tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70101841642738194432024-03-14T04:14:06.623-07:00Second Wind TheatreSecond Wind's behind-the-scenes diary: JERUSALEM by Jez Butterworth ~
www.secondwind.8m.comUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-18697983513293643562019-09-30T23:37:00.000-07:002019-09-30T23:37:13.560-07:00And in the meantime: Hurricane Images Inc.Recently, I watched a video essay on what made Robin Williams great as an actor, and they boiled it down to one thing: how he moved. Or more accurately, how he physicalized his characters. His approach brought emotion, history, and personality into motion... and made him a truly visual storyteller. Watch any clip, and you'll see that he's chosen a physical activity for the scene, and through that conveys his internal life. Unlike many other screen actors, you don't see his internal workings in the eyes, but rather the body.<div>
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This idea of visual storytelling informs Second Wind's current endeavor, which is actually through <a href="http://www.hurricaneimagesinc.com/" target="_blank">Hurricane Images Inc</a>. It's an Oakland video production company we started seven years ago, and have been building ever since. We've been working in commercial film, creating for startups and major corporations like Bitdefenders and Hilton. And we do music videos and photography as well. In 2016, we were named one of the best wedding photographers in Oakland by Expertise.com. Until we're back onstage, come check us out.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-32138101663470008842016-03-08T09:43:00.000-08:002016-03-08T09:43:57.103-08:00Jerusalem's Open!This was one amazing, exhausting, wild process-- exactly, maybe, as it should be for a play such as <em>Jerusalem</em>. Jez Butterworth's lopsided masterpiece draws craziness to it like a magnet. But the set-- which includes a camper we cut into three pieces and then re-assembled in the space-- is beautiful. The costumes (designed by Scarlett Kellum) are rich and quirky. The sound will get you dancing in your seats. The lights (almost a 100 cues for a show that takes place outside during daytime) takes you on a journey. During tech, we had photographer Olya Gary come take some photos, and that's what I'm sharing here today.<br />
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JERUSALEM<br />
by Jez Butterworth<br />
Directed by Misha Hawk-Wyatt<br />
<br />
March 4-26, 2016<br />
The Phoenix Theatre,<br />
414 Mason St., San Francisco, CA<br />
<a href="http://www.secondwind.8m.com/">www.secondwind.8m.com</a><br />
(415) 355-6087<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-36610688469235360662016-02-12T10:00:00.000-08:002016-02-12T10:00:16.241-08:00The Power and Guile of the First Line<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">“If music be the food of love, play on.”</span></div>
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That's the first line of a play. Easy enough to guess Shakespeare, but which one? <i>Taming of the Shrew? Richard III? Midsummer?</i> If you guessed <i>Twelfth Night</i>, you'd be correct.</div>
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From a dramatic standpoint, the first moments of a play have to hold the heart of the conflict. It's disguised, layered, waiting to be unveiled, but it has to be there. The first moments have to sustain an energy that will propel the characters through the next two hours. </div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"What I find most astonishing... is the belief that I might very easily-- as they say-- lose my mind one day, not that I suspect I am about to, or am even... nearby...."</span></div>
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The author throws in a few extra clauses into that long sentence that I omitted, sentence fragments meant to disguise the central theme of the play, but you can still feel the energy. And if you know what play it's from, you feel it even stronger. Guesses? It's the first line of Edward Albee's <i>A Delicate Balance. </i>Yeah, makes sense now. </div>
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It's rare, though, that I writer invests the central conflict or theme in the very first line. Typically, it's spread throughout the first scene. It takes enormous control of your narrative to successfully embed it the way Albee does here. So it's with a bit of awe that I write Jez Butterworth's first line for <i>Jerusalem. </i></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"Time."</span></div>
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A question delivered as a statement. Though spoken to Parsons, Mrs. Fawcett is calling "time's up" on Johnny Rooster Byron; Butterworth is dramatizing the changes of time in England, from the glory of old-- with its myths and power-- to the mundanity of new. Nearly every character in <i>Jerusalem </i>refers to time, and for Johnny Rooster the question is whether he can call the ancient power of the past into the present in time to save his skin.</div>
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Powerful stuff, first lines.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-56444632323728076682016-02-11T09:00:00.000-08:002016-02-11T09:00:18.263-08:00Increase Web Presence by Tagging Photos - A How ToShort and simple, this one. And it may be overly basic to some and absolutely revelatory to others. It's one of those things I frequently forget to do and then curse the sky after hitting "post."<br />
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Images and video are incredible tools for engaging audiences and clients. They're some of the most powerful tools you have. But they don't <i>reach </i>out to anyone as images (people have to stumble upon them). Search engines don't scan and categorize images, they scan the metadata connected to it. So before you post a single image (or video) on the web, <u style="font-style: italic;">open up the properties and add identifying information!</u> It looks like this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8VZ1fcxWI1XhWY3Ad1_MxHdEc8FGaXbZfE7G4RanjZkVbPAKtLyZttsdg9LQPrNNyoU-anQJzbLpp9sIhj0yjm3NloMl4JQVn1mKmwgHXp5fuN1NXua2tUxFJYGhyhbCfHnlJwfYP_I/s1600/Second+Wind+Theatre+Tips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8VZ1fcxWI1XhWY3Ad1_MxHdEc8FGaXbZfE7G4RanjZkVbPAKtLyZttsdg9LQPrNNyoU-anQJzbLpp9sIhj0yjm3NloMl4JQVn1mKmwgHXp5fuN1NXua2tUxFJYGhyhbCfHnlJwfYP_I/s400/Second+Wind+Theatre+Tips.jpg" width="291" /></a></div>
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Here's a master class tip: never over "tag" a picture, post, etc. Search engines weight each tag equally, so if you have too many it just dilutes the searchability. Only use 3-4 tags.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-47238520865749871132016-02-08T10:30:00.000-08:002019-10-01T14:39:00.065-07:00Innovative Marketing for TheatreThis, mate, might be more of a question than an answer. We've just released a new video for our production of <i><a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2465184" target="_blank">Jerusalem</a> </i>at the Phoenix. It's both an innovative way to market the show, and a practical tool for helping audiences understand the thick British slang that pervades the play and sets the mood. We wanted something light, fun, engaging, and informal-- that would get you inside not the world of the play so much as the world of the actors. With the help of <a href="http://www.hurricaneimagesinc.com/" target="_blank">Hurricane Images Inc</a>., heere's what we did:<br />
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In comparison to other theatre companies, I'd say Second Wind operates on a shoe string. We make amazing things happen on almost nothing. Theatre is, after all, primarily an exercise of imagination. The audience knows the action is a fiction, but suspend their disbelief to to allow their imaginations to journey on a rollercoaster of emotion and thought.<br />
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Over the past two decades, we've let our imagination explore a whole range of innovative, inexpensive marketing adventures. <i>Guerilla</i> marketing, by another name. How to get butts in seats tends to be one of those guarded secrets in the theatre world (like <a href="http://secondwindtheatre.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-least-favorite-thing-about-producing.html" target="_blank">marketing budgets</a>). So let's let the cat out of the bag.<br />
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Most of the time it's hard to say whether a marketing technique is effective. The metrics aren't there for a good evaluation, and there are typically complex variables. I could talk for a long time about what worked and didn't work about each of these, but instead I'm going to give it a simple "grade" for effectiveness. If you want me to explain why I gave a <i>specific </i>tool a certain grade, leave me a post.<br />
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<b>Post Show Discussions</b>. I've included this because it's something you can promote and advertise beyond the show. We've done a number-- critic from the SF Chronicle for our production of <i>Ghost in the Light </i>about art forgeries; Israeli Consultate/MoveOn.org/Jewish Voice for Peace for our production of <i>Murder</i>; GMO activist Pamm Larry for <i>Lullaby Tree</i>. The effective score varies, largely based on how controversial the play topic; the more controversial the better. The score is a range: <b>D-B</b><br />
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<b>Wallet Drop</b>. For <i>A Beautiful Home for the Incurable</i> will bought five used wallets, filled them with the fake I.D. of one of the play characters, and a message informing the "finder" that they had just won a free ticket to the show if they return the wallet. We dropped five in various locations, one "returned." Score: <b>C+</b><br />
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<b>Played 3 Card Monty at the Tix Booth</b>. Almost got kicked out of the square on this one, but we set up a 3-Card Monty game in front of the SF Tix Booth for our production of <i>Top Dog/Underdog</i>. The game is played in the show. Dressed as the character (a black-faced Lincoln) we challenged people waiting in line to play; winner received a free concessions voucher. Score <b>B-</b>.<br />
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<b>Art Contest</b>. For <i>Ghost in the Light </i>we conducted a "forgery" contest at the three major art schools in SF. Winner received tickets to the show, their work displayed in the lobby, and they joined the panel discussion with the SF Chronicle critic. Score <b>C+</b><br />
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<b>Behind the Scenes Video</b>. We do this constantly. We photograph rehearsals and put them into video, and film special activities related to the video. Wander around this blog and you'll see what I mean. Score <b>B</b><br />
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<b>Post on Related Forums</b>. There are forums for everything. For <i>The Tender King</i> we engaged in conversations on World War II history forums (the play dealt with Truman's decision to drop the bomb). Score <b>D</b><br />
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<b>Elite Pass</b>. For two of our productions we created an <i>Elite Pass</i> that would give members special privileges: frree drinks, free returns, half-price youth ticket, and a workshop. Score (<b>B-</b>)<br />
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<b>Dress Up a Car</b>. For several shows I've gotten a big magnet sticker for the side of my car. Costs about $25. But for <i>The Woman in Black</i> I went all out. The sticker featured a hand coming out of a grave; a severed hand appeared in the window as a continuation. It was October, and the show is a ghost story. Got some looks. Score <b>C+</b><br />
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For comparison, I'll give my scores on some <i>traditional </i>marketing tools: Twitter (<b>C-</b>), Facebook (<b>B</b>), Youtube (<b>B</b>), Google Adwords (<b>C-</b>), Facebook ads (<b>C</b>), Posters (<b>C+</b>)<br />
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You'll notice nothing scored higher than a "B". That's because none of them beat word of mouth, building an audience base, email, and postcards. Part of the "genius" of the <i>Jerusalem</i> video is that its designed to get the cast and crew-- who are a part of that word-of-mouth system-- excited about the show. And it can be "re-used" on multiple platforms.<br />
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But these are just some of the things <i>we've </i>done around untraditional marketing. What have <i>you </i>done? Share an idea. Join the conversation.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-75091709030951432672016-01-23T18:06:00.001-08:002016-01-23T23:36:07.701-08:00Memorize Deeper, Faster<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4jsBJQyYcRCvZ3w_z8URns9R8t_OZcqrSk89-NDdhSvc7jFGWGl51vbF9CuW8iLQCEQnDyZbsj6aC-H9Rh31LpCxMJUJDlr-HLtUbPJQVSP9IARz_sStgLSuu6jtUpLkJzOyJnTfCM4/s1600/Blog+icon3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4jsBJQyYcRCvZ3w_z8URns9R8t_OZcqrSk89-NDdhSvc7jFGWGl51vbF9CuW8iLQCEQnDyZbsj6aC-H9Rh31LpCxMJUJDlr-HLtUbPJQVSP9IARz_sStgLSuu6jtUpLkJzOyJnTfCM4/s320/Blog+icon3.jpg" width="292" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Normally I’d avoid blogging about something as pedantic as
how to memorize your lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we’re
working on a bloody big play. And a quick internet search for memorization
techniques produced an astounding array of crappy suggestions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Such as this <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Chicago</st1:place></st1:city> Tribune </span><a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/news/ct-how-actors-memorize-lines-column.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">article</span></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"> on the topic.
And you’d think Backstage magazine would have something helpful to say on the
matter; instead they produced </span><a href="http://www.backstage.com/advice-for-actors/backstage-experts/3-fastest-ways-memorize-lines/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">this</span></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">.
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">So let’s take a poll.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Who here memorizes by studying their lines for fifteen minutes and then
taking a nap to let it sink in?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brilliant.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong>Let's get real</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Over the years I’ve been lucky enough to work on a number of
two and three character plays where you’re tasked with memorizing an hour or
more of lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jprHesj0FY" target="_blank">Kiss of the Spiderwoman</a></i>,
by Manuel Puig, is one great example: two actors that never leave the
stage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I’ve built up some techniques
for quickly learning lines.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><strong>Break it up into sections</strong></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Do your script analysis before you try to memorize.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Identify the arc of each scene, your intentions, and when you shift tactics to get what you want.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t let it become one big scene.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Review before and
after each rehearsal<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Hopefully you’ve got a fantastic stage manager (thank you
JB!) who tells you the scenes you’ll be working on in advance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Set aside</span> 40 minutes before each rehearsal for learning lines: spend
the first 15 minutes reviewing the scene you worked during the <em>last</em> rehearsal,
and the last 25 minutes reviewing the scene you’re <em>about</em> to rehearse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Working this way you sandwich your rehearsal
time with the director and actors with individual study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This technique alone often gets me 80% memorized by
the time the play is blocked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: medium;">Sometimes it's hard to carve out 40 minutes of focused memorization time. One of the easiest solutions is to arrive 40 minutes before your call. Sit in your car-- or outside if it's a nice day-- and work your lines. </span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Connect your blocking
to the lines<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">I’ve said it before:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>blocking <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>dialogue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the director isn’t giving you clear
blocking, give it to yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make sure
that the movement is motivated by the line; that way, your blocking will pull
the lines up out of memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Oddly
enough, it also helps you remember your blocking better, too....)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Commit to the blocking until your lines are
solid <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and then</i> start exploring new
movement on stage.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Walk and talk<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">That monologue tripping you up?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take your script and go for a walk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Research actually supports the idea that
physical movement like walking aids memorization.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Understand the prompt<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Getting lost in the dialogue?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve already broken the scene into its smaller
actions during your script analysis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
you're still running into road blocks, spend time looking at your <em>partner’s</em>
lines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are you reacting to?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where’s the prompt?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not always the last thing the other
character says; you might be dwelling on something they said a page ago.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">What doesn’t work<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Everybody is different, so I’m sure some actors will object
to my “don’t” list.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But these are things
I find aren’t helpful in memorizing quickly and thoroughly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <em>Silently r</em></span><em>e-reading
the script over and over</em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Learning
isn’t about ingesting information, it’s about regurgitating information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t just re-read the script, get up and act
it out. SPEAK your lines. Test yourself. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Audio recording your partner’s lines</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may learn something from recording all
those lines, but unless you’ve got a three-hour car ride it’s probably not
helping much. Skip it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Using mnemonic devices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Okay,
I would never have thought to suggest this because frankly it’s insane, but mnemonics was
actually suggested in one of the articles above. Let me be clear: never use mnemonic devices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re good for memorizing license
plates but have nothing to do with your character or the play.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">There's a lot of working expertise out there-- what works for you? Any technique you use as an actor that I haven't mentioned? Anything I've said that you disagree with? Chime in. Make it your own.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-67206350002847760342016-01-18T12:54:00.000-08:002016-01-18T12:54:44.782-08:00Kicking Everything Off with Jerusalem<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last night was the first read-thru of Jez Butterworth's <em>Jerusalem</em>, and oh-man-oh-man. This is going to be a ride. Even around the table, the play is funny, visceral, and gut-wrenching. And complicated. Very complicated-- both to stage, with songs, dancing, fights, and a Shakespearian sense of movement through the woods, but also to understand. There are layers upon layers, and so many different ways to appreciate the drama. Comedy. Drama. Whatever.<br />
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As always, we kick off the rehearsal process with lots and lots of food.<br />
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But more than kicking off our rehearsal process, we're also kicking off this round of blog posts. For the next 12 weeks we'll be sharing tips, insights, inspiration, new perspectives, ground-breaking ideas, and everything theatre. So come on back.<br />
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And here's the first heads up: for the next three days, our ticket prices are 30% off their regular price as a part of our Early Bird Special. But come Friday, they're going up, so grab your now: <a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2465184">http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2465184</a><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-3876548945181717962015-12-14T08:30:00.000-08:002015-12-14T08:30:00.894-08:00Jerusalem Auditions, Casting and More!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qC7QF4HQs-o/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qC7QF4HQs-o?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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Casting a show with 14 characters (and a minimum of 12 actors) is a <i>monster </i>of an activity. In the past I've shared a few tips about <a href="http://secondwindtheatre.blogspot.com/2008/11/auditions.html" target="_blank">auditions and casting</a>, but sometimes only brute perseverance can help you. Some of our actors spent <i>four hours</i> at callbacks. Only to be called back for a second round. In all, we held five casting calls of various types over the course of a month. But in the end we found a stellar cast: Tyler Barns, Emily Carson, Stefin Collins, Michael DiMartini, Matt Harvey, Grace Ingland, Becky Raeta, Nickolas Rice, Natalie Walker, and Ian Walker as Johnny Rooster. You can check out our promo above and out show image below....<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcun1VoKFoxGAH3Nk0Cgkig0jGe-TuIRYZf8me5nay8B989FnSbBWCJnBbuddS4byORwGvBh4CruatupuTZfG2jWDcZr3vbJfIO4cbhSXrBpNYVuHfU3UF8lqVj3E7zgw5yF_oL_VxRnY/s1600/Second+Wind+Production%2527s+JERUSALEM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcun1VoKFoxGAH3Nk0Cgkig0jGe-TuIRYZf8me5nay8B989FnSbBWCJnBbuddS4byORwGvBh4CruatupuTZfG2jWDcZr3vbJfIO4cbhSXrBpNYVuHfU3UF8lqVj3E7zgw5yF_oL_VxRnY/s400/Second+Wind+Production%2527s+JERUSALEM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span id="goog_833366346"></span>Now that we 're back in production, you can expect more theatre tips, insights, resources, and updates!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-69134267323497785902015-08-03T09:00:00.000-07:002015-08-03T09:00:11.636-07:00Going National<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgAy_llPmfNKxmaIBmnaDdgUUPx2Eo3IXqVo6-H8kC_9n_9X68CaOgWVjRL63SwGdrLExCN3jbQ5cNtSxg7YMnGczsmH8_su_3pNtrNKvWryKvw9DGsEAZBe5HiS6IS36GMCS8pRTOsw/s1600/Jerusalem+poster2-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Jerusalem Second Wind Productions" border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHgAy_llPmfNKxmaIBmnaDdgUUPx2Eo3IXqVo6-H8kC_9n_9X68CaOgWVjRL63SwGdrLExCN3jbQ5cNtSxg7YMnGczsmH8_su_3pNtrNKvWryKvw9DGsEAZBe5HiS6IS36GMCS8pRTOsw/s320/Jerusalem+poster2-web.jpg" title="Jerusalem Second Wind Productions Jez Butterworth" width="320" /></a></div>
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Whew! That was a long nap. Like the best of sleeps, there was truly unusual and inspiring things going on under the surface-- that looks so calm and relaxed. I'll write more about that in a little bit, but we've leapt out of bed and into action, so I should cover a couple of immediate items first. <br />
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Yes! We're gearing up an ambitious, raucous, and thought-provoking production of <em>Jerusalem</em> by Jez Butterworth. For those unfamiliar with the play, it has nothing to do with the Middle East; it was, however, a major hit in London and New York, garnering rave reviews from every major newspaper. Auditions are being held on August 9th and we're looking for a wide range of actors from 9-65 years of age. For more info, visit Second Wind's website <a href="http://secondwind.8m.com/Audition.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0h14IICye3DPEVt2DBkv9X2MxfYyRePYIeGGeFR0Z4xXhvllrnJQ6Ef2MKUpfQ4RQu20ITvaTcLE6h5vNpCHji3djDrcpaiFn6KUkTW-hy5S9ZbJ_Iom1A0cs5Drw8I5sLhNot8U09A/s1600/Image+030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="National Black Theatre Festival" border="0" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw0h14IICye3DPEVt2DBkv9X2MxfYyRePYIeGGeFR0Z4xXhvllrnJQ6Ef2MKUpfQ4RQu20ITvaTcLE6h5vNpCHji3djDrcpaiFn6KUkTW-hy5S9ZbJ_Iom1A0cs5Drw8I5sLhNot8U09A/s320/Image+030.jpg" title="National Black Theatre Festival Ian Walker" width="320" /></a></div>
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Between then and now I'll be going national in North Carolina for the National Black Theatre Festival, a week-long bonanza of performances, workshops, and talks. They'll be presenting a reading of my newest work, <em>One Drop of Blood, </em>which explores divisions within the black community in this pressurized environment of vigilantism and racial conflict. It is a re-working of an earlier work, <em>Vigilance</em>, into the black community, that also asks the question of how Black and Whites deal differently when faced with similar threats to their way of live. Given the time (racial relations today), the place (the South), and a majority African-American audience, I'm very curious to see what it evokes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJ7ALtxF1FtYnQV7qQUXFgvXu0bSDljR21Y2w9cKHxz7gIAbuAxe4-yfzgG-0f8gG7VQTSOzsK5OH3hJXxsF9rYvPmom0nkhk1CSPNoxKP1SDzdVz5UFI50jFxMuyP7cvr-A6LeHEbQo/s1600/Blood+Biz+Card+Front-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxJ7ALtxF1FtYnQV7qQUXFgvXu0bSDljR21Y2w9cKHxz7gIAbuAxe4-yfzgG-0f8gG7VQTSOzsK5OH3hJXxsF9rYvPmom0nkhk1CSPNoxKP1SDzdVz5UFI50jFxMuyP7cvr-A6LeHEbQo/s320/Blood+Biz+Card+Front-web.jpg" title="One Drop of Blood National Black Theatre Festival Ian Walker" width="320" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-91725179366032257612013-10-08T16:45:00.001-07:002013-10-11T00:54:24.546-07:00What’s “shocking” in theatre?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobsqWrFt9EoZ5gpN3ERpTbVq-wanl_ErYithryh9uwiTd5VsoLQLtYdukmli3yKuJM3BwuOQe2U60MPn5A5G5U-lzyGXmcLSn2QcyR1L-IryHu4WfJJWEYswgE4cLfHqhIH6hx1xQ-74/s1600/Disappearance+of+Mary+Rosemary+Unravels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobsqWrFt9EoZ5gpN3ERpTbVq-wanl_ErYithryh9uwiTd5VsoLQLtYdukmli3yKuJM3BwuOQe2U60MPn5A5G5U-lzyGXmcLSn2QcyR1L-IryHu4WfJJWEYswgE4cLfHqhIH6hx1xQ-74/s320/Disappearance+of+Mary+Rosemary+Unravels.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Albee’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Zoo Story</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sylvia,
or The Goat</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? </i>for that matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Profanity certainly isn’t shocking anymore;
more appalling in excess. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nudity always
has some appeal but it doesn’t really “shock” in this day and age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And of course there are a handful of truly taboo subjects… and a few
dozen flimsy, politically incorrect, expressions that substitute for the truly
taboo.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Our current production could be (let’s face, most likely
someone <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will</i> be) called shocking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In a recent interview, Albee became insulted
when the reporter suggested that he was intentionally shocking in his
work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Albee replied that he “put it in
there because that’s what was happening.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the logical extension, <em>expression</em> of the character's given
circumstance, psychologically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In writing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Beautiful
Home for the Incurable, </i>a play about an agoraphobic man, I became concerned
that as a comedy it would either be considered offensive or un-funny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spoke with a friend who suffered from
agoraphobia, and she said that if I just wrote the truth it wouldn’t be
offensive, but it would be funny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> There wasn't any humor in the experience of mental illness, but its <em>expression</em> was often quite funny. </span>That’s
how I feel about the idea of shocking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>As a tool for engaging the audience, shock tactics are trash, manipulation
of the worst kind. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The truth can be
plenty shocking on its own. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Disappearance of Mary Rosemary</i> the shocking elements
are a natural extension of the characters; in my mind, they are the only
outcome, the only choice that made logical sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps people would be less shocked if I had
fully explored things in a more literary fashion, from a distance, but that
would also lack truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One doesn’t have
to “explore” a glass of water being knocked over; it simply happens. And the glass does get knocked over.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;">UPDATE 10/10/13: I predicted that this production would be called shocking, but it wasn't until it happened that I recognized what polite "finger-pointing" looks like in this day and sensibility. People, especially those that want to considered educated and liberal, don't like to appear "shocked" by anything that might reveal them to be narrow minded. Instead, they devise euphemisms to convey their dismay, while portraying themselves as "unshocked." A reviewer, after being wholly distracted by the fact that the play wasn't a <em>Woman in Black </em>clone (a play they felt we produced exceedingly well in 2009), remarked that the ending was "VC Andrews" but not in a good way. Which is the polite way of saying it shocked her sensibilities, but she didn't want to admit it. The problem-- besides wanting the play to be something it wasn't designed to be-- is that being shocked means being thoughtless, unreflective, taking one's own preconceptions and values as universal without examining what the <em>text </em>may be conveying. The problem with "shocked" is that it is entirely self-satisfied.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-12275204961315611782013-10-07T18:35:00.001-07:002013-10-11T12:54:07.991-07:00My Director's Notes Go Video<a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/454495" target="_blank">The Disappearance of Mary Rosemary</a> has opened with a bang! For the past couple of shows I've wanted to do my "Director's Notes" in the program as a video-- accessible by QR Code in the program. Previously, the last weeks of rehearsals/load-in/tech have been so hectic that I haven't been able to even attempt video notes, but this show I finally did it. I don't know whether it will truly prompt people to use their phones to see/hear my notes; we'll see.<br />
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For those without smart phones, here it is:<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-40998837840068043712013-09-23T11:37:00.000-07:002013-09-23T11:37:03.289-07:00Anticipation, Captivation, and Impact
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Last year, <a href="http://www.theatrebayarea.org/index.cfm" target="_blank">Theatre Bay Area</a> sponsored a study on the impact
of theatre on audiences, and how that related to satisfaction and customer loyalty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In many respects, the study didn’t reveal
much that practitioners didn’t already know from experience; nonetheless, it is
a largely <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">unstudied </i>relationship,
which makes their work both interesting and commendable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They published their results, albeit without
some of the most compelling figures (statistics, people, we want raw
numbers!).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For instance, they report
that women were more likely to be the “deciders” on going to the
theatre—picking the plays and purchasing the tickets—but don’t reveal the stats
behind that statement, the percentage of women deciders versus men, (let alone its statistical significance).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">They did produce a nifty chart summarizing their findings.
The diagram “illustrates key relationships between readiness, impact and
loyalty, based on the totality of the data set.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> To fully understand it, pay close attention to the "R Squared" value that shows the ability of one factor to influence or predict another.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lwKfAx6j02nu5azxNixCrrK8Byx3yK616me8iz18jYKgU_vqIxfu12ayShCwz-En8sCT3yf1UwTYXcifg6gSnpm-SzRlfE03bRqUKECfF7ujdGKin9M3v41jAMkHWlsqfpozScz6BWQ/s1600/Audience+impact.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lwKfAx6j02nu5azxNixCrrK8Byx3yK616me8iz18jYKgU_vqIxfu12ayShCwz-En8sCT3yf1UwTYXcifg6gSnpm-SzRlfE03bRqUKECfF7ujdGKin9M3v41jAMkHWlsqfpozScz6BWQ/s400/Audience+impact.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">One of the interesting take-aways is the suggestion that
knowing the story <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">before </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>going to the theatre adds to both the
anticipation and overall emotional impact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Anticipation by itself (R squared = .16) didn’t lead to greater impact;
finding the production “captivating,” naturally, lead to both deeper impact and
greater likelihood that they would recommend the play to others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">One way to interpret these findings is to tell more of the play's story in your marketing material-- don't be coy. That, apparently, helps get people to the theatre. You'll still need a great show to make them come back, though.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Now the study would <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really
</i>have been complete if they looked at how these elements correlated to
alcohol consumption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-36862828045077278562013-09-18T11:21:00.000-07:002013-09-18T11:21:43.095-07:00Disappearance of Mary Rosemary Photo Shoot in 60 SecondsLast week I met with three of our actors for our <em>pre</em>-press photo session. We'll do a second round of press and archival photos after the show is up. For a change of pace, I decided to do time-lapse video of the set up and shoot....<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/5AN332Hz39E?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-73352578059916659772013-09-16T10:00:00.000-07:002019-10-22T22:59:19.146-07:00Actors Have a Tell<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_A664kYwWfh4LAs88A0llN8lpCQe2qIzX_OQBa2zkQkhooHsJZ9wPJkaZkdeWOClz_MbpiXn2kCDQEJGQA2PUPhaBAWql9KhOwkhxaPOqV-oXFCSEBBGzEPHY8xFJ3UHS13AwKfeQ0k0/s400/Disappearance+of+Mary+Rosemary+Rockband2+sm.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The Disappearance of Mary Rosemary" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by <a href="http://www.hurricaneimagesinc.com/" target="_blank">Hurricane Images Inc</a>.</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/454495" target="_blank">The Disappearance of Mary Ro</a><a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/454495" target="_blank">semary</a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">What is it? How do you spot it? And what do you do once you do?</span><br />
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For this production I have the distinct challenge and pleasure of working with an all new cast; I’ve never directed any of my actors before. This means, of course, that I have “learn” them, a process that is more important than communicating my vision of the play. </div>
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A director’s vision can be communicated quickly when there are no obstacles. It can also die on the vine if I don’t understand how to express myself so I'm understood, and identify and address habits that may blur the clarity of each moment on stage. “Habits” can blur that vision by mixing an actor’s mannerisms into a character’s.</div>
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Every actor develops habits. They're like a “tell” in poker because they communicate something <i>other </i>than what we want. Sometimes they are based on strengths— things that work well on stage; at other times they are attempts to cover up weaknesses. Habits are not inherently good or bad: sometimes the ‘strengths’ are wrong for the character; sometimes the ‘cover’ works well. The question is always whether they’re right for the character and provide clarity to the moment.</div>
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Some familiar actor-habits: </div>
<ul>
<li><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">· </span></span>Slapping your hand against your thigh as you speak for emphasis</div>
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<li><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">· </span></span>Standing with your weight on one foot</div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">· </span></span>Soft vocality (swallowed words) at the beginning of lines… or the end</div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">· </span></span>Disconnecting or moving away for no reason after a confrontation</div>
</li>
<li><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">· </span></span>Acting before the line rather than through it</div>
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<li><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">· </span></span>Speaking too quickly… or to s l o w l y….</div>
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<li><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">· </span></span>Trapping your breath in the upper chest</div>
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Sometimes these “tells” are the actor’s personal habits, but more often I find that they appear only when the actor is on stage.</div>
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Identifying actor-habits gets easier the longer you work in theatre, especially as a director (when you’re responsible for judging and crafting a performance and you observe them through all the stages of rehearsal). But the main way to spot tells is by simply <em>watching </em>and <em>listening</em>. Unfortunately, we don’t have the phrase "<i>active watching"</i> in our idiom. <i>Listening </i>embodies the idea of pro-action, which I like. Tells are often the most pronounced at the beginning of the rehearsal process, when the actor is getting accustomed to the role, but they can come back later if they fall into old habits. This is most painful when the habits re-surface <em>after </em>the rehearsal period, while the show is in production. Which is why it's important to identify and address them early in rehearsal so the actor is a making conscious choice to do something else. Spend the first few days of rehearsal watching actively, rather than being focused on shaping their work.</div>
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What do you do when you spot a tell? Every habit and every actor is different, so there’s no blanket solution. Tactfully pointing out the habit to your actor is often sufficient. Some habits are harder to change, though, and require supplanting the behavior with another. If it’s a physical habit, explore the way the character moves through the world, their gestures, and where emotions “live” in their body. If it’s a vocal habit, play with other ones—musicality, elegance, sharpness. Focus on the vocal creation of character.</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-1440777197834017272013-09-09T00:45:00.002-07:002013-09-09T00:45:37.160-07:00And... we're backAs many of you know 2nd Wind's blog sleeps in between productions. It's a way to protect and nurture our creative juices. Those are, in point of fact, a little less ripe than in year's previous, and I find myself unsure of what I want to blog about for this production. Luckily, we've got a tradition of posting images from our first read-thru as the initial blog of a new show, so I've gotten a "Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free" card for this round. But I will say this-- <em>The Disappearance of Mary Rosemary</em> is the story of a little girl who disappears for several days on a small island, only to return with no memory of the event. Years later, her fiancé can't resist the urge to bring her back to the isle... in doing so summing forces beyond his understanding. At its heart <em>The Disappearance</em> is an old-fashioned ghost story. It was originally written by JM Barrie of <em>PETER PAN</em> fame, but after a smashing success, running for 340 straight performances, the play disappeared from the stage. This adaptation resurrects his story in the Louisiana bayou against the backdrop of soldiers returning from Iraq.<br />
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And now for those images....<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/T16YRueSRKM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-50992941374603112612013-05-13T14:34:00.000-07:002013-05-13T14:34:17.522-07:00The Press Release: it ain't no art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3VNGS33YdXDZB6frRirRNXreQJCtqHqSy8nVPGhbqJcLvouPHLZP6gGtP1aPFfpXhe4S17kzO5E9CdVuHHbGHQpnfRHuFeiOu2IWcZc3QcnaVXpIamN9tPF7U1N4qF8Jg7NxwKTfkAs/s1600/Press-Pass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" pua="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3VNGS33YdXDZB6frRirRNXreQJCtqHqSy8nVPGhbqJcLvouPHLZP6gGtP1aPFfpXhe4S17kzO5E9CdVuHHbGHQpnfRHuFeiOu2IWcZc3QcnaVXpIamN9tPF7U1N4qF8Jg7NxwKTfkAs/s200/Press-Pass.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Only once in the history of Second Wind have we brought in an outside publicist to market a show. It’s that it’s a bad idea. Actually, it can be a very good idea for young companies if you can afford it. We couldn’t very well, but the experience helped realize one thing: that they faced many of the same obstacles to “selling” our show to reviewers and editors as we did. We were new in the area, and few in the media knew us. But they knew him, so he was able to be helpful to a small degree. And that’s the second lesson we learned: It’s about personal relationships. That means you should have one person who is the media contact for the company; don’t “mix it up” from show to show. Be personable and be empathetic—they’ve got a lot of demands on their schedule and it’s no fun saying “no” to people.<br />
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Our wizened publicist shared his press release for our show so we could proof it. I was appalled. It was three and half pages, densely packed with words. It made you want a cup of coffee or a cigarette before you even attempted to read it. It’s how I feel about letters from the IRS. I learned two things from his press release. First, he didn’t really care if they read them; it was about his relationship with them. The press release was there for reference in case they decided to do a story. And to make me, the “client,” feel good. The second thing I learned is, with a little effort you can do it a whole lot better.<br />
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Yes, the relationship is the most important thing, but you don’t always have that. The press release can capture their attention, make it easy for them to decide about reviewing the show, and diminish the chance of mistakes because they couldn’t find the info right away.<br />
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So I thought I’d share two examples of a theatrical press release. The first comes from the Donmar theatre in London. I used it as the basis from our press release for KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN. You’ll notice how succinct and direct it is. It’s largely a teaser. They don’t need more because they’ve got a strong reputation in the theatre community and an existing relationship with the media. The second is from our production of KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN. We use a more visually dynamic approach, and communicate much more info. You might criticize it as being crowded (truthfully, it is a bit crowded), but we’re also selling the company as much as the show. For your press release, let your relationship with the press, and your feelings about your show, guide your decisions.<br />
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Donmar <a href="http://secondwind.8m.com/Temp/Donmar%20Kiss%20PRelease.pdf" target="_blank">KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN Press Release</a><br />
Second Wind <a href="http://secondwind.8m.com/Temp/2ndWind%20Kiss%20Press%20Release.pdf" target="_blank">KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN Press Release</a><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-77747509115421150792013-04-27T16:41:00.003-07:002013-04-27T16:41:42.813-07:00Hop on the Goldstar Poverty Train<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgXtzNfeDC_sUXJjOGe5r0uVcAJCsup5K7yAuF2Re0Lt3y9TXEwoZ4nY6Glcw26qI9FkBz7fNxbUo04HP7443c6BwMnOHxx8TTiASh3UqYboTXvPsVBQSlEgRErNWYdKRvWaPqJ7HsIs/s1600/Poverty+train.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJgXtzNfeDC_sUXJjOGe5r0uVcAJCsup5K7yAuF2Re0Lt3y9TXEwoZ4nY6Glcw26qI9FkBz7fNxbUo04HP7443c6BwMnOHxx8TTiASh3UqYboTXvPsVBQSlEgRErNWYdKRvWaPqJ7HsIs/s1600/Poverty+train.jpg" /></a></div>
Okay, I’ve complained about this <a href="http://secondwindtheatre.blogspot.com/2012_02_01_archive.html" target="_blank">before</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<o:p> </o:p>Sustainability has always been a struggle for theatre
companies, regardless of their size.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
threats to long life as a company, are constantly evolving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ten years ago, who would have thought
“instant entertainment” in the form of downloadable movies and music would be
an obstacle to filling our seats?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Goldstar’s role in our eco system has also evolved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Initially, the half-price giant was largely
positive—allowing companies to reach out to new audiences and fill empty
chairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as they’ve become one of the
primary ways that people purchase tickets—and as they’ve evolved from a
“half-price” vendor to a “half price… or maybe we’ll just give away our
inventory because we’re desperate” huckster, their effect on sustainability has
become perilous.</div>
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Take their recent “Comp Train” campaign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While companies are faced with increased
economic hazards—from a weak financial system to the lure of instant, nearly
free entertainment—Goldstar decided the remedy was a special “comp” ticket
giveaway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I place “comp” in quotes
because companies are providing comps, but Goldstar is selling them at a
mark-up higher than what they’d normally get for the ticket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not enough that companies can, at any
given moment, decide to sell comp tickets; no, Goldstar has
now created a special event to do so, pitting those companies who already offer
50% off tickets against those willing to drink the Cool Aide financially.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJngGzIHLAQfWBumMw6pk8vwKsGZDu6yFH0S_4NGDkMjOOQDB_tWZMxCjKXcC-v28GhATODuQAelo_4ZUPaCG82mUnT2Olmt5WycGGBtDGbNrN6EHdSTxwJ5-7nuvzq6Y79mD6RCO2TGw/s1600/Lullaby+Tree79.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJngGzIHLAQfWBumMw6pk8vwKsGZDu6yFH0S_4NGDkMjOOQDB_tWZMxCjKXcC-v28GhATODuQAelo_4ZUPaCG82mUnT2Olmt5WycGGBtDGbNrN6EHdSTxwJ5-7nuvzq6Y79mD6RCO2TGw/s320/Lullaby+Tree79.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Goldstar will say that they’re simply encouraging new sales
and opportunities for these companies:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>people who might not normally see your show will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is wholly disingenuous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lure for companies isn’t new customers or
relief from an empty house, and Goldstar knows it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reason to contribute comp tickets is so
to raise your position on the weekly email blast, and the possibility of being
named a “hot ticket” in their second, weekly email.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This puts companies in the position of not
competing for customers, or awareness, but for preferential treatment by
Goldstar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Give us freebies and we’ll
work a little harder for you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other
situations, this would be called a bribe.</div>
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I don’t like to “complain” without providing solutions, so
I’ll offer some.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First for
Goldstar:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>stop doing these ridiculous
comp train promotions and discourage the use of comp tickets through you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Second, stop ordering the events in your
email by popularity; randomize them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Customer
reviews are sufficient for buyers interested in popularity—promote all shows
equally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And finally, stop re-writing
event descriptions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It homogenizes them
and you aren’t as familiar with the show as the promoter is, nor have you spent as much time considering how to market it...and frankly, you’re not
that good at writing copy.</div>
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What can companies do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>First, demand these changes if you agree with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How do you demand?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simply:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>talk about it—to Goldstar, amongst yourselves, and your customers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And second, never stop diversifying your
audience base.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Performance arts are
ultimately about <i>community</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even
Broadway shows are somewhat based on this dynamics of community:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>The Lion King</i> has a position in the
community, in people’s minds, and there is a certain <i>type </i>of person that
goes to the show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Goldstar’s system
discourages community building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
don’t get their contact info; they don’t find your show through your website;
they don’t leave their feedback with you, but with Goldstar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You need to build your own.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-82235976215956656512013-04-22T17:07:00.001-07:002013-04-22T17:07:42.941-07:00Great Critics = Great Plays?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGvXuYKYVeKsjzTn0sxBtzIdWQOrs2_3KB5vlQkqJSXg4eJ2y6nsp5LsvHpBBwURvj29oRZeaW4tjC_wWyXFSlspZN7YBoT5RVAwhSLr94exI3xhAv_Yxd_KYV9d7HkB5iLGDSeiEBRo/s1600/Pulitzer-Prize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" dua="true" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDGvXuYKYVeKsjzTn0sxBtzIdWQOrs2_3KB5vlQkqJSXg4eJ2y6nsp5LsvHpBBwURvj29oRZeaW4tjC_wWyXFSlspZN7YBoT5RVAwhSLr94exI3xhAv_Yxd_KYV9d7HkB5iLGDSeiEBRo/s320/Pulitzer-Prize.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Can great and enduring plays emerge from communities without insightful and valued critics? Certainly, back in Shakespeare’s or Chekov’s day the answer seems (at least at this distance in time) to be a resounding “Yes:” There appears to be no connection between the criticism of the day and work being produced. But today, in our contemporary society, I’m not sure the answer is so clear.<br />
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Last week, the <a href="http://www.pulitzer.org/citation/2013-Drama" target="_blank">Pulitzer</a> Committee announced the winner and runner-ups in Drama. In order to be considered, the play had to have received its world premiere during 2013. In some respects, a Pulitzer is given as much to a <em>production</em> as it is a play. This year, all three plays/productions had the New York productions. The Big Apple is known for theatre, and the city (and its newspapers) take it seriously. Can it be that there was no play/production from Chicago worthy of even runner-up status? Seattle? LA? San Francisco? Not one out of three was recognized outside of NY? Certainly, there must be accomplished playwrights producing at the top of their abilities in these cities?<br />
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Granted, the Pulitzer is administered out of New York. It’s a rather secretive process. The first line of reviewers can be from anywhere in the nation. Their recommendations are forwarded to the final panel, whose members either reside or meet in the Big Apple. So it’s easy to see how NY productions that are more readily accessible and visible to the panel tend to be chosen for the prize. When <em>Next To Normal</em> won two years ago, it wasn’t even recommended to the final panel. An enthusiastic panelist suggested they all go see it together (now might be a good time to note that the final Pulitzer panelists aren’t theatre professionals, it’s not their field of work). Giddy enthusiasm and lack of actual expertise won the day—much to the fury of the initial reviewers—and <em>Normal</em> won.<br />
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But I don’t think the location of the Pulitzer Committee provides a complete picture of the issue. The Pulitzer is only one indicator of “great and enduring” work. Arguably, a major play hasn’t emerged from San Francisco since <em>Angels in America</em>. And here I think is the crux of the matter.<br />
<br />
It’s not that great, enduring work isn’t being created in other cities; it’s that they are not <em>emerging</em> from other cities. Here in San Francisco, our ability—both artistically and logistically – to highlight exceptional new plays has deteriorated over the past decade. There are lots of factors: newspapers give less resources to theatre arts, audience reviews have become more persuasive, theatre reviewers sometimes vary wildly in expertise, the economics of producing discourages major houses from premiering new work, and the sense that theatre should represent a specific community has been lost. <br />
<br />
Without a doubt there is still exceptional theatre being produced in San Francisco, and both major and minor houses are surviving the economic storms. But increasingly, I see the deterioration of a viable eco-system for theatre. Our diminishing cadre of reviewers, the diminishing number of column inches, and diminishing importance of their words may have tragic consequences.<br />
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Critics don't make theatre or playwriting better. It's not in their power and it's not their job. But they facilitate its emergence into the world. They need to be insightful, to seek out new work, to elevate and advocate new plays, to be learned in all aspects of theatre production, to act as the voice of the theatre community; they need to return emails when invited to shows like working professionals, set aside their egos, find ways to be creative in the face of diminishing publishing opportunities. They are not solely responsible for championing new work and making it visible on a national level-- theatre companies play have a responsibility as well-- but they have a unique leadership role. And if we ever want to see the Pulitzer recognize a San Francisco production again, they're going to have to step up to the plate.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-68603091202965928502013-04-17T12:34:00.000-07:002013-04-17T12:34:17.951-07:00The Lullaby Tree in ImagesWow. That was like giving birth to an alligator. This was no easy show to bring to the stage: complex set, elaborate costumes, dense script, emotionally drenched dramatic arc. And then we replaced two actors half way through rehearsals, and brought in a co-director.<br />
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But the final result seems to be a thing of remarkable beauty. On Sunday we invited photographer Olya Gary (<a href="http://olyagary.com/portfolio/">http://olyagary.com/portfolio/</a>) to shoot the show, and I think the images portray the power and emotional impact of the play. I quickly spliced them into a video, which you can see here.<br />
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Grab your ticket while they last! <a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/342680">http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/342680</a><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-44971359165204143412013-04-08T00:04:00.003-07:002013-04-08T00:09:55.667-07:00How to Make the Most of Your Evening<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3g7dy0C9KbU2amwAjOp6d95MDNgI3g68Pi4hM8XqSeh_YOONI76V3wtO-bxWzWKNmm9aBdwssUTDQqaByiw1M9HdaJE1x-kOATwkjktxvxkcEbuF9Mvxy5-GCfxrnoSdkg7rhkJ7Vuds/s1600/LullabyTree+Icon3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3g7dy0C9KbU2amwAjOp6d95MDNgI3g68Pi4hM8XqSeh_YOONI76V3wtO-bxWzWKNmm9aBdwssUTDQqaByiw1M9HdaJE1x-kOATwkjktxvxkcEbuF9Mvxy5-GCfxrnoSdkg7rhkJ7Vuds/s200/LullabyTree+Icon3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Coming to see The Lullaby Tree? Here are five great tips to get the most out of your evening.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #6fa8dc; font-size: large;">Ease Your Parking Pains</span></strong><br />
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What's the best way to find street parking near the theatre? It's simple: get dinner before the show. Between 3 and 6pm there's no street parking downtown during weekdays). If you arrive promptly at 5.40pm, you can park on the street for free-- the meter maids are usually gone for the day (though some people stay in their cars and chat until 6pm, just to be safe). That leaves plenty of time for a relaxing dinner. That leaves plenty of time for a relaxing dinner. On weekends, there's no simple system, but there's always better parking at 5:30 than 7:40pm. <br />
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<strong><span style="background-color: black; color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;">Wet Your Whistle at the Theatre</span></strong><br />
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Second Wind believes that you shouldn't be gouged for a glass of wine or a cookie just because you'rein the theatre, so we keep the lowest prices in town. Have a glas of Viogner or Zin for just $3, or $1.50 with our All Access Pass. We recommend arriving 20 minutes before the show for the best seast sand a little relaxation.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;">Make Sure Your Smart Phone is Smart</span></strong><br />
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Second Wind is the only company in the Bay Area that includes QR Codes in our programs. Watch behind-the-scenes- videos with your smart phone. To do so, you'll need a free QR Reader. Many phones come with one pre-loaded, but you can always download one from your phone's App Store for free.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;">Running Late? Plan B:</span></strong><br />
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If you're running a little late to the show, we recommend the Stockton Street Garage. It's one of the cheapest in the area, and about three blocks away at Stockon and Bush (or Stockton and Post, there are two entrances). When you arrive at the theatre, buy a drink when you pick up your ticket. You can take it into the theatre. If the show has already started, we do allow late seating, but the concessions bar will be closed.<br />
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<strong><span style="background-color: black; color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;">Get the Best Seats</span></strong><br />
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Like many small venues, we are general seating, first come-- first serve. There's really not a bad seat in the house, but if you want your pick, arrive about 20 minutes early. We don't open the house until about then, so you'll never be left with the odd seats.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;">Running Time?</span></strong><br />
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The Lullaby Tree has a running time of 90 minutes. There is no intermission.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;">Got Tickets?</span></strong><br />
<br />
If you don't grab them in advance at <a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/342680" target="_blank">Brown Paper Tickets</a>!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-19815060610089809962013-04-03T14:56:00.001-07:002013-04-03T14:56:26.793-07:00GMOs and Bee Colony Collapse DisorderThe Lullaby Tree takes a somewhat different approach towards the risks of Genetically Engineered crops. Most arguements focus on the (mostly) unknown risks to human health; The Lullaby Tree aims its sites on the growing ecological dangers. Just last week, the NY Times printed a front page article on Bee Colony Collapse Disorder, though they hid the punchline on page two. All of the potential causes are in some way connected to GM crops. <br />
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Want to learn more? Check out our primer on Bee Colony Collapse:<br />
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<object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://img.youtube.com/vi/nuJV9w_gF-o/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/nuJV9w_gF-o&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://youtube.googleapis.com/v/nuJV9w_gF-o&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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<br />
<br />
And you can read the NY Times article here: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuJV9w_gF-o&list=UUxWW7Z2YFRHMZS8EM0nTvTA&index=1">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuJV9w_gF-o&list=UUxWW7Z2YFRHMZS8EM0nTvTA&index=1</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-89515773634591678682013-03-21T00:32:00.000-07:002013-03-21T00:32:05.756-07:00The Anatomy of a Press Image
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
What makes a compelling press photo?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> What makes it m</span>arketable?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We never claim to be experts on any theatrical subject, merely willing
to share our perspective: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, I’m
going to dissect our <b>pre press</b> photos for <i>The Lullaby Tree.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
First, we do two rounds of press photos: the first round is before
we have the set built, and we’ve pushed our costume designer to have at least a rough
draft of their costumes which we can work with. The images are taken a month or
more before opening, so they can’t truly represent the production. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As such, it doesn’t bother me if the image is
of a moment that doesn’t actually happen. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m trying to capture a compelling <i>feeling </i>from
the show, not its veracity.</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
So our first image….</div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJq49EWAxgtFR_-Z4bQo0dfTquVu6gbaqUekb2IwdjnQNY9sQPG-7TdOoZzaLVcb5qAASuaQIcjFltPCcj85H72G84ZONHWRCBJRnlSq2tE2reHJM2ROO0rhvCjKEfNcZYQ1dqRKb-Og/s1600/TheLullabyTree3md.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifJq49EWAxgtFR_-Z4bQo0dfTquVu6gbaqUekb2IwdjnQNY9sQPG-7TdOoZzaLVcb5qAASuaQIcjFltPCcj85H72G84ZONHWRCBJRnlSq2tE2reHJM2ROO0rhvCjKEfNcZYQ1dqRKb-Og/s320/TheLullabyTree3md.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
What works:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Strong
contrast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> A press photo</span> needs to pop off the
page/website, so we used a black backdrop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>An easy way to test your contrast is to quickly convert to black and
white.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does it still pop in black and white?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could get into the specifics of the lights
(key, fill, soft rim—actually the rim is a little too soft in this image), but more
important is the composition of a press photo. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What should you
look for?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least one pair should be clearly shown. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bodies must be close together so there is minimal “dead
space.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And finally, is there a clearly
defined action?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A commercial
photographer once said that every portrait is better when they’re eating a sandwich.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was right (and you can find images
of, say, <i>Breaking Bad</i>, publicity photos where he’s shot the actors eating
sandwiches). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this case the characters are drinking and playing music.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s a tangible sense of camaraderie,
celebration, and a hint of romance.</div>
<br />
What doesn’t work?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually,
this one is pretty darn good as an image. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not perfect, however, because it doesn’t
say much about theme of the play or tag line that will be used to describe
it: “A little boy ventures into the Underworld to save his mother while above a
battle rages over the fate of a patch of Genetically Modified corn… or perhaps
the world.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah, not there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But consider this—women are more likely to be
the driving force behind couples going to the theatre. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is this image women-centric?<br />
<br />
Image 2:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUq6pm-iF8GtjtV6UsDqs3eJAYvibf8P2WOeBG9B2CQnpwdtnt6vv5vtwZLX865-mv2uqqj5lCVeBYdAYXE_NUfSWvP8nG5q7zOKXbQcVoJmwSxnvoJiXgRa_KcWt6dVj7bwfUdTBVu0/s1600/OMG_4617adjmd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFUq6pm-iF8GtjtV6UsDqs3eJAYvibf8P2WOeBG9B2CQnpwdtnt6vv5vtwZLX865-mv2uqqj5lCVeBYdAYXE_NUfSWvP8nG5q7zOKXbQcVoJmwSxnvoJiXgRa_KcWt6dVj7bwfUdTBVu0/s320/OMG_4617adjmd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
Given the above, how does this one fair? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Contrast?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Focus?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bodies close together?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Action?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Theme?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I removed about a quarter
inch of dead space between the owl character and the mule in post, but even so
there’s a little excess space. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We see
the boy's eye clearly (making him a sympathetic subject), but I wish we could
see the owl man’s. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The focus is clearly
centered on the boy, which is good—but I might have solicited just a little more
emotion out of him. Does it represent the theme of the play?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes and no:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>this is a moment from the Underworld that closely resembles a moment in
the play; it’s clear that we’re referring to “a boy ventures into the
Underworld.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, the GM corn
portion is lost, and that’s probably the more marketable angle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
In my opinion, both of these images are above average,
though shy of perfect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their biggest
fault is in their ability to portray the subject of the play—though that is, in
fact, the most difficult part of press photos. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And perhaps an unrealistic expectation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>The Lullaby Tree </i>is extremely complex.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It deals with GMOs, but also with death,
childhood, tales, mythology, repeating relationships, depression, corporate
greed, betrayal, and devotion. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try
fitting all that into one image.</div>
<br />
Now go out and shoot something.<br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-3772874211325189202013-03-18T14:44:00.002-07:002013-03-18T14:44:54.641-07:00Reverse Outlining and the Genesis of a Play<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfViJrkWDMlgVUwvV2_7TfxD-RtlVppnFwnKND_TgIpsRO-vRDVj0ruMgei77T4u4pPA8RP3rqQg5QtrATGPopgRXJbdJYHMMcCwVgfzfxWkqUJbBTUX0cQkvZVpyMqWEE0_qXuT_Nto/s1600/The+Lullaby+Tree+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" psa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfViJrkWDMlgVUwvV2_7TfxD-RtlVppnFwnKND_TgIpsRO-vRDVj0ruMgei77T4u4pPA8RP3rqQg5QtrATGPopgRXJbdJYHMMcCwVgfzfxWkqUJbBTUX0cQkvZVpyMqWEE0_qXuT_Nto/s320/The+Lullaby+Tree+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I am one of those odd ducks that knows the end of his play before he even starts writing. In truth, I don’t understand writers who begin to write without knowing where they’re going. I admire them, but I don’t understand them.<br />
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<br />
I almost always work backwards from the end. The question of “how did we get here?” is often the spark for the play. And I don’t work back to just the beginning; I work back to driving forces before the action starts. This creates something of a stamp or trademark to my work: characters appear richly (and sometimes opaquely) complex in the beginning of the play, driven by hidden motivations and relationships, and then they become more transparent as the play progresses. That transparency simplifies. Understanding is simplification. And by the end it should become almost primal in its clarity and force. <br />
<br />
The clarity that comes from understanding the arc of the character right from the beginning also lends itself to characters that <em>reveal </em>themselves through the course of the play rather than <em>transform through the action</em>. The character may not change, but our understanding of them changes, and so do our feelings towards them. It’s another type of journey.<br />
<br />
Though I don’t outline my play ahead of time, I do (occasionally and to various extents) reverse outline my play. That’s a rather inaccurate term for creating outlines after you’ve finished your first draft. The process of retelling your story this way helps clarify its structure and arc. You’ll quickly discover what’s extraneous to the work. Aaron Hamburger over at the NY Times wrote an interesting article on the technique. It’s worth a gander. Fine it <a href="http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/01/21/outlining-in-reverse/?hp" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-40084753340224541262013-03-08T18:45:00.000-08:002013-03-08T18:45:20.873-08:00And... it's THE LULLABY TREE<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Welcome back, we say-- though perhaps more to us than you. As always, our blog here at Second Wind is dormant when we're not actively in rehearsals for a show. But we're back with the world premiere of <em>The Lullaby Tree</em> by Ian Walker, and we've got exciting things planned for the show and this blog. Check out our newest video and a glimpse into our first read-thru last Tuesday.</span><br />
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We look forward to seeing you in the theatre....<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Get your tickets now-- they go fast: </span><a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/342680"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/342680</span></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7010184164273819443.post-91917828808404186402012-09-14T11:53:00.001-07:002012-09-14T11:53:22.835-07:00Opening with a... SashayWe Opened! (Yes, that's my excuse for why there have been so few posts in the past two weeks.) And the set design (by Fred Sharkey), costumes (by Scarlett Kellum) and lights (the indefatigable Rob Siemens) look gorgeous. Here's a quick peek-- thanks to photographer Olya Gary-- of the show.<br />
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<span id="goog_853496055"></span><span id="goog_853496056">Now that we're up and running, it's the perfect time to grab your tickets: <a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/263326">http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/263326</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0