Hair standing up and other involuntary things

Wow! I wish you all could see how PASSION is coming together!!

Today was our fifth day of rehearsal and we are almost finished blocking the show - down through the curtain call. And giant leaps are made every day!

We had a bit of a snafu heading into rehearsals and actually did our first full rehearsal without a Caiaphas. The man previously cast had scheduling issues with his day job (in that it was going to extend into night and in another part of the state!) So Doug Landholt, whom I've had the pleasure of doing two shows with through the Variety Club Children's Charity (The Wizard of Oz and Annie) was a total gem and said yes on the phone - I didn't even need to beg. The rest of the cast gave him a big welcome on Wednesday and now, it's like he was cast from the very beginning. He's an imposing Caiaphas.

Greg Schweizer, our music director, has been making tremendous vocal arrangements for us and the voices are really glorious. You will know he has risen!

These last two rehearsal days have involved getting through the scenes to the crucifixion - the climax of PASSION. Now is when the heavy lifting really starts - and I am NOT making comments on the weight of any of my cast members. Now I can finally create the pictures that have been in my head for so long. My hair has been standing up on my arms all day long. And Mary singing to her son as he lies in her arms, I dare you not to weep. HAIRS UP!

This Friday, March 8th, we are supposed to have a big article in the St. Louis Review which is a Catholic periodical. I had a 45-minute interview with Jennifer Brinker and then we had Sid the photographer at our rehearsal taking some pictures. I will post the article or link it here when it comes out. Press releases will go out again tomorrow (the fourth since September) so hopefully we will get some notices in other papers like the RFT, the Post, the St. Louis Beacon, and the Ladue News.

Tomorrow is an actor's day off - but not a producer's!! Wanting to interview Jesus (Blane) tomorrow and get that posted as well.

More after we have staged the crucifixion - because I'm sure that will be exhilarating.

 

On your mark...

http://youtu.be/qbAVA6dlSQg

 

Above is a link to the first PASSION video. It's me talking about why I did it and what is involved.

Rehearsals begin tomorrow so you can expect more videos from cast members and even snippets of the rehearsal process.

 

Today I have a setback to deal with and I must begin making phone calls in my horrific frog-voice. Yes, I'm sick. And so grateful to be sick now instead of three weeks from now.

 

Looking forward to blogging about rehearsals and having the cast together. On your mark....

100%

 

Gettin' 'er done!

With PASSION rehearsals less than two weeks away, things have really moved into high gear!

We have had fittings with 10 of our 16 cast members. This is just one place I will note my thanks to Fontbonne University, St. Louis Shakespeare, The Rep, Stages St. Louis, and Jefferson College for the opportunity to use their costumes. And of course, to Jane Sullivan and Becky Fortner for organizing it all.

Walter Knoll Florist has gratefully solved my "palm" issue, finding me the plants needed for a really triumphant entrance into Jerusalem.

A dear friend from college, Margaret Hesse, contacted me about running box office for some performances.

Equity finally got it right, at least, I assume the correct contracts are in the mail. All other actor contracts have gone out.

Insurance check in the mail.

Another edition of the newsletter goes out tomorrow with a video about the production and how it has finally come to the stage.

I went prop shopping today. That's fun!

My Jesus, Blane Pressler arrives from New York on Sunday! I have arranged for his pickup at the airport and his accomodations will be completed by Yours Truly.

I'm nearly out of postcards for the show - down from 1000 printed.

The program is awaiting a few more bios and I can hand that off!

Bought supplies for the big sign that will go on Lindbergh, right in front of Chaminade, so everyone driving back and forth that way will see it.

Whew! And Lent started today! I am psyched to head to church for an Ash Wednesday service tonight and become fully immersed in this season.

Toodles!









 

And the hits keep coming!

This past week there has been a tremendous move forward with PASSION.  Things are starting to fall into line and I could not be happier.

The push started with a great meeting with Jane Sullivan and Becky Fortner, who are doing costumes. It truly was a costume mind-meld and we are knocking stuff out: getting costumes from local theatres, getting materials donated and creating pieces we need. I am so grateful to both of these women who are here to guide me through, what is typically a nerve-wracking aspect of producing.

Next, got my insurance thanks to Marty Stanberry's help. Yes, I realize that's a little dry compared to other aspects of producing but it's a BIG DEAL to me to have my actors safe - not to mention the venue would prefer a little extra padding.

Rusty Gunther got me a donkey contact. Waiting to hear if they have a full-sized donkey but a lead is a lead and I'll take it.

I am currently working on contracts for all my actors, union and non. Artists deserve to be compensated for their work. I have a company of fantastic actors and I cannot wait to begin the rehearsal process with them!

I received my very first call about tickets. Yeah, that one feels good.

I have one of my thunder sheets thanks to one Debby Lennon. If you don't know Debby, aside from her phenomenal voice, she is one of the most generous spirits I have ever met. A truly sparkling personality and a positive life-force. Thank you Debby.

PASSION, if you haven't gathered by now, is absolutely an act of love - one that will run about $20,000 in production costs. Because Spotlight Theatre has been out of the loop for a while, and grant cycles run a year or two out, there are no grants or funding for PASSION on any level: not state, local, private. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. But I did get word through Mary Magdalen (aka Bess Moynihan) that a grant agency in town would like to hear from me. Woot!

I have had more than one person ask of late, if I am getting Spotlight Theatre up and running again and the answer in NO. Producing is agonzing and I forgot how many things there are to do and I'm just as sure some of them are slipping away from me. I also get asked if I want PASSION to become a yearly thing and to that I say, "yes," I just don't want to do it by myself again. (See: labor of love, above.) I would be thrilled beyond belief if PASSION were to become a yearly or bi-annual event. If this appeals to you, here's my number, so call me maybe.

I am humbled with gratitude.




 

Being a Producer: Awesome or Awful?

I came to producing by accident. I had started Spotlight Theatre with the intention of "doing" shows where St. Louis actors would be "spotlighted." (Get it?) My, oh my, there was a steep learning curve on everything from doing contracts, getting insurance, finding designers, doing press, running box office, you name it. I did it for 5 years straight and there is not much glory in it. It's exhausting even when you have adequate help. But I actually got pretty good at it. Have even been told by peers I really respect, that I'm a good producer.

When the exhaustion reached its peak, I quit doing shows for Spotlight and that's been the norm for the past 5 years, until PASSION. Even less than 1 year ago, I didn't want to revive my company until it seemed like the only way to get PASSION produced. And that's what producers do - they get stuff done.

So here's the last couple weeks for me:
I contacted a costume designer to make the veils and sashes. She was also helpful in directing me to aerial silks which are used in the show. She will work in tandem with the costume coordinator who is already working her magic!

I've filled out Equity contract applications and have gotten a paymaster in line. (BTW, Equity in Chicago is not particularly helpful. Something I had gleefully put out of my mind the last five years and have been recently re-introduced to. Joy.)

Finding rehearsal space - another favorite activity - NOT.

Sending out press and trying to convince people to give you some in advance. This is the most exciting thing to me....why not to you?

That DONKEY!!! The donkey's head is on the chopping block if I can't find something more reasonable than $500 a weekend.

Beginning this week, I will be making phone calls regarding group sales to performances. I am forcing myself to make 20 calls a day, which may not seem like a lot, but will honestly take me all day as I have to psych myself up for each one.

So what I have in store is a ton of work which is the awful part.
And when the show's complete and I can look back at all I did to bring PASSION to the stage, that will be awesome.

Back at it! Wanna help? or buy tickets?

It's not quite New Year's yet but I woke up on my last day of vacation over Christmas and had a sizeable panic attack about the fact that rehearsals start in about 8 weeks!!! And I still have much to do before we get to the fun part!

So I'll start with the "wanna help?" part....
1) The time to call churches is just around the corner. I am hoping to have group sales for every performance and could use some assistance with the phoning. If you've been watching this journey unfold but didn't know how to help, I will take your time and phone minutes - gratefully. No. Seriously. I will have a script ready by January 2, 2013 and would be so appreciative you were up to making phone calls for an hour or seven.

2) Time to start assembling a crew. We are in need of crew members to commit to the entire run of the show including tech week. That's most of the week (read: every night but Monday) beginning on March 12 and then for performances the second week, March 20-23. The show will run under an hour and a half. We need crew for Box Office, House Management, Run crew (props/set moving) and Wardrobe crew for fast changes and applying blood and such.

3) Unbelieveably, I need a non-union stage manager. I had a great girl lined up and she is following her dream west, to LA. Good for her. Not so great for me. This person will need experience.

In other news, I am still looking for about 4 ensemble cast members who will play disciples and various other roles. Actors need to be physically strong with a great sense of spatial relationship and need to sing well.

The business of show business is business. With that in mind, I am contacting payroll paymasters, looking into insurance and getting contract information for Actor's Equity. And did I mention tickets are on sale?? They are!!! Here's the link:

https://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?t=tix&e=98cc63fd0daf21abb68e3412dd1b5b49

 A lot is going to happen quickly in the next few weeks. Stay tuned!!!






 

Casting of PASSION

Casting any play is a lesson in puzzles - and I don't particularly like puzzles. However, this puzzle of PASSION has been occupying my mind for quite a while so I am happy to start putting faces with character names. I still have a bit of casting to do because what I'm looking for seems now, to be a bit unusual. There are characters who must be very strong physically - they carry a body. There are characters who must have great body control because of the stylized movement. There are those who don't say much, but are in huge chunks of the show. Pretty much everyone needs to sing well. Then there's the whole union/non-union issue. Oy.

However, I am happy to announce the cast thus far:

Jesus:     Blane Pressler*
John:      Lori Pagano
Mary:    Michele Burdette Elmore*
Magdalen:   Bess Moynihan
Peter:     Kimberly Weller
Judas:    Rachel Fenton
Woman:  Adrienne Gleeson
Observer:  Pamela Reckamp*
Caiaphas:  Robert A. Mitchell
Joseph of Arimathea:   Eugene Neal
Disciple/Soldier: Jeanitta Perkins

I still need to fill some roles, mostly soldiers/disciples but am on the hunt for Pilate and Barabbas, too.