Hi Everyone – Here’s a belated final(ish?) blog entry – after the whirlwind experience of Directorfest, I headed to the A.R.T. to direct an early Tennessee Williams play (Stairs to the Roof) as part of Diane’s second half of the season, her “America: Boom, Bust and Baseball” festival. Our production was only maybe the fifth time the play’s been produced, and was the first time the A.R.T. had produced Williams ever. The production was also the first official collaboration between the A.R.T. Institute and Harvard College / The Office for the Arts at Harvard, so I was working with actors from both the Institute and the College, and had a wonderful team of assistants from the College (plus some fantastic designer collaborators I was able to bring along from YSD and WTF!). We had four weeks of rehearsal, which felt like a huge luxury after the breakneck pace of rehearsals for both NN at Playmakers and our own Directorfest pieces! We were also working in a space the A.R.T. had never produced in, and in an unconventional configuration at that (seating the audience on the stage, building the theatre out into the house, and then moving the audience to another space for the last 20 minutes, where they watched much of the final action unfold outside in a courtyard through windows). It was a challenging piece to work on – the script is very young, and very messy, but it has a fantastic heart and sense of hope / imagination / play. All in all it was a fantastic experience, and a successful production! For a review, check this out: http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2010/2/9/donahue-stairs-agassiz-institute/
It was also an incredible time to be at the A.R.T., with Diane’s first full season underway – in addition to being able to see Donkey Show again, I was able to see Janos work with the first years on a crazy adaptation of Alice in Wonderland – the spectacular ERS Gatz (which I had been waiting years to see!) – and the life-changing Sleep No More, this crazy phenomenal piece by Punch Drunk that took place in an old schoolhouse in Brookline in forty fully installed rooms that you ran throughout (while wearing masks) following the actors. The piece was about an hour long, but played 2.5 times per night, so you could follow different performers throughout the building, catching different storylines and discovering how they lined up – the entire event was just amazing. Now I’m back in NYC – I moved here in August, but have only actually lived here for about 7 weeks. I’m finally looking at being here for a while now, and it’s quite exciting – I’m currently in rehearsals for a new play called The Precarious Stool, which will be a part of the Third Year’s FREEPLAY FESTIVAL at NYU. After that, I’m headed back to Boston to stage The Animals, an electropop concert event at the A.R.T.’s Club Oberon – and I’m directing Chuck Mee’s Big Love with The Studio NYC at The Wild Project in April/May. After that, I’ll be prepping for a big opera I’m doing spring of 2011, and looking for the next round of projects! Dramaleague was a fantastic experience – and though I’m sad it’s over, I’m very much looking forward to what the next phase has to offer! -Mike
Friday, February 12, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Final thoughts ...
Hi everyone,
It’s hard to write a “wrap-up” blog entry since I still feel very much in the midst of my Drama League activities. My main assisting assignment on The Addams Family is about to enter phase II. Our out-of-town tryout in Chicago closed successfully after record-breaking ticket sales and overall positive reviews. The producers have made some highly publicized changes, including bringing on renowned director Jerry Zaks as Creative Consultant. I am continuing on the show (as is Associate Director and DP alumna Heidi Marshall). We will begin Broadway rehearsals in early February, with previews set for March 8 and an April 8 opening night.
In the meantime, I have been the “Drama League Artistic Fellow” at Primary Stages, working with Artistic Director (and DP advisory board member) Andrew Leynse and Associate Artistic Director Michelle Bossy on various season planning and programming activities. I have also been a sort of “part-time” assistant director on the Primary Stages production of Lucinda Coxon’s Happy Now?, directed by Liz Diamond, which will run January 26 – March 6 at 59E59 (tickets here.)
I am also busy with two other projects – my first opera, at Metropolis Opera Project, a new translation of Cesar Cui’s Feast in Time of Plague, which will run next weekend (Jan 29-31 at 8pm). Tickets are only $10 and available here. I am thoroughly enjoying working with these unbelievable singers and musicians and excited to be taking on a new form. Not only is this my first opera project, it is a direct result of my Drama League fellowship – I met Metropolis Opera Project’s founding director Zachary James because he is playing Lurch in The Addams Family!
I am also directing a new play by Matthew-Lee Erlbach called Sex of the Baby, which will be presented by NYU Tisch as part of the 3rd-year MFA students’ “Free Play” series. Performances will be in the first week of March – details soon. Fellow fellow Mike Donahue also is directing a “Free Play” so we will once again be directing alongside each other.
(Interestingly, both the opera project and the NYU project were already cast before I came on board. Very unusual to be working with actors that someone else chose. Fortunately, in both cases that someone else had great taste so I’m not complaining. But it’s another reminder that flexibility is the key to a happy freelance career.)
Although I can choose to deny it a little longer (and keep “Drama League fellow” in my email signature) I suppose I will have to accept that I am now an alumnus of the program. The applications for next year are due in a few weeks, and the whole cycle will begin again. I’ve already gotten a few emails from future applicants asking how the program has impacted my life… Well, I hope the best is yet to come in terms of career impact, but the personal impact was significant. It was a great boost after a few years in New York – the “seal of approval” from a major career development program with a terrific national reputation. Plus, the fellowship components themselves – the Retreat, the Wonder Week, and of course, DirectorFest, were all both creatively stimulating and a lot of fun.
Also, I promise I will post some of the gorgeous production photos of Bekah Brunstetter’s Roberta Laughs (my contribution to DirectorFest) as soon as I can.
Best to all,
David
It’s hard to write a “wrap-up” blog entry since I still feel very much in the midst of my Drama League activities. My main assisting assignment on The Addams Family is about to enter phase II. Our out-of-town tryout in Chicago closed successfully after record-breaking ticket sales and overall positive reviews. The producers have made some highly publicized changes, including bringing on renowned director Jerry Zaks as Creative Consultant. I am continuing on the show (as is Associate Director and DP alumna Heidi Marshall). We will begin Broadway rehearsals in early February, with previews set for March 8 and an April 8 opening night.
In the meantime, I have been the “Drama League Artistic Fellow” at Primary Stages, working with Artistic Director (and DP advisory board member) Andrew Leynse and Associate Artistic Director Michelle Bossy on various season planning and programming activities. I have also been a sort of “part-time” assistant director on the Primary Stages production of Lucinda Coxon’s Happy Now?, directed by Liz Diamond, which will run January 26 – March 6 at 59E59 (tickets here.)
I am also busy with two other projects – my first opera, at Metropolis Opera Project, a new translation of Cesar Cui’s Feast in Time of Plague, which will run next weekend (Jan 29-31 at 8pm). Tickets are only $10 and available here. I am thoroughly enjoying working with these unbelievable singers and musicians and excited to be taking on a new form. Not only is this my first opera project, it is a direct result of my Drama League fellowship – I met Metropolis Opera Project’s founding director Zachary James because he is playing Lurch in The Addams Family!
I am also directing a new play by Matthew-Lee Erlbach called Sex of the Baby, which will be presented by NYU Tisch as part of the 3rd-year MFA students’ “Free Play” series. Performances will be in the first week of March – details soon. Fellow fellow Mike Donahue also is directing a “Free Play” so we will once again be directing alongside each other.
(Interestingly, both the opera project and the NYU project were already cast before I came on board. Very unusual to be working with actors that someone else chose. Fortunately, in both cases that someone else had great taste so I’m not complaining. But it’s another reminder that flexibility is the key to a happy freelance career.)
Although I can choose to deny it a little longer (and keep “Drama League fellow” in my email signature) I suppose I will have to accept that I am now an alumnus of the program. The applications for next year are due in a few weeks, and the whole cycle will begin again. I’ve already gotten a few emails from future applicants asking how the program has impacted my life… Well, I hope the best is yet to come in terms of career impact, but the personal impact was significant. It was a great boost after a few years in New York – the “seal of approval” from a major career development program with a terrific national reputation. Plus, the fellowship components themselves – the Retreat, the Wonder Week, and of course, DirectorFest, were all both creatively stimulating and a lot of fun.
Also, I promise I will post some of the gorgeous production photos of Bekah Brunstetter’s Roberta Laughs (my contribution to DirectorFest) as soon as I can.
Best to all,
David
Monday, January 4, 2010
December
December was a whirlwind, in every sense. I felt as though I was constantly trying to wring 40 hours out of a 24-hour day.
I left Cambridge a few nights into previews of BEST OF BOTH WORLDS to come back to New York to move into my new apartment, have a few last production/design meetings, an almost immediately go into rehearsal for THE LOVER.
Working on Pinter's THE LOVER was a labor of love -- intense labor and intense love. There are A LOT of words in the piece, and the two main actors were required to bring the emotional journey of a marriage rocked off its foundation fully to life in the span of a compact one-act, while handling multiple dialects, a period piece, and a dense text. As insane as this all was, I never regretted choosing the piece, because I really loved it, and because the cast was completely dedicated to it and to each other.
There was one major bump in the road, when we realized the play was running several minutes too long. The designers and cast and I made some tough decisions about how to shorten the piece. In the end, we felt the piece was the stronger for it, even though the decisions to "kill our storytelling babies" (such as not having the actress change clothes on stage in stylized real time, but rather off-stage with a dresser) were agonizing at the time.
I learned so many lessons from working on DirectorFest. First, of course, to never underestimate the running time of a show. But it was also the first time in a LONG time I had worked with a full design team. Communicating effectively with them stretched a muscle that I simply wasn't used to using. Clearly and thoroughly articulating an idea early in the process is crucial. I learned really quickly that the designers could've used more information from me sooner, and I'm excited to put what I learned into practice on my next production. It struck me recently how few opportunities there are for directors to really direct -- not a reading or a workshop or even fringe show, but to manage a full production team, which is really a huge part of a director's job. I would have to say that the opportunity to do so is one of the greatest things the Drama League gave me.
In the end, I was proud of the production. The actors seemed to have real ownership of the work we had done, and the designers created a sleek and rich 1963 world. And I do think that the story I set out to tell was told. Most importantly, I forged relationships that I know will endure for a long time -- people with whom I can't WAIT to work again.
Beyond the production, DirectorFest meant tons of events! Brunches, drinks, meetings, hosting my Dad who was in from out of town -- lots of hand shaking, lots of follow-up e-mails, and finally...lots of opportunities to contemplate "What next." The last official days of our fellowship, we were lucky to spend some really good time together - Ed, Mike, David, and I, and even got to have a beautiful farewell dinner with Roger. I am amazed how close we've become in these several months, really. During the craziest moments of DirectorFest, I would bump into Mike, or David, or Ed in the hallway, and just fall into their arms for a big, understanding hug. (I think I got the best hugs since I'm the girl.)
We're now scattered geographically once again. David and I are still in New York. Ed is in Oregon for the next few months. Mike is in Cambridge directing a play, though I did get to see him last week. But we are all eagerly awaiting the next time that we're all going to be in the same city -- there's NO doubt we'll meet up to eat some really good food and instantly fall back into our rhythm.
(posted by Laura)
I left Cambridge a few nights into previews of BEST OF BOTH WORLDS to come back to New York to move into my new apartment, have a few last production/design meetings, an almost immediately go into rehearsal for THE LOVER.
Working on Pinter's THE LOVER was a labor of love -- intense labor and intense love. There are A LOT of words in the piece, and the two main actors were required to bring the emotional journey of a marriage rocked off its foundation fully to life in the span of a compact one-act, while handling multiple dialects, a period piece, and a dense text. As insane as this all was, I never regretted choosing the piece, because I really loved it, and because the cast was completely dedicated to it and to each other.
There was one major bump in the road, when we realized the play was running several minutes too long. The designers and cast and I made some tough decisions about how to shorten the piece. In the end, we felt the piece was the stronger for it, even though the decisions to "kill our storytelling babies" (such as not having the actress change clothes on stage in stylized real time, but rather off-stage with a dresser) were agonizing at the time.
I learned so many lessons from working on DirectorFest. First, of course, to never underestimate the running time of a show. But it was also the first time in a LONG time I had worked with a full design team. Communicating effectively with them stretched a muscle that I simply wasn't used to using. Clearly and thoroughly articulating an idea early in the process is crucial. I learned really quickly that the designers could've used more information from me sooner, and I'm excited to put what I learned into practice on my next production. It struck me recently how few opportunities there are for directors to really direct -- not a reading or a workshop or even fringe show, but to manage a full production team, which is really a huge part of a director's job. I would have to say that the opportunity to do so is one of the greatest things the Drama League gave me.
In the end, I was proud of the production. The actors seemed to have real ownership of the work we had done, and the designers created a sleek and rich 1963 world. And I do think that the story I set out to tell was told. Most importantly, I forged relationships that I know will endure for a long time -- people with whom I can't WAIT to work again.
Beyond the production, DirectorFest meant tons of events! Brunches, drinks, meetings, hosting my Dad who was in from out of town -- lots of hand shaking, lots of follow-up e-mails, and finally...lots of opportunities to contemplate "What next." The last official days of our fellowship, we were lucky to spend some really good time together - Ed, Mike, David, and I, and even got to have a beautiful farewell dinner with Roger. I am amazed how close we've become in these several months, really. During the craziest moments of DirectorFest, I would bump into Mike, or David, or Ed in the hallway, and just fall into their arms for a big, understanding hug. (I think I got the best hugs since I'm the girl.)
We're now scattered geographically once again. David and I are still in New York. Ed is in Oregon for the next few months. Mike is in Cambridge directing a play, though I did get to see him last week. But we are all eagerly awaiting the next time that we're all going to be in the same city -- there's NO doubt we'll meet up to eat some really good food and instantly fall back into our rhythm.
(posted by Laura)
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