I've noticed what seems to be sort of a growing trend among some community theatre groups in regard to making abbreviated rehearsal schedules. I've been thinkign a lot about this recenly especially because I just announced auditions for S.E.E. and indeed posted the entire (albeit an early draft) rehearsal schedule on the S.E.E. website. I've definitely found it helpful to give potential cast members and audience members for that matter as much information ahead of time as possible. But rehearsal schedules - which often take participating cast, crew and orchestra members away from "real life" obligations for long periods of time - have often been one of themain roadblocks to attracting new and higher quality talent to our productions.
So what are some options? I've noticed here in the Cleveland area, some directors putting together skeds with fewer weeks, but more rehearsals in the week. Instead of two or three times a week, five or six. Can your cast handle that kind of intensive rehearsal period for three weeks? Although I've considered similar models with the shows I've put together, I'm still a believer that at the community theatre level it takes more than that. A three week rehearsal schedule...
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This is always sort of a lonely period in the production process. The time before auditions and rehearsals have started and most of the thoughts and work has been in my own head or in my own office. Right now the whole production is sort of just inside me and mine alone. With each step of the process, you invite more and more people into your little world and share more and more of your ideas until the final step - opening night - when you hand it all over to other people.
But I am so excited to start bringing other people into this world -the world of Some Enchanted Evening. And I guess that starts with finding this page and this blog. Another great journey begins!
I love challenges and musical revues are in some ways very challenging because the structure of them is often very loose..no hard and fast road maps like with "book" musicals. Very liberating and very challenging. This is also different for me because while I was raised doing Rodgers and Hammerstein shows (I've been in productions of The King and I, Oklahoma and Carousel myself) my personal taste lately has moved away...
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