Sarah (stage manager) and I should probably not be allowed in the same room when creativity is supposed to happen. Ok, maybe not creativity, but productivity. But hell if we don't come up with some great ideas! Sadly, they aren't ideas that will be realized unless someone would be willing to pay us to have the Sarah and Kelly Awesome Random Show.
Josh and Ali despaired of ever coming up with a good idea for Richard III until Josh started giggling. And then he couldn't stop giggling while he told us his idea. When I came up with a way to end the scene, he laughed out loud for a solid minute before he shared with us what was playing in his head. I think we have a working idea for Richard III.
What is it? You will have to come see the show.
One thing that Ali showed us yesterday was a blog from Tony Brown (critic for the Plain Dealer) for CPT's season. What graphic did he use, you might ask. I might tell you it was our postcard for the Fringe! Go Josh with the graphic designing skills!!!! http://www.cleveland.com/onstage/index.ssf/2010/09/cleveland_public_theatre_has_a.html
Cleveland Magazine comes out soon with our interview.....woohoo!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
...a new Beginning.
Here we are again.....starting a new production. Not bad to have three-ish runs in one year, I think. The good thing is that the show is getting stronger and better. I think. Cleveland: You ready for this?!?!?
We had our first production meeting. Thank goodness this show is low maintenance! Raymond and the tech director Mike were both surprised when they asked if there was anything else for the set and we said no. Those were great faces. Great responses when we said we wanted to do the show in a random order every night. Yay!
Pandemonium is before the rehearsals though. For those who might not know what Pandemonium is - I am not talking about general chaos, or a kindergarten classroom after lunch. Pandemonium is only the most awesome theater benefit ever. Cleveland Public Theatre's theater is actually a campus. There are several spaces taking up almost a whole city block. Only two of the spaces are traditional theaters though. One space is an old church, another is the church's reception hall, another is a converted bookstore (where we are performing). Every inch of the campus will be taken up with stages/platforms with dancers, singers, actors, poets, musicians, etc. (I literally mean etc. You never know what you will find walking or standing around at the benefit!) What space is not being being used for performance is being used by food and alcohol. Oh, how I look forward to this night every year.
Josh and I are performing a few scenes from Kill Will there and will be conducting a couple of stage combat workshops. Come and have fun on September 11! Seriously, the tickets are only $125 and they are worth every penny.
We had our first production meeting. Thank goodness this show is low maintenance! Raymond and the tech director Mike were both surprised when they asked if there was anything else for the set and we said no. Those were great faces. Great responses when we said we wanted to do the show in a random order every night. Yay!
Pandemonium is before the rehearsals though. For those who might not know what Pandemonium is - I am not talking about general chaos, or a kindergarten classroom after lunch. Pandemonium is only the most awesome theater benefit ever. Cleveland Public Theatre's theater is actually a campus. There are several spaces taking up almost a whole city block. Only two of the spaces are traditional theaters though. One space is an old church, another is the church's reception hall, another is a converted bookstore (where we are performing). Every inch of the campus will be taken up with stages/platforms with dancers, singers, actors, poets, musicians, etc. (I literally mean etc. You never know what you will find walking or standing around at the benefit!) What space is not being being used for performance is being used by food and alcohol. Oh, how I look forward to this night every year.
Josh and I are performing a few scenes from Kill Will there and will be conducting a couple of stage combat workshops. Come and have fun on September 11! Seriously, the tickets are only $125 and they are worth every penny.
The End brings....
Ok, ok. I know we can't really start again without finishing the last run. But really, out of the three people that read this blog, two have already heard the ending to our Minnesota adventures. (DH, next week is the last week we can schedule a night before rehearsals again....just sayin'.)
Suffice it to say we had a remarkable time in Minneapolis. We met some fantastic people. People I would love to work with again in my life, people that would just be fun to hang out with. We received great feedback - not just the reviews. The way the audience responded, the critiques, have been very useful tools as we prepare for this next run at CPT....our PROFESSIONAL WORLD PREMIERE!!!
But before we get to that and before the music swells and we go to commercial....Some thank yous.
Lindsay - MWAH! We couldn't have done this - literally - without you. Cool head, cool person. We will miss you.
Matt and Brion (and girlfriends/fiances) - Thank you for being such wonderful hosts and for seeing shows with us in them or just with us. Thank you for being our tour guides as well!
Tim - It was like there hadn't been almost 10 years since the last time we saw you. Every time I see you, I remember how much I like hanging out with you. I very much look forward to the time we can work together that's not a college production.
Mike and Tony - Two of the best tech guys EVER!!! If I ever start a theater company and need a tech director, I am TOTALLY head-hunting you two.
The audiences - We were told you wouldn't participate and that we would have a hard time with a volunteer show in Minneapolis. Thank you so much for jumping up on stage, or at least being good-natured enough to let Josh "poison" you. Thank you, Minneapolis!
Suffice it to say we had a remarkable time in Minneapolis. We met some fantastic people. People I would love to work with again in my life, people that would just be fun to hang out with. We received great feedback - not just the reviews. The way the audience responded, the critiques, have been very useful tools as we prepare for this next run at CPT....our PROFESSIONAL WORLD PREMIERE!!!
But before we get to that and before the music swells and we go to commercial....Some thank yous.
Lindsay - MWAH! We couldn't have done this - literally - without you. Cool head, cool person. We will miss you.
Matt and Brion (and girlfriends/fiances) - Thank you for being such wonderful hosts and for seeing shows with us in them or just with us. Thank you for being our tour guides as well!
Tim - It was like there hadn't been almost 10 years since the last time we saw you. Every time I see you, I remember how much I like hanging out with you. I very much look forward to the time we can work together that's not a college production.
Mike and Tony - Two of the best tech guys EVER!!! If I ever start a theater company and need a tech director, I am TOTALLY head-hunting you two.
The audiences - We were told you wouldn't participate and that we would have a hard time with a volunteer show in Minneapolis. Thank you so much for jumping up on stage, or at least being good-natured enough to let Josh "poison" you. Thank you, Minneapolis!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Thursday, again!
Happy Thursday! We have our third performance tonight. Back in the mix!
Fruitcake - Ten Commandments From the Psych Ward was on the Fringe menu for us yesterday. Very yummy! Rob Gee is the creator/writer/performer and is a self-styled stand-up poet. He has won several competitions and it's very easy to see why. Fruitcake is a little slice of the people he met working as a nurse on psych wards in England, Scotland and Australia. Very funny!
We also saw A Streetcar Named Desire at the Guthrie (I mean, it's here, I'm here, why not?) I wouldn't say it was the best production of Streetcar (not to say it wasn't gorgeous and the accent work wasn't good and the scenic and lighting design weren't top-notch - they all were, but it was missing.....something), but last night I saw the best Blanche (Gretchen Egolf) and Stella (Stacia Rice) I've ever scene. For the first time, Blanche felt like a real person to me and Stella was so well done, that this was the first time watching I felt passionate enough about her choices that I wanted to get up on stage and shake her!
After the show, we went to Pizza Luce - a local chain. It had mixed reviews on the internets, but I enjoyed the pizza very much. Josh said it was better than Dewey's. Very trendy atmosphere and the waiter was on top of things. Our friend Brion says that Punch Pizza is better and we are going to meet him there for lunch tomorrow.
Sorry for the bland entry. Josh wasn't feeling well yesterday and we felt it would be better to take it easy. Maybe we'll have more exciting news for you tomorrow....
Fruitcake - Ten Commandments From the Psych Ward was on the Fringe menu for us yesterday. Very yummy! Rob Gee is the creator/writer/performer and is a self-styled stand-up poet. He has won several competitions and it's very easy to see why. Fruitcake is a little slice of the people he met working as a nurse on psych wards in England, Scotland and Australia. Very funny!
We also saw A Streetcar Named Desire at the Guthrie (I mean, it's here, I'm here, why not?) I wouldn't say it was the best production of Streetcar (not to say it wasn't gorgeous and the accent work wasn't good and the scenic and lighting design weren't top-notch - they all were, but it was missing.....something), but last night I saw the best Blanche (Gretchen Egolf) and Stella (Stacia Rice) I've ever scene. For the first time, Blanche felt like a real person to me and Stella was so well done, that this was the first time watching I felt passionate enough about her choices that I wanted to get up on stage and shake her!
After the show, we went to Pizza Luce - a local chain. It had mixed reviews on the internets, but I enjoyed the pizza very much. Josh said it was better than Dewey's. Very trendy atmosphere and the waiter was on top of things. Our friend Brion says that Punch Pizza is better and we are going to meet him there for lunch tomorrow.
Sorry for the bland entry. Josh wasn't feeling well yesterday and we felt it would be better to take it easy. Maybe we'll have more exciting news for you tomorrow....
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Forget the numbers...Day Wednesday!
Yesterday (Wednesday) Josh and I went to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. The pictures are on Flickr, but for those of you who have never been there, there are some amazing sculptures. Please watch the video of the trees. The artist hung dozens of wind chimes in the trees and the sound is just beautiful. The sculpture garden is right across the street from the Walker Art Center and unfortunately we didn't have enough time to spend going through that treasure trove. Hopefully before the end of the stay we will.
We didn't have enough time for the Walker Center because we wanted to see a Fringe show and then we had tickets for The Scottsboro Boys at the Guthrie.
Before the Guthrie we saw An Evening with Alan Jr. and Chasity Gambler. As a fellow-out-of-town comedy duo act, Josh and I felt we needed to support them. Plus, at the out-of-towner showcase last week, they made us laugh. They still made us laugh last night. The show was mostly scripted, but it was obvious at times that the actors would improv some lines every once in a while. They cracked me up almost cracking each other up.
After making a friend in the audience (Hello Michael!) we made our way to the Guthrie theater. So, you've maybe read about the tour that our friend gave us of the lobbies and sneaking into the opening night party of The Scottsboro Boys. We finally got to see the actual show last night. Written by John Kander and Fred Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret) and directed by Susan Stroman, this is the second full production. Oh. My. God. Brilliant. Stunning. Heartbreaking. I had tears running down my face for almost the entire show. Kander and Ebb have taken a horrific event in American history and have made it relevant and even more gruesome by having the play done in the style of a minstrel show. If you are not familiar with the Scottsboro Boys, please look them up. This series of trials in the 1930's are a part of the backbone of the Equal Rights Movement and how due process is carried out in this day and age. (Or not carried out, depending on what country you come from and happen to be in prison in this one.) The production will be taken back to NYC (where it premiered) and will have a run on Broadway in the fall. If you happen to be in NYC during the time it's up please, please see it.
Another good review! We were the second mention in the City Pages Fringe Reviews! I'm glad we didn't let you down, Quinton! I'm making Josh link all of the reviews on our website.
We didn't have enough time for the Walker Center because we wanted to see a Fringe show and then we had tickets for The Scottsboro Boys at the Guthrie.
Before the Guthrie we saw An Evening with Alan Jr. and Chasity Gambler. As a fellow-out-of-town comedy duo act, Josh and I felt we needed to support them. Plus, at the out-of-towner showcase last week, they made us laugh. They still made us laugh last night. The show was mostly scripted, but it was obvious at times that the actors would improv some lines every once in a while. They cracked me up almost cracking each other up.
After making a friend in the audience (Hello Michael!) we made our way to the Guthrie theater. So, you've maybe read about the tour that our friend gave us of the lobbies and sneaking into the opening night party of The Scottsboro Boys. We finally got to see the actual show last night. Written by John Kander and Fred Ebb (Chicago, Cabaret) and directed by Susan Stroman, this is the second full production. Oh. My. God. Brilliant. Stunning. Heartbreaking. I had tears running down my face for almost the entire show. Kander and Ebb have taken a horrific event in American history and have made it relevant and even more gruesome by having the play done in the style of a minstrel show. If you are not familiar with the Scottsboro Boys, please look them up. This series of trials in the 1930's are a part of the backbone of the Equal Rights Movement and how due process is carried out in this day and age. (Or not carried out, depending on what country you come from and happen to be in prison in this one.) The production will be taken back to NYC (where it premiered) and will have a run on Broadway in the fall. If you happen to be in NYC during the time it's up please, please see it.
Another good review! We were the second mention in the City Pages Fringe Reviews! I'm glad we didn't let you down, Quinton! I'm making Josh link all of the reviews on our website.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Day #... what day are we on again?
So, we gave up and rented a car for the rest of the week. It's hot, humid and we're far enough outside of the city that it's worth the extra money. You know, it's funny....I believe that Fringe festivals cannot exist without being the most humid time of the year. I can't explain it at all, but I bet that no matter what city it is, no matter what time of the year it is, the Fringe festival takes place in the most uncomfortably humid conditions.
However, with the car we can come and go as we please, we are not dependent on others, it won't take us an hour to get anywhere. Ah, freedom. Now all we have to deal with is – dun dun daaaahhh – parking.
We saw three show yesterday: Zombie High School, Rachel Teagle Believes In Ghosts, and Bite Me, Twilight.
There are, of course, a couple of shows here at the Fringe with zombies and vampires in them. And, of course, Josh needed to see a zombie one. Zombie High School advertised zombies AND a capella singing. What's a nerdy boy to do? Fabulous show though! This is one that, if we were in NYC, would probably get an Off-Broadway run. However, I think it would also be great for my friend Malia, who coaches/directs a high school theater competition team every year and is on the lookout for fun, large group, easy/cheap to produce shows. This would be perfect.
And then we had to see Bite Me, Twilight because the performer, Tom Reed, is one that did an encore performance last year, the trailer for last year's show looked funny and Josh wants to see anything that makes fun of Twilight. No brainer. Mr. Reed is kind of hysterical.
Rachel Teagle wasn't quite what I expected, but still delivered a solid story-telling show and some interesting history about some haunted places. Rachel did a wonderful job holding my and, I think, the rest of the audience's attention.
Reviews for our show are still trickling in. They are still very positive. We're expecting Quinton Skinner's review tomorrow in the City Pages. We'll see if that breaks the trend. The feedback and excitement that we've been getting about the show has been intensely overwhelming for me. Every time Josh tells me we have another 5 or 4 kitty review on the fringe website, or we get mentioned in another local paper, I get a huge knot in my throat.
OH!!! We received an email this morning from Dominic Cianciolo, the Cinematic Director of WBIE/NetherRealm Studios, who did the cinematic direction for Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. He asked when we were performing in Chicago!
I just don't know what to do with all of this.
However, with the car we can come and go as we please, we are not dependent on others, it won't take us an hour to get anywhere. Ah, freedom. Now all we have to deal with is – dun dun daaaahhh – parking.
We saw three show yesterday: Zombie High School, Rachel Teagle Believes In Ghosts, and Bite Me, Twilight.
There are, of course, a couple of shows here at the Fringe with zombies and vampires in them. And, of course, Josh needed to see a zombie one. Zombie High School advertised zombies AND a capella singing. What's a nerdy boy to do? Fabulous show though! This is one that, if we were in NYC, would probably get an Off-Broadway run. However, I think it would also be great for my friend Malia, who coaches/directs a high school theater competition team every year and is on the lookout for fun, large group, easy/cheap to produce shows. This would be perfect.
And then we had to see Bite Me, Twilight because the performer, Tom Reed, is one that did an encore performance last year, the trailer for last year's show looked funny and Josh wants to see anything that makes fun of Twilight. No brainer. Mr. Reed is kind of hysterical.
Rachel Teagle wasn't quite what I expected, but still delivered a solid story-telling show and some interesting history about some haunted places. Rachel did a wonderful job holding my and, I think, the rest of the audience's attention.
Reviews for our show are still trickling in. They are still very positive. We're expecting Quinton Skinner's review tomorrow in the City Pages. We'll see if that breaks the trend. The feedback and excitement that we've been getting about the show has been intensely overwhelming for me. Every time Josh tells me we have another 5 or 4 kitty review on the fringe website, or we get mentioned in another local paper, I get a huge knot in my throat.
OH!!! We received an email this morning from Dominic Cianciolo, the Cinematic Director of WBIE/NetherRealm Studios, who did the cinematic direction for Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. He asked when we were performing in Chicago!
I just don't know what to do with all of this.
Monday, August 9, 2010
One more week!
One week down....
We were extremely busy over the weekend.
Saturday: After spending the day updating blog/pictures, we saw two shows: Slapdash and Opera Buffet's Inside the Kaleidoscope. Both shows were at the Ritz Proscenium (the stage we perform on) and we wanted to stay close to the theater for our performance that evening. After seeing those we had dinner at a fish and chip place down the street called The Anchor. Very yummy!
Our show at 10:00 was very full. I have no idea what the official count was, but it looked like there was maybe 100 people there!!! Very vocal, very fun...we didn't have any problem getting volunteers that night! In fact, when I started singing the "Imperial March" the audience sang along! AWESOME!!!
Our host Matthew and his girlfriend Monica, Brion and his fiancee Katie all came to see the show and we went out to the Northeast Social Club down the street from the Ritz. Nice place. Great server.
While Josh and I were cleaning up from the show, a gentleman came up to us and struck up a conversation. Dave Schneider is a local SAFD guy and, once he found we were a combat show, "had to come and see it." He came along with us to the restaurant and is a wonderfully nice man. He is a few years out of college and sounds like he is starting to make a name for himself in the community. Good luck, Dave!!
Sunday:
After staying up late on Saturday, we decided to wake up at 7:00 am to join Matthew and Monica to go to the Minneapolis farmers market. Clevelanders, imagine the West Side Market...now picture it 4 times bigger with independent farmers, Thai vegetables, fruit picked right off the bush/vine and lots and lots of artist vendors. Yay! Fresh veggies!
Afterward, we tried to see as many shows as possible. Unfortunately, we missed a couple. One was sold out, one we just got there too late. However, we still managed to make 4 shows. Three of them were stellar!!! I wrote my online reviews for them on the fringe page. What a great tool that's been!
**One of my complaints of the MN Fringe is that the show starting times aren't staggered. In NY, if you can't get into a show, there is another one starting in 15, 20, 30 minutes and as long as you haul ass, you can see something. At MN, shows start at 5:30, 7, 8:30 and 10 on weeknights and there are a few more on the weekends. If you get there too late, too bad. Find something to do for an hour - which isn't bad if there is a bar near by, but sucks if you are trying to see as many shows as possible.**
To give a shout out to the shows that ROCKED on Sunday: In A Black Mood (dance, exceptional dance), The First Five Minutes Are Slow (an Alice in Wonderland based story that would be perfect in any school auditorium, but more than entertaining for adults), O(h) (a dancing and singing duo that pokes fun at art in general, contemporary dance and themselves - brilliant.)
Today, we're going to see another three plays: Zombie High School or Sincerity Forever (it depends on if either one is sold out), Rachel Teagle Believes in Ghosts, and Bite Me Twilight. The last one is the one we tried to see yesterday and was sold out. We promptly went online and bought tickets for today. Wish us luck!
We were extremely busy over the weekend.
Saturday: After spending the day updating blog/pictures, we saw two shows: Slapdash and Opera Buffet's Inside the Kaleidoscope. Both shows were at the Ritz Proscenium (the stage we perform on) and we wanted to stay close to the theater for our performance that evening. After seeing those we had dinner at a fish and chip place down the street called The Anchor. Very yummy!
Our show at 10:00 was very full. I have no idea what the official count was, but it looked like there was maybe 100 people there!!! Very vocal, very fun...we didn't have any problem getting volunteers that night! In fact, when I started singing the "Imperial March" the audience sang along! AWESOME!!!
Our host Matthew and his girlfriend Monica, Brion and his fiancee Katie all came to see the show and we went out to the Northeast Social Club down the street from the Ritz. Nice place. Great server.
While Josh and I were cleaning up from the show, a gentleman came up to us and struck up a conversation. Dave Schneider is a local SAFD guy and, once he found we were a combat show, "had to come and see it." He came along with us to the restaurant and is a wonderfully nice man. He is a few years out of college and sounds like he is starting to make a name for himself in the community. Good luck, Dave!!
Sunday:
After staying up late on Saturday, we decided to wake up at 7:00 am to join Matthew and Monica to go to the Minneapolis farmers market. Clevelanders, imagine the West Side Market...now picture it 4 times bigger with independent farmers, Thai vegetables, fruit picked right off the bush/vine and lots and lots of artist vendors. Yay! Fresh veggies!
Afterward, we tried to see as many shows as possible. Unfortunately, we missed a couple. One was sold out, one we just got there too late. However, we still managed to make 4 shows. Three of them were stellar!!! I wrote my online reviews for them on the fringe page. What a great tool that's been!
**One of my complaints of the MN Fringe is that the show starting times aren't staggered. In NY, if you can't get into a show, there is another one starting in 15, 20, 30 minutes and as long as you haul ass, you can see something. At MN, shows start at 5:30, 7, 8:30 and 10 on weeknights and there are a few more on the weekends. If you get there too late, too bad. Find something to do for an hour - which isn't bad if there is a bar near by, but sucks if you are trying to see as many shows as possible.**
To give a shout out to the shows that ROCKED on Sunday: In A Black Mood (dance, exceptional dance), The First Five Minutes Are Slow (an Alice in Wonderland based story that would be perfect in any school auditorium, but more than entertaining for adults), O(h) (a dancing and singing duo that pokes fun at art in general, contemporary dance and themselves - brilliant.)
Today, we're going to see another three plays: Zombie High School or Sincerity Forever (it depends on if either one is sold out), Rachel Teagle Believes in Ghosts, and Bite Me Twilight. The last one is the one we tried to see yesterday and was sold out. We promptly went online and bought tickets for today. Wish us luck!
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