The participating members for February's 24-Hour Theatre project have been finalized. Now I get to wonder and worry about teams. Read my first post about teams here.
First, a summary of returning teams. Team Williams was completely decimated. One of their members was returning, but discovered a schedule conflict. That eliminates team Williams.
Team Wilde lost two members. However, three seasoned members will be returning.
Team Miller (my team) fared the best and will be returning with a single team member missing.
I mean no slight to the rest of the participants when I say that I would love to keep my same team with a single new member to replace our missing friend. It could be any of the new participants, I've worked with most of them. In fact, I invited several to participate in a collaborative project with me. They're creative, hard working, and talented performers.
So why don't I want to get mixed into the masses and get a new team?
Familiarity. My existing team has worked with each other before. We know what to expect. There's a good understanding of our capabilities. I believe that we could get started moving much faster. Our time together would be more efficient. We would know what roles we needed to fulfill in the group.
Plus, they are more likely to put up with me when I endlessly rewrite our scene.
That aside, I find it appealing to keep the teams as standing entities. It would always be Miller, Wilde, and Williams. Returning cast members would be automatically sorted onto their previous teams. New cast would fill in missing spots and then become part of that team. As available team members increased the production company would have to take care not to invite more than five members from each group.
Eventually you might have teams that are independent entities taking charge of submitting cast rosters to the project (subject to approval by the sponsoring production company). It would even increase available resources for the 5-person team during the project. It would give them a pool of colleagues to utilize for costumes, props, and possibly even scenery. Then you could really up the ante and have some fun. Team captain and team trades. One member gains bargaining power to remove members to other teams. Can you imagine the drama that could be created both on stage and off! It would be magnificent.
Okay, not really a great idea, especially since one team this time would be made entirely of new members. However, that's the same place the rest of us were in last September.
Either way, I am super excited with the cast list. I'm looking forward to working with people from my former team, previous members from the other team, and the new members. We're probably going to draw names again and randomly get placed on teams. I like my odds, because I know that together this groups is going to create a magical experience.
Sunday, February 5, 2017
Sunday, January 29, 2017
Advice For the Newbies
Over four months ago I participated in the first 24-Hour Theatre Project at the Orpheum Theatre. It was a blast and if you weren't there you missed a great show. However, if you want to experience some of it you can search "#24HTP" on Facebook. The project was such a success that the sponsoring production company, Magic Valley Repertory Theatre, has decided to do it again in 2017. Twice. Yep, twice! The first time will be at the end of February. The second will be in September. Plan now to see them.
There was a lot of discussion after the first project about how to improve the experience for the participants and the audience. I was privy to some of that discussion, but I won't go into that in-depth here. However, one topic that has been receiving the most attention as February approaches is who to involve in the next project. The desire from the production company was to allow as many people from the first project to do it again if they wanted. They also had a conflicting desire to see new faces on stage and give others the same opportunity.
A potential compromise was to offer everyone from the first project an opportunity to perform in either February or September but not both. That way all original members could have a second go round, but not (necessarily) at the time same time. This would also allow for fresh faces. Great idea, but not what they ended up doing. Earlier this month they offered everyone who was in the original a chance to be in the next show, February 25th. All we had to do was give a simple "I'm in" or "I'm out." So, theoretically the February project could have run with the exact same cast. It's not going to though.
At the last count (on the Facebook message) six people from the original project have committed to return. Seven people will not be returning. One person was still checking their schedule and one person hadn't responded. Those last two might have responded verbally, but I have no knowledge of that. However, at the bare minimum there will be seven new faces in February. There could be as many as nine. I'm taking the middle road and guessing there will be eight new people. Over half of the cast will be new in February. That's super exciting.
If you read my previous blog posts for this project you might expect that I would hypothesize on who the new members will be. Not a chance. Too many qualified performers to even risk it. Instead, this blog post is for the newbies (whoever they may be). (My apologies for anyone offended by the term "newbie". I know that the incoming participants will have varying levels of theatre experience and some might have participated in similar projects before. I had a difficult time debating on which term to use: Rookie, newbie, fresh meat, etc.).
Here's my advice for people who will be new to the project:
1. Take the stairs. Seriously. If you don't have stairs, find some. One of the worst parts about the project that I can remember was the stairs. We would wander from the stage to the costume room (basement), from the costume room to the third floor dance studio, from the dance studio to the rehearsal room (second floor), and back. There were a lot of stairs and I was generally huffing by the time I reached the dance studio. Get active. It will make that part of the project so much easier. I know there's not much time, but every little bit helps.
2. Plan your schedule for the week prior. My group didn't have a lot of problems with people having to take care of outside problems during the project, but it is always a possibility. Try and get your life in order so that there is nothing to distract you during the project. Another concern is coming into the project tired from other commitments. Try and minimize what you have to do on Thursday and Friday before the project begins. Get things done on Tuesday & Wednesday. Arrange it so you can catch up on sleep Thursday night. Don't run around crazy on Friday before the project begins. Try and find quiet activities to help you relax before the chaos happens. You'll be in better shape for the project.
3. Bring real food. The project will start off in the evening so you should eat a good meal before getting there. Start with a full belly, even at the risk of sleepy belly. You'll need the fuel immediately. The next day your group will likely hit the ground running and you won't stop until the project is over. For the first project I brought some brownies to share with the group. There were also mini candy-bars from another group member and some popcorn to be had. It wasn't enough. Plan your food ahead of time. Have snacks that are high in protein to ward off hanger and keep moving. Pack a lunch so you can eat and work. Maybe go sit down at a restaurant together as a group so you can eat and work. You'll want real food as you reach the home stretch.
4. Be prepared to sleep. You don't have to sleep at the theater and if you will sleep better at home plan on leaving for a portion of the night to rest. Most groups retired after the first few hours. Sleep will help you and your ideas rest so you can look at them with new eyes the next day. It will improve your final product and make you happier. Know what your sleep plan is and discuss it with your group early.
5. Communicate. Not just with your group--with everyone. If you need something, let the other groups know what you need. It's not a competition. The project succeeds or fails as a whole. It's possible that other groups will have props and costume pieces you need to improve your production value. If they don't know, they can't help you. Talk to the production crew. They might have solutions for your problems or ideas to help inspire your group. You're not in it alone.
6. Travel light. A notebook and pen. A laptop. That's all you need to start the project. If you plan on sleeping at the theatre bring your overnight stuff, but leave it somewhere safe. You'll have time to deal with it later and you don't want to lug it around all over the place with you. Anything else is irrelevant. You have no idea what costumes, props, or anything else you need. Your group will likely have a trip on the second day to scavenge for needed props and materials. That's the time to grab your make-up kit, character shoes, and other things that you might need for the show.
7. Write as long as possible. After you get your genre, quote, and prop you will need to brainstorm ideas, write, block the scene, memorize, and rehearse. Spend as long as possible writing. Get your idea quickly. Make decisions. Then write as long as you can. Eventually, you will need to move on to blocking and memorizing, but don't stop writing. Even when you move on to rehearsing, don't stop writing. There will likely be this fear that you won't have enough time to bring it together if you keep making changes. However, the last minute changes will generally be small but important to making it a richer play.
8. Have fun! Laugh with your group. Make jokes. Enjoy the experience of being on stage. Do whatever you need to do, but make the experience fun for you and your group.
I don't know if this will be helpful to you or not. If it doesn't work for you, just ignore it. I don't even know who you are yet, but I'm looking forward to working with you. Welcome to the team!
There was a lot of discussion after the first project about how to improve the experience for the participants and the audience. I was privy to some of that discussion, but I won't go into that in-depth here. However, one topic that has been receiving the most attention as February approaches is who to involve in the next project. The desire from the production company was to allow as many people from the first project to do it again if they wanted. They also had a conflicting desire to see new faces on stage and give others the same opportunity.
A potential compromise was to offer everyone from the first project an opportunity to perform in either February or September but not both. That way all original members could have a second go round, but not (necessarily) at the time same time. This would also allow for fresh faces. Great idea, but not what they ended up doing. Earlier this month they offered everyone who was in the original a chance to be in the next show, February 25th. All we had to do was give a simple "I'm in" or "I'm out." So, theoretically the February project could have run with the exact same cast. It's not going to though.
At the last count (on the Facebook message) six people from the original project have committed to return. Seven people will not be returning. One person was still checking their schedule and one person hadn't responded. Those last two might have responded verbally, but I have no knowledge of that. However, at the bare minimum there will be seven new faces in February. There could be as many as nine. I'm taking the middle road and guessing there will be eight new people. Over half of the cast will be new in February. That's super exciting.
If you read my previous blog posts for this project you might expect that I would hypothesize on who the new members will be. Not a chance. Too many qualified performers to even risk it. Instead, this blog post is for the newbies (whoever they may be). (My apologies for anyone offended by the term "newbie". I know that the incoming participants will have varying levels of theatre experience and some might have participated in similar projects before. I had a difficult time debating on which term to use: Rookie, newbie, fresh meat, etc.).
Here's my advice for people who will be new to the project:
1. Take the stairs. Seriously. If you don't have stairs, find some. One of the worst parts about the project that I can remember was the stairs. We would wander from the stage to the costume room (basement), from the costume room to the third floor dance studio, from the dance studio to the rehearsal room (second floor), and back. There were a lot of stairs and I was generally huffing by the time I reached the dance studio. Get active. It will make that part of the project so much easier. I know there's not much time, but every little bit helps.
2. Plan your schedule for the week prior. My group didn't have a lot of problems with people having to take care of outside problems during the project, but it is always a possibility. Try and get your life in order so that there is nothing to distract you during the project. Another concern is coming into the project tired from other commitments. Try and minimize what you have to do on Thursday and Friday before the project begins. Get things done on Tuesday & Wednesday. Arrange it so you can catch up on sleep Thursday night. Don't run around crazy on Friday before the project begins. Try and find quiet activities to help you relax before the chaos happens. You'll be in better shape for the project.
3. Bring real food. The project will start off in the evening so you should eat a good meal before getting there. Start with a full belly, even at the risk of sleepy belly. You'll need the fuel immediately. The next day your group will likely hit the ground running and you won't stop until the project is over. For the first project I brought some brownies to share with the group. There were also mini candy-bars from another group member and some popcorn to be had. It wasn't enough. Plan your food ahead of time. Have snacks that are high in protein to ward off hanger and keep moving. Pack a lunch so you can eat and work. Maybe go sit down at a restaurant together as a group so you can eat and work. You'll want real food as you reach the home stretch.
4. Be prepared to sleep. You don't have to sleep at the theater and if you will sleep better at home plan on leaving for a portion of the night to rest. Most groups retired after the first few hours. Sleep will help you and your ideas rest so you can look at them with new eyes the next day. It will improve your final product and make you happier. Know what your sleep plan is and discuss it with your group early.
5. Communicate. Not just with your group--with everyone. If you need something, let the other groups know what you need. It's not a competition. The project succeeds or fails as a whole. It's possible that other groups will have props and costume pieces you need to improve your production value. If they don't know, they can't help you. Talk to the production crew. They might have solutions for your problems or ideas to help inspire your group. You're not in it alone.
6. Travel light. A notebook and pen. A laptop. That's all you need to start the project. If you plan on sleeping at the theatre bring your overnight stuff, but leave it somewhere safe. You'll have time to deal with it later and you don't want to lug it around all over the place with you. Anything else is irrelevant. You have no idea what costumes, props, or anything else you need. Your group will likely have a trip on the second day to scavenge for needed props and materials. That's the time to grab your make-up kit, character shoes, and other things that you might need for the show.
7. Write as long as possible. After you get your genre, quote, and prop you will need to brainstorm ideas, write, block the scene, memorize, and rehearse. Spend as long as possible writing. Get your idea quickly. Make decisions. Then write as long as you can. Eventually, you will need to move on to blocking and memorizing, but don't stop writing. Even when you move on to rehearsing, don't stop writing. There will likely be this fear that you won't have enough time to bring it together if you keep making changes. However, the last minute changes will generally be small but important to making it a richer play.
8. Have fun! Laugh with your group. Make jokes. Enjoy the experience of being on stage. Do whatever you need to do, but make the experience fun for you and your group.
I don't know if this will be helpful to you or not. If it doesn't work for you, just ignore it. I don't even know who you are yet, but I'm looking forward to working with you. Welcome to the team!
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Aftermath and Afterthoughts
After 27 hours, the 24-Hour Theatre project is over. It was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed working with a great group of creators and I saw three incredible pieces of theatre produced. Here are some of my reflections from the project.
Genres
I originally ruled out historical as a potential genre thinking it too unwieldy to work with in a 24-Hour time frame. Then my group drew historical for our genre. Well, when you're on the spot you look at things differently. It didn't matter if historical was unwieldy, my group was going to do it anyway. No one in my group was a history expert, but that didn't matter. We structured our play so we could fit the genre without having to be experts. Our solution was to use an historical event as the background to our piece. It still required a fair amount of research, but it was less likely that we were going to get called out for anachronisms or factual errors. There are probably other solutions, but necessity really is the mother of invention.
Games
I brought games to play when people needed a break. They never left my bag. My group never got so frustrated with each other that we needed time apart, thought we got that anyway as tasks pulled us in separate directions. When we did need a break from working the play we did not want games. We wanted to rest, lie down, eat. There is no time for casual game playing in a 24-Hour theatre project. Leave that for the after party.
Revisions
Revisions are necessary. You can't hope to get a great script written in 24 hours. It's not going to happen. It is even less likely to happen in twelve. It is definitely not going to happen in three. I don't know the process the other groups went through, but we were revising our script until hour 21. At that point we declared we could afford no more changes (though we still had a few minor changes as we finished memorizing). For that reason we were the last group (I believe) to be off-script. However, I think it was worth it. The changes we were making at the very end were vital to making our end product better.
When I do this again I will definitely be encouraging my group to keep editing, refining, adding, and cutting until the last minute. It might make the memorization more stressful, but it will be worth it. Ending the writing process too soon could possibly be the worst mistake a group could make
Sleep
Sleep was definitely worth it. Everyone slept, some more than others. I managed to be sleeping alone in the dressing room while other members of the project slept in the lobby or on the landing. It was like I had my own little suite. How did I get so lucky? Most of the cast and crew actually went home to sleep. Some of them went home and didn't sleep much. I am ambivalent about staying in the theatre to sleep. I didn't sleep well because it was an unfamiliar environment. Also, there wasn't a large social aspect. When people stopped working for the night they generally didn't want to stay and socialize. They wanted to sleep. So, the major benefit of staying in the theatre is less-travel time. But sleeping better at home might be worth the travel time.
I told the theatre owner that next year I'll spend the week leading up to the project sleeping in the theatre to help acclimatize myself. He laughed.
Improvements
If I did the project again would I do it differently? Yes! But not completely. I am incredibly pleased with how my group worked, solved problems, created sets. I would work with all of them again in a heartbeat and hope that they can say the same about me. What would I do differently? I can't really verbalize it well but I know there is always room for improvement.
Beyond improvement for how I personally approached the project, I also have ideas about how to do variations on the show. One of my last minute dreams was to include surprise celebrity guests, but I'm not sure NPH, Bill Murray, or Nathan Fillion will be available. I have other ideas too and you better believe I'll be sharing them with the organizers. What are they? Well, that would be giving you spoilers, but they are some wonderful ideas. Okay, you talked me into sharing one idea. A theatre experience much like Survivor were you start off with a group who has to collaboratively create and perform a show. Then after the show you have to vote a person out of the group and do it again with one less person in the group. Not really feasible for amateurs, but if you could find the people who had the time and venue that could be a lot of fun.
Finally, thank you to everyone who participated in the project, came to see the show, or has followed this blog. I don't know when I'll blog next here. There might be some random posts in the interval before the next 24-hour theatre project. If not, I hope you're reading this again next year. Until then, ciao!
Genres
I originally ruled out historical as a potential genre thinking it too unwieldy to work with in a 24-Hour time frame. Then my group drew historical for our genre. Well, when you're on the spot you look at things differently. It didn't matter if historical was unwieldy, my group was going to do it anyway. No one in my group was a history expert, but that didn't matter. We structured our play so we could fit the genre without having to be experts. Our solution was to use an historical event as the background to our piece. It still required a fair amount of research, but it was less likely that we were going to get called out for anachronisms or factual errors. There are probably other solutions, but necessity really is the mother of invention.
Games
I brought games to play when people needed a break. They never left my bag. My group never got so frustrated with each other that we needed time apart, thought we got that anyway as tasks pulled us in separate directions. When we did need a break from working the play we did not want games. We wanted to rest, lie down, eat. There is no time for casual game playing in a 24-Hour theatre project. Leave that for the after party.
Revisions
Revisions are necessary. You can't hope to get a great script written in 24 hours. It's not going to happen. It is even less likely to happen in twelve. It is definitely not going to happen in three. I don't know the process the other groups went through, but we were revising our script until hour 21. At that point we declared we could afford no more changes (though we still had a few minor changes as we finished memorizing). For that reason we were the last group (I believe) to be off-script. However, I think it was worth it. The changes we were making at the very end were vital to making our end product better.
When I do this again I will definitely be encouraging my group to keep editing, refining, adding, and cutting until the last minute. It might make the memorization more stressful, but it will be worth it. Ending the writing process too soon could possibly be the worst mistake a group could make
Sleep
Sleep was definitely worth it. Everyone slept, some more than others. I managed to be sleeping alone in the dressing room while other members of the project slept in the lobby or on the landing. It was like I had my own little suite. How did I get so lucky? Most of the cast and crew actually went home to sleep. Some of them went home and didn't sleep much. I am ambivalent about staying in the theatre to sleep. I didn't sleep well because it was an unfamiliar environment. Also, there wasn't a large social aspect. When people stopped working for the night they generally didn't want to stay and socialize. They wanted to sleep. So, the major benefit of staying in the theatre is less-travel time. But sleeping better at home might be worth the travel time.
I told the theatre owner that next year I'll spend the week leading up to the project sleeping in the theatre to help acclimatize myself. He laughed.
Improvements
If I did the project again would I do it differently? Yes! But not completely. I am incredibly pleased with how my group worked, solved problems, created sets. I would work with all of them again in a heartbeat and hope that they can say the same about me. What would I do differently? I can't really verbalize it well but I know there is always room for improvement.
Beyond improvement for how I personally approached the project, I also have ideas about how to do variations on the show. One of my last minute dreams was to include surprise celebrity guests, but I'm not sure NPH, Bill Murray, or Nathan Fillion will be available. I have other ideas too and you better believe I'll be sharing them with the organizers. What are they? Well, that would be giving you spoilers, but they are some wonderful ideas. Okay, you talked me into sharing one idea. A theatre experience much like Survivor were you start off with a group who has to collaboratively create and perform a show. Then after the show you have to vote a person out of the group and do it again with one less person in the group. Not really feasible for amateurs, but if you could find the people who had the time and venue that could be a lot of fun.
Finally, thank you to everyone who participated in the project, came to see the show, or has followed this blog. I don't know when I'll blog next here. There might be some random posts in the interval before the next 24-hour theatre project. If not, I hope you're reading this again next year. Until then, ciao!
Friday, September 16, 2016
What I Would Like to See
Here it is! My last post before the 24-Hour Theatre Project begins. My apologies in advance, but since the project starts in about 10 hours (as of this writing) I am not going to edit this post as thoroughly as I have tried to do in the past. I am definitely excited. How can I tell? I've been having dreams about it. Crazy dreams! Three nights running worth of dreams. That is big excitement for me.
However, this post isn't going to be about the 24-Hour Theatre project. It is going to be about original theatre experiences. It is going to be a brief summation of some things that I would like to see in community theatre. Now, as I write this I am going to encourage you to go see original productions. I don't mean to imply that reproductions of famous works aren't worth your time. Most of the shows I've participated in aren't original and I've loved them. The audience is usually entertained as well.
Still, there is something special about creating, especially when you are collaborating. With original experiences you have the chance to be the first person to see a show. You might be among a small handful that will ever see that show. That makes it special (assuming it's worth seeing). So, let me tell you about a few ideas I would love to see locally.
Writing Contest--In high school I entered a writing contest in the drama category. I got honorable mention for a play I wrote up in a few minutes. It involved two boys trying to use creative wording to excuse their cheating. Cooperative learning experience. In the end the principal gives them detention, but tells them to consider it something else. I can't remember what I called it anymore. I don't have the script. Not important. I do remember watching them do readings of the winners play. One involved helicopters and the Vietnam war. They played Simon and Garfunkel. It stuck with me.
I would love to see a local writing contest like that, but not for high school students. For everyone! Who knows what creative talent is hiding out there just waiting for their opportunity to shine? Sure, the ambitious will go out and make their opportunities. Sometimes, we need to help others to shine. To remind them of their potential. So, a writing contest geared for adults in the Magic Valley.
Radio Drama--This wouldn't necessarily be an original work, but I think it would be an interesting change of pace from many of the shows we see. The audience enters the theatre, they are given their program. They get their concessions. They find their seats. The cast comes out and are introduced, then they are hidden behind a screen on stage. The lights go out and then the performers begin to act out a radio style drama, focusing on the sound quality, not the visual quality. I already have a show in mind for this.
What I especially love about this is that it would give a sound technician a chance to really thrive as they helped create the appropriate atmosphere for the show.
Theatre Olympics--Theatre olympics exist somewhere, but I don't know what they entail. I also know high school students regularly participate in drama competitions. I don't know what those entail either. What I am picturing is a competition with several events. Some events require teams, some require that you enter solo.
Possible events would be: Monologues (comedic, dramatic, cold-reading), Improv (Sketch, gimmick, long-form), Costume Design, Set Design, Team Short pieces.
Preliminary events would be held like auditions to help narrow the field down to a few people that would then compete in front of an audience. I don't know if listening to monologues would be too boring for a paying audience, but it would be a fun experiment.
Choose Your Own Adventure Play--Just like the old books, the audience gets to help decide the fate of the play. At key points during the action the players will freeze on stage while a question along the lines of "What Happens Next?" is given to the audience. They then use electronic devices to key in their answer and it appears on the projector so everyone can see the results. The players than act out the next part according to the players choice.
I did a version of this with a 3-minute improvisation game. It usually got crazy and utter ridiculous. It's hard to tell a good story when the audience is given the chance to vote on random suggestions. They tend to pick the thing that will be most embarrassing for the actors. For that reason I would not suggest doing this as improvisation. This should be a fully scripted show, with the alternate scenes scripted out and rehearsed rigorously.
Even that could quickly grow out of hand. It's a numbers game. One choice point with three selections makes for three different (though possibly similar) scenes to be rehearsed. If you add another choice point with three selections later you could have a possibility of nine different endings! And that's if you stick with two choice points. Every choice point you add makes an exponential increase in the number of scenes the players have to memorize.
For that reason, I imagine that you would have only two choice points. The first choice point would come before the intermission and be a major part of the rising action. This choice point would only have two options. A character does either 'A' or 'B'. That gives the cast and crew ten minutes to prepare themselves for the details of the scene that has been selected. Another choice point would be right at the climax. This is where the audience is allowed to select the ending, even if it doesn't turn out the way they had hoped. Make this another 'A' or 'B' choice point and you will probably have four endings that differ slightly. It might even be feasible to add a 'C' choice at this point and allow six different endings without overtaxing the actors.
In the end, it is going to take the right group of actors to pull this off because of the work involved. A lot of fun for the audience, but a lot of work for the actors. This might serve better as a long-running show that gives the audience multiple chances to come see it and get different experiences. Of course, long-running shows are more effective if you have actors who can commit to long-shows. That doesn't happen often in community theatre so this idea might not be right for the Magic Valley.
What theatre experiences would you like to see?
However, this post isn't going to be about the 24-Hour Theatre project. It is going to be about original theatre experiences. It is going to be a brief summation of some things that I would like to see in community theatre. Now, as I write this I am going to encourage you to go see original productions. I don't mean to imply that reproductions of famous works aren't worth your time. Most of the shows I've participated in aren't original and I've loved them. The audience is usually entertained as well.
Still, there is something special about creating, especially when you are collaborating. With original experiences you have the chance to be the first person to see a show. You might be among a small handful that will ever see that show. That makes it special (assuming it's worth seeing). So, let me tell you about a few ideas I would love to see locally.
Writing Contest--In high school I entered a writing contest in the drama category. I got honorable mention for a play I wrote up in a few minutes. It involved two boys trying to use creative wording to excuse their cheating. Cooperative learning experience. In the end the principal gives them detention, but tells them to consider it something else. I can't remember what I called it anymore. I don't have the script. Not important. I do remember watching them do readings of the winners play. One involved helicopters and the Vietnam war. They played Simon and Garfunkel. It stuck with me.
I would love to see a local writing contest like that, but not for high school students. For everyone! Who knows what creative talent is hiding out there just waiting for their opportunity to shine? Sure, the ambitious will go out and make their opportunities. Sometimes, we need to help others to shine. To remind them of their potential. So, a writing contest geared for adults in the Magic Valley.
Radio Drama--This wouldn't necessarily be an original work, but I think it would be an interesting change of pace from many of the shows we see. The audience enters the theatre, they are given their program. They get their concessions. They find their seats. The cast comes out and are introduced, then they are hidden behind a screen on stage. The lights go out and then the performers begin to act out a radio style drama, focusing on the sound quality, not the visual quality. I already have a show in mind for this.
What I especially love about this is that it would give a sound technician a chance to really thrive as they helped create the appropriate atmosphere for the show.
Theatre Olympics--Theatre olympics exist somewhere, but I don't know what they entail. I also know high school students regularly participate in drama competitions. I don't know what those entail either. What I am picturing is a competition with several events. Some events require teams, some require that you enter solo.
Possible events would be: Monologues (comedic, dramatic, cold-reading), Improv (Sketch, gimmick, long-form), Costume Design, Set Design, Team Short pieces.
Preliminary events would be held like auditions to help narrow the field down to a few people that would then compete in front of an audience. I don't know if listening to monologues would be too boring for a paying audience, but it would be a fun experiment.
Choose Your Own Adventure Play--Just like the old books, the audience gets to help decide the fate of the play. At key points during the action the players will freeze on stage while a question along the lines of "What Happens Next?" is given to the audience. They then use electronic devices to key in their answer and it appears on the projector so everyone can see the results. The players than act out the next part according to the players choice.
I did a version of this with a 3-minute improvisation game. It usually got crazy and utter ridiculous. It's hard to tell a good story when the audience is given the chance to vote on random suggestions. They tend to pick the thing that will be most embarrassing for the actors. For that reason I would not suggest doing this as improvisation. This should be a fully scripted show, with the alternate scenes scripted out and rehearsed rigorously.
Even that could quickly grow out of hand. It's a numbers game. One choice point with three selections makes for three different (though possibly similar) scenes to be rehearsed. If you add another choice point with three selections later you could have a possibility of nine different endings! And that's if you stick with two choice points. Every choice point you add makes an exponential increase in the number of scenes the players have to memorize.
For that reason, I imagine that you would have only two choice points. The first choice point would come before the intermission and be a major part of the rising action. This choice point would only have two options. A character does either 'A' or 'B'. That gives the cast and crew ten minutes to prepare themselves for the details of the scene that has been selected. Another choice point would be right at the climax. This is where the audience is allowed to select the ending, even if it doesn't turn out the way they had hoped. Make this another 'A' or 'B' choice point and you will probably have four endings that differ slightly. It might even be feasible to add a 'C' choice at this point and allow six different endings without overtaxing the actors.
In the end, it is going to take the right group of actors to pull this off because of the work involved. A lot of fun for the audience, but a lot of work for the actors. This might serve better as a long-running show that gives the audience multiple chances to come see it and get different experiences. Of course, long-running shows are more effective if you have actors who can commit to long-shows. That doesn't happen often in community theatre so this idea might not be right for the Magic Valley.
What theatre experiences would you like to see?
Saturday, September 10, 2016
What To Bring?
Preparing for 24-Hour Theatre requires an important decision. Will I leave the theater once I arrive? The question is not "Will I sleep?" Sleep is never the question. Sleep is the answer. I can't do 24-hours awake anymore, I'm not as young as I used to be. I'm not old, but I am old enough. I definitely can't perform after being awake for over 24-Hours. I will be sleeping, but will I leave the theater to do it?
Here's my problem with leaving the theater: Armageddon. Okay, not really. I don't expect Armageddon, the end of the world, to occur. However, there is a line from Armageddon, the 1998 disaster film, that I think is relevant: "Once they get off the rig, they scatter."
Once a group leaves the theater anything can happen. Not only are you spending time sleeping, you're spending time traveling back and forth. Then, at the theater, you're spending time waiting because there's no guarantee that everyone will arrive on time. Missed alarm clocks, traffic, who knows. Intentions mean little in the face of the real world.
For that reason, let's assume I'm not leaving the theater until the project is over. That's not a guarantee. Still, for this mental exercise it is a good place to start. So, given that, what should I bring?
Pajamas.
Pillow.
Blanket.
Pillow Bed. (Made for my children, but they make hard floors more comfortable.)
Change of clothes.
Basic toiletries.
Food, snacks.
Money. (There are some nice eateries by the theater.)
Cell phone charger.
Those are the items I'll need just for personal comfort. Now the items for the project.
My writing notebook. (I keep a black Cambridge notebook for most of my writing projects. I also have a general one for writing exercises and general brainstorming. It will be perfect for this project.)
My idea book.
Writing prompts.
Pens, multiple.
Improv comedy game list.
Actor blacks.
Make-up kit.
Black shoes.
Those are the items that I consider necessities. A big part of me doesn't want to add more than those. I used to pride myself on my ability to travel lightly. Still, I'd rather have everything I need and want even if it means I'm not traveling light. As such, the following group of want requires a little more explanation.
My mandolin--Even if it doesn't get played, musical instruments make great props. I have other instruments available to me, but this is the one I'm most comfortable taking around.
My rabbit puppet--I got this after Spamalot. It's the exact same version I used in the show. I don't expect to be a puppeteer during the project, but then again...
A game--I love playing games. I will be with a group of people. Why not bring a game? In fact, it's the perfect way to break tension and relax as the project gets stressful. The real question is which game?
Costume pieces--I have a few pieces that I've used for Halloween costumes. I can always run home and get them. Having them on hand would save me the trip.
Food to Share--What better way then to bond with my group then over some fresh made cookies, brownies, bread, etc. We are going to be starting right around dinner time.
Hmmm...now that I sit down and think about it I can't think of much else that I want to bring. I've probably forgotten something. I'll remember after I've already left home. So, what have I forgotten? What would you bring with you to this type of project?
Here's my problem with leaving the theater: Armageddon. Okay, not really. I don't expect Armageddon, the end of the world, to occur. However, there is a line from Armageddon, the 1998 disaster film, that I think is relevant: "Once they get off the rig, they scatter."
Once a group leaves the theater anything can happen. Not only are you spending time sleeping, you're spending time traveling back and forth. Then, at the theater, you're spending time waiting because there's no guarantee that everyone will arrive on time. Missed alarm clocks, traffic, who knows. Intentions mean little in the face of the real world.
For that reason, let's assume I'm not leaving the theater until the project is over. That's not a guarantee. Still, for this mental exercise it is a good place to start. So, given that, what should I bring?
Pajamas.
Pillow.
Blanket.
Pillow Bed. (Made for my children, but they make hard floors more comfortable.)
Change of clothes.
Basic toiletries.
Food, snacks.
Money. (There are some nice eateries by the theater.)
Cell phone charger.
Those are the items I'll need just for personal comfort. Now the items for the project.
My writing notebook. (I keep a black Cambridge notebook for most of my writing projects. I also have a general one for writing exercises and general brainstorming. It will be perfect for this project.)
My idea book.
Writing prompts.
Pens, multiple.
Improv comedy game list.
Actor blacks.
Make-up kit.
Black shoes.
Those are the items that I consider necessities. A big part of me doesn't want to add more than those. I used to pride myself on my ability to travel lightly. Still, I'd rather have everything I need and want even if it means I'm not traveling light. As such, the following group of want requires a little more explanation.
My mandolin--Even if it doesn't get played, musical instruments make great props. I have other instruments available to me, but this is the one I'm most comfortable taking around.
My rabbit puppet--I got this after Spamalot. It's the exact same version I used in the show. I don't expect to be a puppeteer during the project, but then again...
A game--I love playing games. I will be with a group of people. Why not bring a game? In fact, it's the perfect way to break tension and relax as the project gets stressful. The real question is which game?
Costume pieces--I have a few pieces that I've used for Halloween costumes. I can always run home and get them. Having them on hand would save me the trip.
Food to Share--What better way then to bond with my group then over some fresh made cookies, brownies, bread, etc. We are going to be starting right around dinner time.
Hmmm...now that I sit down and think about it I can't think of much else that I want to bring. I've probably forgotten something. I'll remember after I've already left home. So, what have I forgotten? What would you bring with you to this type of project?
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
Personal Preparation
It is time to talk about my personal preparation for the 24-Hour Theatre Project. First, I have been listening to the Rocky Theme obsessively. I've been running down streets while my children bicycle next to me, skipping rope, punching rib-eyes hung from my ceiling, and waving my arms around in victory every chance get.
Okay, I haven't done any of that. I have talked about skipping rope a lot, but that is the extent of it. That is a shame! Why haven't I listened to the Rocky Theme. I'm going to do that. Do you mind? Thanks, just a sec.
And done! Aah, the magic of the internet. You should take a minute to listen to it too. The blog will be here when you get back. I promise, you won't regret it.
Done? Great! Let's get back to me.
You may not know, but I am a playwright. As an aside, if you are interested in why it is spelled that way (I wondered) you can check out this article. Fascinating. Anyway, I am a playwright. Of course, I am not a successful playwright. I'm not a published or produced playwright. However, I have crafted a full-length play, half a musical (minus lyrics), uncountable short pieces (two have been performed by me, one received honorable mention in a high school contest), and have two other plays in progress. I think that qualifies as a playwright.
I will let you know as soon as I add the words successful, published, or produced to that title.
Anyway, I was reading an article about becoming a better playwright. Among it's suggestions was to read a lot of plays. Fortunately, this is something that I do anyway. However, I have not read many one-act plays. I haven't seen any one-act plays that I can remember. In fact, I am completely unfamiliar with the pacing.
Shortly after receiving the invitation to the project I was at Deseret Industries looking for a baseball glove for myself and my son. Different story, I won't go into the details. Suffice it to say that I spent $5 on baseball gloves and it was money well spent. While there I found something I wasn't trying to find.
I immediately thought, "I should read that." So, I did. I read a play or two a day over the last few weeks. I reviewed it on Goodreads. It was a short review. Basically, some plays were great, others not so much. I think my major complaint would be that most of the plays were older (the book was compiled in 1958) and while each had a unique style there was a generational tone that seemed to run through them all. It was a different world and not a time period I feel comfortable writing about (yet). Still, the biographies for the authors had this little gem about Arthur Miller: "He is married to Marilyn Monroe and at present lives in Roxbury, Connecticut." Old books are moments frozen in time.
After, I wanted to read more current one-act plays. I found a collection of short-plays from the 1980's at the local library. While grabbing that book I pulled some nearby items off the shelves. I love the library! Here is my current reading list:
Fortunately, plays are quick to read as I only have ten more days to prepare. Unfortunately, I've gotten bogged down in the Dedication of Peter Pan. And yes, it is Peter Pan the stage production not the novel. I won't finish all of them before Friday, but I'll do my best. The one's that I don't finish before next Friday I'll ready later because I want to read them anyway.
Any plays you think I should read? Reading suggestions are always my favorite!
Okay, I haven't done any of that. I have talked about skipping rope a lot, but that is the extent of it. That is a shame! Why haven't I listened to the Rocky Theme. I'm going to do that. Do you mind? Thanks, just a sec.
And done! Aah, the magic of the internet. You should take a minute to listen to it too. The blog will be here when you get back. I promise, you won't regret it.
Done? Great! Let's get back to me.
You may not know, but I am a playwright. As an aside, if you are interested in why it is spelled that way (I wondered) you can check out this article. Fascinating. Anyway, I am a playwright. Of course, I am not a successful playwright. I'm not a published or produced playwright. However, I have crafted a full-length play, half a musical (minus lyrics), uncountable short pieces (two have been performed by me, one received honorable mention in a high school contest), and have two other plays in progress. I think that qualifies as a playwright.
I will let you know as soon as I add the words successful, published, or produced to that title.
Anyway, I was reading an article about becoming a better playwright. Among it's suggestions was to read a lot of plays. Fortunately, this is something that I do anyway. However, I have not read many one-act plays. I haven't seen any one-act plays that I can remember. In fact, I am completely unfamiliar with the pacing.
Shortly after receiving the invitation to the project I was at Deseret Industries looking for a baseball glove for myself and my son. Different story, I won't go into the details. Suffice it to say that I spent $5 on baseball gloves and it was money well spent. While there I found something I wasn't trying to find.
I immediately thought, "I should read that." So, I did. I read a play or two a day over the last few weeks. I reviewed it on Goodreads. It was a short review. Basically, some plays were great, others not so much. I think my major complaint would be that most of the plays were older (the book was compiled in 1958) and while each had a unique style there was a generational tone that seemed to run through them all. It was a different world and not a time period I feel comfortable writing about (yet). Still, the biographies for the authors had this little gem about Arthur Miller: "He is married to Marilyn Monroe and at present lives in Roxbury, Connecticut." Old books are moments frozen in time.
After, I wanted to read more current one-act plays. I found a collection of short-plays from the 1980's at the local library. While grabbing that book I pulled some nearby items off the shelves. I love the library! Here is my current reading list:
Fortunately, plays are quick to read as I only have ten more days to prepare. Unfortunately, I've gotten bogged down in the Dedication of Peter Pan. And yes, it is Peter Pan the stage production not the novel. I won't finish all of them before Friday, but I'll do my best. The one's that I don't finish before next Friday I'll ready later because I want to read them anyway.
Any plays you think I should read? Reading suggestions are always my favorite!
Sunday, September 4, 2016
Audience
That's right. This is a post about the audience. Why? Because it's about time that audiences learned a few things. Some audience members already know. If that's you skip this post or consider it a refresher course.
Theatre thrives on the audience. It's the lifeblood of a performance. Honestly, without an audience it is just another rehearsal. And while rehearsals can be a blast (with the right people) performers need people to perform for. So, here is the first point: Yes, you need to come see this show! Is the audience big enough? Absolutely not. How do I know? If the show isn't sold out then there aren't enough people in the audience. That's from me as a performer. I'm not making money off of ticket sales. I have no financial stake in filling seats. I want seats filled because having an audience is important, and every single person in the audience matters!
Of course, size doesn't really matter; quality does. Insert your own jokes here. I have performed for audiences of varying sizes. The smallest, to my memory, was an audience of six. That's right. Six. I am sure I have friends who have performed for fewer. I have also performed in theatres filled to capacity (200+). I'll tell you, those weren't always the best audiences. Some of the smallest audience were so much better than their larger counterparts. However, as a general rule I will take a large audience over a small one any day. The odds of having a quality audience increase. I'll get to that in a moment. So...
What Makes a Good Audience?
Responsiveness. That's it. For me, that's pretty much the end all be all. There are other important factors, but it's the most vital parts of being a good audience. Be responsive to what is happening on stage. When I did improv comedy we would spend the first five minutes of every show teaching the audience how to be responsive. We warmed them up. That's how important is. We spent the first 5% of the show prepping the audience to make them more responsive. It helped that it was fun for everyone. Warming up the audience involved having them practice giving suggestions when we asked for them, encouraging them to be louder, to shout out without raising the hand, and then to be quiet again when something was happening on stage. The last part is important because you can be too responsive. We would get the audience excited by playing games. Sometimes the audience would become a barnyard orchestra. Or jungle. Or other animal ecosystem. Other times we would turn the audience into an auditory rainstorm. Occasionally, we would make them ride an invisible roller coaster. Our favorite conclusion to the warm-up was a countdown (or sometimes a count up) where we would ask the audience to make their applause louder and louder as we moved from 10 (meh) to 1 (on your feet, hands in the air, deafening screams of appreciation).
Why is responsiveness important? Performers are like vampires. We feed on the energy of the audience and use it to improve our performances. Being on stage for two hours is just exhausting. It takes a lot of energy. You can tell when a person is feeling tired. We all recognize the symptoms. It is the same in theatre. Generally you can tell when the actors don't have any energy and it's often not a single actor but the entire cast. The performance suffers. However, when the audience is generating energy the performers can feed off of that and keep the show high energy. Without it the entire process becomes a chore. Sure, the actors can create their own energy (the best actors keep their energy high regardless of the audience), but it makes things more difficult. And actors recognize it. We know when our energy is down. We know when we need to raise the energy. Having a good audience helps. Good audiences lead to better performances.
One of the problems in scripted theatre is the audience rarely has a chance to be instructed on expectations for their behavior. I'm talking about more than etiquette, though I'll brush on etiquette in a moment. How do you teach an audience to respond appropriately at a scripted event? First, do what you can. Second, hope the audiences does the rest.
We can help the audience be more responsive by how we stage productions. That's probably a college level course right there, and no , I'm not qualified to teach it. Let me give you one example: giving the audience permission to laugh. Many shows, even non-comedies, have comedic moments in them. This helps to break tension and give the audience a diverse emotional experience. It's difficult to maintain the same emotional level for long periods of time. People get exhausted. If you want your drama to be more dramatic add some comedy. Well-timed comedy breaks the audience's tension, gives them some relief, and then allows them to return to the serious mood and sustain it longer. However, this only works if your audience is willing to laugh. If the tone is so serious that they don't dare laugh, even at an obvious joke, then your production will soon start to drag. To avoid this it's nice to have a comedic moment before the audience gets stuck in a serious mind frame. Not so soon that they think they're in a comedy (unless they are), but early. First scene. If it's played appropriately the audience knows they are supposed to laugh. When they have this permission every other emotion comes easier. The audience will be more responsive, the production will improve.
One of the things that gets talked about backstage is key members in the audience. There are a few known audience members who laugh easily and loudly. They help encourage the audience to respond as well. Being one of these people, if the audience needs it, is highly appreciated. They lift the actors spirits and give them something to look forward to when they are on stage. That's why a bigger audience can be better. Increased odds of having this person in the group. The downside though is group think. An audience members wants to laugh, but they don't because no one else is laughing? Why is no one else in the audience laughing? They don't want to be the first. They're not laughing, because no one else is laughing. Vicious cycle.
What if comedy is inappropriate to the show entirely? How does the audience become responsive then? That's a harder question and I don't have a great answer. Part of it will be body language. The actors can see you (mostly) and we do know when you are engaged. We see more than you think. Other times, appropriate vocal cues help us know you are involved. For example, in one of my favorite moments I was being escorted off stage by two other characters (both who will be in the 24-Hour Theatre project!). I don't know exactly how we goofed, but as we rounded the corner instead of walking back and off-stage I walked face first into the proscenium. Hard. Then I was dragged the rest of the way off-stage. When I got off-stage I started laughing (as quietly as possible). I found it hilarious and while a bit dazed, I was unharmed. The great thing was, the audience response told us that they had seen it. They oohed in a "that had to hurt" fashion. That involvement made it great! I was excited to get back on stage. It wasn't an intended comedic moment, and the audience responded appropriately. Thrills!
Either way. Find a way to let the actors know you're involved. Let them know you're invested. This is part two. The audience doing the rest. Things that will help you: know what you're getting into before you go see the show. I've done a couple of shows (and seen a couple of shows) that were emotional kicks to the teeth. If you don't know what to expect it's going to be hard to stay engaged. Do your research, if you're going to see a comedy be prepared to laugh. If you're going to a thriller be prepared to be scared, surprised, shocked, tricked, etc. If you're going to a tragedy be prepared to cry. Know that you're going to be hit in the feels and be ready for it. The more you know about the production, the more valuable you are as an audience member. Do your research. That doesn't mean you have to read the show and know all the plot twists. Please don't. But know what to expect content wise. Ask around, someone will be able to help you.
Finally, don't engage inappropriately. In most scripted shows audience participation is not necessary. Yelling comments at the stage, making your own jokes in response to our jokes, and making noises to attract attention to yourself and away from the stage are inappropriate. They don't make you friends of the audience or the performers. Theatre has etiquette and if you can't maintain that etiquette maybe it's not your venue.
So, share this post. Share the 24-Hour Theatre Event (and other local theatre happenings). Come fill the Orpheum Theatre. You don't get an opportunity for these kind of locally grown theatre events very often. Who knows? You might see the beginning of the next Pulitzer Prize winning drama. There's a chance you will see a beautifully crafted piece of theatre that will never be performed again. But we need an audience to make it magical. Be in that audience. Thank you!
Here's a link to some Broadway Theatre Etiquette. Yes, I think it applies to local community theatre as well. http://www.nytix.com/Links/Broadway/Articles/etiquette.html
Theatre thrives on the audience. It's the lifeblood of a performance. Honestly, without an audience it is just another rehearsal. And while rehearsals can be a blast (with the right people) performers need people to perform for. So, here is the first point: Yes, you need to come see this show! Is the audience big enough? Absolutely not. How do I know? If the show isn't sold out then there aren't enough people in the audience. That's from me as a performer. I'm not making money off of ticket sales. I have no financial stake in filling seats. I want seats filled because having an audience is important, and every single person in the audience matters!
Of course, size doesn't really matter; quality does. Insert your own jokes here. I have performed for audiences of varying sizes. The smallest, to my memory, was an audience of six. That's right. Six. I am sure I have friends who have performed for fewer. I have also performed in theatres filled to capacity (200+). I'll tell you, those weren't always the best audiences. Some of the smallest audience were so much better than their larger counterparts. However, as a general rule I will take a large audience over a small one any day. The odds of having a quality audience increase. I'll get to that in a moment. So...
What Makes a Good Audience?
Responsiveness. That's it. For me, that's pretty much the end all be all. There are other important factors, but it's the most vital parts of being a good audience. Be responsive to what is happening on stage. When I did improv comedy we would spend the first five minutes of every show teaching the audience how to be responsive. We warmed them up. That's how important is. We spent the first 5% of the show prepping the audience to make them more responsive. It helped that it was fun for everyone. Warming up the audience involved having them practice giving suggestions when we asked for them, encouraging them to be louder, to shout out without raising the hand, and then to be quiet again when something was happening on stage. The last part is important because you can be too responsive. We would get the audience excited by playing games. Sometimes the audience would become a barnyard orchestra. Or jungle. Or other animal ecosystem. Other times we would turn the audience into an auditory rainstorm. Occasionally, we would make them ride an invisible roller coaster. Our favorite conclusion to the warm-up was a countdown (or sometimes a count up) where we would ask the audience to make their applause louder and louder as we moved from 10 (meh) to 1 (on your feet, hands in the air, deafening screams of appreciation).
Why is responsiveness important? Performers are like vampires. We feed on the energy of the audience and use it to improve our performances. Being on stage for two hours is just exhausting. It takes a lot of energy. You can tell when a person is feeling tired. We all recognize the symptoms. It is the same in theatre. Generally you can tell when the actors don't have any energy and it's often not a single actor but the entire cast. The performance suffers. However, when the audience is generating energy the performers can feed off of that and keep the show high energy. Without it the entire process becomes a chore. Sure, the actors can create their own energy (the best actors keep their energy high regardless of the audience), but it makes things more difficult. And actors recognize it. We know when our energy is down. We know when we need to raise the energy. Having a good audience helps. Good audiences lead to better performances.
One of the problems in scripted theatre is the audience rarely has a chance to be instructed on expectations for their behavior. I'm talking about more than etiquette, though I'll brush on etiquette in a moment. How do you teach an audience to respond appropriately at a scripted event? First, do what you can. Second, hope the audiences does the rest.
We can help the audience be more responsive by how we stage productions. That's probably a college level course right there, and no , I'm not qualified to teach it. Let me give you one example: giving the audience permission to laugh. Many shows, even non-comedies, have comedic moments in them. This helps to break tension and give the audience a diverse emotional experience. It's difficult to maintain the same emotional level for long periods of time. People get exhausted. If you want your drama to be more dramatic add some comedy. Well-timed comedy breaks the audience's tension, gives them some relief, and then allows them to return to the serious mood and sustain it longer. However, this only works if your audience is willing to laugh. If the tone is so serious that they don't dare laugh, even at an obvious joke, then your production will soon start to drag. To avoid this it's nice to have a comedic moment before the audience gets stuck in a serious mind frame. Not so soon that they think they're in a comedy (unless they are), but early. First scene. If it's played appropriately the audience knows they are supposed to laugh. When they have this permission every other emotion comes easier. The audience will be more responsive, the production will improve.
One of the things that gets talked about backstage is key members in the audience. There are a few known audience members who laugh easily and loudly. They help encourage the audience to respond as well. Being one of these people, if the audience needs it, is highly appreciated. They lift the actors spirits and give them something to look forward to when they are on stage. That's why a bigger audience can be better. Increased odds of having this person in the group. The downside though is group think. An audience members wants to laugh, but they don't because no one else is laughing? Why is no one else in the audience laughing? They don't want to be the first. They're not laughing, because no one else is laughing. Vicious cycle.
What if comedy is inappropriate to the show entirely? How does the audience become responsive then? That's a harder question and I don't have a great answer. Part of it will be body language. The actors can see you (mostly) and we do know when you are engaged. We see more than you think. Other times, appropriate vocal cues help us know you are involved. For example, in one of my favorite moments I was being escorted off stage by two other characters (both who will be in the 24-Hour Theatre project!). I don't know exactly how we goofed, but as we rounded the corner instead of walking back and off-stage I walked face first into the proscenium. Hard. Then I was dragged the rest of the way off-stage. When I got off-stage I started laughing (as quietly as possible). I found it hilarious and while a bit dazed, I was unharmed. The great thing was, the audience response told us that they had seen it. They oohed in a "that had to hurt" fashion. That involvement made it great! I was excited to get back on stage. It wasn't an intended comedic moment, and the audience responded appropriately. Thrills!
Either way. Find a way to let the actors know you're involved. Let them know you're invested. This is part two. The audience doing the rest. Things that will help you: know what you're getting into before you go see the show. I've done a couple of shows (and seen a couple of shows) that were emotional kicks to the teeth. If you don't know what to expect it's going to be hard to stay engaged. Do your research, if you're going to see a comedy be prepared to laugh. If you're going to a thriller be prepared to be scared, surprised, shocked, tricked, etc. If you're going to a tragedy be prepared to cry. Know that you're going to be hit in the feels and be ready for it. The more you know about the production, the more valuable you are as an audience member. Do your research. That doesn't mean you have to read the show and know all the plot twists. Please don't. But know what to expect content wise. Ask around, someone will be able to help you.
Finally, don't engage inappropriately. In most scripted shows audience participation is not necessary. Yelling comments at the stage, making your own jokes in response to our jokes, and making noises to attract attention to yourself and away from the stage are inappropriate. They don't make you friends of the audience or the performers. Theatre has etiquette and if you can't maintain that etiquette maybe it's not your venue.
So, share this post. Share the 24-Hour Theatre Event (and other local theatre happenings). Come fill the Orpheum Theatre. You don't get an opportunity for these kind of locally grown theatre events very often. Who knows? You might see the beginning of the next Pulitzer Prize winning drama. There's a chance you will see a beautifully crafted piece of theatre that will never be performed again. But we need an audience to make it magical. Be in that audience. Thank you!
Here's a link to some Broadway Theatre Etiquette. Yes, I think it applies to local community theatre as well. http://www.nytix.com/Links/Broadway/Articles/etiquette.html
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