R+J Captain's log, Stardate... 1.12-4.11.15

The slightly abbreviated and (almost) tactful version...

Stardate, 1.12-13.15 -  Auditions:
Successful. Had a great selection of young ladies and guys, with hopes of playing a title character in this production.  Some of these 'I only want Romeo / Juliet' hopefuls were just not suited or ready for these roles and were unwilling to consider others.  Needless to say, they were removed from the casting pool pretty quickly.  

Others fell beautifully into the support and featured roles that remained and we quickly had a core cast, with only a few "I'll take anything' auditionees becoming casualties to the casting process.  The remaining sacrifices seem to be the 'lead role only'  auditionees.   We are thrilled.

But, we still have a distinct lack of older adults.  I could go the way of a young production... after all, my past theatrical CV (and the various reviews) can attest to the fact that I have proven I am capable of doing "creative magic" with a young cast.  But, is this the production to un shelve that W. Shakespeare & Co Theatre Company mentality or ethic?  No.   The concept can't support it and as I hope to make use of Shakespeare's true textual meanings this time around, I don't want to filter out true Shakespearean intent for sensitive ears.  Also, do we really want my last show to be plagued with teenage actor drama.   Again, No.  So, after a few quick calls and networking appeals, once again ---- I have been given the perfect cast.

This blend of new fresh faced talent and seasoned veterans of local stages, peppered with a few absolute stage 'newbies', bring some carefully optimistic hope to our artistic team.   Don't get me wrong, StageWorks is an amateur theatre at it's core and mainly attracts local drama students, experienced community actors and a few 'currently not working' professional.  We have this in the cast, as well.  We know there is going to be a learning curve for some of them to adapt to my more intensive process.  We also have two young principals with very little stage experience... and minimal technique and form.  To be sure, there is a lot of work to be done.

Concerns --

• SCHEDULING:   While I am experienced with creating complicated rehearsal schedules, this one may prove a challenge.  The prelims are  beginning to look like one of those annoying math word problems, that doomed my potential admission to Stanford: Actor A can only attend once a week and cannot attend Wednesdays, but is available most Tuesdays and will miss 2 weeks and one performance.  Actor B can only attend Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Actor C needs to be late most nights and prefers Wednesdays and having Thursdays off, but is in a lot of scenes with Actor B;  while Actor D will be missing some Mondays, most Wednesdays and a few Saturdays.  Then there is Actor E, who requires his girlfriend present at all rehearsals to make sure she approves all stage kisses, but is available most days.  Everyone else is fairly flexible, but rarely appear in the same scenes.   Now make all of this into a cohesive schedule.  For 10 points.  

• COSTUME and LIGHTING:  The company lost R+J's planned costumer and has yet to find a replacement.  Are Katrina and I going to have to do it ourselves?  Dear God, I hope not.   In addition, we have been informed that the usual company lighting designer is not available.  No acceptable alternatives offered up.  Hmm, do I really want to speak to the stage lighting designer that I am married to?   He is off on theatre, concert and NASCAR gigs all the time.  Will he even have time to do this?  And, more importantly, it is never a calm result when he works on a show I am directing.  Let's exhaust all other options first.   

• And, the question we are all still asking...  Why is all this the director's job to facilitate, negotiate and deal with?  

• SET:  Then there is the set... Yes, the set.  The initial plan was to use  my theatre company, WS&Co, final season factotum set;  pieces which had made up most of StageWork's A Midsummer Night's Dream set in 2012 and Xenia's Much Ado About Nothing  in 2012.  Old, but still perfectly usable.  In a moment of extreme charitable stupidity, I had placed them on permanent loan with a local Community College for their use, with some restrictions (like I could recall them if at any time, I had a need for them or do not destroy or give away.  They must be returned.)    But, the columns had indeed been destroyed during the summer by the Theatre Program coordinator, without notifying anyone (including the program's Technical Directors.)  This occurred even though she knew they were the property of another theatre.  She chose not to alert anyone to ask about what belonged to who, or if anything was earmarked for a future show.  She also knew that StageWorks was going to be using them for their Shakespeare production.  In light of this, we have been trying for many months to gain the return of the remaining pieces -- 4 Gates, that require the destroyed columns.  We needed to rethink the entire show concept, the set and potential budget.  By now, a design is underway, that will include the gates and work with elements of the original concept; however, we still cannot get anyone from the college to respond about retrieving the gates.  Frustrating.  

• THEATRE SPACE:  The Arctic temperatures in the theatre... Yes, these still exist.  I had originally agreed to direct the show, as long as I didn't have to subject the cast to a frigid rehearsal, where they have to wear winter outerwear inside the building.  Last year, inside temps read in the upper 20's inside. Is this year going to be the same.  I was promised it won't be. But, once again, it seems we are to be subjected to these temps.  There is another promise of a new system being installed very soon.  In the meantime, we have requested an alternative rehearsal space, as weather in early February is expected to be in the single digits and below.  Not good conditions for combat, actor voices or concentration.  

Stressful... Yes.   Worrying... Also yes.  Fatal... Uhm.  No.  Not yet.   I have worked with worse issues.  Most importantly, it is all underway!

Stardate,  1.20.28.15 - Tablework:
These early work sessions have come and gone without incident.  Wonderful table read.  Very productive Character and concept sessions.  Creative minds are constantly churning.  Astute and insightful questions being asked.  Characters already starting to form and ideas are flowing constantly.

Concerns --

• COSTUME and LIGHTING:   Still no word from the producer on a costumer or Lighting designer.  Concerned.  May have to ask Andy.  

• THEATRE SPACE:  Theatre temps are little better than bearable.  Not in the 20's, but the low 40's/ upper 30's will take their toll on the cast if they continue.  Moved to a cast member's house for some of the week, since a large space is not necessary for this work.  Request for a back up rehearsal space has not been addressed.  

• SET:  Gates are still being held hostage.  

Still stressful... Yes.  Still worried... Yes.  Fatal yet?  Nope.  

More to come ...

Defining the Bard's young lovers...

Yes... Yes, I know.  This post about Springfield StageWorks production of ROMEO and JULIET is somewhat overdue.  Of course, audition information follows at the end.

Like everyone else, I have a life outside of my directing contracts and this past autumn some health issues became the forefront of my focus.  But, as I have had to take a break from teaching and keep my activities to a minimum for a few months, I now have a lot of time to focus on R&J...

As I have said before, I have directed, designed and been part of the cast of this play many times.  I am a firm believer in the school of 'Classical first', so that one may understand the intended nuances of the words, ideas and text before taking the cast and production on a conceptual adventure.  The playwright's intent is sacrosanct.  The director must understand it fully, visualize it completely, and work with its depth, long before auditions are even announced.  So, by creating a production in a Renaissance or Elizabethan setting for a director's first journey into the text, they can learn and conceive the text, as it was meant to be created.   After that, by all means, explore away... develop the universal potential inherent in the 500 year old passages and story.  Bring it into the contemporary context, set it in a tree house, on a train, on a desert island, in a white room... whatever, but one must have the deepest understanding and experience of the text in it's original setting first.

So, now to address the flurry of questions and speculation about what the setting and concept will be for this production.  And, there have been MANY.  So much interest.  


In the past, I have been fairly forthcoming about what was going to be done.  This time, I decided to keep the concept and setting a little closer to home.  The designers know, the directorial team knows, but everyone else will just have to wait and see at the read through or in production. 

Thanks to my set designer, Geoff Moss, several bitstrips have been circulated on Facebook, contemplating potential adventures for our two lovers and their feuding families.  


No, it will not be Elizabethan (been there, done that 4 times already); No, it will not be set in post-Katrina NOLA or on a pirate ship.  And, it most definitely will not see feuding werewolves and shiny vampires.    

What I can say is that the text will be handled classically and a lot of care will be put into the language and vocal exploration for this production.  While the love story will be the focus, the character dynamics, dysfunction of family issues and the feud will also be explored to an extensive level.  

I can assure all interested parties that this production will speak to everyone who has ever been in love  --- in a way that is not only contemporary, but  classically, as well.  I can also say that the setting will be 'across the pond.' 

Now, on to the issue at hand.... AUDITIONS.   These are just days away and we have had a lot of interest and questions about what I am looking for in a cast this time.  

THE CAST:    As always, I am looking for an ensemble of actors that connect and work as one.  Every role (no matter how small) is as important as the next.  But, all actors must also be able to carry their role independently.  Characters will be created, both with obvious and subtle elements, just as the actor playing the role; comedy and tragedy in the everyday life;  silliness and seriousness... I don't want stereotyped, cardboard performances.  I need the human, genuine and natural element in all of us to be transferred onto the stage.   Authentic moments are the goal.  

ACTOR EXPERIENCE and CASTING:    I will be looking for all levels of talent, so don't be afraid to attend one of the sessions - even if you have little or no experience.   I hope to see and use new faces for this show (as well as some familiar ones.) My hope is to have a group of some highly experienced and novice actors.  That type of ensemble creates a balanced team, a group with great diversity and momentum.  I will be casting actors and actresses that are at least 18 years old (sorry, no under 18's in this show) and will be looking for those who show vocal potential, as well as a natural technique that is either already refined or can be easily developed.  

CHARACTERS:  We will be casting a company of 12 to 13 people, plus ensemble.  The available roles include:

Escalus -  Can be male or female; any age.

Nurse - Likely to be female; At least 30 to 50.  

Friar - Likely to be male; 30 to 65+.

Capulet / Lady Capulet- Male / Female; Roles may be combined, if needed.  30 to 50+.

Lady Montague -  Female; 30+.

Romeo -  Male; 18 to 25+.

Juliet -  Female.

Paris - Male; 18 - 40.

Benvolio -  Male or Female; 18 to 18.

Tybalt -  Male; 18 to 35+.

Mercutio -  Male / Female; 18 to 35+.

Peter -  Male or Female; highly comic; 18 to 25.

Ensemble - Male and Female; 18-60+; Multiple roles -- Party goers, Apothecary, Capulets.

AUDITION PROCESS:      

• OPEN Audition Sessions will be held Monday, January 12th  from 6:30 to 10pm  and Tuesday, January 13th from 6:30 to 8pm.   
• All auditions will be held at the STATE THEATRE on Fountain Ave., Springfield, OH. 
• Call backs will be held January 13th from 8 to 10:30pm.  
• Registration begins at 6pm each night.  Please arrive early to complete paperwork.
• WHAT TO BRING:
• Actors new to StageWorks should prepare a one minute monologue from Shakespeare (any play.)
• All actors should be prepared to read from the script.
• Resume (or experience list) and head shots are recommended, but not required.
• All actors should bring a list of potential conflicts detailing scheduling issues from January 26th to April 12th and June 25th through July 5th.
• The show requires various forms of stage combat, music and dance at the wedding.  If you have any skills in these, please be prepared to share with us.  

PRODUCTION and PERFORMANCE: Rehearsals will begin with a table read the week following auditions and initial character and table work will begin the 27th and 28th of January.  All rehearsals will be scheduled according to the availability and schedules of actors who are cast.  Rehearsals will likely be held 2 to 3 times per week through February and 3 to 4 times per week in March.  Not all actors will be called to every rehearsal.  

Performances will be April 2 to 11th, Thursday through Sunday.  In addition, this production will be a part of the 2015 Springfield Arts Festival in July.  

As always, if you have questions, please contact the director HERE. Or, visit the AUDITION EVENT PAGE for more information and updates!

That's it for now.  

Watch out for future posts once the rehearsal journey begins...