEG RICHARD III CAST!

Post 7: And we wrap it all up!- Addie

Opening night jitters weren't nearly as bad as I expected them to be last night, although I was a little nervous about audience reaction. As we can track based on my previous posts, I was so worried about my character and her development into a true but larger than life person and the audience's response to it. The script itself, I feel, lacks appeal. Fortunately we have a wacky and wonderful director who wasn't afraid to take a risk and develop a concept for this show that is totally outside the box. And it worked! For the longest time, I would sit backstage and watch my peers doing their thing and think "this is brilliant." But then we didn't have anyone in the audience to respond to us, and I stated to worry we weren't going to be successful. Fortunately, I was wrong. Based on the reaction from our last night's audience, we are doing something right. Now my only concern is keeping the show consistent and honest to us and our rehearsal process instead of trying and playing to the audience. No matter what, this has been an incredible experience and I'm so thrilled to have been a part of it.

Post 6: Techtastic Addie

Triumph of LOVE- Technically, our show is a little bonkers. Luckily, we have 5 incredible cast members who act as our UberCrew. I feel that having cast five actors to work as a "well oiled machine" who have been in rehearsals since day one to fix, tweak and practice with our rehearsal set gave us a HUGE advantage at our 10/12 rehearsal. The looming set pieces didn't phase us at all, and I think it went ridiculously well. Having the advantage of no stress during the tech, I found it a great opportunity to continue my character work.

Technically Speaking- Jaz

The Technical Rehearsal, to me, is full of the most discovery.

In the rehearsal hall, the actor pantomimes opening the door.

How the door actually opens does, in fact, affect the way that the actor opens the door.

Then, the way that the actor opens the door affects the character...to a limited extent, certainly, but those little adjustments compound.

If the door is heavier or lighter than the actor anticipates or swings in the opposite direction than they had imagined, it has a momentary impact on how they make their entrance…

Having a real couch to recline upon on stage versus a couple of folding chairs set side by side by side in rehearsal...

Standing a full level above another character...

Hearing the music before the scene...

Each of these tangible things adds an imperceptible dimension.

Add the layers of costume & accessories which change the way the actor moves & carries themself & before you know it, all that imaginative thought becomes visible reality.

For me, the night before tech is just like the night before a road trip.

It’s hard to sleep, thinking about all the things you wanna’ bring & double-checking that you packed properly & imagining what it’s gonna’ be like & what you’re gonna’ see & you just can’t wait to get to your destination even though you know the journey’s gonna’ be the funnest part…

Yeah.

That’s what tech is like for me…

Almost there.

Two previews to go.

More news next week.

Triumph 1st Dress

Thanks Loyal Auterson for the Photos!!

Tech-TASTIC Strawdog Theatre

Thanks Evil Vince for the Photos!!!





Cue to Cue's are fun...

I'm Back- Jenny

Sorry everyone for being so absent from this blog for a while - I have literally been absent from the process for a bit - having taken a week away to go to Paris (I know - its crazy but its true). Lot's of pros and cons to the situation I currently find myself in (although as I'm writing, I am mostly experiencing the cons as I am experiencing a lack of sleep and a lack of personal confidence as we head into tech).

On the pro side, taking a week off allowed me to breathe with the role for a moment -- as one of my former teachers used to call it, put the role in "no motion" - meaning just sort of live with it for a bit on a subconscious level. I came back feeling refreshed (if a wee bit jetlagged) and ready to aggressively go into the final week of rehearsal before tech.

On the con side, I came back and felt a week behind - really overwhelmed and disoriented and like I am perpetually trying to catch up - This is always the wonkiest week for me in rehearsal anyway - it is when I start to doubt my choices and feel like nothing that I am trying to do is really working - I get really frustrated and angry and in need of a constant hug - but having been away, all of that is really magnified.

I do believe that I will get there by the time we open, but it certainly feels precarious for me at the moment - I am waiting for the magical inspiration to kick in - so when you all have a moment, send a little bit of inspiration my way!

Jenny

A funny picture, some random thoughts & a serious question

Cute, right?

So...where was I?

Oh, blood on the threads.

Well, of course, Buckingham never actually kills the kids.

But, in my interpretation, he resolves himself to do so.

On one condition, of course.

That he gets the Earldom of Hereford that Richard promises him.

(& the movables, too - can't forget those movables.)

So, that is the result of the journey that my character takes & the extreme to which he will go to get what he wants - which is obviously status, power, advancement & the trappings that come with that.

& even though "Uncle Buck" (as I like to call him) never actually goes through with it, I have to recognize that he goes from being appauled by infanticide early in the play to being, himself, an infanticidal maniac.

This change of heart comes too late (& again, in my interpretation, only after he has hedged his bets & set up a potential alliance with Richmond, an erstwhile adversary, just in case) & Richard has already found a "discontented gentleman who's humble means match not his haughty spirit" to "dispatch" those "bastards in the Tower".

So, by the time Buckingham steels himself for the dirty deed, the job has been stolen & not only that, but Richard isn't "in the giving vein", so Buck can forget about the movables, too.

Dissed.

Bummer...but, hey, there's always Richmond & his "puissant navy", right?

Well, initially, sure, but Buckingham (or "Bucky" to his wife) is intercepted on his way to wage war & gets his comeuppance at the hands of Richard & his new posse (which includes an actual Sheriff) long before the Battle at Bosworth Field.

Y'know, the one where Richard keeps looking for a horse?

So, anyway, before Bucky can see if he finally backed the right guy, they take him to Salisbury, lead him off to the block & decapitate him!

On All Soul's Day, even, the very day he swore allegiance to the very people he very coldly, cruelly & calculatedly conned, compromised or killed.

Right before they drop the axe, Buckingham points out the irony of it all & tries to make a last ditch effort to atone for what he has done...

BUCKINGHAM
Why, then All-Souls' day is my body's doomsday.
This is the day that, in King Edward's time,
I wish't might fall on me, when I was found
False to his children or his wife's allies
This is the day wherein I wish'd to fall
By the false faith of him I trusted most;
This, this All-Souls' day to my fearful soul
Is the determined respite of my wrongs:
That high All-Seer that I dallied with
Hath turn'd my feigned prayer on my head
And given in earnest what I begg'd in jest.
Thus doth he force the swords of wicked men
To turn their own points on their masters' bosoms:
Now Margaret's curse is fallen upon my head;
'When he,' quoth she, 'shall split thy heart with sorrow,
Remember Margaret was a prophetess.'
Come, sirs, convey me to the block of shame;
Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame.

What poetic justice!

In every sense: just AND poetic at the same time.

But in our sexy, streamlined version of the play, this aforementioned scene is omitted & Buckingham makes it to Bosworth just in time for the battle...he actually fights alongside the young Lord Dorset (the queen's son from her marriage prior to Edward) & together they subdue Richard (who is a great warrior) & set him up for Richmond to kill.

Then Richmond takes the crown & the people scream, "Huzzah!"

But, wait a minute, this Richmond doesn't seem any cooler than Richard, really...in fact, he might be worse; we don't know this guy at all: at least we liked Richard.

Good old Richard, he was smart & everybody picked on him...he was the underdog, really, right?

Okay, you got your funny picture & I blurted out my random thoughts, so here comes my serious question.

Even though we are merely rearranging Shakespeare (as opposed to rewriting it), have we tampered with the text too much?

If yes, why?

If not, do you think that the concept of retribution is illustrated clearly enough?

Or even moreso?

Does seeing Buckingham lose his head for his actions onstage provide more satisfaction?

Or is it better to watch him squirm as the lights fade knowing that he will probably still lose his head?

I know what I think.

But I've already said too much.

Your turn.

The Craziness of Love - Greg Post

I can't believe we open next week. I am pretty shocked that time flew by so freaking fast! The next week is going to be crazy, crazy, crazy! Not to mention the craziness of ice storms and two days off from school! I have been gone for about 2 weeks due to funerals and family business, but I am back and ready to work. Little did I realize, that I am behind in a lot of things school work wise, but I should be able to prevail. With going home, I realized a lot. One: How much I love my family. Two: How much my family needs me. Three: How much I need my family. Four: How much I missed all my friends and the cast of Triumph (including Holly, Stacy, and Alex.) And Five: How much theatre (and Viewpointing) is more therapy for me. This past week has been life changing where I have had many realizations about my family, about myself, and about life in general. I wouldn't change the past for the world. Anyway... I got to do some homework, I just got done with a six page paper on Uta Hagen (the coolest gal in the world if you ask me!) Have fun blogging! Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Post #4- Greg

POST #4: “How does the implementation of the design elements or pending implementation of design elements affect your work?” Some things you might want to touch on: Your character development? The rehearsal process in general? Early designer’s sketches and design presentations?

Well to be completely honest, I am excited about the first rehearsal in Coger tonight, however, I am very interested in seeing if I can get my ghetto booty through the trap door. I think the set construction team was aware of this, but who knows. Also, what will be under the trap door? Will I have to enter and exit using a rope? Do they know I do not have much upper body strength? What will be awaiting me when I exit with the trap? A Ladder? 5 knives sticking straight up? A bouncy ball? A Pillow? Ohhh .... how dark trap door holes scare me!

And not to mention, I was underneath Coger a couple weeks back and I got completely freaked out. The thought of being under the stage frightens me. The Coger Phantom may take me away underneath to his liar. Of course we may fall in love, but he will have to wait because I have a show to do. Oh Coger phantom, how you distract me.

The implementation of design elements has a huge affect on the blocking because the set moves. What I love about mobile set peices is that it screams creativity!!! With knowing all the technical ideas in advance, I am able to create a character based on their ideas.

FREE SKATE - tell the story

OK right. Sorry I haven’t been around but, well…it’s been busy and my mind has been cluttered and well…here I am, excuses in tow. Let me make it up to you buy using my free skate to cover some of the ground I’ve missed. There really is only one rule: TELL THE STORY. This is my firm belief having been on the stage for (my god) over 30 years in hundreds of productions and thousands of performances. Just tell the story. Sounds simple enough, but it aint.

Why.

Well, usually (I think) because people’s egos are in the way. You know what I’m talking about: the director that is proud of his/her clever use of staging, the actor that is so proud that he/she can produce tears, the costumer that spends five thousand dollars on a bolt of cloth, the lighting designer that hangs 350 instruments for a two scene show…all are examples of people in our business that have forgotten that their only job is to tell the story. No joke, I saw a show that had two scenes, one black out and about 350 lighting instruments in the air. Why? The story took place in an office in one afternoon and in real time. There was never a need for that many lights (it could have been done with 75 or less). Another show I did with an outdoor theater company – the costumer put the ingénue in a Taffeta dress knowing full well that if the actress got caught once in the rain it would destroy the dress. And this was a professional costume designer from Hollywood (*cough*Millers*cough*Crossing*cough*)! What was she thinking!

She wasn’t thinking, that was the problem, as is the case with many professionals.

Here is an example of the brilliant use of story telling - Gene Wilder in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He agreed to do the role on the condition that in the scene where he comes out to greet the children and the crowd that he be walking with a limp and a cane. Then at some point, the cane would stick in the sidewalk begin to fall and then do a summersault out of it with a ta-dah. The director agreed but asked him why and Gene replied: “because from that moment on you wont know if he’s lying or telling the truth”.

Wow. Think about that (and please god if you haven’t seen this movie go out and rent it tonight!). It’s an amazing piece of insight into the character and the story being told and he gives it to us in such an effortless way. Now THAT’S telling the story.

Sometimes when I freestyle, I lose confidence (5-Jessica)

So, a freestyle post. That’s a lot of freedom. The show is shaping up quite well, I feel. It’s such an interesting experience to be involved in something like this but still have the mindset of an observer. I know I talk (blog?) about that a lot, and it may be getting a little old, but really, it’s changing so much. What I mean is, that my ideas about ensemble and collaboration and educational theatre and people in general are expanding constantly. This is my first main stage experiment and it’s not quite what I thought it would be. I don’t know what I thought it would be actually, but I’m sure it was different than what we are experiencing with Stacy and this project.
I’d be a big fat liar if I said I wasn’t worried at all. Much like in my last post, I’m still a bit uncertain about the set itself. I think it’s a really sweet concept and I’m sure they wouldn’t have let us come this far with it if it wasn’t going to work, but the Ubercrew isn’t made up of the bulkiest kids, excluding (Geo-the-muscle, of course) and the pieces are pretty freaking huge. Comparably. So, that’s my only big worry right now. Like I said, it’s looking pretty good. I don’t have any sad or too funny stories, aw, other than I seem to have broken my ‘small injury’ streak. I can’t tell you how many band-aids Holly, (our dear stage manager) has had to give me. BUT, it’s been about a week or so since I’ve gone and hurt myself somehow.

Post 5- Addie

We can really post about anything?
During shows, I always need more coffee. Always. And I can never get enough of Bob Dylan. I'm sitting in my living room doing everything I can to catch up on homework on this blessing of a snow day in the lovely and predictable state of Missouri, and instead I'm writing a blog. (Thanks for another reason to procrastinate, Stacy!)
Anyway, I really am enjoying the work we're doing on Triumph, but the closer it gets, the more anxious and uncomfortable I feel. It is so soon, and I am really worried Leontine won't be where she needs to be by performance. This is my first mainstage, and I want to do the cast and my character the justice they deserve, and right now I don't feel I'm at a place I am comfortable putting on stage. We move to Coger on wednesday, and as exciting as it is, I'm terrified. Well, there's my open-blog post. Feel free to comment.

POST #4 - The Production Elements versus The Players

Wow.

Somebody needs to shut me up!

Once I get started, I just can't stop.

But, the question was the impact of production design on our work in the play, so...

The plays we do at Strawdog have varied from "kitchen sink drama" to "stylistic worldscapes", so the designs usually reflect that, too…

Sets can vary from very literal (I mean, we literally had a functional kitchen sink onstage for "Hurly Burly") to quite conceptual (like a golden circle on a black floor flanked by a series of free-standing white screens for "Ivona, Princess of Burgundia").

The same goes for costumes: from very straightforward (period garb for “Marathon ‘33”) to anachronistic, amalgamated styles (boarding school uniforms, samurai warrior gear & everything in between for “The Green Bird”).

Lighting, of course, is the most important, yet subtle (and rarely noticed), of all theatrical devices. It also happens to be the one that is least tangible for an actor until they can see it…or not. So, I can’t make much of a general statement about the lighting in our shows, except for the fact that our designers are miracle workers because our space has ten foot ceilings. I’m not jokin’. Ten foot ceilings. I dunno how they do it, y’all.

Props are too specific to generalize, too. The one thing I can say, though, is that we have a rule at Strawdog: actors are only allowed to handle props after they put down the book. (Which supports the idea that the words and the ideas of the Play are more important than the physical properties and affects of the Production.) More on that later…

Sound might be the most fluid design element (and, perhaps, the one that most serves to unify the production elements with the performers and the script), so it’s hard to make a generalization about that aspect, too. However, we do tend toward original compositions and, for the past few years, about half the time, we even incorporate live music into our productions. From a band of ghosts constantly moving around the perimeter of the stage area (in “The True Ballad of Fall’s Blessings”, a world premiere collaboration) to a band of drunken cowboy-types stuck in an orchestra pit (for our production of “A Lie of the Mind”).

So, Strawdog runs the gamut. Base simplicity. High concept.

Interestingly enough, Shakespeare sort of falls somewhere in between for us. Because of the many various settings, the actual sets are typically very vague and adaptable. For “Measure for Measure”, it was a set of platforms with a few transparent wrought-iron walls and sliding doors. For “Julius Caesar” it was a semi-circular series of columns topped with a colonnade. For “Merchant of Venice”, it was a row of arches behind a wide open floor. That backdrop is then adorned with flags to suggest a public forum or tapestries to indicate a private chamber or a chair is added to furnish a throne room. More often, though, the location change is suggested by the shift in the lights and the difference in the behavior of the actors or the props they carry in with them for the scene.

The costumes tend to be anachronistic, with both modern and classical touches, to help the audience recognize the characters more immediately. For instance, the Duchess of York, who is constantly greiving, will wear a black pillbox hat with black netting: the iconic sign of a stately woman in mourning. This way, the audience more readily identifies that character and their situation and gets beyond the barriers of the poetry and the archaic language more quickly. Yet, contrapuntally, the battle scenes in all of our Shakespeare plays always feature rapiers, daggers, broadswords and shields and stuff…which is not to say we would never have a Pistol carry a pistol if we did “Henry IV & V” or “Merry Wives”. But, generally, we try to unify those disparate images. I’m just sayin’.

The sound tends to be a mix of the modern and the classical as well…in fact, that would be the touchstone of our approach to the Bard. “Caesar” was militaristic meets orchestral: string instruments over hip hop beats. “Merchant” was…well, sorta’ the same, actually, except the beats were a little more groovy. (We do like the hip hop beats here at Strawdog.) “Richard III” is going to be more rock n’roll, though. Pretty hard core, in fact. Which will be nice once we start stringing all the scenes together and need that charge to push the action from the end of one scene into the beginning of another…

With regards to “Richard III”, there are seventeen scenes in our cutting of the play and we may only revisit a location twice in a few scenes (the exterior of the Tower of London, a throne room and a battlefield), so the designer has provided a frame in which to stretch a canvas blank enough to paint those various scenes. The set will consist of an array of doorways and the playing space changes by merely opening of one pair of doors and closing the others.

To be specific to MY character in THIS play, I think the fact that we employ this “ideal amorphous setting” concept in our approach to Shakespeare, forces me to invest even more deeply in my connection with the other actors to define the world of the play. That sounds cheesy. What I mean is, if the space around the action is (somewhat) indefinite, then the action itself is what defines the space. Acting like we’re on a battlefield is what will make it a battlefield. Or at least seem like a battlefield to the audience.

Other than that, though, all I really gotta’ do is find my light, stand there, say the lines and look pretty.

(That and get some babies killed.)

The only props I really handle are some booze, a note, some keys, another note, some more booze, a sword and a shield.

(Which is more than enough to kill those babies.)

Oh… one last thought: we are a month into the process now and the overall story and the role my character plays in it are all very abundantly clear, along with my objectives and my journey, so all I need at this point is the costume - with that, I'm Buckingham.

(I just hope I don’t get any baby blood on my fly threads.)

Random Post from Stacy

So Kat McDonnell sent me this and I couldn't stop laughing. As master of the Blog, I deem this educational:

Ask the Stage Directions from Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof:

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/73945

Worlds Collide- Part 2

MSU Students- if you know any alumni in Chicago who might be interested, please spread the word...

Are you looking for a candidate to support? Strawdog Theatre Company is looking for talented people to round out the ensemble of our upcoming production of Old Town , an original musical by Brett Neveu. This is an unpaid performance internship, and perfect for people fresh out of school or new to the city who are looking to get their foot in the door of one of Chicago ’s oldest and most fantastic-to-work-at storefront institutions. We are looking for all ages and types to play supporters, aides, hotel staff, and media. Your work would include Choral singing and movement. Musical Theatre experience a plus but not necessary.



Dates of involvement are:

Sat Apr 12 and Sun Apr 13 from noon-5p
Tue Apr 15, Wed Apr 16, Thu Apr 17 from 7-11p
Sat Apr 19 from 10a-10p (sumptuous meals provided)
Sun Apr 20 from 12-10p (again, much lovely food and comeraderie…)
Tues Apr 22 – Friday Apr 25 – from 7-11p
Opening Night @ 7p on Sat Apr 26
Performance Schedule – generally speaking, Fri-Sun through March 29, with some Monday night industry night, and a couple of Thursdays performances as well.


Please contact Kyle Hamman with interest. kylehamman@strawdog.org. Email only please.

Post 4-Addie

How does the implementation of the design elements or pending implementation of design elements affect your work?
Having our rehearsal set pieces and the model and barbie-sized pieces to refer too and play with in rehearsal definitely help me with my understanding of our concept of Triumph. It is frequent (in my experience) that I have gone through a rehearsal process without having stand in pieces or rehearsal props and when I get to a show I don't have any idea how to work it into my performance. That being said, I feel that the presence of these things has definitely helped me feel more at home with my character and eases one of the woes I have about her. If I am comfortable with the stage, I'll be comfortable in my body and be able to focus more on my relationship to the other characters as opposed to the self-awareness of "am I using my pieces enough? Is this awkward?" etc. etc.

post 4- Jessica

HAha! Two in a row.
POST #4: “How does the implementation of the design elements or pending implementation of design elements affect your work?” Some things you might want to touch on: Your character development? The rehearsal process in general? Early designer’s sketches and design presentations?

The design of this show has so much going on all the time! It’s been kind of difficult working as a part of the ‘crew’ and not having been able to work with sets yet. I think it’ll be a challenge once we do get to the sets, but we’re all pretty awesome, so I think we can handle it. Because, obviously, our awesomeness has a lot to do with function. Anyway, I’m excited to work with the real set and costumes. The biggest worry is all about timing. Right now things are going smoothly, but it’ll all take a bit more time when we try real quick-changes and start maneuvering the giant set pieces. Does that address the question? Hope so.

post3- Jessica

POST #3: My rehearsal prep is pretty simple. As in, I have a cup of hot tea and just take a few minutes to sit before heading off to the Rehearsal Room. I generally have pretty busy days and it’s really nice to just have those few minutes to transition from school/work mode to rehearsal/exploration ready. That’s a really weird way to put it, but I hope it’s clear. As far as warm-ups go, I’m really thankful that we spend so much time in the rehearsal process warming up via viewpoints or whatever other activities Stacy throws at us; I just don’t have that much time to do that beforehand. I think, for me, the majority of the work happens within rehearsals. My character is not actually in the script, so that gets rid of the line memorizing bit, to an extent at least. Working with the rest of the cast/crew helps a lot as far as discovering what my relationships are with the others. I’ve had one big “AHA!” moment recently and that was with vocal viewpointing. I still haven’t quite got the hang of it, but it is so exciting to see/hear the text taking physical form.

Another Random Post from Stacy

Strawdogger Kat McDonnell tried to comment on my last random post, but her attempts to post a link were also sabotaged. She couldn't even post her link so that one could cut and paste it! Ha! HA! She is so technically challenged! How sad! My Blog savvy skills to the rescue! I will post it for her! And provide another interesting random post in the process:

From Kat:
A different, yet related blog entry about Art as a place for people to connect to each other. "Art as a Hub". Do people come to a theater to see art or to connect to each other? Perhaps both? The blogger asks "in the future the arts organizations that thrive will be the ones most skilled at turning their audience from an unrelated group of people into a community." -kat (from Strawdog)

Art as a Hub Link

Post #3--Geo

It's a good thing we do Viewpoints as a warm up. I literally go 9am to 5pm everyday. Then at 5 I go to the student union and buy dinner. After that, at 6pm is rehearsal time. In a perfect world I would have a session of Chi Gong, Growtoski animal work, and various vocal exercises.

For this show: Most of the magic happens inside the room. This is the place to play and the exercises we use at the beginning of rehearsals start the creative process going. One of my "AHA!" moments occurred last week. It happened during viewpoints and I used it later that night in the dumb show. Plus, for an odd reason I'm sure, I get out my head in these rehearsals. When I'm in the room, I'm in the room! That's probably why I'm always the happy one during check in.

The best part is that the room is a trusting environment. These people are very productive with positive and active feedback. Also, we are discovering this show together. But not as if everyone comes into the room blind. It is very apparent that everyone knows the show backwards and forwards. I have worked with people, EVEN DIRECTORS who come not knowing what the hell is going on! And at the other end, there are the actors and directors who come in with their preconceived ideas of the textual meaning, blocking, and delivery--and there is no other options in this. I must admit, I am at a happy medium. I have been blessed with fellow actors and a director who know the show well enough to present it correctly and are open enough to explore it as an ensemble.

THE BALANCE--post #2--Geo

I am poor. No money from the family cause they are poor too. Therefore I have to work to pay rent, utilities, phone and other bills of necessity....I guess food too! At the same time I am a full time student with 18 credit hours (some in subjects I have no interest in). THANK GOD for the show. The show allows me time to step away from academic and working man Geo. I get to let loose with some viewpoint work and play.
It is very challenging to tackle everything. It's gotten to the point to where I don't call my family from back home as much. I have talked to my mother or sibling in over TWO WEEKS....and I'm close with my family. They are a part of my outlet. Let's be honest..theatre people are crazy...we drive each other nuts sometimes. With my family, they aren't into theatre. They are my vacation away from the fast paced theatre life! Don't get me wrong, I love this craft! But I need to find more time to call home. There simply isn't enough time in the day.
Sad, but true, the homework is piling up. Sometimes while I'm at work, at the library, I'll sneak time in to do some of it. But, after the second week in March a lot will clear up. I just hope that I can survive mid terms.

THE TWO/THREE PUNCH - 2 Blogs for the Price of 1- JAZ

Reflections on the challenge of balancing work with life, eh?

Wow.

Well, how about the initial challenge of proving (to oneself or one’s family, friends, pets, et cetera) that this ‘theatre thing’ is even worthy to be called ‘work’? I know we all tell each other (and ourselves) that “they’re called ‘plays’ for a reason”, but this stuff is WORK. Especially this Shakespeare stuff. I mean, it’s one thing to have to dig deep and find a dark side of our selves, or really stretch to put on unaccustomed dialects and mannerisms to embody a character…but doing all of that to metered poetry in heightened language can be a WORKOUT. Plus, my character (the princely Buckingham) happens to be a combatant in the final battle scene, which adds even more to the rigors of this particular production. Try belting out four verse lines in a single breath and launching straight into a swordfight: that’s some work, y’all. Though actors maybe the glorified court jester and though theatre may be a constantly dying art, doing it really does take its toll. In a lot of ways… Wait.

What was the question?

Right: balancing theatre with life.

Well, it is very difficult.

There are 168 hours in a week. I spend about 45 of those hours at work. Around 20 hours in rehearsal. 15 hours in transit. If I’m lucky, I sleep 8 hours a night, (but don’t usually) so, let’s call it 42 hours a week sleeping. That leaves 46 hours and I haven’t even spent time with my girlfriend or my family yet. Then, I write and perform for a podcast show on Mondays. I audition for commercials and voiceovers twice or more a week (if I’m lucky), which requires preparation, travel and time. I’m currently (constantly) writing a solo performance about my life in a multi-cultural family. I have a few friends that I like to see every once in a while. On top of it all, I volunteered to do this blog. I must be crazy. Which reminds me, I spend every available moment I can with my lovely lady, who helps me work on my shows, prepare for auditions, write and just keeps me sane. Or at least she tries.

Where was I?

Time keeps on slippin’ into the future, y’all.

Yet, for as much work as I do at home by myself, I feel like the most important work happens in the rehearsal room when you are reacting to other actors and playing your perception off of theirs. However, there is an interesting flipside to that, because I also sort of feel like once the rehearsal process begins the play simply becomes a layer of my consciousness. This sounds suspiciously like what my girlfriend calls my “wizard-talk”, but the reason I call it “a layer” is because the story and the relationships are floating around in my mind all the time during the rehearsal process. And, of course, those pesky lines somehow surface repeatedly during the course of the day, under the din of the daily commute and the work at work and the chores at home, they sneak up on me, imposing themselves into my brain at any free moment and becoming my primary thoughts somehow. When other things should take precedence (some task at hand, for example, or how good this sandwich tastes), I find myself drifting off and wondering “What would Buckingham do?” or, more appropriately, “Why would Buckingham do what he does?”

What DOES he do? He exploits his many connections to his powerful family. He takes advantage of the tenuous situation of the questionable politics in his fragile government. He aligns himself with the black sheep (of a black-hearted family) and begins a campaign undermine the status quo. He kills babies. He becomes the chief political advisor and (perhaps) speech writer for a tyrant. Then, he changes his mind.

Again, as an actor, there are not many situations in my life that are directly analogous. But, seeing news stories about Chicago politics and reading articles about the United States foreign policy, it doesn’t take too much to imagine there are similar situations going on today. So, making the jump to betrayal and infanticide, is not as huge a leap as one might expect.

So, I sort of start looking at the way the world works through the eyes of the character and looking at the character through the eyes of the world. Which proves problematic. Because, I don’t really like this Buckingham guy. He’s a malicious opportunist and a spiteful turncoat. But I have to empathize with this cat, understand this character, relate to his situation and adopt his thought processes. Somehow. Which is where the work comes back into the picture.

Typically, my approach to a play is a combination of preconceived notions & total surprise. By that, of course, I just mean that there is only so much work that one can do in the mirror. Then, it comes time to get in the rehearsal room. Only when you traipse your ideas out and see if they jive with those of everyone else involved (most notably the director, of course), can one even begin to tell if those ideas work. So, as much as you might think you think you know a play or the role of your character in it, you have to go into each scene wondering what will happen and responding to it all as it does.

That is my challenge with this production: keeping it new, pretending I don’t know the outcome and pretending that the people in the audience don’t know it either.

But that’s the thing about acting, the more the actor believes it, the more the audience believes it.

Well…I guess you can always fake it, too.

That’s the beauty of it.

Imagination.

Which is how I change gears from James into Buckingham.

I go to the gym, bust a little sweat, stretch, shake off the day and try to walk into each scene imagining that I am a politician with an amicable and gentlemanly demeanor that belies the fact that I am an ambitious deviant motivated by spite and thirst for the blood of my enemies.

Fun!

Worlds Collide- From Stacy

Hey MSU Students! Do you know any alumni up in the Chicagoland area who might be interested in this? Our worlds would collide outside of the Land of Blog!
That could be fun...
- Stacy

Have you always wanted to be an Alderman? Strawdog Theatre Company is looking for 3-4 super talented people to round out the ensemble of our upcoming production of Richard III. This is an unpaid performance internship, and perfect for people fresh out of school or new to the city who are looking to get their foot in the door of one of Chicago ’s oldest and most fantastic-to-work-at storefront institutions. (Special Note: this would also be fun for people who would enjoy working with some of the finest, friendliest artists in Chicago .) In the past, our Shakespeare productions have been satisfying to put together and well received by the public (past performance is not a guarantee of future success, of course), and the “supernumeraries” have filled the critical role of adding intrigue and personality to ye olde Shakespearean crowdes, as well as enabling the traditional Strawdog slick and smooth transition from one location to another. Yes, there are scene changes, but there is also aggressive scenework (no dialogue), encouragement to develop an individual character with an individual agenda, and an awesome battle at the end!



Dates of involvement are:

Sat Feb 9 and Sun Feb 10 from noon-5p
Tue Feb 12, Wed Feb 13, Thu Feb 14 from 7-11p
Sat Feb 16 from 10a-10p (sumptuous meals provided)
Sun Feb 17 from 12-10p (again, much lovely food and comeraderie…)
Tues Feb 18 – Friday Feb 19 – from 7-11p
Opening Night @ 7p on Sat Feb 23
Performance Schedule – generally speaking, Fri-Sun through March 29, with some Monday night industry night, and a couple of Thursdays performances as well.


Please contact Nic Dimond with interest. nic@strawdog.org. Email only please.

Random Post From Stacy

Hello All!
As moderator I have decided I can jump in and randomly post sometimes. Who's gonna stop me??? MUUUHAHAHAHAH!
Anyway, I thought this was fascinating and relevant:


http://theatreideas.blogspot.com/2007/07/new-tribalism-and-theatre.html

Enjoy!
Stacy

Triumph of Love Post #3 - Greg

POST #3: Please discuss the Rehearsal Room and your preparation (if any) to rehearse. Some possible thoughts to reflect on (if you want some further guidance): How do you go from "day job/school/life" to the work of the rehearsal room? Do you have a personal warm-up or preparation to begin working? Do you have "group warm-ups" and do you find them helpful or distracting?

I am the biggest slacker when it comes to preparation for a rehearsal. My days usually consist of waking up and going to school, either working or going to class. Then I have a four hour break (which I usually sleep.) Then I wake up and go to rehearsal. It's a perfect student life. There is no reason why I should not be doing warm-ups before rehearsals. I just don't want to do them. In rehearsal, we warm-up using physical viewpoints. Sometimes, the warm-ups are helpful, especially when my mind is thinking about an issue outside of rehearsal. I think the bonds that are made using viewpoints is great (although I expected them to be stronger by now.) However, Viewpoints gives cast members a chance to take risks and tests all barriers of self comfort.

What challenges are you currently facing within the rehearsal process?
I have several challenges I am currently facing with this production. Lately, I have been in a very realistic mood while looking back at the past six years of my college experience. I have come to the conclusion that being an actor is something I may not want to do for the rest of my life. Just thinking about where I am right now and what I need to accomplish to succeed as a professional actor will take a lot of hard work and money. I also have realized that being apart of theatre has made me an atrocious person. To throw all card out on the table, another challenge is having genuine compassion for Triumph. It's not that I hate it, I am just being completely lazy about the show to a point that there is no inspiration to pick up the script.

I think all these realizations has been affecting my work ethic in and out of the rehearsal process (and it is starting to linger into classroom functions.) My kinesthetic reponse while in a show is to pick up the script twenty times a week to understand my character. Instead, my reponse has been staying up late partying. Why am I acting this way? Why am I so uninspired? Is it the show? Is it me? Am I fed-up with theatre? Do I need a break? Am I scared because I am about to graduate? Like I said, I have no idea why I am acting like this but I need to look over my actions and figure this shit out quick.

In short, I am in an artistic block right now (that was confronted last night at rehearsal. A wake-up call, and boy was it needed.) Honestly, I don’t deserve to be in Triumph. But right now, I accepted the role and need to take it like a man. I need to carry out the reponsibilites like any other show I would be in. I need to push myself and see if this is truly how I feel because this could be some rash realization. However, above with all these negative realizations, there still is hope somewhere down in my heart thinking just the opposite. My plan for the next week is not to go out every night and party. I plan to inspire myself by picking up the script and reading it at least three times whether I like it or not. I intend to find ways to love Dimas and to create a character, to love the Triumph of Love, and most importantly, love acting.

Triumph Post #3 - Addie

POST #3- Please discuss the Rehearsal Room and your preparation )if any) to rehearse. Some possible thoughts to reflect on (if you want some further guidance): How do you go from day job/school/life to the work of the rehearsal room? Do you have a personal warm-up or preparation to begin working? Do you have "group warm ups" and do you find them helpful or distracting? What challenges are you currently facing within the rehearsal process? Has there been any of those "AHA!" magical "I get it!" moments in the rehearsal room? For this production, do you feel the majority of your work happens in the rehearsal room or outside of it? 

I'M STRUGGLING! On all of the above, in fact. In a perfect world, I have a personal warm up that I could devote 30 minutes-an hour to before. Since it is far from perfect,  if I'm lucky, I have an hour to eat, do homework and get all my errands of the day run before I rush off to rehearsal with little to no outside prep. That being said, I greatly appreciate and need/crave our group warm ups. They bring me into focus inside the room and help shed the day outside. 

Challenges I currently am facing: I can't for the life of me, find the humor in Leontine. There are hit and miss moments depending on what I'm feeling before we rehearse a scene, but right now the times I am onstage are feeling more like a badly acted melodrama where the actress is taking herself much too seriously. (And this is NOTHING against Chelsea/Leonide/Phocion/Aspasie/any other alias she chooses, for I feel she is doing a magnificent job and giving me a lot to play with.) But I feel stuck. Occasionally, I get on an AHA moment, but they aren't sticking just yet. I think being off book will definitely aid in my exploration of Leontine, but I haven't found her yet.

Right now, most of my work is happening in the rehearsal room, and I don't want to say that is opposite of what my normal process is, but it is not something that I like to do. I am working to turn that around by next week. I'll keep you all posted on how that goes.

Balancing- Post #2- Jenny

I think the tardiness of my reply to this question kind of says it all - balancing all the things I have to and want to do can be pretty rough - between rehearsals, teaching, auditioning and trying to have a personal life, I can get pretty overwhelmed (you'd definitely think I'd be better at it at this point, considering how long I've been doing this juggling act!)  I've never been the most organized or self-disciplined person so the fact that all the work that I do is self-motivated can be really really challenging.

However, I'm not sure that I would want it any other way.  All of the things that I do when I am not acting inform my acting - being a teacher definitely makes me a better actor - being an actor gives me something to teach, etc.  There  have been a few times in my life when I have had the opportunity to just be an actor and I have relished them - but I really don't think that I would want that for the rest of my life - I very strongly believe that actors need a vast array of experience to draw on for their work and doing things outside of acting is really key to getting that experience.  

In terms of having a personal life, the things that I struggle with are finding time for the people in my life who are not actors - their schedules are so different from mine - and in terms of romantic relationships, I've found its really key to be with someone who isn't necessarily doing what I do but on some level, gets it.  Our schedules are so wacky and our way of working can be really confusing to someone who has never been around it.  We are asked to be pretty trusting and intimate with our co-workers in ways that people who have a more 9 to 5 kind of life seem really confused and daunted by.  

All for now - I'm on my way to rehearsal actually and have to look over my lines!

Jessica Teliczan-post 2

The challenges of balancing work on the show and the rest of life. Hm, well, this is something that I didn’t think would be too hard. At first. I have since been proven wrong. I think most of the student actors are in similar situations on this one. I am a full time student, I put in my hours at rehearsal and the work outside of the theatre, I have a part time job, I’m involved in multiple campus groups AND I have friends/family. The big deal for me is that I kind of suck at time management anyway so this is quite the challenge. I tend to procrastinate a lot, which is why this post is late; seriously, I’ve sat down to write this at least 4 times. Whoops.
I’m having trouble making a balance right now. My friends and family are the ones taking the brunt of this, I feel. I agree with Addie that the people in your cast/crew become your close friends, but those outside of the experience can’t be left behind. I’m trying to find time to go home and see the folks, but when I’m not in rehearsals or work, I’m trying to spend time with some important people here. And there’s always homework of course. As far as school and work go, I’m not a huge fan right now (except voice and movement, right?). Unfortunately, both are necessary.
So, in conclusion, I’m having a hell of a time with this particular balancing act, but it’s a ton of fun and I wouldn’t trade it for an “easy” life, which sounds more than a bit dull anyway.

Triumph of Love POST #2-Greg

Please reflect on the challenges you are currently facing balancing your work on the show with the rest of LIFE.

Right now, the challenges in my life have been a turn around for me. I am really enjoying my time rehearsing Triumph because I am not overwhelmed (for the first time in my life.) Besides rehearsing for Triumph, I am currently enrolled in 12 credit hours, work 15 hours a week at the MSU Music Library, and am apart of Sandra Lopez's Senior BFA project which I am totally excited about. That is it! I used to be involved with MANY projects (and sometimes, too many for a healthy mind.) With having so much time, I can actually concentrate on my homework, friends and family, and my life (which I never had the chance to do before!)Financially, I am not having trouble with money now, however, I do find that near the end of Triumph I will want to actually work somewhere in town. You can never have enough $$$$$$$$$$$$$!!! Overall, this has to be one of the best "starts" to a semester of school that I have I have ever had... and it has just begun! I can't wait for what is in store down the road. I am happy for the first time in about two years! I do realize that happy is an overused word, but hey, it works for me!

Triumph Post #2-Addie

Please reflect on the challenges you are currently facing balancing your work on the show with the rest of LIFE.

THAT'S at good one! Balancing life and work? Yeah...

In all seriousness, I struggle with this A LOT. I take my responsibilities very seriously and that leaves little time for other things. I'm really starting to understand the difficulty of trying to maintain my personal relationships while doing one million other things, and this semester already seems like it is going to be a disaster. To give a little insight on what I'm battling with right now- on top of going to school full time (with a course load of 17 hours), I have been (until today when we opened Dog Sees God) rehearsing two shows back to back after a day of school. This has made the length of my day approximately 17 hours long, leaving little room for homework and NO room for socializing. Add on the responsibilities of being a president of two theatre organizations and working, it is safe to assume everything else comes second...which is why I haven't cleaned my apartment since sometime last week.

I think the reason as actors we tend (or at least in my experience) to grow close to the people we work with has a lot to do with time management. I am well aware that my personal life suffers during a show, it is a sacrifice I am willing to make. That's why my fellow actors become some of my closest friends- we spend all day rehearsing and developing a relationship on stage that it either a. causes me to pull my hair out and avoid any further contact with a person after closing or b. really draws me to a deeper and more intense friendship. The only way I can probably maintain sanity is by looking to these relationships as salvation, and hope that when everything is over that i don't lose my mind of boredom.

Geo's #1 post

POST #1
1. Who are you? Give us a little bio.
I am Geovonday Jones, a Senior Theatre Performance Major( emphasis in Acting), at Missouri State University. Originally from Saint Louis, I decided to study in Springfield, Missouri—a not so colorful place! But the MSU campus is great! Currently, I am involved with a lot. I teach a section of the opera workshop class here on campus. I teach some of the opera students about going beyond singing and giving music and text embodiment. Also, with that, I teach intro to tech theatre to these opera students. In addition to opera workshop, for the next two weeks, I am directing a student written one act. For the last four years I’ve dived into directing as much as possible. Although my primary passion is acting, I find great interest in directing. Some day I plan to study drama therapy. Psychology is another interest of mine.

2. Who is your character?** Give us a little bio.
My role in the show is a member of the crew, “The Muscle”. It is his job to help run the theatre, to be the liaison with the other crew members and actors. He is supposed to answer to Harlequin, almost like an assistant stage manager to the stage manager.

3. How are you and your character similar? Where do you intersect?
I am very prompt. Nothing annoys me more than people who don’t keep to work, when work is needed. It’s okay to enjoy ourselves…that’s fine with me! I like to have a good time. But, there has to be order. Work is work! I am also handy at lifting things…maybe that’s where we really intersect. I imagine I will lift a lot during this process and that’s fine with me.

4. Currently, what is the most exciting/interesting thing about working on this production (Richard or Triumph)? What aspect of the upcoming rehearsal process are you most worried/concerned about?
I am in love with the Viewpoints! It kicks my ass in the morning, my muscles get quite the workout. But I really enjoy doing this work. Anyone that knows me, know that I am a big advocate of voice, body, and mind connectiveness. Plus, anytime I get to do floor work I’m excited. I’m concerned about interpretation of my part. I don’t want my character to fall into the trap of just being the “muscle”. This role is very simple, in a way that it isn’t a central need of the script. But, at the same time, I don’t want to treat it as such. I feel like I should do something to make it work without trying to up stage the important role in the show.

Buckinghamming It Up by jaZ

1. My name is James Anthony Zoccoli. People call me JAZ. My formal introduction to theatre came my Junior year of high school. Before I got up on my feet with a script, I thought Shakespeare was stupid. It was also during that time that I decided that I wanted to be an actor...&, more importantly, to be a member of a theatre company. Ten years after that, I walked into Strawdog. Damn near a decade later, I'm still hangin' around. The first play I did here was actually the company's first foray into the world of Shakespeare. We did it good then & we aim to do it even better now. In addition to my exploits on stage, I make what might be called art, write what might be called poetry & have worked in commercials, films & radio. Right now, my primary focus is my voice-over career & writing a solo performance piece. I drink too much coffee.


2. The character that I play in "Richard the Third" is Henry Stafford, the Duke of Buckingham. In the play, he is the right-hand man of the wicked king & is greatly responsible for both the rise & fall of Richard III. In real life, both his father & grandfather were Dukes who sided with the House of Lancaster during the War of the Roses. That fact would have put Buckingham at odds with his cousins Richard, Clarence & Edward, the descendants of York, but his marriage to Catherine Woodville, changed that. You see, Catherine's sister, Elizabeth, was Queen to Edward IV, the ruler after the dust settled. So, that forced him to befriend those in the court with whom he might have otherwise been enemies...& vice-versa. Which is, perhaps, where his diplomatic skills were developed. It has been documented that, due to his lineage (three of four of his grandparents were descended from Edward III), Buckingham may have actually had an arguable claim to the throne himself. This is particularly interesting because there is little evidence to which one can point in the play that explains why Buckingham would be so eager to assist Richard in his ascension by deceiving the people of England & killing innocent men, women & children to whom he was, in fact, related. With that in mind, there is a case to be made for the idea that (secretly) Buckingham was doing a lot of the dirty work & letting Richard take the blame for it, so that once all of the other heirs were removed, he could take advantage of the decimated house of York & use his favor in the public eye to make his move for power. Either that, or he just really wanted to help his Cousin Richard get revenge for all those years of getting picked on by the other kids. Maybe? Maybe.


3. James & Buckingham only intersect at a few fine points. Overall, though, we are quite different. Buckingham makes & breaks political alliances, arranges military maneuvers, deceives the public & puts people to death in the name of attaining a monarchy. I work in the not-for-profit sector & my greatest territorial ambition is to own my own home. So, the parallels are rather few. But, as with any play, there is plenty more to the story than meets the eye. Despite his double-dealing deception, from the clues in the text Buckingham seems to be equal parts empathy and apathy, which are points on the compass I find myself vascillating between, too. I am earnestly empathetic (to a fault, in fact) & always have been, but, at this point in my life, I am also jaded enough to know that there are moments when no amount of compassion matters. This must come into play often for politicians...as it does for physicians, the police & plenty of other people in authority. As an actor, one absolutely has to be opportunistic, which is a trait Buckingham embodies classically. So we got that one in common. He is also a classic illustration of a diplomat. Which is definitely a characteristic of mine as well. (Although, he takes the diplomacy to a level of...could you call it sophistication? Yeah. In fact, Buckingham is sophisticated in the truest sense of the word - downright duplicitous, even.) In addition, Buckingham & I are both pretty damn cool. Ask anybody who knows me, one thing they would probably all say is that I stay sane in crazy circumstances. (Which certainly helps in the world of theatre.) I mean, no matter how horribly awry their plan goes, Buckingham seems to be able to keep a smooth demeanor. I got it like that, too. What else? Oh, interestingly enough, we both happen to be Virgos. So, that's neat. I dunno what it means or how I can incorporate it into my performance, but it's neat nonetheless.


4. The most exciting thing about doing Shakespeare is the also the most dreadful thing about doing Shakespeare. It is the challenge of bringing something new to (or should I say 'out of'?) a text that is so familiar (or, depending on the play, so arcane) & is written in language so heightened (&, of course, antiquated). My goal is always to do something that nobody has ever done before with that text or to reveal something about the character that has (somehow) gone overlooked. Failing that, to incorporate something completely random & anomalous just for my own edification can be rewarding, too. As reverent as I am toward the works of the Bard, I can be equally cavalier when it comes right down to it because enjoying my experience with living in a character is just as important as the life the character was intended to live by the playwright. But, even more important that how I feel or how the playwright felt, to me creating a character with whom the audience will enjoy their experience is key & I'll do whatever I can to make the most of it. This happens to be the ninth production that I have worked on using various permutations of the Folio Technique for approaching the text, which, of course, treat the original printings of Shakespeare's plays with a great reverence & give the capitalizations & (supposedly intentional) misspellings in those first published scripts a tremendous significance to the actor. This approach is another mixed bag for me. It is lovely to think that a playwright could have that kind of foresight & develop a shorthand to assist his actors. It is loathesome, at times, to have to justify your rhythms & pronounciations to the pen of a long-dead poet. However, more often than not, though, his acting cues & emotional clues are amazing, his vision of his characters is undeniably clear & his ability to tell a story with the highest stakes imaginable (as ridiculous as they may sometimes be) is uncanny...& that's my two cents. Thanks for askin'.

Anderson Lawfer

Hey gang!
Sorry for taking so long to enter my first blog.
I've never blogged before, and certainley never before noon on a weekday.

Anyway, my name is Anderson Lawfer, and I am also a member of Strawdog. I am currently the general manager, which means I keep up with the day to day activities of the theatre and lend all the help I can to any other department that needs it. I am also in charge of our special events department. That includes making sure we have staff, food, wine, and patrons for all of our fundraising benefits. The other job I have now is as the Strawdog Liason to the Chicago Storefront District. A coalition of theatres in our neighborhood that is working to build a new sense of community to our collective theatres and neighbors, but also to increase outside patronage.

I'm playing the role of George of Clarence in our Richard. George is the younger brother of Edward and Richard. He has in the past been a very skilled warrior, and is a very educated man. George is married to Isabelle and has two adorable children, that are not very important to our cutting of this play. In the text, and historically, George is known throughout England as a ummm... how do you say... boozehound. Which is, of course, what leads to his drowning in wine.

While George is royalty, he also has the traits of an everyman. He is no politician. He places blind faith in his brothers, is very hedonistic, and knows how to enjoy money. This is where we are similar. I enjoy money and wine.

George also happens to be a very trained and noble soldier that has, on more than one occasion, killed for his family. This is where we differ.

I'm always excited about starting a new show. Seeing old friends, meeting new people, sharing new ideas, but the thing that really excites me about this show in particular is the world we are building together. This is like an entirely new place where the rules we are used to do not apply. Creating a character in that place with Nic and the other actors is really interesting, and I have a feeling that this show will continuousley grow and change up until the last night.

My concerns are very basic. I am not very good at folio. I'm not sure why, but I'm not. You spend so long in college learning how to breathe naturally on stage and somehow this knocks me for a loop. It's just learning a new thing kind of pressure.
Also, I really wanted to have a beard for this show. So I went to Nic and asked him, pleaded, begged for my George of Clarence to have a beard. Now I have a beard. It's itchy. More information to come...