Fresh Air, Green Fields, Music, and Ticks

      Thursday and Friday were beautiful days, so we worked outside, finishing table work and beginning to stage The Comedy of Errors in the space.  Both days were very productive and quite enjoyable as we worked on adding humor to the already funny show.  We further developed characters and relationships between the characters (including altering certain characters for our show’s setting and time period).  We also worked on adding temporary costumes and props, as well as instrumentation and music, into the show.  Finally, we worked on inventing and defining the role of the “stage hand” (that’s me!).

 

      I think one of the best parts of rehearsal is that everyone comes in with their own ideas and is given freedom to try different things before the director, Geoff, begins to shape what’s there.  There is definitely a sense of playfulness and experimentation.  In all honesty, the show is completely ridiculous… in a good way!   

      To our pleasure, we had the weekend off!  This was probably the only time this summer that we’ll be completely free for an entire weekend, so everyone took advantage of it in different ways (catching up on sleep, hanging out, working on lines, seeing their boyfriend, etc.).  One highlight? for me was going to the driving range for the first time.  I’m awful.

      On Sunday, somehow I wound up joining an amateur a capella singing group!  Every Sunday night, a group of about 7 ladies meet in the Brown’s house to sing.  This group of friends has been meeting for over 10 years!  They have a very eclectic list of songs in their repertory.  Right now, they have Ukrainian, Yiddish, French, and Shape Note Music songs, just to name a few!  I was there, doing nothing, in an adjacent room when rehearsal started, so I was asked to join, and then warmly welcomed into the group.

      Today’s rehearsal (Monday) was held inside because of rain.  We continued staging the show, and cleaning and running the entire first half of the show.  Our rehearsals thus far have been very productive (it’s easy to get through a lot when you rehearse for 6 hours a day), and we are slightly ahead of schedule! 

      Another thing that made today exciting was that I started my intern “duty” of observing rehearsals for Big River: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.  This musical goes up a little after The Comedy of Errors, but the cast is currently concentrating most of its efforts toward Endstation’s Broadway in the Blue Ridge Concert with Broadway Veteran Tory Ross.  Since the concert goes up this Saturday, there is a press for time!  Today was the cast’s second music rehearsal, and they already sounded great and difficult songs were coming along well.  It was fun just being back in a musical environment, even if I was just an observer.  Also, earlier in the day, I was recruited to be “page-turner” at the concert.  What an honor!

By now, you’re probably wondering where the ticks come into play… 

Well, all you need to know is that ticks do exist in Sweet Briar.

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