Now Playing — Manhattan Theatre Source

I am thinking of honey combs and astro turf.
and I am thinking of the opening song.

I have not directed a play in nearly two years! and I can’t believe i ever stopped. Sure my writing career beckoned, but oh, the joy of working with actors.

This production is going to be top notch and all consuming!

The cast is cast, the dates are set. I’m excited as hell. And the play, the play is fantastic.

Over the next few blogs, this will become a full out discussion on the process of directing a play, and also producing a play in off-off broadway theatre. It should be a fun experience, and an exhausting one, as i can see the clock is ticking towards 2am at the moment and i’m still working on creative endeavors.

I hope you enjoy reading about the process. Whoever you are!

Let’s get started!

Montserrat

i am a-whirl with who my new family may turn out to be. This is the first set of auditions that i have been on the “other side of the table” for the whole time; though strictly speaking i was sitting off to the side on a rather diminutive chair. It was a(nother) resounding reminder that New York City has as many impressive actors as $1 slices. This is a problem when some of them are friends; but i guess that’s what happens when the business is pleasure, even when i do sometimes have to remind myself that this theatre thing is supposed to be fun! These two days of auditions have also given me my first opportunity to start putting my Susan out into the world: thinking about what her accent really is (not too posh, not too estuary etc etc), how she feels about her folks, what it’s really like to be proper depressed, what she wears, how’s her hair, how i can really be a parent to people only (only!) ten years younger etc etc. It has also been a buzz to see Mr Moz at work as Herr Direktor – his wonderful warm spirit and impish energy are a tonic and an inspiration, notwithstanding the 5 more people we still have to see in the next 5 minutes before i need a coffee fix/auditions end. And finally: kudos to some pretty passable Brit accents by the Yankee-Doodle massive!

Having just had a final check-in with my collaborator and director (to whom the title of this inaugural post is dedicated) i was all set for sleep before our first BIG DAY tomorrow, when i realised i should probably make a start on this blog business. i have never been much of a diarist as i find that there’s too much living to do to be able to keep up with continual written reflection. But i promise to make a concerted effort to document this experience. Cheap therapy if nothing else, in the (likely) event i am driven to distraction… SO we have a worthy set of actors ready for the first round of auditions tomorrow and a handful of marketing ideas ready to get those bums on seats but a few weeks hence. Currently most consumed by the prospect of persuading people to come and be generous for some start-up $s at an exceedingly guerrilla-style fundraiser next Wednesday. Where is that Father Kristmas when you needs him?