That's what I need, and I believe it is coming! For some reason, this was in my mind this morning. I thought "Spring Awakening" was the title of a Broadway show, so I looked it up. So it was:
Spring Awakening is a Tony Award-winning rock musical with music by Duncan Sheik and book and lyrics by Steven Sater. The musical is based on the controversial 1891 German play of the same title by Frank Wedekind. Set in late-nineteenth century Germany, it concerns teenagers who are discovering the inner and outer tumult of sexuality. The original play was banned in Germany due to its portrayal of masturbation, abortion, rape and suicide. In the musical, alt-rock is employed as part of the folk-infused rock score.
Spring Awakening closed on Broadway on January 18, 2009, after 888 performances (859 on Broadway, 29 previews)
I watched a biography of T.W. called "Troubled Genious." It was good to see the clips of Tennessee. I also watched "Suddenly, last Summer," which comes across as overwrought but it vintage Tenn. Recently, I was told that I look like Tennessee. Even though I don't really that is good news for the show.
RLG
Monday, May 25, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Postponement
A brief email from Jerry (Imago Theatre) arrived on Monday, explaining that he was extending the casting process for Cinder and wouldn't be making any decisions until the middle of June. This was not unexpected. I sent him part of a poem by Tennessee Williams that I had come across the day before. It is called "The Dangerous Painters." Tennessee's image of cinders made me take note as "Cinder" was on my mind. This is from the end of the poem:
Black bread of pity the old nurse gave as supper.
She passed it among the quiet and stupefied people,
as evening fell with cinders drifting, drifting,
everywhere cinders drifting.
The spent and purified people crouched on the pavements,
hunched along broken walls and were grateful for stillness,
grateful for effortless breathing now that the wind
had begun to freshen the city.
The city slept.
Black bread of pity the old nurse gave as supper.
She passed it among the quiet and stupefied people,
as evening fell with cinders drifting, drifting,
everywhere cinders drifting.
The spent and purified people crouched on the pavements,
hunched along broken walls and were grateful for stillness,
grateful for effortless breathing now that the wind
had begun to freshen the city.
The city slept.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Onward
Still nothing from Imago. The director said we should hear something within a week, that is if we are going be cast. Otherwise, we will hear nothing. As he said, "That's the way it works in theater." Not always. I appreciate a note even if it is negative. Reading TW's notebooks, I observe how many times his work was rejected. And then his first play to be commercially produced was a major flop. And after he was successful he was a failure for a while. Yet, he went on. En Avant!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Last Night's Callback
Last night, I had a callback at Imago for a production called "Cinder."
It went OK. It was pretty different this go around compared to last time. The director told us last night that he was probably going to schedule another audition in the near future to try to bring in more people to the production. He said that if he can't find the right 12 actors he will put off doing the show or abandon it. Last night, he sort of started choreographing the show. Each of us had to try out all of the parts. I sometimes felt like quite a klutz! However, I'm glad he knows me, so he is familiar with what I can and can't do. Another consideration is the dates as I have friends coming from the UK in late July early August. I'm supposed to drive them down to San Francisco, which means I'll need at least four days. I did the I-Ching about this show and it was very positive--the hexagram was "Possession in great measure" with all positive things in the changing lines. The Changing hexagram was "Youthful Folly" which basically was saying, "Now, don't ask me again!" So, I will just wait and see what happens.
It went OK. It was pretty different this go around compared to last time. The director told us last night that he was probably going to schedule another audition in the near future to try to bring in more people to the production. He said that if he can't find the right 12 actors he will put off doing the show or abandon it. Last night, he sort of started choreographing the show. Each of us had to try out all of the parts. I sometimes felt like quite a klutz! However, I'm glad he knows me, so he is familiar with what I can and can't do. Another consideration is the dates as I have friends coming from the UK in late July early August. I'm supposed to drive them down to San Francisco, which means I'll need at least four days. I did the I-Ching about this show and it was very positive--the hexagram was "Possession in great measure" with all positive things in the changing lines. The Changing hexagram was "Youthful Folly" which basically was saying, "Now, don't ask me again!" So, I will just wait and see what happens.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Then and Now
Jerzy Grotowski (August 1933 - 14 January 1999)
Jacques Lecoq (December 15, 1921 – January 19, 1999)
I learned recently that these two iconoclasts of the modern theater died within five days of one another.
I began my serious pursuit of theater in the realm of Grotowski.
The artistic directors of Imago Theatre studied with Lecoq.
In January of 1999, I felt an overwhelming compulsion to take up acting again.
In my first play with Imago, I was holding a mask, not dissimilar to the one Lecoq is holding.
Jacques Lecoq (December 15, 1921 – January 19, 1999)
I learned recently that these two iconoclasts of the modern theater died within five days of one another.
I began my serious pursuit of theater in the realm of Grotowski.
The artistic directors of Imago Theatre studied with Lecoq.
In January of 1999, I felt an overwhelming compulsion to take up acting again.
In my first play with Imago, I was holding a mask, not dissimilar to the one Lecoq is holding.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
What's Wrong with Being Naked?
That's what Japanese pop-star Tsuyoshi Kusanagi screamed at police when they arrested him for public indecency in a Tokyo park, wildly drunk. When I read that he was holding back tears during a public apology, tears came to my eyes. That is the nature of my weird sensitivity. It happens to me at certain moments--yesterday when I was talking about a person from my childhood who was severly injured in a car accident. Always, when I remember my Uncle Donny who was killed in Viet Nam, or my dog, Lady, who died of distemper. As an actor, I used to think it was an achievment to be able to cry on stage. Now, I think it is an achievment not to cry. By the way, a lot of people were sympathetic to Mr. Kusanagi, who has been a star for 20 some years. Japanese people are fairly forgiving when an apology is well done.
Continuing to read TW's notebooks, a little Gumbo Ya Ya.
Audition tomorrow eve!
Continuing to read TW's notebooks, a little Gumbo Ya Ya.
Audition tomorrow eve!
Feeling Better
I am feeling better. I thought I was fine yesterday, but in the evening had a raspy cough. I don't think this was the swine flu, but I almost wish it was, because it was relatively mild as far as these kinds of viruses go. Now they are saying that the new flu might mutate and come back in a deadlier form. More fear and trembling!