DAY FIFTY - Monday May 14

DAY FIFTY - Monday May 14

A very interesting (exhilirating and frustrating) day.  For many reasons.  I had the morning working with both of our older character guys - Mary's father - the character of Mr. Lloyd - as well as two of the younger character guys - ministers to the Prince.  One of our Mary's (Ksenia) showed up - but she wasn't called - or at least wasn't SUPPOSED to be called.

It turned out to be one of my favorite rehearsals - I wish I had taken video - because it felt like home.  Really creative performers, working on a very silly scene - offering great ideas and happy to try whatever I asked of them. We made major improvements on the scene and dance (which is one of the few pieces of Unger-ography in the show - I hope Patti likes it!).  I left on such a high - so, of course, it was bound to be dashed in the evening!

Last night, when talking over the schedule, I made very clear (I thought) that I wanted to help the Sandors get off book - not that that was a communal job - but we are in crisis mode.  So I told the scheduler that I wanted the assistant director, Ivgeny, to drill lines with the three Sandors.  I also told Ivgeny that. Or so I thought.

In between rehearsals, I went to get my favorite chicken with vegetables thing across the street - then they had the gala opening of the new (smaller) theatre.  A few of the performers from the company did a song or two and then they started the BOLSHOI CONTEST!  Every year, they have a competition for singers at this theatre.  Imagine "American Idol"... in Peoria... just for operetta.  So the scale is microscopic compared with the big glitzy reality TV shows - but it is a way for operetta performers to be seen. For all I know, it may be the biggest operetta performer competition in the world. There were an impressive number of contestants and some of them were terrific. It must also be a way that Kirill can shop for talent - as several of the current company members are past winners of this competition. There were students, performers from other theatres around the country - some from very far away.  Although very far means something very different to Russians.  Vladivostok is a 5 day train ride to the East.  So a day and a half overnight train is nothing to these folks.

The "opening ceremony" (such as it was) had some of the performers from this theatre, the resident dance company and, of course, the GREAT band, Izumrud (Emerald).  In the video below, I have left much of their performance intact - because I love them so much.  I apologize that most of the people in the contest (fully costumed, in most cases) look like white blobs!  It was tough lighting for an iPhone.  Also, they were honoring a famous Russian composer and his son was there as one of the judges.  He's the guy speaking from the audience.



So, I assumed, at 18:00 (6PM) that the line rehearsal was starting without me.  As I had explained - to two different people.  I was in my apartment working on a video thing for Patti to show to the dancers.  When I was finished with that - at about 18:40, I went upstairs to check on the rehearsals.  First I popped my head into the contest to see what was happening there. More operetta singers.  To my surprise (and chagrin), I found Ivgeny sitting there enjoying the performance. I asked why he wasn't upstairs running lines - which, of course, he could not understand.  He explained to me (I think) that they were done with rehearsal - after only 40 minutes?!?!?!

I went upstairs to give Patti the video thing and found one of our romantic lead couples rehearsing one of their dances. First of all, Mary wasn't even supposed to be called that evening. And, remember, nor in the afternoon! Ksenia, poor girl, showed up for both rehearsals and wasn't supposed to be called for either. 

They told me that all three Sandors and a translator were there, that they waited for me, but left when I didn't show up.  I was furious.  I pulled Ivgeny into the hallway outside Patti's rehearsal - and got Tatiana - the scheduler (as well as mis-scheduler) - so Gregg could translate for me. Neither of them understood that I wanted anybody to work on lines - even though Gregg heard me make that request last night TO TATIANA! So my translator obviously screwed that up - not once - but twice!

Ivgeny went on to explain that they don't help actors with lines here.  That is the actor's responsibility. I explained that just because they haven't done things a certain way before doesn't mean those "foreign" ways are not useful. Especially since we were in EMERGENCY MODE!!!!!!!!!I didn't care how they did things before - that this was NECESSARY work!  I further explained that we often have line rehearsals in American and that THEY WORK!

So then I asked if any of them thought I would simply NOT show up at a rehearsal. I had missed only two rehearsals the entire time I was there - when I was EXTREMELY sick in bed. I asked them if anyone thought to CALL me?  Or (here's a novel idea) knock on my door since I lived JUST ACROSS THE LOBBY!!! Did anyone thing that maybe I might be sick - or needed help? Or, G-d forbid - ask Gregg or Patti to CALL ME!?!?!?!?  How idiotic - and lazy.  To just wait around and not intuit that there was either a big problem or a small communication gaffe.  Of course, this was a case of the latter - but back to the one man for one job - pencil without an eraser.  If they are there to rehearse, they are not there to troubleshoot - or think - about how to solve any little problem (like no director or no instructions on what to do)!  For smart people, there has been some evidence of less than smart behavior.

I asked the scheduler to call one of the other Sandors and was told he was on his way up to rehearsal.

So, Ivgeny and I go back into the scene room - and the other Sandor who we were told had just been called and we were told was on his way up - was not there.  I asked the two actors who WERE there to call him again.  Oh, wait - somebody forgot to tell me that he was a scene partner in for one of the contestants!!! - so he wasn't even available for anything beyond the first half hour in the original rehearsal I had THOUGHT I had scheduled!  Do you see what we're up against here?  We don't have time to get this show ready by opening night (and it's been 7 freakin' weeks) because so many people are not available for the wee six hours they allow us per day - made worse by the fact that 75% of the time, those who have been called cannot actually show up and 5% of the time, if they do show up, they tend to leave early for no apparent reason.

But... to turn lemons into lemonade and a sows ear into a silk purse, we start going over the entire show with Vova and Ksenia - one set of Sandors and Marys. NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: Neither Vova or Ksenia, two of the kindest, hardest working performers in the company, - ever ended up performing their roles - I repeat: ever! More on that saga to come.

It was IMMENSELY helpful.  If one of them messed up a line - we went over it a few times to drill it in.  And we got through the entire show - obviously just their scenes. See... line drilling works! Well - only a run through will really tell that - but it was most helpful to Vova to be able to track through his entire show and stop whenever he needed to. Ivgeny was amazing, playing every other role in the entire show. I do feel he'll be able to re-set the show come October when we're gone and this show goes into the repertory. 

The... sand... is... running... out... of... the... hourglass - and they don't seem to be doing very much to help us make the most of what little time we have left. 

A commiserating session with my colleagues after rehearsal - Patti had some issues with her slacker second ballet team - so she respectfully asked them to leave the rehearsal room so she could muster up the positive energy necessary to do her work.

Tomorrow is a day off - well, not really.  We have a sitzprobe (sing through) tomorrow night - and next Tuesday is tech - so we have no more days off before we leave.

DAY FORTY NINE - Sunday May 13

DAY FORTY NINE - Sunday May 13

We were scheduled to run the show - although without the ballet company as they were in a kid's matinee.  We have a three hour rehearsal to run a 2 1/2 hour show!  Wait - no, we usually start 15 minutes after the hour to give the performers time to get from one thing to the next and have a 15 minute break in the middle so it is literally impossible to run the show during any one rehearsal session.

So we decided to just do Act Two and the epilogue. 

Here is Patti filling in for the Angels who dance behind the comic couple.



It actually went fine - until the big chorus number when the majority of the chorus did not remember where they were supposed to be... AGAIN!!!!!!!!!  I called a break after very firmly telling people they HAD TO WRITE THINGS DOWN (which of course they didn't) and that those who were fumbling with lines SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF THEMSELVES - 6 weeks in with only two weeks (actually, less) to go.

During the break - the chorus master actually ran the number they messed up.  Finally.

We barely finished the run - but we skipped over the chorus blocking in the epilogue because there was no way we had time to arrange that.

So... it was great to give the company (us included) a feel for the flow of the piece - although the insecurity with lines made it painful at times.  Arkadi - the really intelligent adapter was there but couldn't really get a sense of his piece with the lack of pacing due to lines.

In the evening, again we were supposed to trade off the lead couples but nobody who was supposed to be at my rehearsal showed up.  They were in the show - or weren't called.  Or some other confusion which I will never be able to sort out because I've given up trying.  So I was with Patti in the ballet room. 

DAY FORTY EIGHT - Saturday May 12

DAY FORTY EIGHT - Saturday May 12

Another massive rehearsal where we were going to attempt to run the whole show - but best laid plans of mice and men...  We barely got through the end of act one.  But, we had to fix all these huge scenes which we had never quite polished before.  Well, we attempted to polish them - but people keep forgetting what we did so we had to re-teach - yet AGAIN!.  It is VERY frustrating that nobody seems to write anything down - EVER!  Not principals, not chorus - nobody.  The A.D. seems to be getting it and the Stage Manager (?) has started writing down blocking as well.  If somebody is writing down the chorus staging - they are not reviewing it with them so it's like Groundhog Day (the movie) every time we hit these scenes.  One of these days, it has to stick, right?

Here's a nice video of the end of the prologue - it's a great number that builds and builds and builds... Patti, correct me if I'm wrong but I think that final spin thing was given to Patti by Agnes DeMille herself!



In the evening, we again traded off the lead couples but one never really knows who will show up at a given rehearsal - or how long they'll stay.  Yesterday, a couple of the actors whom we were told would be there weren't - tonight, it was kind of the opposite. Folks I didn't think would be there, were!  

DAY FORTY SEVEN - Friday May 11

DAY FORTY SEVEN - Friday May 11

We had another of our massive rehearsals but we organized things a little bit differently.  During the first hour, Patti worked with the ballet company while I had the chorus with no principals.  I went through their entire show, explaining every moment, what they are doing there, what they want - basically something I should have done along time ago.  I assumed they would have made some of these decisions - but, of course, I keep forgetting that they don't get scripts to read - so not only do they not know what scenes comes after another, they don't know what is going on either!

So that was very helpful. We then got the full company together and attempted to get through all the massive scenes. We didn't quite achieve our goal but we did clarify a lot. Attitudes were much better today than any of the other days, so I guess that's progress.

In the evening, Patti and I traded off with the two leading couples. She'd dance one set while I was working with the other, and then we'd trade. I have been quite enjoying these small rehearsals where we clarify moments, working with the most eager of the performers we've met here.

DAY FORTY SIX - Thursday May 10

DAY FORTY SIX - Thursday May 10

In the morning session, I worked with the new Bondy - catching him up - and Patti worked a large number with members of the chorus and ballet.

I think lunch was at the place I found that day I was wondering around on my own - Ratatouille.  In the evening, I was told that nobody was available to rehearse so I took a spin around the city in the afternoon and early evening.

I went to the big mall - but on the way found a nice office supply store, a place to buy a belt (luckily I ducked in during a brief, yet torrential, downpour) that I had forgotten to bring from home... and few tchochkes.  I'm still having trouble finding any clothing with Russian writing on it - everything is in English here.

During my travels, I came upon a club called "Garlem."  Photo below - of uppe-rish Manhattan on their logo.  There is no "H" sound in Russian - so Harlem becomes Garlem.  In our show, Hip Hip Hoorah becomes "Gip, Gip Oorah"!

When I got back to the theatre, I hung out with Patti in the ballet room as she reviewed some stuff and then worked a new idea we have of adding a gypsy dancer to the Prologue.

Post-rehearsals are generally spent upstairs with Grisha, Pisha and Disha in Patti's ante-chamber with pleasant wine, cheese and conversation.  

DAY FORTY FIVE - Wednesday May 9

DAY FORTY FIVE - Wednesday May 9

We (Grisha, Pisha, Misha and, now, Disha - Patti's husband, Dave) had a wonderful day toddling around town, celebrating Victory Day (the Russian celebration of the end of World War II) with all the locals. Streets were closed off, bandstands were everywhere, thousands of people out on the streets - celebrating.

Before the parade - tanks lined up

The Opera House

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The Men, starting our excursion.

Misha and Pisha

Misha, Pisha and Disha

Grisha, Pisha and Disha

The front of the mansion - with the park behind.

The rest of the mansion.

The backside of the mansion with the park - in need of repair.

This was in a park behind the old mansion - I suppose the Central Park of Yekaterinburg

The pond in the park.

Feeding pigeons in the park.

 

Grandma and Grandpa take Grandchild to see the pigeons.

Grandma and Grandpa take Grandchild to see the pigeons 2.

 Patti, Dave and Gregg.

Patti choreographing the picture!

Pisha, Grisha and Misha - in front of The Church on the Blood

Patti and Michael in front of Church on the Blood - you can't see but my iPhone has a picture of Patti's water bottle!

Me in front of the Church on the Blood - a church built on the location where Nicholas, Alexandra and their 5 children were killed during the Bolshevik uprising of 1917 - well, they abdicated 1917, and were killed 1918.  Yakov Sverdlov - the man who was (possibly) in charge of their execution - is who this city was named after during the Soviet era - Sverdlosk.  The city is back to it's pre-Soviet era name, Yekaterinburg.  Like Leningrad is back to St. Petersburg.  

 

You can see me better in this picture - but the church is less clear. In front of The Church on the Blood.

Me, with Alexandra, Nicholas and their son, Alexei.

 

Alexei was a hemophiliac and was often invalided - here I am helping to care for him.

 

Patti, felling sorry for the Tsar's heir - although he was never to make it that far

The Church on the Blood.

Another view of The Church on the Blood.

Dave and Gregg ascending the stairs to the church.

View from the Church

 

A picture of Patti taking a picture.

The plaza around the church.

Nicholas and Alexandra and their son.

Alexandra and the Romanov kids.

In the black and white world with the Romanovs. 

In the black and white world with the Romanovs part two.

Romaovs

View of the city from the Church on the Blood

The Theatre for Young Audiences

A beautiful old, wooden building - the Literary Museum

Pisha and Disha

Patti in front of Literary Museum.

Me in front of the Literary Museum.

Me, Evita style, in front of the Literary Museum.  

A cool building - also in need of repair. 

Poster of Stalin (not sure why they're still celebrating him after all the Russians he killed) March 9th - Victory Day

Statue of the inventor of the radio (not sure which aspect of radio telecommunication) with Lenin poster in front.

 

Patti and Dave on the courtyard.

Lenin Street - with thousands of people far down by the main square.

Buildings along Lenin Street

There were many bandstands set up throughout the city.

Again, the northern-most skyscraper in the world.

Not the most in-tune jazz band - New Orleans style - in Russia

 Crowds on Lenin Street.

An absolutely AMAZING chicken dinner - unbelievably was worth the hour and a half wait! 

Here's a video of the day's activities.  The reggae-ish band at about 4 minutes represented the only people (well, person) of color we have seen here thus far!



It was a pretty great day - very relaxing, lots of walking, great weather and lots to see.