October 29, 2010

     We had a productive week.  It is looking real good.  Friday and Saturday are a break from rehearsal but not from studying lines.  This show leaks information...as a mystery does... and the lines that provide this information are critical to the story and the suspence and cannot be dropped.  Please be aware of when you are delivering lines essential to the plot and put extra effort into getting them right.

     Next week is tech week with sound, lights, costumes and a finished product.  We will rehearse Sunday through Thursday to prepare for opening night on Friday, November 5th.  Please be sure your bio is in and that any costume or prop problems have been brought to our attention.  The rehearsal start times are as follows for the full cast:

Sunday              7 PM
Monday             7 PM
Tuesday             7 PM
Wednesday        6:30 PM   Full dress rehearsal
Thursday            6:30 PM   Full dress rehearsal

     Call for show on opening and all other performances will be at 6:30 as our show begins at 7:30 (not the ususal 8 PM start) so please arrange your schedule.

     Thank you again for all your hard work.  You are a wonderful cast to work with.

Peg

October 25, 2010

     Good rehearsal last night with everyones's attempt to be off book.  All rehearsals will be the full play from now on and please be going over your lines aggressively so that scripts will not be needed to be brought on stage during Tech Week.

     Rehearsal tonight for the full cast at 7 PM and again on Wednesday and Thursday at 7PM.  Tech week begins Sunday and we will run the show with lights and sound every night at 7 PM untill we open November 5th.  We will have dress rehearsals with costumes on Wednesday, November 3rd and Thursday, November 4th.

     We are looking good and we will be ready to open.  Keep up the good work.

Peg

October 21, 2010

     Show is really following into place.  I am very pleased with the cast's development of the characters and there ability to grasp the basic mood and delivery of this show.

     Tonight is Act II aand we will be stopping if direction is needed.  As a reminder, beginning Sunday, October 24th, we will run the entire show during rehearsal with director's notes at the end.  The goal is to be off book by Sunday and a prompter will be available during this week if you forget a line.  We will continue with the same schedule or rehearsing Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday until Tech week which begins on Sunday, October 31st.  Tech week will require that we rehearse the show every night until we open November 5th.

     Thank you for all your hard work.

Peg

October 18, 2010

Here are a couple of photos from rehearsal. 

October 18, 2010

     Good rehearsal last night even though our poor Trotter was out with illness.  Get well soon.  Your characters are developing and the different personalities are making things very interesting.  Keep working on projection and diction and study your lines.  They will be much more credible when they are memorized.

     Last night we started trying on costumes and it is all coming together.  If you have any costume concerns please let me know.  Don't worry, Trotter, we didn't forget you.

     If you want a tee shirt please get your money in as soon as you can.  Thank you for all your hard work and for the help that you have given to produce the magnificent set by Ted.  See you tonight at 7:00 PM for Act II.

Peg

October 14, 2010

     We finished blocking Act II and so now we can to really begin to fine tune and clean up any blocking problems tonight.  I love the way everything is shaping up.  The cast is wonderful.

     Just to review the schedule, tonight is Act II.  Saturday is base coat the set and pull props and furniture from the wharehouse.  If anyone has a truck or van we will need that for the furniture.  Don't forget that there is also an opportunity to audition for White Christmas on Saturday.  Sunday is another opportunity to audition for White Christmas and then we will have rehearsal at 7:00 PM, with the goal to review and run
Act I  (welcome back to rehearsal Mrs. Boyle).

     Monday, October 18th, the Little Theater will be occupied by a Board Meeting that sometimes can run for several hours so if the Board is still in session at 7:00 then the cast can find a cozy corner and begin with a line rehearsal and run lines with each other until we can get into the theater.  Then we will review and run
Act I.

     Please take care of yourself so you stay in good health (good night's rest, plenty of fluids, nutritious meals).  I can't say enough about how fun it has been to work with all of you.

Peg

    

October 12, 2010

     Had a good time at rehearsal last night.  It is a directors dream to have a cast that wants to "stay and work".  I am really grateful for all the hard work.  Have a good night off and see your tommorrow evening at 7:00 PM.

Peg

October 11, 2010

     Hope you all had a great weekend.  We will resume rehearsal tonight at 7:00 PM.  We will be blocking Act II and our goal is to finish blocking by Thursday, October 14th.  Kepp studying and memorizing your lines.  The sooner you are comfortable being off book the more you can develop your character.

   As you can see from the photos the set is coming along and we will continue with detailing, painting, and gathering props and set pieces.  I hope this also aids in you character development.   It will be a believable room and now your job is make it tense, suspicious, quirky, suspenseful, and at times, down right frightening.  You will draw this audience into the drama.  It will be great fun!!!

     Looking forward to seeing you later.

Peg

Set Update...

Greetings inhabitants of Monkswell Manor...

Set update it this - extension is built, archway is up with pillars, side wall is extended with a custom built window unit, and the chair-rail is installed.   Fireplace should be over on Monday or so.    The basecoat of paint has started to go on the upperwalls.   Our detail painter will be handling the stone and wood work painting.

Plan now is to get the rest of the base coats up and on this coming week so the detail painting can be done next week.   If anyone wants to help paint, please let me know.

See you at rehearsals - Ted



Set Construction Update -

Set Construction Update - Fri night we built the stage extension to the Little Theatre stage, squaring it off.  And adding a ton more space to the stage!  All 2x4 and 2x10 construction!

Saturday Oct 9 at NOON - we are meeting at the Little Theatre to continue - help is needed.   Need to install the archway, window and wall unit, chair-rail, fireplace, and possibly start base-painting.  

Meet at NOON at the Little Theatre before we head to the Warehouse for supplies!

Thanks-Ted

October 8, 2010

     Welcome Andrew Ritzig to the cast.  Jumped right in there and is going to be excellent in the part of Trotter.  We have finished with general blocking of Act I.  Act II blocking begins next week.  We will rehearse as scheduled beginning at 7 PM but Mrs. Boyle is excused.  Rehearsals...as a reminder...are on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  All but Mrs Boyle are required to attend.  The set is going in this weekend so we may change some blocking to adjust to this...be flexable.

     Thank you for your hard work and contribution and a special thanks to Andrew for stepping up to the plate.

Peg

Set Build

Set construction will take place Friday Oct 8 at 6pm and Saturday Oct 9 at 12noon.

We'll be constructing and installing the stage extension, plus the archway, wall panels, window and arch.   If you can help, much appreciated.

Meet at the Little Theatre at 6pm - we'll go to the warehouse to collect supplies and then BUILD BUILD BUILD.

October 6, 2010

     Hope you had a good day off.  Rehearsal tonight at 7:00 PM.  Costumer will be around to get your measurements.  Taking photos for publicity for those cast members who need them.

     See you tonight.

Peg

October 5, 2010

     Great rehearsal last night.  We got a great deal of blocking done and I hope to finish blocking Act I this week so that we can begin to block Act II next week.  As we decided last night, all rehearsal will now begin at 7:00 PM instead of 6:30.  I know I just gave you a hard copy schedule that had 6:30 PM all over it so if you are the type that gets confused (like me) make sure you scratch out that time and change to 7:00 PM. 

     Our Costume Mistress will be Deb Kreps and she will be in to get your sizes and dicuss your costume needs this Wednesday, Oct. 6th.

     Continue to study lines and as always if you have conflicts or questions please give me a call.

Peg

October 1, 2010

     Welcome to October and Applefest.  I hear through the grapevine (hubby) that people want to know the schedule for rehearsals.  We will be rehearsing Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays beginning at 6:30 PM.  Tech week will require us to rehearse every night until we open.  As always, this is subject to change if problems arise.
     After this Sunday, October 3rd, all cast members are asked to come to each rehearsal as most of you are in all scenes.  If you are not in parts of an act that is being blocked you will more than likely be excused from that rehearsal. Stayed tuned for more specifics but this is the general schedule.  I will have something to hand out to you when I see you again.
     Thanks for your time and commitment.

Peg