Auditions

After an exhilarating audition process, we have cast our show, and oh, am I thrilled. Nearly 70 actors attended the open auditions (certainly a record of some sort), and then we heard 27 actors read for 7 roles at an intense three-hour callback. To have so many fine choices made my heart sing (not to mention all the inspiration I got from watching them as they vied for their roles).

Our Henry Higgins is a 48-year-old professionally trained actor with a huge resume, an enormous range, and a beautiful voice (who will actually sing Higgins's many songs), and since he was reading against only one other actor, we really put him through his paces at the callback. When told he'd landed the role, he was exuberant.

Here is a sampling of the responses received to our casting invitations:

Higgins: "YES! with bells on, etc!! . . . I'm thrilled and honored. And can't wait. Yes, I accept the role and commit myself wholeheartedly."

Eliza: "Of course I absolutely accept the role of Eliza! I could not be more thrilled! Thank you so much for this opportunity! When I auditioned I really just wanted to be a part of the show in any way I could, so landing a role like this is way beyond my wildest expectations."

Alfred Doolittle: "Oh Joy and Rapture Unforeseen! I feel happy and humbled to be cast and must admit I've been on pins and needles! I am so grateful for the opportunity and so excited by the cast! . . . . an honor . . . . I'm giddy and bow thanks to you. I was heartened by how organized your auditions were and am thrilled to finally be under your direction. I'm here for the molding and can't wait to start. We'll bring the house down, we will!"

Pickering: "Thanks so much for this great news. I'm delighted to be chosen for the role of Pickering, and accept the role with much gratitude . I look forward to working with you , John, Annie and the others, as we build a strong, tight ensemble of players. It was a nice surprise, especially not expecting the results until this weekend. I come to this role without a lot of preconceived notions of it, so I am completely open to your creative approach to him."

Mrs. Higgins: "Of course I accept - I'm thrilled to be in the show with you! . . . . I'm yours, heart, body and soul. Again, I'm thrilled. Thank you so much . . . . I won't let you down!"

Mrs. Pearce: "A resounding YES . . . WOO HOO!! . . . agog and speechless ... [will] give it 110%!"

Our whole talented and dedicated production team is quite giddy about the cast we've assembled. I can scarcely believe I finally have the chance to direct this amazing show with a cast that exceeds anything I ever dared to hope.

Warm Springs (HBO-2005)

Here is the abridged review (and the only one I've written) of Warm Springs, the 2005 HBO movie about the eight- to ten-year runup to Franklin D. Roosevelt's run for U.S. president, to wit, his involvement in the movement to treat and rehabilitate his fellow citizens who, like himself, were paralyzed by the devastating polio epidemic in the early decades of the twentieth century. First as a patient and eventually as its owner at Warm Springs, Georgia, Roosevelt became a champion of his fellow sufferers and found his own will to survive and then flourish. It is a story we've rarely heard, and whether or not the producers have gilded its lily, it makes a beautiful movie. Kenneth Branagh gives us an ambitious, successful, and extraordinarily gifted and big-hearted upper-class man of the people. How much Branagh's FDR resembles the original finally matters less, at least to me, than his full-bodied and nuanced characterization of a driven, then shattered, man who must reinvent himself in order to carry on. That FDR rose from a state of near total despair eventually to run and be elected an unprecedented four times for President provides heady grist for the mill of imagination. This story, in Branagh's hands, is poignant and inspiring with only a slight hint of sentimentality. And he is supported by a strong and elegant script, lush cinematography, and a fine set of perfectly pitched performances by Cynthia Nixon as Eleanor (or "Babs" to Franklin) (actually hers is not my favorite performance; she seemed to be working too hard); Tim Blake Nelson, as the Warm Springs manager who becomes a trusted friend and ally; David Paymer, his perseverant political manager; Kathy Bates, a physical therapist who joins forces to make Warm Springs widely available to polio patients; and Jane Alexander, the cold and overbearing matriarch of Hyde Park. This is a little slice of revisionism that appeals to our desire to have heroes, of whom there have been precious few since FDR.

Across the Universe (2007)

Julie Taymor's 1999 film Titus put me off; I found her iconoclastic use of mixed media and her apparent lust for violence somehow too extreme for Shakespeare's musical and elegant language. In contrast, her current release, Across the Universe, an original movie musical, designed around more than thirty songs written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon as members of the Beatles, captivated, inspired, and moved me. Born in 1952, Taymor, like me, grew up on the Beatles and cut her cultural teeth on the tumultuous years of the war in Vietnam. I imagine that any red-blooded American born in the same era will find points of resonance in this film too numerous to express. Having heard the original versions of these songs for the past over three decades, before seeing Across the Universe I had always taken for granted their ageless appeal. The movie presents a wide cross-section of the Beatles' compositions, ranging from the very early "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" (shot in muted pastels) to the later and more cutting-edge "I Am a Walrus" (shot with wildly imaginative psychedelic colors and images). Of particular note is the stunning gospel choir rendition of "Let It Be," but detailed musical and choreographic attention is given to every cover, to magnificent effect.

This is the story of love between Jude and Lucy, told against the backdrop of war, protest, and youthful disillusionment with authority. Jim Sturgess is Jude, the working-class Liverpool lad, who travels to America (Princeton University, to be exact) in search of his biological dad, who flew the coop while Jude was still a "bun in the oven." In the process, he meets Max (Joe Anderson), a disaffected student, who argues over fancy family dinners with his conservative father about making meaning of his life. Max introduces Jude to his sister, Lucy (Evan Rachel Wood), the blonde prep-school girl who evolves from a complacent patriot into a zealous antiwar activist when her high school sweetheart becomes one of the thousands of American casualties of that long, bloody, and ultimately wasted war. When Max is drafted promptly after dropping out of Princeton, the plot is off and running, from the bloody riots on the streets of Detroit to the bloody jungles of Vietnam, with our three heroes trapped in the vortex.

Perhaps we Beatles-loving baby boomers can appreciate the historical and artistic impact of Across the Universe more fully than audiences of a different generation. For us graying Americans, this movie will certainly take its place among the classics.

Hairspray (2007)

I was first introduced to Adam Shankman when he guest-judged on So You Think You Can Dance, which I thoroughly enjoyed watching for the first time this season (it is the best show on television, in my humble opinion). The contestants were treated to a special screening of Hairspray, and the footage of their outing matched the joy Adam Shankman has exuded in every appearance I've seen. The man is a sparkler of exuberant talent. Hairspray is a festival, exquisitely produced and as colorful as a box of Crayolas. Adam Shankman directed and choreographed this film adaptation of the musical stage play that was based on the original 1988 John Waters movie. I haven't seen the original, but I suspect Shankman has preserved its ingenious conceit, which wrapped a serious moral and social film (about racial and class injustice) in so much fun and laughter that it was an easy pill to swallow. Veterans John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Chrisopher Walken, and Queen Latifah lend easy expertise to the movie, which features two young newcomers with wonderful potential, Nikki Blonsky (as Tracy Turnblad) and Elijah Kelley (as Seaweed). Travolta plays Tracy's mother, not in drag but as a woman, and is impressively nimble and feminine in the role. Pfeiffer is a delicious villain who gets her comeuppance most satisfactorily. If only the real world could reflect the equilibrium that Hairspray's earnest characters have achieved--through song, dance, and good intentions.

Breach (2007)

I watched Breach on the small screen, over the course of a few days--life intervened as it so peskily will. Every time I returned to the movie, I had to back up several scenes so I could re-enter the world of espionage and suspense created by director Billy Ray. The filmmaker had a double challenge in telling the true story of events leading up to the capture of double agent Robert Hanssen, who, during his nearly thirty years with the FBI, sold millions of dollars worth of classified materials to the Soviet Union. Ray has risen to both challenges with great success.

His first challenge was to avoid the easy but unsubtle tricks characterized by less successful thrillers. The only music in the film is inherent in a scene; there is no score to telegraph the mood intended by the action. This increases the load on the writers, the actors, and the camera work, which is shared to great effect by all parties. Jeffrey Ford has edited Tak Fujimoto's photography into a seamless and visually taut piece. Delivering subtly contained and deeply realized performances are the versatile Chris Cooper as the tightly wound and obsessively Catholic Hanssen; a more serious and mature Ryan Phillipe than we've seen before as the ambitious Eric O'Neill, who clinches the sting on his new boss; and the intelligent and always solid Laura Linney as the furrow-browed and world-weary Kate Burroughs, the agent in charge of the operation. Ray gets a screenplay credit (along with Adam Mazer and William Rotko, who co-wrote the story); this talented trio has put its collective ear to the ground and created a screenplay that resonates with unembellished authenticity.

This brings us to Mr. Ray's second challenge, which was to tell a story whose ending everyone not living under a rock knows. Since it is not waiting to see how the movie ends that grips us, it is by the telling that we are ensnared. Breach is not Ray's first docudrama. He wrote and directed Shattered Glass (2003), based on the young D.C. journalist Stephen Glass, who was hoist by his own petard after fabricating over half of his reports at The New Republic. Breach demonstrates marked growth in Ray's discipline and consistency of style, and gives thriller aficionados plenty to look forward to from this talented young director.

Moulin Rouge (2002)

For lovers of the musical theatre (the original venue for musical plays, older than its little stepsister, the movie musical), the PR for Moulin Rouge was very tempting, especially given the calliope of popular songs featured in the soundtrack. Viewed on the small screen (as I did), it no doubt lost some of its dazzle, but I think if I’d seen it in a movie theatre I might have become dizzy. The production is nearly blinding in its colorfulness, and there is so much going on visually that it is hard to take it all in. It is a jangling jumble of many entertainments--circus sideshow, fantasy, romance, dark comedy, and burlesque. It’s as if Baz Luhrmann made every movie he’s ever wanted to make, all at once.

The performances were fine, and there were plenty of compelling moments. The sweet singing voices of both Satine (Nicole Kidman) and Christian (Ewan McGregor) were the biggest surprise. Unfortunately, I didn’t really feel their chemistry and the contrast between their mutual love and their disdain for the bad duke (Richard Roxburgh) could have been drawn more clearly for better dramatic effect. Jim Broadbent--who played the conflicted Zidler, proprietor of the Moulin Rouge--of all the actors, seemed to grasp the need for a bigger-than-life performance. John Leguizamo, a wonderful character actor, had too little to do as Toulouse-Lautrec.

The movie only partly worked, and it was the basic innocence and universality of the appealing story that saved it from finally exploding like an ambitious science experiment with too many ingredients.

Jungle Fever (1991)

Spike Lee made Jungle Fever in 1991, but I never saw it until a couple of weeks ago. I can't say why I never got around to seeing this movie--it was partly accidental, I'm sure, because I have been a fan of Lee's other movies, especially Do the Right Thing.

Lee has a keen eye and ear for a day in the life of New York City, and his finger firmly on the pulse of the city's racial maelstrom. Jungle Fever painfully explodes the notion that black-white relations have improved all that much since the Civil Rights movement. The large and thoroughly accomplished cast is headed by Wesley Snipes as the upwardly mobile architect Flipper Purify, an apparently happy family man in Harlem, whose white bosses (the smarmy Tim Robbins and Brad Dourif) hire the young Italian-American Angie Tucci (Anabella Sciorra) from Bensonhurst as his assistant, against Flipper's protestations. I have never seen Snipes as effective (bright, dignified, and deeply conflicted). The torrid affair that ensues between the co-workers sets off a series of aftershocks among people on both sides of midtown, among them Flipper's father--the self-righteous Reverend Doctor Purify (the late Ossie Davis), who is addressed and referred to as the "Good Reverend Doctor"--and his heartbreakingly enabling mother, Lucinda Purify (Ruby Dee); Samuel L. Jackson (Gator Purify) as his tragic, crack-addicted brother; Halle Berry, a powerhouse as Gator's addict girlfriend, Vivian; Lonette McKee as Flipper's cuckolded wife, Drew (who brings a proper rage to the role); and Lee as his trusted friend, Cyrus, whose careless pillow talk ignites the conflagration. Angie's family seethes with racism and resentment--Frank Vincent as Mike, her father, and Michael Imperioli and David Dundara as her protective older brothers, James and Charley. Filling out the magnificent ensemble are John Turturro (the sole voice of reason among the vituperating Bensonhurst gang), Nicholas Turturro, Michael Badalucco, Queen Latifah, and the incomparable late Anthony Quinn (as John Turturro's bitter, widowed father).

I can't name another American movie with such a star-studded marquee, and certainly very few in which the characters have all been given such real and moving dialogue. The context and trappings may seem a touch dated to some current viewers, and some may complain that the movie is populated with stereotypes. Handled by a less skillful writer and filmmaker, Jungle Fever might have fallen on the sword of cliche. But cliche or not, the lesson of the movie is timeless: You've got to be taught to hate and fear, and also not to.

The melody lingers on

Annie Get Your Gun closed on Sunday, amidst a swirl of laughter, tears, and celebration. A more closely bonded company I have never experienced, and it was hard to let go. However, when I asked the company if they would rather not have had this adventure so that they wouldn't have to be sad when it ended, it was a unanimous "of course not." The chance to work with such a diverse group of citizens on a common cause for the benefit of our community was a gift that promises to deliver dividends for years to come. I take immense satisfaction in the work we have done, and I am already cherishing my memories and friendships, which will far exceed the limits of our run. As with all productions I've helped to happen, the neat brick path to opening night was strewn with hurdles and mysteries, and the trip was an unalloyed joy.

Birthday party!

Our added show went well last night. It was too warm in the theatre, but our audience was most responsive and demonstrative anyway. Rick O and Rick R both took their final bows as running crew members, and it was Ria's first night on the sound and Sophia's as Laura's understudy. Afterwards, it was birthday party time for Lizz (18) (Tuesday) and Ramon (22) and Adrian (8) (both on Wednesday). They shared a really cool cowboy cake, and I have a feeling their wishes are going to come true.

Bittersweet Sunday

Four weekends down, and the show has grown really well. Understudy Jena gave her second and final performance as Annie this afternoon, and her first-act finale made me weepy. Lacey and Jena have earned every word of every accolade they have received for their work in the role.

The show was terrific this afternoon, as tight and energetic as our best. Our audiences have been consistently appreciative, and we’ve played to full houses since the first weekend. Today’s matinee was Laura’s last performance before she heads off with her high school choir on a European tour. That was very bittersweet for just about all of us.

We have built a strong and tight-knit community while building our show, and although we're all no doubt looking forward to the next thing in our lives, it will be with heavy hearts that we bid it good-bye. I'm grateful for the extra performance on Thursday, for one extra chance to be together.

Another Friday night

Tonight we had our most vocal and engaged audience (another sellout crowd) yet. They belly-laughed over and over again, and really seemed to appreciate many of the nuances now present as the show has grown. Maybe their response had something to do with the cast's enthusiastic warmup ("I've Got the Sun in the Morning," shown here), after five days off, and the knowledge that our success has made it necessary for us to add a performance. We are a cohesive group, and, more and more, we all seem to realize that the life of our family is short lived. The one downside of doing shows is that all good things must come to an end. We all are beginning to dread the end of this exciting adventure. So the more records of our fun we can accumulate, the better. I am hopeful that we'll all stay in touch. That would be the most I can hope for, short of developing a hard shell that sentiment cannot permeate.

It's a hit!

What a troupe! They have impressed me with their professionalism and dedication over and over again, and now, for more evidence, they have agreed to add a performance, on Thursday, June 21, to satisfy our avid public. Making this work involved sacrifices and adjustments by many of our members. It's the sure sign of a hit when performances must be added to try to accommodate everyone who wants to see a show.

In a groove

Our first seven performances have played to solid and nearly sold out houses, and we have been told that this afternoon's (Sunday) matinee is a sellout, too. Our audiences have watched intently and with great appreciation for the humor and quality of our company. At this point, I can no longer be objective, as one's own child always eludes impartial eyes. However, compliments from several people whose opinions I respect have indicated that we "Annie" family members are not the only ones who love our show. The reviewer from the San Luis Obispo Tribune, for one, waxed enthusiastic.

Opening weekend

We had a very successful opening weekend, and are expecting a positive writeup from the Tribune writer who attended Saturday afternoon's performance. The show gelled almost magically, the way well prepared shows do, on opening night, and we were greeted with great enthusiasm and applause. I could not have been more delighted; it was a huge high for all of us. Music director (and busy cast member) John and I are shown toasting our cast (picture) above at the after party.

Preview

I couldn't have been happier with our preview performance. Everybody focused and gave full energy, the transitions were smooth, and our audience smiled and laughed and watched with great attention throughout. I'm proud of this show and my company, and feel as if I've given and gotten back in equal measure. The rehearsal process is now behind us, and the performance process begins officially with our opening tonight. I know the show will grow and evolve as the run proceeds, and that is wonderful to watch, also, but my job is essentially done. Now I get to sit back and enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Final rehearsal

Though arduous and sometimes trying, we went from the beginning to the end of the show tonight, trying to iron out all the wrinkles that arose in the past two dress rehearsals, and before then. The actors and crew demonstrated great patience, all things considered. So, to reward them, I presented them with my director's gift of Annie Get Your Gun tee shirts, which they received with delight and model here (Adrian--Little Jake--above, and a whole bunch of us--with my leading man, Jeff, planting one on me--below). Everyone went home feeling excited and ready for tomorrow. I am, too!

Photo opportunity

Before last night's second full dress rehearsal we had our official photo shoot. This pose, which includes me, was taken at the behest of the cast, both by the professional photog and various visitors on the scene (one such shot shown here). Our runthrough was full of holes and very sloppy, after Monday's really good rehearsal, so tonight, instead of having another full dress rehearsal we'll work on some loose spots and try to nail down most of the threads that continue to fly in the breeze. I am hopeful that finally having new eyes on the show (i.e., audiences) will pump up the adrenaline and take care of a lot of the flaws I saw in last night's performance. In any case, we'll find out plenty soon enough!

First full dress rehearsal

Our first full dress rehearsal last night went extremely smoothly, considering all the elements that had to come into place simultaneously. Sure, there were some mishaps, but since we struck the hazardous platform the day before, at least we didn't have that to concern ourselves with (four actors tripped over it before I got smart and yanked it). "The costumes, the scen'ry, the makeup, the props" . . . Now all we lack is "the audience that lifts you when you're down," and we'll have that, for our preview, on Thursday. We're on the train now, and there's no disembarking until June 24--whoo-hoooooo!

And then there were three

After finishing rehearsal an hour early on Saturday, we needed an extra hour to do everything scheduled for Sunday, which included our final runthrough without costumes and tech. After the runthrough I stayed an extra two and a half hours at the theatre, painting various flat braces, troubleshooting certain props, and trying to get a good assessment of what remains to do, technically, for Thursday's preview. Then I came home and spent two and a half hours writing up the notes from the runthrough. So many details (Ron and Lynn are shown above attending to some of them)--the more we nail down, the more there seem to be! However, I am accustomed to this pattern in the final days before an opening, so I am not discouraged, merely slightly more animated (even) than usual. Tonight we'll have our first full dress rehearsal; Rene reported yesterday that all the costumes are now complete, so it should be exciting to see them paraded on stage. The set is done, and we've cleaned up the scene changes with the deletion of a couple of superfluous (and potentially hazardous) set pieces. All told, we sit on the very edge of readiness for opening, and everyone is fully invested. I couldn't ask for more at this juncture.

From cue to cue

Thanks to being well organized and having a proactive and well organized lighting designer, today's cue-to-cue rehearsal was finished in record time--seriously, the quickest such rehearsal I've ever experienced. We got the lighting and sound cues programmed for the entire show in just over four hours, and then had time to rehearse three dance numbers. What a huge hurdle that was! And now we'll have six hours tomorrow to rehearse the scene changes, a couple of spots, and also do a complete runthrough--a total bonus day!

John returned from his long planned business week away, and we will all be delighted to welcome him back into the fold tomorrow, not only as music director but in his various roles in the ensemble.

Whoever is assigned to today's "Name That Moment" will have a chance to report on a classic director-as-clutz moment, when, during our break, I went out to the patio to join several people taking a little rest. The only problem was that I tried to walk through the plate glass window to get there. Oops. The janitors cleaned the theatre the night before last, including (apparently) the sliding doors. We all had a wonderful belly laugh over this, including me; I was unhurt and only slightly embarrassed, because I was laughing too hard to mind. I also stood in for the occasional missing actor in a scene or dance, which I always enjoy doing, to the great amusement of both cast and me. If I wasn't assured of their affection I might think they were laughing at me, but I know better. What a blast!