En Route

(my typical Tuesday morning view, from the window of Bolt Bus -- also, the speed with which life is moving right now!!)

Hey Everybody! I'm writing from the Bolt Bus -- thank goodness for its wireless internet! I've been frequeting this bus a lot; going back and forth from American Repertory Theatre in Boston to NYC, where I've had design meetings, casting, and have hunted for, applied for, and now moved into a new apartment (what's up, Battery Park City!), all on my one day off a week!



BEST OF BOTH WORLDS is going full speed ahead, and we start tech tonight. I haven't worked on a new musical for a long time, and have never been involved this closely with one of this size. The rewriting process is rigorous and intense; a change in the show affects not only the book and libretto (which I have been charged with updating), but the score, vocal arrangements, band, and rotating volunteer choir of 30 people the show will feature each night. Diane, Randy, and Diedre, the authors, make edits swiftly and smartly, and it is a real challenge to keep up with them! The end result of working this way though, it seems to me, is that the show is getting stronger and stronger each day. The show is based on THE WINTERS TALE, and it's amazing to see how as I get deeper and deeper in to the musical, the themes and very powerful story of the original play become more fully illuminated for me. The story of one man's redemption is brought onto the stage with the force of a full gospel choir, and the cathartic climax of some exquisite music -- so that, we hope, the audience will really feel Ezekiel's (Leontes') transformative and magical experience of getting a second chance at happiness.

[Side note: my 99 cent Complete Works of Shakespeare iphone app has come in handy more than I can say, as has my new tiny netbook computer, which I can balance on one hand while flipping through multiple drafts of the script with the other. Two tools I'll never AD without from now on!)

And while I'm heading into tech for BEST OF BOTH WORLDS, I'm getting ready to direct Pinter's THE LOVER for DirectorFest. Casting was a wonderful experience, and one that taught me a lot. Having never worked with a casting director before, except for readings(I was paired with the brilliant Stephanie Klapper for DirectorFest), I didn't know what to expect. I found that in the auditions, I had to be on my toes as much as the actors. After all, they were auditioning me, too -- if offered the role, they would need to decide whether they would trust me to collaborate with them on a very challenging play. I also found that the auditions taught me a ton about the play itself. It was the first time I had heard actors speak any of the text, and each person came in with a different approach to piece, which was immensely helpful. Managing my time in the room was tricky, as was making decisions about callbacks on the spot, and I have the sense that I'll get better at both with practice.

I've also been meeting with our fabulous designers; I have artistic crushes on all of them. I'm extremely grateful to the Drama League for giving me the chance to work at this level -- with professional designers and stage managers, a top-notch casting director, and an insanely talented cast. I just keep thinking -- when and how else would I be able to work at this level? Even if I spent half a year fundraising and self-producing (which is what I've done for most of my projects up to this point), I don't think I could pull together the resources to do something like this.

SO I have 12 days left in Boston, and two weeks until DirectorFest starts rehearsals. After that...well I must admit it's scary to think about the unknown, open-ended freelance existence. I have several leads on money-making gigs back in NYC (everything from tutoring to focus groups), and have a few projects that I'm looking forward to jumping in to. But exactly what this new chapter of my life will look like, or how exactly I'm going to pay the rent, is something I'm not able to predict. I do know that if I ever have a shot at making it work, it's right now, and with the support of the Drama League and its network of friends and alumni, most of whom who went through a similar transition at one point or another.

Alright, I'm siging off for now. David, Ed, and Mike, I miss you guys!!

(posted by Laura)