It seems fitting that the last official behind-the-scenes meeting for the inaugural season of Columbia’s New Audience Road Show took place at Trustus Theatre. As our small group is like a band of explorers searching for the bastions of the Muses & Graces, Trustus is the full embodiment of that frontier and spirit as Columbia’s only professional theatre and a citadel in the Vista.
Before I begin to recount our second trip and last behind-the-scenes night at the theatre, I must confess something. I am not the kind of guy that likes to read entertainment reviews. It never fails an earnestly enthusiastic (or overly clever) writer/reviewer always drops a spoiler when you least expect it. Okay, I admit it, I still read ahead when Entertainment Weekly warns "SPOILER ALERT". It is impossible not to! But, still I genuinely enjoy being surprised from my entertainment. So, now having confessed my distaste of the spoiler, I was apprehensive to look behind the literal curtain at Trustus. Not out of the naïveté of disillusionment, but from genuine affection for the magic of the theatre, especially this theatre. Over the past few years, just a few of the memorable things I have seen from the audience include Snoopy die of rabies and Charlie Brown kiss a man in "Dog Sees God", a tabloid photo come to life in "Bat Boy", Sally Bowls belt out life is a "Cabaret", a "Dirty Blonde" declare, "Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.", an icy shell of a mother forgive her child’s murderer in "Frozen", and Hedwig decry her angry inch.
So I came tonight to the second sneak-peek rehearsal of "Rabbit Hole" not wanting to spoil the mystique of what promises to be a compelling drama with realistic and bittersweet humor surrounding a family’s struggle to find balance after the loss of a child. NEWS FLASH – the play was not ruined. (That last sentence did not officially count as a spoiler, more like a side bar or some friendly reassurance.) We started the evening in the Black Box Theatre with a discussion, led by Chad Henderson, on the process of fully producing a play, and then we were able to watch rehearsal at a more advanced place than last week.
Chad is an innovative director ("Hedwig" & "Dog sees God"), Trustus Company Member, as well as an interesting and lively speaker. He took us from script selection, to choosing a director, casting actors, set design, lighting, stage manager duties, music, the rehearsal process and schedule, through opening night, the run, closing night, and then striking the set. (If you don’t feel like an insider you should now, striking means to take down the set and clean the theatre.) Chad answered questions and peppered the discussion with some pivotal lessons in the history of theatre and the more modern trends in the industry. After the discussion he led us in three activities or warm ups for rehearsals. First, we practiced a breathing exercise. Breathing can actually be hard when you do it and think it about it. Second, we danced in a circle as a mood elevator/humor inducing exercise. One person started the dance moves, (as extravagant and self-effacing as possible) then the group would follow the moves until the leader picked the next person to lead. Third and last, we gathered in a circle to practice "ZIP, ZAP, ZUP" a timing/improv activity.
After many laughs and a good round of applause we retired to watch a second rehearsal.
At this more advanced rehearsal all actors were "off book" (no longer reading or using the script for lines) and no requests for "line"s were needed. The costumer, Diane Wilkins, was there for some garment fittings, the stage manager, Becky Hunter, was busy making notes on cues and blocking. Jim Thigpen, the director, was giving feedback and notes to the cast. It was interesting to see the cast as their characters then leave character and gather round Jim to process his notes, share laughs and snacks. It was also amazing to hear Jim call out a fragment of a line and an actor rattled off the rest of the line (without the aide of the script). The play, which opens March 28th, promises to be an engaging and moving one. The actors, E.G. Heard, Vicky Saye Henderson, Kay Thigpen, Alec Grooms and Glenn Rawls are wonderfully cast and make their hard work seem effortless. David Lindsay-Abaire’s dialogue is seamlessly delivered by these stage veterans.
At this more advanced rehearsal all actors were "off book" (no longer reading or using the script for lines) and no requests for "line"s were needed. The costumer, Diane Wilkins, was there for some garment fittings, the stage manager, Becky Hunter, was busy making notes on cues and blocking. Jim Thigpen, the director, was giving feedback and notes to the cast. It was interesting to see the cast as their characters then leave character and gather round Jim to process his notes, share laughs and snacks. It was also amazing to hear Jim call out a fragment of a line and an actor rattled off the rest of the line (without the aide of the script). The play, which opens March 28th, promises to be an engaging and moving one. The actors, E.G. Heard, Vicky Saye Henderson, Kay Thigpen, Alec Grooms and Glenn Rawls are wonderfully cast and make their hard work seem effortless. David Lindsay-Abaire’s dialogue is seamlessly delivered by these stage veterans.
Because of my aversion to the spoiler I left before the final act was rehearsed so that I will be pleasantly surprised on opening night. Please join me at this wonderful cultural treasure we have to experience in Trustus. You come to the theatre to be entertained –to laugh, to cry, to dream, along the way you can be renewed, challenged, and inspired. Support this non-profit organization with your patronage. Travis
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