Nevermore? Nevermore.

Sunday January 26, 2014

Nevermore by Matt Ritchey, directed by Joshua Carpenter at APEX Theatre 20 has ended.  It ended joyously and sadly, as these things go.  The joy of a fulfilling and successful run.  The joy of finishing a project with new family (and finding that family).  The sadness of endings.  The sadness of partings.

The play, as described in previous entries here, is a "what if" tale that explores what might be if some of Edgar Allan Poe's darker stories were, in fact, semi-autobiographical.  I will not spoil the twists and turns and surprises that await a new audience, but suffice it to say, Poe would have approved.

The final performance, Saturday January 25th, was interesting.  For some in the cast, it was their best performance.  For others, not so much.  The biggest danger in a play such as this, in a venue such as this (a black box theatre) is overacting.  In a small intimate cast in a small intimate venue, "larger than life" can become elephantine.  It's like the difference in a movie of a close-up versus a wide shot.  Bigger might work in the distance, but up close, bigger can be a killer.  As an actor, I have to check myself a lot on this.  Most of my stage acting experience is in the large, proscenium stages.  When I have to go small, it takes an effort.

In the final performance, the author was present, having flown in from Los Angeles ("boy were his arms tired!") Thursday night.  His comments were generally complimentary, always insightful, and sometimes surprising.  One surprising comment concerned my character, Dudley.  Apparently he was supposed to be an over-the-top drunken sot comic relief character.  We, read I, played him more as a real alcoholic with a more sinister twist than comic.  Lenore and Monty he loved.  With this I heartily concur.  They both brought a quality to their work that was genuine, if a little creepy.  Okay, a lot creepy.

Matt Ritchey noted that the whole production was a surprise.  Carpenter's vision was different that his, and he liked it.  Ritchey said, "Everything on the page was there.  Everything on the stage seemed (similar)."  But the character interpretations were very different.  The actor-created backstories he found wonderful, even my twisted one.  "You put your child out there and it takes on a life of its own.  That's a good thing."

For this "child", it has grown and moved on to its next life, somewhere else in the theatre world.  I hope its new family cherishes it as much as we did.  Bon voyage, Nevermore.

Happy Birthday, Edgar Allan Poe: A Party to Remember

Sunday January 19, 2014

Saturday night was an extraordinary event.  On the eve of the birthday of Edgar Allan Poe, the APEX Theatre 20 group held a combination birthday party and performance to celebrate said birthday.  The performance of Nevermore by Matt Richey provided the third act of the day.

Act I was the inaugural Saturday Morning Sitcom "Happy Birthday Edgar Allan Poe" featuring Mother Goose and Friends.  The were flooded with well-wishing partiers from the younger set.  A good time was had by all.

Act II was an amazing late night party made up of Steam Punk, Neo Gothic, and just plain funerial clothing.  Food and drink was included in the ticket price.  There were some AMAZING outfits worn by even more amazing people.  Everyone was there for a good time, yes, but also to celebrate the natal anniversary of one of America's great writers.

Act III was of course, the play.  One of the best performances of some of the actors. (Not for all, but perfection is for wimps.)  All the performances were filled with the passion that this poet/storyteller engenders, from the unpredictable Poe of Mark Dwight to the macabre calm of Montressor from Slater Bonner.  From the ethereal beauty of the "lovely, lost Lenore" by Megan Clark Hutchings to the creepy old caretaker Dudley of John Lamb. The audience was enthusiastic in their reactions and response.  Quite gratifying.  The performance ended with live music from Lacey Carpenter on her violin.

The 4th Act was the "Poe Toaster".  Producer Felicity Enas told the fascinating story of the infamous Poe Toaster, of Baltimore followed by a reading of Poe's poem, Annabel Lee, ending with  a brandy toast of our own.  The night was amazing.  I was there, so I should know.  I just hope that there are many more of these themed nights in the future.

Closing in on Opening Night

Wednesday January 15, 2014
"Four weeks, you rehearse and rehearse
Three weeks, and it couldn't be worse
One week, will it ever be right?
Then out of the hat it's that big first night!"

Cole Porter knew a thing or three about opening nights and the chaos that leads up to them.

Most of the set is done. Most of us hit our lines each night.  Most of us have costumes and props ready to go.  Most of...   Things always get a little crazy as opening night approaches.  With a complex set with complex changes, there are always going to be glitches.  Like actors near castrating themselves on low tables in the dark during a blackout where things have been moved to new places.  Or no handle on the door.  With complex acting relationships between characters (and actors), there are always going to be nights that it "clicks"  or doesn't.  The trick is to keep moving and don't dwell.  Trust that it will be there when the curtain goes up.

On the set of Nevermore it's the same.  Actors with bruises, of body and ego.  Director stressing, as directors do (especially newbies).  Producers kibitzing, as producers do (as they're supposed to do).  Crew just trying to stay alive and keep things moving.  We have a talented cast.  Perfect? No...which is a good thing.  We have a talented director with a vision.  A strong vision is essential, but can sometimes get in the way when there are snags.  The set is lovely, but still a work in progress.  

We open in 3 days.  Whatever happens, it will be amazing!

Tech-nickel

Tonight was the first tech rehearsal of Nevermore.  For the uninitiated, a tech rehearsal is when lights and music and props and set changes are all attempted with the actors present.  Most of the time, it takes ages and is generally unpleasant for all as adjustments are made here and there.  The techies are busy adjusting endlessly what they've been working very hard to put together, and the actors can't get their rhythm rockin' because of those constant adjustments.

I say most of the time, because tonight's tech rehearsal wasn't so bad.  I did some of my best work tonight.  Well, other than coughing with an entire mouthful of "coffee water" substituting for Irish whiskey. *blushes*  Now that I no longer rely on the script, I can get into character and really start getting the meat of Dudley cooking.  This is my favorite time of rehearsal- off book and working.

We seemed to be working at an energy deficit tonight.  Hopefully tomorrow will see that solved.  I've arranged with "Poe" to do some energy exercises Kathy has taught me before rehearsal tomorrow. Maybe that'll do the trick.

I really admire the professionalism of most of the folks involved in the show.  There are bits and bobs, yeah, where a few more years of experience might smooth things out a bit, but hey- that's how you get the few years' more experience.  And they all seem very talented.

I have very high hopes for this show.

PS- I'll end with a candid shot of "Lenore" during out photoshoot.  This is from Kathy Lamb's "behind the scenes" shots.  She's really a lovely person, too.

Nevermore Poster

Nevermore Evermore

We are closing in on the opening of the Neo-Gothic play "Nevermore", by Matt Ritchey of Los Angeles, California.  This will be the first production in Texas here in Tyler at APEX Theatre 20@Potter Place.  I'm going to be very narcissistic today, so please be warned.  I'm going to talk about MY reasons for wanting to do the show, and how I got the audition, and MY reaction to the process, and of course, MY character.  Like I said...narcissistic.

I have never worked with this company before.  For the last several years I've been doing "community theater" in a small town near Tyler.  And I have enjoyed it.  With a priviso:  Lately I've been playing the same parts (basically) over and over.  Once I had at least low level professional acting chops; now they have atrophied into "Waiting for Guffman" echos.  No blame for my local theatre troupe.  They're a great group of folks.  Some are more talented than others, but we all enjoy the Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd.  (And yes, there are some more talented than me, nosey.)  But I was getting into a rut.  We do the same kinds of shows over and over again...pandering to an audience that probably doesn't want to be pandered to.  Afraid of offending 3 people and so not entertaining the 300.

I wanted to exercise my acting muscles.  I needed to do it. So I joined an adult improv class in said theater in Tyler to stretch myself.  It was fun, and challenging, and it petered out.  Bummer.  But during that time I saw "Equus" there and was impressed.  One of my classmates was to be the director (losing his directorial cherry) and he asked me to audition for a particular part.  Hooray...it was the same character I've been playing for the last 15 years.  But hey...give it a chance.  I told him I was wanting to challenge myself and that part I could play half asleep and probably would.  He read me for a different character, Dudley the caretaker, and that's where he put me.  Something different at last.

Their process is different than I have had before.  Audition...read through...nothing for a while-"learn your lines."  Then rehearsal once a week for a bit.  Okay, let's skip a couple. (Ack!)  Now director sick.  Now me out of town.  Now me sick.  Now other actor sick.  Now me sick again...and again.  I tend to learn my lines best on stage when paired with the blocking.  We are now just over a week from showtime and we just blocked my last scene.  I have only rehearsed with my fellow actors five times including read through.  Only twice on the stage, and both of those were for blocking.  (I repeat...Ack!)

AND YET ---

The show sounds good.  The costumes look good.  There is a really good vibe and energy around the show.  Actors feeling their parts.  Atmosphere out the gazoo!  Dammit, I think this is going to be a really great show!  I'm going to get my wish.  I'm getting to stretch my acting muscles, work with an edgier group of actors, do a different sort of play than would be allowed at our theater, and I'm having to work hard to get this right.  Subtle acting is required, not broad stereotypes.  I play Dudley, the caretaker in a "Steampunk Gothic Manor" owned by the childhood friend of Edgar Allan Poe.  I am not a nice person.  There are strange things afoot at Montressor Manor.  But that's all you get.  Come and see for your self.
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