My apologies for the lack of posts lately - your pal Chuck has been a busy man!
The main reason for that is because I've taken on a directing job - I'm tackling the next First Stage Theatre production: Disney's Aladdin, Jr.
To make up for the shortage of posts, I'm going to try to do a running diary of our production - sort of an inside look at what goes into putting on a show like this.
It all started earlier this year, when First Stage decided on its season of shows for 2014-2015. The first show was going to be Aladdin, and I volunteered to take on the job of directing it.
The first thing you need to do when you tackle a show is to build your directing team - and I've been lucky enough to be able to work with some amazingly talented, big-hearted and downright wonderful director and producers.
I don't remember who signed on first, but here's the team: our producers are Leslie Comer-Porter and Becky Craig. They're miracle workers, handling all the behind-the-scenes coordination with our army of parents, vendors and volunteers. They're also organizing an amazing fundraiser - more about that soon!
For the music director, I was lucky enough to land my pal Mark Smith, who's finding time to guide our show in addition to his work touring with national singing sensation Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr.
Our choreographer is the wonderful and talented Melissa Marcum, who is busy with her own dance school, but somehow finds time to craft amazing dance routines for our show! Assisting her is a recent First Stage graduate, the gifted-beyond-her-years Brynne Kyle.
Brynne will also assist her mother, Trish Wood, who's our costume designer - and after her amazing work on Little Mermaid, we can't wait to see what wonders she dreams up for this show!
For the job of set design and construction, we've recruited two veterans and our newest member of First Stage's board. Jack Welch is heading up the team, working with Hunt Bryan and the "new guy," Mike Barbour. They do amazing work and we can't wait to see what they come up with!
The show marks the return (to my team) of my pal Amy Browning, who's a wonderful director in her own right (she's working in Once on This Island for later in First Stage's season) - we worked together on a number of shows in years past, and now she's my co-director on Aladdin - I'm thrilled to be teaming up with her again!
Last (but certainly not least) is our Assistant Director Zach Davis. He's an inventive theatre veteran, he's a First Stage grad and he's directed several shows on his own, and I'm glad to have him back in the First Stage family.
So with the team assembled, the planning began - and this weekend, we took the next big step: auditions!
Over Saturday and Sunday, a small army of young actors took part in the audition process. They were required to learn and demonstrate a short dance routine, sing about 30 seconds of a song, and read some lines of dialogue - all in front of a panel of directors!
And let me say, you would be impressed to see all the amazing talent this area features. Kudos to all those who had the courage to take part!
So now it's down to the directing team to cast the show, and for me, it's the most difficult part of any show. You'd like to include everyone who auditioned - but it's just not possible to squeeze that many actors onto the stage. So the directors evaluate each performer, try to decide where they fit into the show, and how to include as many as possible.
The sad thing is, some who don't make it may never try out for another show - and that's a pity, because each show is different and each one requires different performers, so while one show may not work, the next one might be a perfect fit.
Also, the more you audition, the easier it gets - and the better you get at auditioning!
That brings us to the next step - posting the cast list... which will happen tomorrow at 4pm at the First Stage website: www.Firststagetheatre.org, and on Facebook... and right here!
More tomorrow!
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