Opening Weekend Re-Cap

March 14, 2011

TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE opened this weekend at the Sunset Playhouse in Elm Grove, and aside from a few small technical difficulties (who knew that the wheelchair would decide to move of its own accord?!), things went fabulously.

Our backstage crew, Zach and Nina, are pretty much rock stars in disguise. Everything that happens onstage really could not happen without these two. They are responsible for all props, for set pieces appearing and disappearing, and for making sure that the right side of the stage's revolve is showing at the right time--oh, and they do all of this from underneath a five-foot platform that's only about three feet deep and six feet wide. They live under the platform for the duration of the show with various props, a headset to communicate with each other and me, two large chairs, two end tables, a wheelchair, and only a small light to guide their way.

Things in this show wouldn't be possible without the backstage crew, and I think that the way they've worked out how to do things in this show is pretty awesome. I'm hoping to take some photos so you all can see exactly how they maneuver such things as the chairs, the the tables, the revolve, and, of course, the magical appearance of the record player.

So this is a techie appreciation post: thanks, guys! I seriously could not do this show without you.

Posted by Erin Brophy - Stage Manager

tuesdays with morrie: entering tech week

Yesterday was our first official tech day for MORRIE at Sunset Playhouse, and we managed to cue-to-cue the entire show and run sections of it in a nine-hour period--not bad for a first technical rehearsal!

The set looks incredible--it amazes me how much happens overnight when no one else is around to see it. Michael Desper, our resident set designer, really outdid himself on this set, if you ask me. Everything has this ethereal, dreamy quality to it, and the light design really emphasizes that.

This was the first tech experience I've had where I could spend the entire rehearsal sitting in the lightbooth, watching the process, and it is thanks to Nina, one of our stagehands, that that could happen. She sat backstage on headset and directed actors via myself and Matt Daniels, the show's director, and did so with much goodwill.

This was definitely one of the most fun tech rehearsals I've ever been part of. Not only did we accomplish things, we also made jokes and talked about things outside of the theatrical world, to give us a small break when one of us would become slightly stir-crazy.

The best part of the evening? By far trying to figure out how to differentiate from "Morrie" and "Mitch" in the visual/audio cues for lights to be called in the SM script. In blocking notes, I'd been writing "Mo" and "Mt" (as though they were scientific elements--which, I suppose, actors are, in a way, in the world of a play) but there wasn't enough room in the opposite margin for that as well as the cue number as well as the moment to anticipate the cue. But problems were solved, glow tape was laid down, revolve problems (yes, the stage revolves!) were solved, and today we go into our first tech/dress with fingers crossed.

I think things will go swimmingly--we've already been doing full runs of the show for nearly two weeks. Stephan and Don are just racing along with this show, and so far it's been a fun ride.

-Erin B
Stage Manager
Sunset Playhouse

When Did This Turn Into Dancing With the Stars?

Monday's rehearsal was spent learning the tango scene from Act II. Now when I read the script, I knew there was a dancing scene, and I figured, "Hey, no problem. I can dance a tango." But I didn't realize this was going to be a choreographed production number! I am afraid I will end up looking like Kate Gosselin (let's take a look at Kate performing some of her better moves, shall we)!


So, we begin. We have all had one rehearsal already to learn the basics, and now we are going to put it all together. Well... mostly together. Well... some of us more together than others. Melissa Bloch - Meier , our choreographer is patient, persistent and… well… KIND.

I am paired with Duncan (Jeff Anderson); Butch (Dan Myers) and Audrey (Chelsey Peterson) are a couple, and Doc (Gene Schuldt) and Stephanie (Matthew Patten) make up the third unique combination. We dance, we laugh, we discuss, we laugh, we dance some more, and by the end of the rehearsal, some of us ache. But we accomplish what we set out to do! Here is a peek at some of the process.

More Than Just Learning Lines!

To actors, "blocking"has nothing to do with football; it means deciding where you are going to be when you say a line, and where you will move to during a scene and everything to do with your actions on stage. Sometimes that's easy to figure out and sometimes it's not, especially when a large prop is involved. Last Saturday's rehearsal was a case in point. The scene takes place in a small train compartment and involves a large suitcase which is necessary to the plot. After a rather lengthy discussion of where to put the suitcase - and when - and a few trial runs, this tentative blocking was the result. No guarantee that this will work on stage when the time comes.... but a good start. Watch the footwork from Matthew Patten (the dark haired actor) and Spence Mather (the light haired actor)!

Trying to Confuse an Old Lady?

I have a relatively small part in this show so spend a lot of time just observing, even though our director Mark Salentine has thoughtfully arranged the schedule so none of us have to spend a whole evening at rehearsal if we are only needed for part of it. But, even with the script in hand, I can get confused. Our dynamic duo, Matthew Patten and Spence Mather, change back and forth from "Jack" to "Stephanie" and from "Leo" to Maxine" at a furious rate. Would be easy on TV or in a movie, but here it is surprising and amazing... one of the joys of live theatre... and just wait until it involves costumes!

Also had the rare pleasure tonight of watching Gene Schuldt attempting to seduce Mathew... or was it the other way around? And exactly what was going on behind that screen? Stay tuned!

Read Through of LEADING LADIES

There is always that feeling of excited anticipation and a little apprehension before the first read through. How will it turn out? As people introduce themselves, I listen intently and speculate. It looks like a good mix, but since Mark Salentine (our director) runs partially closed auditions, you only get to hear the people with whom you audition. There is still the question, will this cast "play nicely" together?

I have been on stage before with Matthew Patten and Gene Schuldt, I have seen Jeff Anderson, Jacque Gosz and Spence Mather perform, and the two newcomers to the Sunset, Dan Myers and Chelsey Peterson, look eager and pleased to be here. When, fueled with pretzels and Twizzlers, we start reading, it becomes clear... okay! If good acting can make a show, then we have a winner! Hmm, scary thought...I may be the weak spot here - will have to step it up to everyone else's level, but that's a good thing!

I leave you with one last question to consider. Why was Rey Dobeck, our costume designer, checking to see if Mathew has chest hair?

Dames, Dolls, Divas, and Who Let Him In?

Did you know there’s a whole website devoted to divas? Divasthesite.com lets you hear from all kinds of glorious women in their own words--everyone from those Hepburn gals, Audrey and Katherine, to Eva Peron and Cleopatra. Which begs the question of who sets the standards for diva-hood. But the cast of Sunset's next Musical Mainstage DAMES, DOLLS & DIVAS checked any diva attitudes at the door when they began rehearsals Tuesday night. Rana Roman, Becky Spice, Linda Stieber, Eric Nelson, and Rising Star Ellen Jenders had a great time getting their vamp on. With Paula Foley Tillen at the keys, the cast had some serious fun working out their parts for some dame-good medleys. Here's just a sample of what's in store...