Houston, We Have a Production

Since Caucasian Chalk Circle has pretty much become my life this past week, I'm dedicating another post to it. This time though, I'll let you all know a bit more about how things work backstage (since it was new to me and might be cool to you). Anyway, the show opens this Thursday, so we've been racing through dress rehearsals and trying to get everything put together in time. Tech Week (or as some cast members affectionately call it "hell week") is both very stressful and very exciting.

First off, Chalk Circle, is a very obviously theatrical play, that is to say, we don't care if the audience know it's a play. It was written so that audiences would engage with the ideas behind the play instead of solely identifying with characters (or so says the director's notes in the program). Basically this means that each cast member plays several different characters, with the exception of Autumn Brown (who plays the main protagonist, Grusha Vashnadze) and Laura Childers (the narrator, who never gets to leave the stage). For example, I'm playing Prince Arsen Kazbeki (a villainous noble), Lavrenti Vashnadze, (Grusha's henpecked brother), a soldier (for two lines), and an angry farmer.

In addition to multiple roles, the theatricality of the play means that our set consists of three flats (which as I type are being beutifully painted by the tireless painting team, of whom I'm ashamed to say the only one I know is Angela Beall and a man known only as "Tim".) These flats are moved about and tipped over and angled to make the different locations our play takes place in. In addition we have a truckload of props (including some furniture, like tables and benches) which reside backstage and which touching when not necessary for your character will result in either a reprimand from a fellow actor or a decapitation by Liz Simpson. :)

Costumes in Chalk Circle have been both a challenge and an amazing mood-setter. I call them a challenge because since we're all playing multiple characters (and did I mention that the cast is also the crew as far as scene changes go?) we have to change costumes VERY fast. Fortunately, most costumes consist of nothing more than a vest or a robe. However, several costumes are more complex, including hats, sashes, packs, chainmail coifs, and in one case an extra-padded fake butt.

Since I forgot entirely to mention the music in the last post, I feel obligated to offer a Plus-Sized plug in this entry. (Sorry Justin!) How I managed to forget the music in this play is beyond me, especially such it forms such a massive part of the play itself. In case you didn't read the comment I made to attempt to amend the last post, all of the music in Chalk Circle has been originally composed and directed by Justin Johns, our resident Jim Carrey look-alike (or so he's been told). I'm not musically literate enough to relate for you the name for the style of music he's written, but whatever it is it sounds REALLY good. Half of the time I have to stay backstage when certain songs play or else I'll have the tune from it running through my head instead of my lines. As for the scope of it, we have a piano, a violin, a flute, an oboe, a cello, a bongo, a tambourine, and a xylophone. It's really quite spectatcular, especially when synced with the lights and singing by actors. (not me, we don't want to kill the audience)..

Generally during a rehearsal we'll take some time getting ready (which includes makeup, an entirely new experience for me.). We'll pray and then start running through the from scene one. While actors on stage perform their lines and entertain the imaginary audience, backstage one can always find actors waiting to help with the next scene change, checking charts to make sure they are not in said scene change, gathering props, reviewing scripts, testing the poofyness of Mitchell's chair, or throwing costume pieces willy-nilly (much to Winter's chagrin) as they attempt to get dressed for their scene. It can be chaotic at times, but it's a silent chaos due to the vigilance of the stage managers. Fortunately there seems to be a method to the madness, as tonight everyone got on stage at the right time (except once, but we covered it well) and in the right costume (which sometimes changed as hats and such were added mid-rehearsal).

On stage it's another world entirely. Stage fright won't be an issue, I think, since the lights pretty much prevent us from seeing the audience. Running the lights is Kat Lindsey, who since the project started has managed to juggle being a stage director, tracking missed or goofed lines, and since the original lighting director fell ill, manning the booth all at the same time (I salute you). While on stage, it's easy to get sucked into the story, and really just get lost in the acting. Depsite my use of cliches to describe it, I really enjoy working on stage with my fellow actors (most of whom are much better and I hope to learn a lot from them). I have also discovered that I have an amusing, yet bad habit of upstaging myself behind anyone and everyone I can. Whether I'm hiding behind Cornelius or walking in the only spot on the stage there's no lighting at all, I can pull it off. However, I think my last refuge has been scrapped, so I'll have no choice but to actually appear on stage. :)

Well, we only get one more rehearsal tommorow before this whole thing starts up Thursday night. Wish us luck, don't mention Macbeth, and injure as many lower appendages as possible (as long as they don't belong to us). 'Till next time, see you later!