00049: MJ MUSICAL

MJ: The Musical

I must start by saying I do not like jukebox musicals very much. I have many reasons why I don't like them, but mainly because they seem to be created with little originality, following a simple, uncomplicated, and very predictable structure and storyline. You may disagree with me but that conversation is for another time.

Because of my dislike with jukebox musicals, I was not expecting MJ: The Musical at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco, to be much of a show. It is a jukebox musical after all, and my experiences with such shows have been disappointing. The same can be said about musicals based on films, which is a topic I will address in a different blog entry. 

And so, I arrived to the show with conflicting feelings. I didn't expect much of this jukebox musical but deep down I wanted the show to be good because Michael Jackson became my favorite music artist after he came out with "Off the Wall," the only music album by Michael that has been inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame. And while I don't wear Michael Jackson T-shirts or the white glove, or anything remotely related to Michael Jackson, like many audience members did when I attended the show, I do consider myself a fan. He is the King of Pop after all.

The Orpheum Theater, SF CA

I first have to say how much I enjoyed the beginning of the show, which was "a rehearsal," where a band and dancers were warming up while waiting for Michael to arrive. And when he arrived, he only had a couple of words to say and off they all went into rehearsing a musical number. And from that moment on, I was hooked. And while I knew a lot about Michael's life, musical challenges, and career obstacles and tribulations, it was how the musical was structured and how the plot was set that made this jukebox musical very different from the others I have watched. All thanks to playwright extraordinaire, Lynn Nottage. Yes, there was a plot element that aided in transporting us to Michael's past as a child and slowly moving forward to "the present." But again, its very tight structure and its smart sequence of events within the show made MJ: The Musical a delight and entertaining theatre piece.

One of the many reasons I don't really like jukebox musicals is because, since the majority of songs in such musicals are well-known pop songs or well-known songs by the artists the musical is about, most of the time audience members start to whistle, holler, clap, and/or cheer when they hear their favorite song. At times, audience members get up from their seats and start to dance and even worse, sing, as if they were at a concert. This type of behavior, whether justified or not, is one of the many reasons I dislike jukebox musicals. So throughout the show, while enjoying MJ: The Musical, I was always nervous that some fan would start "joining the fun." And there were a couple of times when that almost happened, but the way the show is written and the way the songs are arranged for the musical, made it difficult for unwanted audience participation to occur. In fact, there was a moment when people started clapping to the beat with a certain song (I think it was Man in the Mirror.) But a few seconds after that, the audience had to stopped because the music rhythms changed and the vocals were done not just by "Michael Jackson" but also by other characters on stage. When that happened, I smiled and I think I even uttered (very softly) the word "yes" in a moment of triumph. 

The merch was selling out! The stage was awesome!

Besides having a very good structure and plot, the acting, the choreography (by Christopher Wheeldon), and the dancing in this musical were amazing. There were times when I thought I was watching a traditional musical with traditional musical numbers with a twist. So as a jukebox musical, the show is so different and so unexpected that it surprises you. At least, it surprised me. 

The show is also very artistic. Even though we are following Michael's life as an artist while putting together his "Dangerous Tour," the show gives the audience the opportunity to understand where Michael's dancing inspiration came from. The transition from the opening number in act two into "Smooth Criminal" becomes a dance history lesson, a homage to great American dancers, such as Fred Astaire, Bob Fosse, and The Nicholas Brothers, artists who made an appearance in the musical, and artists who influenced Michael Jackson's moves, such as the pelvis thrust and the infamous moonwalk. And believe me, the transition from one number to the next is as smooth as the title of the song itself. 

The choreography is top notch; the musical arrangements are unexpected, the dancing is superb, the acting and "off the wall,” and the singing, oh, the singing is just glorious. Everyone in the cast has its moment to shine and everyone in the cast who ended up playing more than one character is magnificent. But of course, the show would be nothing if there wasn't an actor who could embodied Michael Jackson's body and spirit, and the night I went, actor Roman Banks was that vessel, the conduct for Michael Jackson's spirit. Mr. Banks walked, spoke, sang, and dance like the late "King of Pop," making this musical a delight to watch.

At the end, because of the great writing by Ms. Nottage, because of the great Michael embodiment by Mr. Banks, because of the unique choreography by Mr. Wheeldon, and because of the great artistry by the ensemble and the technical team, MJ: The Musical was an unexpected jukebox musical I enjoyable and turned my night at the theatre, truly enjoyable.  

00048: THE WIZ

I recently attended the Broadway Bound production of THE WIZ, and let me tell you it was a spiritual experience to say the least. The Wiz was originally produced on Broadway back in 1975, and like today's revival, it had a pre-Broadway run in 1974. 

After its Broadway debut in 1975, where it won 7 TONY awards, including best musical, The Wiz was made into a film (that flopped) in 1978, then came the first revival in 1984, then a live TV staged version (The Wiz Live!) in 2015. There was even an Encores! production at the New York City Center in 2019, and this 2023-2024 pre-Broadway tour is the official second revival of the show. 

The production I saw took place at the Golden Theater in San Francisco on a Saturday afternoon on February 3, 2024. And unfortunately, because it was a matinee, I did not get to see Wayne Brady as "the wiz," Still the show I saw was a great production, with good acting and outstanding singing. The costumes were, for the most part, beautiful and well done, except for the costumes for the Dorothy's three friends. Those costumes need a complete make over because they look trashy. The lighting was spectacular, while the sets were a mix of very good and okay. And the background projections were spectacular.

If you don't know anything about The Wiz, the show is basically the same story of "The Wizard of Oz" but within the context of contemporary African American culture. And because of such retelling, the show can be modernized to fit the context of today's African American culture. 

Granted. I had never seen the show but simply by listening to the cast recording of the original Broadway production, I can feel its 70's vibes, and while watching the new revival, heading to Broadway in just a few weeks, I felt its 2000's vibes too. This is, in fact one of the reasons why I like the show so much. 

Despite not being part of the culture, I was able to appreciate and connect with the many things the characters did and said, as well as with the different types of dancing styles that were shown throughout the production. African dance, vogue, twerking, etc. 

One of the most memorable experiences for me, is the fact that, as the many different characters sang their songs, I felt compelled to snap my fingers in the middle of a song, or emit short sounds of approval/agreement with what was going on stage. Many times, like many other audiences members, I felt I was connecting with the characters and their words, their songs, their attitudes, their actions and reactions, and their body language. 

The singing was so powerful that at times I felt the actors on stage were competing against each other to see who could sing the loudest, hit the highest note, or even received the loudest reaction from the audience. And all of this, mind you, without being disruptive or taking away from the production. The entire cast, especially the ensemble was sassy and everyone's delivery, stage presence, and acting style reminded me of an article I read about "Black Acting Methods," bringing everything to a full circle and finally making me understand the meaning of such article.

Unlike other productions, where I found myself annoyed at audience uninvited participation, the production of The Wiz, opened the door for a communion between the actors on stage and the audience. I, for the first time in a very long time, felt invited to become part of what was going on stage, without even moving from my seat. 

And yes, I'm very aware this new revival is filled with controversy, from people who don't like the show because of its modernization and people 'hating' on the show because it uses AI to replace the set, to the mistreatment of cast members and dislike of the director because, in their own words, "he sucks." 

Despite all such negativity, I liked this production of The Wiz, and unlike other shows were the choreography and dancing, and even the singing feels out of place, in this show, everything just clicked and truly brought me into communion, not only with the cast, but with the audience. This is something barely seen in theatre nowadays. 

00047: UNWANTED AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION

For several months now, actually more than a year, many of my fellow theatre artists, theatre colleagues and I have been discussing the, now very popular issue of the unwanted audience participation incidents. 

I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. That moment when that one person in the audience starts to sing during a musical number and purposely (or not) tries to outdo the actor on stage. Oh, yes, instances like this have been happening for a long time now. A quick google search shows people discussing the issue as far back as 2015, so it seems this issue has been happening for a long time. Wait, maybe that is not long ago or maybe it is. I don't know. Since the pandemic everything is in some sort of time warp that is difficult to decipher. 

Anyway, a few years back I went to see a production of West Side Story, and being completely annoyed by a couple of people who started singing "Somewhere" along with the actress on stage. "This isn't a concert," I said to myself. "So shut the hell up." I added as I tried to incinerated them with my gaze. 

That was one incident, long time ago. 

I do think though, that the issue about audience members uninvitingly singing didn't become such an issue until jukebox musicals came into being. Jukebox musicals made used of very popular songs instead of comparing new songs. Most of the time jukebox musicals are bio-musicals (based on someone famous) such as Tina The Musical, Ain't Too Proud, or Jersey Boys or used song from a popular album or music group to create a "new story," such as Mama Mia! Jagged Little Pill, or American Idiot. I'm not putting the blame on jukebox musicals but I do think that the unwanted audience singers phenomenon has become a more unpopular occurrence because of this type of musicals. 

I pause here now to be fully transparent about the fact that I very much dislike jukebox musicals; I do. But I'm not here to talk about that, though this topic merits its own blog entry and I will write about it. Later. 

Since jukebox musicals use pop songs that are well known by most people. And since many of these songs are songs audiences have come to "adore." Or since many jukebox musicals are based on very popular films that contained very popular songs--Sister Act The Musical--when audiences go to see those musicals, they feel they must sing along with the actors on stage or else. After all, in my opinion, many of these audience members only go to see the musical because it is about their favorite music artist or based on their favorite film. And because these people have a "personal connection" to the song(s) they feel they have to sing their hearts out, when their songs are being performed on stage. In Manchester, England, for example, an incident of such behavior happened during the production of the musical "The Bodyguard." The performance of the show had to be cut short, the police called, and an audience member was escorted out, against their will. This individual tried to out sing the actress onstage during one of the most popular songs known on earth: "I Will Always Love You," sang originally by Dolly Parton, and then re-arrange by Dolly herself for the film (and Witney Houston) "The Bodyguard." Another incident happened on Broadway during the production of "Death of a Salesman," where the main actor, Wendell Pierce, had to break character and addressed the unruly behavior of an audience member in the front row, which also had to be escorted out. 

I admit that even though I don't like jukebox musicals, I have attended a few due to particular circumstances: taking a family member, given tickets as a present, or for research purposes. In every show I have attended, there has always been one or two people (or more) who are just singing loud enough to keep me from enjoying the actors' performances. This happened when I when to see Moulin Rouge The Musical, Tina The Musical, and Beautiful: The Carol King Musical. 

I get it. I know people love "this song or that song." I get it because I have my favorite pop songs too, I also have my favorite musical theatre songs as well. When I hear them, I sing them. Loud and out of key 99% of the time. But if I'm in a theater, watching a musical and such favorite songs start, I don't sing at all because I'm not there to sing. I'm there to watch others sing those songs. And like me, people paid money to hear those actors sing the songs. If I decide to sing, I'm not only being disrespectful to the actors on stage, but I'm also going to be the unwanted audience rude member that people will hiss at because they paid money to see the musical, not to see me. It's that simple. Just because the cast in Les Miz sings "Do you hear the people sing?" doesn't mean I need to start singing from my seat. 

Unfortunately, these unwanted audience participation situations are happening more often now than before. And at times, it's not even one audience member but many. The time I attended the production of Tina The Musical, people all over the audience were singing along with the actors when the character sang "What's Love Got to Do with It." There is no doubt that such song is a favorite of mostly everyone. And the moment I heard the musical chords I smile because I knew it was coming. But my excitement die when many different audience members started to sing the song. It was truly annoying. And I wasn't the only one because audience members were schussing at those who were singing.

At the end, I simply think it is common sense and human decency to not disturb and/or disrupt the theatrical experience everyone is trying to have. But many people feel that paying to see a show gives them the right to do what they want, becoming unwanted audience members instead of being respectful and communing with everyone attending. And knowing that more jukebox musicals are coming and that, in general, most people are showing their true entitlement colors, (I mean, even does anyone remember what Lauren Boebert did?), I'm afraid to say that the unwanted audience participation individuals will continued to exist. And that is an unfortunate reality. 

00046: WINTERLAND

The cast of Winterland

 While my show Alicia from the Real in Wonderland was being produced at Contra Costa College, the place where I worked as a full-time theatre faculty and Chair of the Drama Department, the president of the college approached me and asked if I could write a family holiday play. And since our president is a very strong supported of the arts, especially theatre, I said yes. 

Krumpus is defeated

The result was a 1 hour and 10 minute play titled, WINTERLAND: A Holiday Adventure. The play features many known Christmas related characters and many others that are not known. The play had its premiere in December 2023. Those who attended the show said it was funny, clever, entertaining, and most importantly, a refreshing holiday story never seen before. "It was nice," someone said. "To see a Christmas play that wasn't the same old Christmas story." 

"Wait, you're a mouse and you can talk."

I personally think audiences like the play because it was different, an unexpected holiday story, and because it was at the end, it was an adventure with a female character as a protagonist. Now, with a new goal for December 2025, the one-act story will be turned into a full-length play, mainly because right now the play ends with the main characters going on a new adventure. 

00045: CURSED THE HOUSE OF ATREUS

The cast of "CURSED: The House of Atreus"

I did it! I finally was able to write a play based on Greek mythology: CURSED: The House of Atreus. It took me two years to write this play. One year to simmer the idea and write a first draft and one year to work on the play in order to make it what is has turned out to be.

At first, I just wanted a short play, somewhere between an hour and 10 minutes and an hour and 20 minutes. At the end, the play ended up being a two-act, two hour play. There was a lot to say about the Cursed of Atreus. 

The Furies

The play, based on Greek mythology and inspired by Aeschylus' The Oristeia, mixes classical and modern language, as well as the used of modern pop references. The play is written for an ensemble of at least 15 people but it can be done with more actors, or if double casting with less. Another cool thing about the play is that any actor can play any role. And as a playwright I have opened the door for any gender, any identity, any body type, any race, and any anything to be part of the show. 

Movement

The play calls for no sets and no props, just one single costume. Although, a director can add a set and props, and even make costume changes if desired, but I think the play works best as written. Another aspect of the show is that it invites the director and the actors to use movement techniques such as viewpoints, Suzuki, Lecoq, Laban or any other theatre movement approach to create transitions and scene changes, especially since the play story jumps from the present to the past, to a near future, has flashbacks, reversals, and so many other theatrical conventions. One last thing about the play, the use of music, which can be from classical to modern, to surreal, to... well, the choices are endless. 

"Look at him! Look! At! Him!

The play was produced this past November 2023 and I was lucky enough to direct it. Now the production will be presented at the Kennedy Center American Theatre Festival, Region 7 Competition in February. Yes, I am very proud of this work. 

00044: ALICIA FROM THE REAL IN WONDERLAND

Contra Costa Production

A while ago, during a work meeting, the dean mentioned that perhaps we needed to produce a play that would cater to young people. "Sure!" Everyone said with enthusiasm as they looked at me for a more concrete answer. "I think something like Alice in Wonderland would be perfect," I said. Everyone agree. "But of course," I added. "If we are going to do that, I'm going to write my own version of the play." I concluded. And the rest, as they say, it's history. 

Contra Costa Production

In Fall 2022, I directed my own version of "Alice in Wonderland." I combined the two books written by Lewis Carroll and using different characters from both manuscripts, I came out with my own version. Being that the story is about a "little girl" who is involved in some weird trip, the version I wrote is about a 17-year old teen Latinx girl who is running away from home, runs into a rabbit and off she goes to wonderland where she realizes home is where she should be. 

College of Wooster Production

It only took me about three months to come out with the first draft. And then, like magic, within two more months I had the first official draft, and by the time auditions came about, a third draft have been written. And of course, as the rehearsal process took place additions, deletions, and changes took place. By the time the show opened, an official version of the play was done. 

College of Wooster Production

Alicia from the Real in Wonderland opened in November 2022. It had a very successful run of six performances (our usual run) but with sold out houses every time. During its run, a friend and colleague from another university heard of the play so he asked me for a copy of it. He presented the script to the director who read it and immediately liked it. So, in Spring 2023, the play was produced at The College ofWooster in Ohio. I heard the show was also a success. During the run of the show, someone from a Children's theatre company saw it, reached out and said they wanted to produce it. So, in Fall 2023, the show was produced by Akron Center for the Arts through Firestone Theatre. Needles to say, so far this play has had a good start. 

00043: INTRODUCING MODERNA SUSPIROS!

The poster

And so it came to past, after a pandemic, several setbacks, challenges, injuries, and personal matters that Moderna Suspiros finally made it to the stage. 

"Lo tuyo es puro teatro"

The show only had two showings but there were beautiful, fun, exciting, and filled with an audience that laughed, cried, and ate bonbons. 

"If you don't know, Google it!"

Why two showings? Because it was part of my sabbatical proposal so it needed to be done to fulfill such promise. 

"I'm your hostess"

Those who saw the show love it, those who didn't see it, wished they could have (or so I've been told.)

"Y la noche era de lentejuelas"

And I couldn't done it without the help of the Drama Department, and those working behind the scenes! Thank you!

The playwright/actor, The Director, The Crew!

There are plans to have Moderna Suspiros travel and share her wisdom. Those plans are in the making. More posts about it will be coming.

All material and images have © copyright 2023 carlos-manuel 

00042: WE'RE BAAAAAACK!

That's right! After a six-month absence, the director and I are reuniting to make sure the production of INTRODUCING MODERNA SUSPIROS: A Fable Based on True Event... We Think takes place. Yes, it has been a long way coming and lots of things have happened. The director, for example, who was scheduled to arrive two days before our week of rehearsals will now be arriving two days later-something to do with a faculty strike in his institution.  

And then we have the issue with my ankle. The ankle, which still  hurts, but it is doing much, much better, may or may not be ready for high heels. The doctor put me on a boot for almost a month. Then I got cortisone injections, two of them, because my tendon and my nerve were damage, or are damage. I don't know any more. 

Have the shots worked? To a certain extend, yes. I'm able to move a little faster; I'm able to walk a little longer; I'm able to see that my foot is no longer swollen. Those are the good things. The bad things: my ankle is a little purple, especially around the area where the two shots were given. And if I put pressure, by that I mean push my fingers onto those spots, it hurts. I'm assuming it is because the needles ripped into my skin and reach the tendon and the nerve through there. 

You know that saying that goes "The Show Must Go On?" Well, theatre artists really mean it. Despite of the complications, obstacles, and last minute shenanigans, the show will happen. I may not be wearing those very high heels, but the show will happen. That is a promise.

I'm writing this on a Sunday morning, a day before we start working on the show once again. This means that, not counting today, we have four days to put the show together before it opens this coming Friday. And yes, I'm very excited, more than I care to admit. 

Tomorrow we will do two main things: Costume fittings and set design set up. The costume fitting will be fun because it is just me and the costume consultant/designer. The set design set up will be a little shaky because the director won't be here to make final decisions so we are just going to go with our semi-professional pencil sketch. The one the director has in his possession so we are just going to go by memory. 

Tuesday, will be interesting because I don't even know what will happen on that day. I know for sure the director will be arriving on that day, at 10:30 PM. Other than that, I have no idea in respects to the show, but something will happen. Maybe we start setting up the lights and the sound. That's it. That sounds like a great plan. Let's just hope both the sound designer and the lighting designer are available. They should be, right? After all, they knew tech rehearsal was coming. 

Alright! Enough! I will update in the production progress later on this week, probably before opening night. If not, I will update AFTER the show is over, sometime next week. 

Don't you love the uncertainty? I very much enjoy it... Not! 

00041: INJURIES!!!

Wear heels they said! You will look good in heels they said! It's easy they said! And yes, it is fun to wear heels, but if you are a person who isn't used to wearing heels and suddenly you have to wear heels, there has to be practice because "practice makes perfect..." and also brings injuries. 

Going into details is not necessary but things have happened and well, see for yourself:

I have a colleague that usually wears high heels, very high heels, and she doesn't walk on those high heels, she glides on them. How does she do it? I have no idea, but it is clear that it won't be me any time soon. 

Let's hope for a quick recovery because we have a show in one month!

00040: SHOES! COSTUMES! AND MAKE UP! OH MY!

Measurements

We had a costume fitting just a couple of weeks ago. The the fitting also included shoes, of course. It has taken me a while to post about this matter because the fitting, although exciting, was also a little bit of a disappointment. Don't take me wrong! The costume fitting fulfilled its purpose but the results were less than desirable. 

I was excited about trying the different costumes and also nervous because what had been imagine the director's head and my head could and would look very different in reality. 

After some laughs about undergarments and how to wear them I finally was able to get on my first costume. It look good, and I felt good about it too. 

Colorful right? Well, this costume was costumed made for me and I got it while I was traveling in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. Colorful, a little heavy, and expensive. But it simply worked like a charm! One down, two to go!

The next costume is what we area calling the "main costume." The character wears this for the entire play. I'm happy to say if really worked and look as it was envision. 

The last costume, which is supposed to be the show stopper or the "surprise" costume, although looked good in vision, it really did not gel as expected. It really did not look good at all.

I don't know but the the costume made me look awkward and that also reflected on my face. And the shoes, well, they didn't work either. At the end, it was decided that both the costume and the shoes were going to be replaced. 

And speaking of shoes, two pairs of shoes and a pair of sandals will be use in the show. One pair of shoes worked, the other didn't, but the sandals did. 

This is the pair of shoes that work:

These are the shows that didn't work:

And there are no images for the sandals. 

Now we are waiting for the new dresses and the new shoes.... let's see what happens. 

00039: FIRST WEEK OF REHEARSALS

Normally, rehearsals for a play take between four to six weeks, sometimes longer depending on the complexity of the production and the company's budget. A one-person show usually rehearses for a minimum of four weeks. However, due to the busy schedules of both the director and myself, the one-person show will only have two weeks of rehearsals. To complicate matters, the two rehearsal weeks will not happen consecutively. The first week of rehearsals already took place, while the second week will be six months later (in December.) The show will be presenting to an audience on December 8 & 9, 2023.

One of my personal goals before starting the first week of rehearsals was to memorize the script, which is a challenge because my ability to memorize lines is not as sharp as it used to be. It's called "getting older." Surprisingly enough, by the end of the week, we did two full "run-thrus" of the show without a script on my hand. This doesn't mean I did not have line issues, it only means that, as it stands, I'm about 90% memorize, which for this rehearsal process it has been a great help. 

As a process, the director and I first went through the entire show, reading it slowly and asking questions that would clarify the reasons why the character is saying "this and that," and deciding how such words fit into the main goal and message of the play. We did this dramaturgical process before the stage reading took place back in Ohio. But between the staged reading and this rehearsal, I worked on the script several times, creating a new draft, similar to the original script but with several new additions and edits. So, a dramaturgical/table reading was necessary. 

Through this dramaturgical process, we were able to "connect the dots," making sure that what the character(s) says make sense, it is clear, and helps with the main messages of the play. It also helps us to discuss costumes, props, lighting, sound, music, makeup, and sets. 

The play takes place in a "nice and comfortable pink house." A loveseat with a coffee table and a minibar will live stage right (when looking at the stage from the audience point of view), to create the living room. On stage left, a 'working table', a dresser, and a variety of hat, shoe, and storage boxes, along with a couple of torso costume mannequin, and rolls of fabric will be found. This will be the character's working room. Upstage center a tall table and a room divider will define "the wall" of the house. The center and downstage area of the stage will be a "free zone" for "moving at will." The image above gives you an idea.

Of course, the set needs to be dressed up and the amount of items and props needed to make the stage look like a cozy and comfortable living space are way to many to list. Three costumes have been decided for the show, which are a challenge because the costume changes happened on stage while the actor is talking to the audience. And the costume changes are not just "putting on a sweater" or "taking off a hat;" they are complete costume changes from head to toe.

Music and sound has been determined, as well as "stage looks" and "special effects." Of course, nothing will really be one hundred per cent "set on stone" until we get to work with the technical designers... and that is not happening until the second week of rehearsal in six months' time.   

During the six months hiatus from the first week of rehearsal to the second, I will be on my own, continuing the memorization of the script and, once in a while, mentally tracing the blocking of the show in order to not forget all the work we did during the first week of rehearsals. I will also be teaching five classes and directing a play. This, without a doubt, will be a challenge. 

It is at times like this when I'm reminded of the wisdom of a character from the film (and play) Shakespeare in Love when speaking about the nature of theatre:

"The natural condition is one of insurmountable obstacles on the road to imminent disaster. (But we do) nothing and strangely enough, all turns out well. Don't know how. It's a mystery." Philip Henslowe. (Parenthesis mine.) And this is my motivation, trusting the process with the hopes that everything will turn out well. 

For now, this is the last blog entry. The next one will happen in December once the second week of rehearsal and the production take place. I hope you come back in six months. Until then, the stage is dark with only the ghost light keeping the acting sanctuary company. 

00038: REVISING THE ONE-PERSON SHOW... AGAIN!

Before spending my sabbatical days in Italy learning about Commedia dell'arte, I was already working on a one-person show, also as part of my sabbatical. I spent six months writing a script and having dramaturgical meetings with a theatre director. 

I wrote about the development process of the play and also about the staged reading in two different posts that were done before going to Italy. The stage reading of the play happened in December 2022 when I flew to Ohio to meet the director at his homeschool. After that reading, the project was put on the "back burner" because my time needed to be dedicated to preparing the sabbatical trip and the trip itself. 

Now that the sabbatical trip has ended and I'm back home, the focus is on "wrapping up" the sabbatical, which includes working on the one-person show once again. 

For five days, from 10 AM to 6 PM (with an hour break in between), the director and I will come together in order to "put the play on its feet." This time the director will be flying to my hometown. During these five days, we will decide on the set and the look of the show. We will decide on the costumes for the main character (and other characters) along with all the "props" the characters need to use during the performance. Lighting patterns for the show will also be determined, as well as the different sounds to accompany the lip-synch songs. 

The main goal of these one-week rehearsal is blocking the show and "cementing" its look before we go our separate ways for six months, and then comeback in December to have one more week of rehearsals before presenting the full out production of the one-person show to an audience. Yes, you read right. Six month will pass between this week's rehearsal and the next rehearsal.

The next five days are going to be very hectic, very intense, and very tiring. We only get one week to put the show together before it goes in hiatus for six month. I know this coming week will be very productive... and exhausting. But the show must go on!

00037: A COMMEDIA DELL' ARTE COURSE

One of the main objectives of my sabbatical research is the creation of a new theatre course on Commedia dell'arte. Using the many resources I was able to find, the information I was able to collect, and the different theatre productions I was able to read, as well as other available academic sources regarding the subject matter, a class on commedia has been developed and submitted to the proper channels for evaluation and approval. 

Once the class is approved, the class will be offered to the students, mainly to Drama majors and those interested in the theatre arts. 

This class will have two main objectives: One of the goals will be to offer a history account of the development of Commedia dell'arte, from its origins to the present, while analyzing its influence on modern comedy. The other goal will give students the opportunity to explore physical movement and mask work in order to familiarize themselves with commedia dell'arte characters and physical comedy in general. 

I'm excited about this new course. I can't wait to have it "in the books" and be able to share with the students the wonderful experiences, productions, and information I was able to partake while on sabbatical in Italy. 

00036: DELL' ARTE ALUMNI CONVERSATION

The following transcript is based on conversations with a closed friend who is an alumni from Dell'Arte International. Our conversations centered around her training and the benefits of it. The conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity. 

--What made you decide to enroll in Dell'Arte International?
I was applying to MFA programs and my college theatre director shared information about Dell'Arte with me. She suggested I audition as she believed it would be a good fit for me. One of the co-founders (of the academy) happened to be working as a resident artist near me an auditioned me herself. The process was welcoming and supporting from the beginning. I visited Blue Lake to tour the school and to meet some people there. I felt in love with the area and the program. I deferred traditional graduate school in order to to attend Dell'Arte.

--What program were you in? When I joined the school, they were in the process of obtaining accreditation for the MFA program. When I enrolled I believe the program was called PTP-Physical Training Program. It was a one-year program and those of us who graduated received a certificate of completion. This program and the accreditation has changed a lot since 1998.

--What classes did you take? So many! Our learning was broken into blocks of study with the second semester culminating in a public performance. There were several different classes each day. There were no books but we journaled everything and were able to take notes as necessary. I have several notebooks full.

Our class size was 40 and people came from all over the world. The specific blocks of study included Commedia, Clown, and Melodrama. We took classes or work in "Contact Improv, Dance, Tango, Acrobatics, Mime, Commedia, Clown, Melodrama, Physical Acting, Voice, Poetic Dynamics, Mask Making, Bunraku Puppetry/Manipulation of Objects, Tai Chi, Improv, Feldenkrais, Yoga, Alexander Technique, Generating and Devising New Work, and coaching and preparing for devising and touring two new works as a final project. 

All of the classes incorporated various ideas and explorations in body/mind/soul connection and we were constantly devising, creating, experimenting, failing, and starting again. We also had a devise performance assignment for presentation each week, based on a set of "guidelines." 

The last block of programming included pairs or groups working together to form production companies of traveling performers. Each pair or group created their own piece as part of the whole production that toured through Northern California and Southern Oregon on a beautiful, portable Commedia stage. The tour was a block learning, each student held a different position (production manager, tour manager, food crew, accommodations, transport, etc.) as well as devised work for the production. Our group traveled with a truck that carried all of our gear for outdoor shows and living on the road during tour. We camped on tour and it was an intense experience with nearly 40 people across many rural communities. It was life changing. 

We spent time in class Monday thru Friday and also spent time in the studios outside of class in the evenings and weekends rehearsing our devised pieces for class and/or performance. We were constantly moving and working and creating. 

--What did you learn? I learned so much about myself the most. I grew and evolved in ways that I didn't realize and hadn't expected. When I saw some college friends during a Christmas visit, they comment about the change in my physical form, how I walked, and how I interacted with the world. 

The experience within and outside of the training was life-changing for me. I met people from all over the world and learned about performance through them. I met expert instructors from all over and learned all kinds of new ways to use my body, my voice, my mind, and my soul on stage.

--Was there a class that became your favorite? Poetic Dynamics with Daniel Stein. It was a focused study on the movement of the body and connecting the physical and metaphysical; movement within space and through space; affecting the metaphysical through the physical and the physical through the metaphysical. It was an awesome class and it influenced my work when directing and devising. Daniel Stein's expertise and training is second to none, and it was the greatest honor and privilege to learn from him. Through his class I learned to feel the movement in specific parts of my body, when it wasn't happening and where it was happening. I learned to communicate in a very specific way through the smallest but most controlled physical choices. 

--Did you complete the program? Yes. 38 out of 40 of us made it to the end. The program wasn't for the faint of heart. 

--What did you do after graduation in relation to the academy? I wrote and performed several short, physical solo pieces in various locales. I also worked on several projects as a movement coordinator or movement director in Nebraska and Illinois. I directed several youth theatre productions using the physical work from Dell'Arte to drive not only blocking for scripted works, but also to create highly physical/stylized devised work for scripted and/or devised productions. I also wrote and performed a physical theatre piece that was produced as a work-in-progress while getting my MFA at Arizona State University.

--How did the academy prepare you for an artistic career? It gave me permission to experiment and fail in ways that I hadn't had permission before. It taught me to take pieces that don't fit together and make them fit. It gave me permission to create outrageous art. It pushed me off the cliff of traditional approaches that performers "study." It made me fall and fly at the same time to see new ways of creating. It provided me language that I found difficult to translate back in the "real world." It was hard to go back to traditional programming that didn't trust or understand my new language of performance and experimentation, and physical storytelling. 

I found the most success working with teenagers, they got it quickly while the adults in the room had a hard time letting go, to have permission to play. Higher education was the most confused and unsupportive once I went back for my MFA. Though there were some (students) that were also exploring the physical training/teaching path and that helped. 

--Was the program worth it? I cannot think of anything I've done that has been more valuable to me as an artist and human. 

--Is this (Commedia/Physical Theatre) something you would recommend to theatre artists? It is a lot of work and it is not for everyone. I came from a very conservative and closed environment and it was difficult for me to let go in the work, but I was also open and ready for new ideas, and thinking processes, and experiences, and people. It is an amazing experience if the individual is willing and open. 

--Is there anything you would like to add? The classes and training were the reason we were all there, but it became so much more than that. We grew into the very tiny town around us. We flipped pancakes at the Grange for the local community, and they flipped pancakes for us. We drank beers at The Logger Bar. We filled sandbags with residents as the rivers rose during the winter; we hiked the forests and swam in the streams and lakes and rivers. We taught classes to rural kids and traveled the area to bring joy through performance. I am still in touch with several classmates doing amazing things in multiple countries and across the U.S., and my life is rich beyond words from this opportunity and experience.