Monthly Archives: February 2017

There’s a little section in our little play in which the entire men’s chorus must completely change character (new costumes, addition of wigs, etc.) and switch from actor/rebels to the political underlings who serve at the whim of the Grand … Continue reading →

Flu season is upon us.  Several cast members have been ill and recuperated, and others are just now catching the bug.  So we’re dealing with a constantly shuffling array of unpredictable absences from rehearsals. But that’s show biz.  And the … Continue reading →

There’s a hefty chunk of Act I (two scenes and three songs, to be exact) which is performed by the same five actors.  No chorus, no entrances, no exits.  That’s a long haul. This section has been staged for some … Continue reading →

Tonight was a small rehearsal. Due to various conflicts and illnesses, I worked with a small number of principal actors. And we focused on small moments in the production.  It’s the kind of fine detail work I love — but rarely … Continue reading →

It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day here in North Carolina.  I took my coffee outside this morning and enjoyed the blooms of daffodil, hellebore, and flowering quince as I did a little walk-about of my awakening garden. Then I … Continue reading →

After re-visiting and re-inventing the opening of Act I earlier this week, we delved back into the midst of Act II. When we last left our intrepid group of revolutionaries, they had infiltrated the Grand Duke’s Tower and had begun drinking his … Continue reading →

Rehearsal is all about doing it over.  And over and over. We repeat things — music, lines, blocking, choreography — to learn them, to get better at them, and — sometimes — to realize they’re not working and need to … Continue reading →

What to do when a mysterious, sword-wielding Herald arrives unannounced? Well, technically he is a “herald,” so he has arrived to do the announcing — but there’s still the mystery factor and the wielding of the sword. And the fact … Continue reading →

Tonight represents a first for me…. I choreographed a large section of the show without listening to the music! I normally sit with a recording and listen to it over and over again as I create choreography.  I listen and … Continue reading →

Tonight we choreographed a light-hearted little number about a rich woman who connives her way into a position of power; then immediately unlocks the wine cellar, plunders the pantry, and indulges in a greed-fueled bacchanal. The result is a dizzying visual … Continue reading →