Sorry for the long delay with no updating - I'm very angry at myself for that. It certainly hasn't been for lack of things to talk about. I might forget some things and/or plug some holes in later, but here's what's been going on since the last post.
BABY happened. It was wonderful, of course, and I made some great friends. What was supposed to be our opening night was canceled due to snow. I think it's proof that God has a sense of humor. I can just picture Him up there, saying to me: "You've been waiting 7 1/2 years to play this role. I think I'll have you wait one more day." I was angry about the situation, but it's nobody's fault - just something that happens. Nothing I could do but chuckle and say "Good one, God!" I, of course, was the one telling everybody the night before "Nothing will get canceled. We'll be fine. The show will happen." I suck at predicting things. We got one review. I'm very disappointed we didn't get more than one, but at least we got something. You can read it here. On the closing night party, I got unofficially cast in their musical for next year, so I'll be doing that (unless I get some fantastic or extremely lucrative offer that I absolutely can't turn down). I'm not sure if I'm allowed to talk about it completely yet. Let's just say I can't wait and that this theater seems to be the Dream Role Genie for me.
We rehearsed GREASE for 3 weeks, and were all locked and loaded to start that run, when the rights were pulled at the last minute and the show ended up not happening. On one of our days off, the Monday before we were to start previews, we got the official e-mail from the theatre that the show was being suspended. I've heard of productions in this town being canceled, but those have always happened months before rehearsals have begun. This was the first time I'd heard of a situation like this. It's a long story and one that I still don't 100% understand (though I still get a little bit more information here and there), but the theater owners, bless their hearts, did everything they could to try to keep this production alive, and few people seemed more brokenhearted about it than them. They have apologized several times to me - both individually and as part of a group. In my opinion, any apology from them is unnecessary. We were told a few days before the final cancellation that the production was in jeopardy. I thought for sure it'll be fine, the show will happen, and we'll laugh about this down the road. I suck at predicting things.
The night after we found out the plug had been pulled, we all agreed to gather at the theatre and do one last run-through. It was the loosest run-through I've ever participated in, and an absolutely wonderful time had by all in the face of some really shitty circumstances. I'll tell you some stories from that night some time.
The remount of BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY (from the same theatre company who was to mount GREASE), began rehearsals a couple of weeks later, and is enjoying a run at Atlanta's 14th Street Playhouse right now. A sad and shocking chapter to the GREASE situation happened recently when Shayne Kohout, who was to have played our Rizzo, died unexpectedly on May 13. She was 33. It hit extra close to home for us Buddy people - many of whom were from GREASE. On the 14th, when we all heard the news, the artistic director and his wife made a special trip down to the theater to be with us that night and talk to us about it. We all agreed to dedicate that performance to Shayne. It was one of the most difficult times to do a show. Many people were quite visibly upset, and all that were there felt sorrow and love whether they had the pleasure of knowing Shayne or not. I don't know about anyone else, but she didn't leave my mind the whole night. Every word of dialogue and note played from me was with Shayne in the forefront of my thoughts. We did a cool thing at the end of the show. Many of us wore sunglasses for the last two songs (Johnny B. Goode and Oh Boy), in honor of Shayne, who spent most of GREASE (as Rizzo) wearing shades. Then before Oh Boy, Rob - who plays Buddy - said something like "we'd like to send this last number out to a good friend of us all, Shayne Kohout. Let's give it up for Shayne!" This was followed by some nice applause, and then we jumped into the classic Buddy Holly tune and did probably our most emotionally charged performance ever.
These BUDDY people are great. Always there with a funny comment or story, and always there to laugh at my funny comments and stories.
In a couple weeks, I start rehearsals for HAMLET! THE MUSICAL! at the Shakespeare Tavern, and I'll be auditioning for THE BOYS NEXT DOOR at Georgia Ensemble (one of my favorite plays).
Time to get ready to go Buddying.
No comments:
Post a Comment