DAY FORTY ONE - Saturday May 5
Re-staged the epilogue and prologue this morning and that went fairly well. Our new Bondy was all the way at the back of the rehearsal hall - actually behind a curtain - during one of the Bondy scenes. I stopped rehearsal and asked him why he wasn't watching the scene since he had never been staged in it. He laughed and said, smirkily (is that a word?) that he WAS watching. I responded, "Yeah, from behind the curtain? Get down here and watch from the front. You've never seen this scene before!" I then explained that we were six weeks in, that we open in three and that there was no excuse for people not to know their lines at this point. We also did not have time to block every scene three times - so you've got to get your blocking by watching your colleagues.
We got the job done - which is good. Now we just have to add the chorus and ballet to those scenes and we'll be ready for run throughs.
There were some technical issues with deadlines (past) and props that I had explained very clearly (do I thought) to our "stage manager" which came back entirely wrong. The little prince doll was supposed to be no bigger than someone's forearm and it came back, fully costumed about the size of a two year old child! What a waste of time. And a proclamation prop that I expressly said had to rip in half the long way came in ripping the short way.
Also, our set designer had not gotten the old fashioned artwork for the main curtain (for audience walking in - and which rips/flutters down to reveal the newfangled cafe) to the technical director. And it's full proscenium - about 20' by 30'. HUGE. And they need time to print it. So there are some emergency situations rearing their ugly heads.
I went to the heads of the costume and tech departments to clarify a few things.
Remember last night there was that business about the artwork for the toy guns? Well, I emailed it last night and as I was touring the shops, it was already being cut out of plywood. See how easy life is if people have email? And communicate? Correction - if they actually USE their email. And communicate.
Here are some pix of the shops. Remember, for costumes, two of everything - three in some cases! They are working their TAILS off.
Some chorus man's costume and Prince Sandor's
Patterns, galore.
Hard at work on Bondy's tiger-print jacket - not to be confused with the leopard-print pants.
Bondy's yellow jacket, Prince Sandor's white and maroon suits - very well tailored, by the way.
The men's costume shop - not to be confused with the women's costume shop.
Chorus women's costumes
Two of Mary's red beaded Prologue dresses - and chorus stuff.
More...
The women's costume shop.
The hat shop.
The director in one of those hats.
The director with plumage.
More...
Progress on the palace walls - stained glass unit in the foreground.
I am remiss in not acknowledging our dear friends in New York who helped Patti and me with pre-production before we left for Russia. They volunteered (well, they DID get sandwiches and John's Pizza) three days of their time to help us build these dances and we are ever-grateful to them.
Back row: Will Porter, J. Morgan White, Mike Miller, Emma Ritchie, K.C. Lieber, Jessi Trauth 2nd Row: William Carolos Angulo, Jessica Jaros, Shanna Heverly, Nicholas Yensen Front Row: Patti Colombo, Michael Unger. A couple of Patti's friends also helped out who are not pictured - Cam and ??? - I'll get their names later.
By the way, right before tonight's rehearsal, I heard something hitting the window ledge and we had a full on hail storm - for about one minute. Then the sun was out. Strange doings here in Russia.
Tonight we staged the comic song between King Pankratz and Mary. It was a pretty hilarious rehearsal since the two guys playing the king are terrific as are all three Marys. Here's a taste of what we came up with.
Halfway through, Patti went to the airport to pick up her husband. He is bringing some American sustenance (filling a second suitcast!) as well.
Thanks Dave!
Re-staged the epilogue and prologue this morning and that went fairly well. Our new Bondy was all the way at the back of the rehearsal hall - actually behind a curtain - during one of the Bondy scenes. I stopped rehearsal and asked him why he wasn't watching the scene since he had never been staged in it. He laughed and said, smirkily (is that a word?) that he WAS watching. I responded, "Yeah, from behind the curtain? Get down here and watch from the front. You've never seen this scene before!" I then explained that we were six weeks in, that we open in three and that there was no excuse for people not to know their lines at this point. We also did not have time to block every scene three times - so you've got to get your blocking by watching your colleagues.
We got the job done - which is good. Now we just have to add the chorus and ballet to those scenes and we'll be ready for run throughs.
There were some technical issues with deadlines (past) and props that I had explained very clearly (do I thought) to our "stage manager" which came back entirely wrong. The little prince doll was supposed to be no bigger than someone's forearm and it came back, fully costumed about the size of a two year old child! What a waste of time. And a proclamation prop that I expressly said had to rip in half the long way came in ripping the short way.
Also, our set designer had not gotten the old fashioned artwork for the main curtain (for audience walking in - and which rips/flutters down to reveal the newfangled cafe) to the technical director. And it's full proscenium - about 20' by 30'. HUGE. And they need time to print it. So there are some emergency situations rearing their ugly heads.
I went to the heads of the costume and tech departments to clarify a few things.
Remember last night there was that business about the artwork for the toy guns? Well, I emailed it last night and as I was touring the shops, it was already being cut out of plywood. See how easy life is if people have email? And communicate? Correction - if they actually USE their email. And communicate.
Here are some pix of the shops. Remember, for costumes, two of everything - three in some cases! They are working their TAILS off.
I am remiss in not acknowledging our dear friends in New York who helped Patti and me with pre-production before we left for Russia. They volunteered (well, they DID get sandwiches and John's Pizza) three days of their time to help us build these dances and we are ever-grateful to them.
By the way, right before tonight's rehearsal, I heard something hitting the window ledge and we had a full on hail storm - for about one minute. Then the sun was out. Strange doings here in Russia.
Tonight we staged the comic song between King Pankratz and Mary. It was a pretty hilarious rehearsal since the two guys playing the king are terrific as are all three Marys. Here's a taste of what we came up with.
Halfway through, Patti went to the airport to pick up her husband. He is bringing some American sustenance (filling a second suitcast!) as well.
Thanks Dave!
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