A little bit of this, a little bit of that

This past week has been one of filling in tiny bits to complete the picture. I looked at costumes at the Rep, but I will need to fill them out with other theatre company's costumes. I have been finishing my PowerPoint presentation, endlessly tweaking things to show to possible stakeholders. I am working on the newsletter and getting all the links correctly inserted (don't want to have the PayPal button pay someone else!) I spoke with a friend who I hadn't seen in such a long while, and am fairly certain I convinced her that she needed to be in PASSION. It was all over the map but every little gap filled in now, is one I don't have to worry about later.

Next week is more of more of the same. Meeting with a friend on Tuesday, waiting to hear back from a possible music director, scheduling costume warehouse visits, getting the crown of thorns for a photo shoot, talking with Actor's Equity Association to secure contracts, finally uploading those databases!!!!!

A phone call, a text, a Facebook message, an email. It all leads to the production of PASSION. It seems like busy work but it is amazingly fulfilling to complete a task, lock in a designer, agree to a FONT!!!, if it gets the job done.

I had to explain to my 14 year-old tonight what is keeping me so busy. She said, "you have been working on this all day." Keeping in mind that the last time I produced she was 9 years old, she has only a vague idea of what it takes. But instead of a script that I was already written, it is my creation, my vision, my music selections, my projections, my concept. That takes a bit more time. And she's grown up enough to notice that.

Aside from all these super-important bits and pieces, I really do need to complete casting and that's a arduous task. There are seventeen actors in PASSION. Ask anyone who does theatre, attends theatre, supports theatre - that's a ginormous cast. (And that's with people doubling!! )I only have about six of the 17 right now. And that needs to change soon. And it will.

Lighting

Last night I met with lighting designer John "JT" Taylor to discuss PASSION. I have been talking with JT about the show for a couple years now and I am so thrilled he is on board. One of the things I'm most excited about at the Skip (as those in-the-know call the Skip Viragh Center for the Arts) is that we have a cyc. I'm pysched! (Those words sound the same, heh heh.)

A cyc is a white or light blue scrim that can be lit (yes, I prefer lit over lighted. I never got the memo about that change for the past tense). They are extremely versatile and generally only available at big theatres because of the expense. The Skip is a state-of-the-art facility, though, so YAY! Last year, while doing a show at the Touhill, my husband asked what that scrim was because it created such beautiful effects. (Shout out to John Wylie for The Wizard of Oz). A cyc is an amazing addition to a lighting plot and I am so grateful that we get to use one.

In other news:
1)  I have sent out my first test-email via Constant Contacts. It ain't perfect, but it's out there and I am breathlessly awaiting feedback.
2)  I have made an appointment to look at costumes.
3)  Casting is beginning and I've got some really great people wanting to be involved.

Coming up:
1)  Find a musical director
2)  Hire a Technical Director
3)  find rehearsal space.

Producing is hard. But I am loving every minute of it!

Contact

I have made contact. Or rather, I'm going to have lots of contacts. And in addition, I signed with Constant Contact. This past week has been about getting ready for a huge marketing launch to about 2500 organizations. I think it's that many. You see, it's been two years since my son and I did the nitty-gritty dirty work on getting emails for all these organizations. The contacts are stored on my old dead computer so I took it into BestBuy and they pulled all that stuff off for me and technically, I'm ready to go. (Now, if I hadn't left the charger for my other computer at the lodge over Labor Day!)

In the meantime, I have signed up with Constant Contacts to create email blasts. With 2,500 contacts, I cannot afford the postage, paper or time it would take to send direct mail pieces. I also don't want to kill that many trees. So the marketing has to be 98% viral, through emails, social media, and regular ole telephone. But the first month or so is a free trial so I am working on fonts and colors and all kinds of stuff to get the look I want and the look that people respond to. So if you're a close friend, you'll be getting these test emails. And if you want to be on the list of folks who get these preliminary blasts, let me know and I can add you.

I go back to the PASSION script at least every two days and something new always strikes me. Lately, I've been spending a lot of time on the Roman soldiers, their movement and their sound. I've also been reviewing technical stuff that some playwrights (and I'm not claiming to be a playwright) don't understand because they write in an almost movie-ish fashion. In movies, you can stop the camera, change hair, costume, makeup and location. I've been in plays where I've had to do all that in about 14 seconds. I'm happy to say that I have given time for things to move, for people to get to a new entrance, for the action to continue forward without make actors sprint around the space.

I've spoken here about pictures and everyday, they become clearer in my head. Stage pictures are what stay with us after we've left the theatre. Words help, but I really feel they are secondary to our connection with the play. (Here I am saying this after a paragraph about the script!!) But the weight of the words is much more if we have an accompanying visual. Otherwise, I am back to square one - the reading of the Passion at my church. Bleh. I know after people see PASSION, they will 1) re-envision the pictures they saw in the production; 2) feel cheated without the accompanying visual; and 3) want to see PASSION again.

That really sounds like I have a huge case of hubris, but I don't. I do have confidence in pictures though, and the visceral reaction we have to them. You'll see. (Get it? You'll see?)

Thanks Coops

This morning I met with Dave and Alisa Cooperstein to discuss some of the "Jewish" aspects of Passion. They were so incredibly helpful and confirmed much of what I had researched, and were able to put certain things in context for me. You see, there has never been a moment when I didn't consider Jesus to be a Jew, with a Jewish mother and Jewish friends, following Jewish law. And I wanted those aspects to be visible in the production.

I did much of my initial research about two years ago and quite honestly, have been a little foggy now that I'm back into the script so much. And, I gave some of the books that I was using back to friends (Miriam), so I wouldn't be hanging on to their stuff for, at that point, who knows how long.

I have created an event on Facebook about Passion and I have just figured out how to upload a newly designed Powerpoint presentation by creating jpegs. The event is titled Passion. Clicking right along.

Thanks again Dave and Alisa.

 

New name

My blog didn't disappear, I just changed it to reflect the 2013 production dates. If it's disappeared from any Facebook posts, you can still read all the posts from this new address. Aaannnnndddd, if you become a follower, my posts will come right to you. But you prolly have to create an account with a username and password and that, my friends, is a drag. So, you can continue to read like this or visit my FB timeline.

Thanks!

Busy Bee

Well, I have been a busy bee! Now that I am out of production as a nun in The Sound of Music, I can really dig into Passion. So here's what I've been up to...

As many or some of you might know, the stories in the gospels are from the oral tradition, meaning certain high points were hit again and again in the telling of the story and that's kinda how it comes out in the written form - circular. I get it, and they wanted to be sure you got it. But in trying to make a play where it sounds as if people are having conversations with other people, you can see how this might get a little cray-cray. So, I have been methodically going through the Last Supper scene in particular, trying to edit down the "this is what I say," "now I'm saying it like this," and let me repeat what I said before," text. All the while making sure I have kept the nugget of truth and wisdom that was being taught. Yeah, about three hours of that on Monday.

Annnd, I might have been holding on a little too tightly to my Alleluia/Hallelujah vision for when Jesus has risen. So I typed just that into google - He is risen - and I have something that 1) gets right to the point and 2) will have the sort of energy and joy that I'm looking for. Mind you, it's a fairly horrible arrangement and I am cherry-picking the verse, among other things, but every moment I feel more confident about the choice and more excited about the possibilities of the new arrangement and how it will bring about the resolution of the show.

B. I got to spend a lovely evening with my favorite couple in Rolla (whilst also checking up on my son) and when John Beger asked me about Passion, I think I talked for 45 minutes straight. I'm sure he had no idea I was going to launch into my presentation but as I was explaining it to him, I kept going, "Oh, and we are recreating sacred art like DaVinci's Last Supper and the Pieta. And let me tell you about the projections. Whoops! Can't forget about the music. Blah, blah, blah on and on!"

Next, I have been emailing peeps about costumes, set, music direction, being a consultant on Jewish customs. And people have been answering me!! Is it all yesses? No. But the no generally comes with regret that they can't help me but excitement for the project. And that's awesome!!

Because the big news really, is that I have put a down payment on the space so you know it's happening. I have talk, talk, talked for years about this but now, the check has been written and I am moving forward at what seems like a breakneck pace. Amazing, how having years to consider and reconsider various aspects, I can say I need this, that and the other and/or, no that won't work for what I envision. It seems like a piece of cake.

Up next is gathering my team of designers who can make Passion come to fruition. The space at Chaminade is a top-of-the-line, we-can-doing anything-here, blackbox which is exciting in and of itself. Plus, they're letting me have the donkey and a big sign out on Lindbergh. Whoo-hoo!!

Exciting, right? And you, too, can be a part of this project. Let me tell YOU all about it. Send me an email or FB message and we'll get together. Toodles!!


 

Details, details, details

Beginning September 1, the pre-production of Passion officially starts. I am familiarizing myself with Constant Contacts so I can imput the thousands of emails I've gotten. I am oh-so-close to finalizing the alleluia at the end of the show. I have found someone to play the role of Jesus and hopefully have my Peter too. I am putting the downpayment down on the space at the Skip Viragh Center. I'm sending out the email to someone who said I could use their costumes. I've made initial contact with someone I hope will design the set and that pesky crucifix that I want to be raised from the floor.

There are a couple things I could use help with, if you're so inclined. I need a contact for someone with a donkey. Jesus must ride in on a donkey. So if you know someone with a petting zoo or someone who has a farm with a donkey that can be ridden for a short distance, c-c-c-call me!

I have a cabaret I would like to do as a fundraiser for Passion. I need a space with a piano.

It is looking like Passion will be produced under the auspices of Spotlight Theatre, which is a not-for-profit 501c(3) so all donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Feel free to donate generously.

Oh, and I'm praying for the Holy Spirit to infuse me with some design creativity for the mailers and such. I'm a little lame in that area.

That's all for now.