Nor night, nor day, no rest
The Winter's Tale is open!
We had our "soft opening" on Thursday, and I found tons of new stuff in the week leading up to it that I was really excited to try out with an audience. And looking back on opening weekend, I think Thursday night was the most dynamic of the week. Steph was delighted with Friday. Suzanne and Lisa were really happy with tonight. So, this goes to show you that art is subjective. There probably was a 2% difference in the performances from night to night.
It's such a beautiful play! I'm so happy that we are doing it. And it is fulfilling all my hopes for the audience response. People are weeping, laughing, and gasping. Most of those who have come to see the show have never seen (or even heard of The Winter's Tale). But we hear over and over again how this is the favorite Shakespeare play they've ever seen.
Each year is different. I think this is my 13th or 14th season (I started in 2002, but took a couple of years off to get married, have a kid and get an MFA). And although I can't tell you what year it was when any specific show happened, if you tell me the shows we did in a certain year, I can tell you what kind of feel the summer had. 2003 (R&J and 12th Nt.) was the most fun summer that ever was or will be! 2007 (Merchant) was a family. 2010 (Caesar and 12th N. again) was a changing of the guard. 2014 (Midsummer and Hamlet) was the year we got everything right! I could give you a summary of every season like this, or you could go find my old blogs and check them out. They were once worth the whistle.
I really like the group we have this year. Not just as actors, and not just as humans (although I really do as both). but as a group of people...this group is special. And there is something special happening with this show. We've been putting this thing together, and getting to know one another. (We have a really great mix of SBTS veterans and talented first timers). What I'm sensing from this season so far is that everybody is hungry to make this thing great. There's a positive restlessness. We look around and sense that this isn't just another show. And everybody is so good and it keeps spurring growth in others.
Some of that has to do with this play! I am so happy to be doing this play. I have loved it for a very long time! I've never seen it. I had read it and wanted to play Leontes since I was 21. But nobody ever does it. And here is what I love about the play--it is Shakespeare towards the end of his career. When he had outgrown genre and expectation. When he was playing with form and developing a new way. This play has an entire 5 act tragedy play out in 3 acts, then has a one act pastoral comedy, and then for good measure buttons it with a one act epilogue of redemption. It has everything that I love! And this group has people that I have already grown to love, along with several that I have loved for many years. And the word "beautiful" has been bombarded at us. It is beautiful.
Hope to see you soon at a park near you!
We had our "soft opening" on Thursday, and I found tons of new stuff in the week leading up to it that I was really excited to try out with an audience. And looking back on opening weekend, I think Thursday night was the most dynamic of the week. Steph was delighted with Friday. Suzanne and Lisa were really happy with tonight. So, this goes to show you that art is subjective. There probably was a 2% difference in the performances from night to night.
It's such a beautiful play! I'm so happy that we are doing it. And it is fulfilling all my hopes for the audience response. People are weeping, laughing, and gasping. Most of those who have come to see the show have never seen (or even heard of The Winter's Tale). But we hear over and over again how this is the favorite Shakespeare play they've ever seen.
Each year is different. I think this is my 13th or 14th season (I started in 2002, but took a couple of years off to get married, have a kid and get an MFA). And although I can't tell you what year it was when any specific show happened, if you tell me the shows we did in a certain year, I can tell you what kind of feel the summer had. 2003 (R&J and 12th Nt.) was the most fun summer that ever was or will be! 2007 (Merchant) was a family. 2010 (Caesar and 12th N. again) was a changing of the guard. 2014 (Midsummer and Hamlet) was the year we got everything right! I could give you a summary of every season like this, or you could go find my old blogs and check them out. They were once worth the whistle.
I really like the group we have this year. Not just as actors, and not just as humans (although I really do as both). but as a group of people...this group is special. And there is something special happening with this show. We've been putting this thing together, and getting to know one another. (We have a really great mix of SBTS veterans and talented first timers). What I'm sensing from this season so far is that everybody is hungry to make this thing great. There's a positive restlessness. We look around and sense that this isn't just another show. And everybody is so good and it keeps spurring growth in others.
Some of that has to do with this play! I am so happy to be doing this play. I have loved it for a very long time! I've never seen it. I had read it and wanted to play Leontes since I was 21. But nobody ever does it. And here is what I love about the play--it is Shakespeare towards the end of his career. When he had outgrown genre and expectation. When he was playing with form and developing a new way. This play has an entire 5 act tragedy play out in 3 acts, then has a one act pastoral comedy, and then for good measure buttons it with a one act epilogue of redemption. It has everything that I love! And this group has people that I have already grown to love, along with several that I have loved for many years. And the word "beautiful" has been bombarded at us. It is beautiful.
Hope to see you soon at a park near you!
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