Dear Little Shop Families,
This is the first of a series of weekly addresses to keep you informed about the progress of the show. The cast has worked steadily, and with great enthusiasm and joy to come to the point where we have:
- learned most of the music
- have a structure for all but one scene
- have a grasp of character study
- are beginning to play with the scenes and bring nuance to the work particular to the individual actor
- are working as a company of actors
At this point, we begin to hone individual scenes while continuing to do character work, concentrate on sequence, plus continuity leading us into run-throughs of each act and, finally, the entire show. When we move into the theater for run-throughs (November 19, 22, 23) and tech/dress rehearsals just prior to opening night, we face the challenge of remounting the show in a different space. It feels like we’re starting all over again, but with the assurance that we “know what we know” and thus the process immediately takes on a feeling of familiarity. This is because the actors know who they playing and the life of the play. What makes live theater exciting is that the life of the show is unique to each performance and, thus, no performance is never the same. I’m continually amazed and delighted by what our young actors bring to the stage on opening night and how they grow with each performance.
This is an amazing cast. To watch the rehearsals unfold and see individuals pop out of themselves and engage in the life of the show is a rare privilege. Observing some of these young people emerge over the years and grow into confident actors is a joy and I thank you.
Casting a good show well and having the actors show up is 90% of the work in theater. There is a lot of emphasis placed on “talent” in our society. Innate ability plays a very small part in the success of an actor. Talent can be learned through sincere attention to the work at hand. As I see it, our job is to help our children grow in self confidence, learn how to cooperate with others on a meaningful project and engage in the production of a musical that will give joy to themselves and their community. With this in mind, I place a 1% value on the role that talent plays in this process. Willingness to show up and to give of oneself accounts for the other 99%. What I see in this cast is a combination of both; so, I am 100% confident that we will have a unique blend of joyous theater to share with our community.
Have a great weekend!
— Little Shop LeCee