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Community Performance Inc.

May 09, 2008

We had a large cast rehearsal today, and we started to gel together in the first stages of that beautiful thing known as ensemble. The many separate individuals merging to act as one organism. People applauding each other when things looked great, laughing when things were funny, and encouraging when things went, well, not perfectly. All of these acts are signs of a deep listening that is starting to take place. They are not just saying their lines and listening for their cues- they are listening to the pieces, listening and reacting to each other. It makes for really good theater, and it makes for even better community.

Folks have gotten full scripts this week, instead of just their sides, and they are coming to understand the full scope of the play and their role within it. We've moved from table work to full out big staging, and the pieces are starting to dance. Pretty soon, the actors will be dancing them on their own, but Richard tonight was really leading this waltz of words and movement and expression. It's coming to life before our eyes, in a space I don't think any of us, including Richard and myself, have moved in before. Dynamic is a word I've used before. After tonight, I'll have to add elegant. It's easy to "sweep" through the space.

One cast member was so inspired by a rehearsal we had this weekend, that he went home and wrote a song. It's got a real regional feel, it feels very of the place. good song. H simplye wrote it in response to the scene and the activity we were doing in it, and the feelings and inspiration that participation in the scene brought up for him. He's a big talent, but I don't think he knows it. He's come up to us a few times with some really stellar notions about scenes, and how to add to the business. This man is a director. He thinks he's just passing on ideas, but they are ideas of a director. big talent. Other big talents are emerging everywhere, and a sense of fun and play must be present, because other cast members have been showing up, even on nights they aren't rehearsing, just to see what's going on. Rehearsal attendance is getting better, too.

Judy and Genny published a newsletter for the cast this week, to address some of the questions that were coming in, to cover areas such as costumes, parking, rehearsals (and the importance of coming on time or calling if lateness is anticipated.) They included all necessary phone numbers. Information on family discount tickets, and discounted ads for cast and crew members, for the program. Also, they gave information about the play in general, including the production team and how this was all put together.

Vivian was there tonight as always. She's the go-to person I've written about before. She's assembled a stage management team of four members, and they are on the spot for everything from being on book, to taking props and costumes notes to taking down staging. Vivian said, business person that she is, "Oh, you mean take the minutes" when we told her the basic idea of what she needed to do as a stage manager- take notes and write down and record all the action. She's amazing, as is Barbara, Michelle, Cindy and also Kathy- our props person. There have been at least two stage managers present each night, and on some big nights, as many as all four of them there to assist. Vivian's fabulous approach: the work all needs to get done, but I don't need to be the only one doing it. I just dig her so much. One of the stories in the play is about her grandmother, who was a kind of a medicine woman, or healer. Vivian has some of that in her, too. She sure knows how to remedy any situation that arises. You'll hear her name a lot as the weeks continue, I'm sure. Well, it's late. More later. We're moving right along.

   

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