Not that I’m counting.
I’m assistant directing for Kathleen Gaffney at Sudio Arena, yes it’s an internship, and we just finished our first week of rehearsals. I am there 4 days a week, because I still have to take some classes, but in professional theatre rehearsals are 6 days a week, 6 hours a day, and from what I gather, typically a 10-5 thing. I had no idea! I am used to doing shows that rehearse like 3 hours 4 NIGHTS a week.
The process…
oh wait, the show is "3 Days of Rain," Richard Greenberg, you may recognize the title from Julia Roberts' bomb on broadway earlier this year.
But, it really is a great script, like a treasure hunt. I have had a lot of fun just talking about the story and the layers long before rehearsal began.
But eventually the table work must end and we see ACTION. The cast is truly impressive, I have never seen actors work so hard, I have also never worked with actors who were making money, less about the money, more it's their job, what they have chosen to do with life, no classes, no waiting tables, no kids, just work, act. It's beautiful.
What impressed me most is Kathleen's ability to trust, herself and the actors. For the first couple days of rehearsal she just let hem go and run scenes and work out kinks on their own, without stopping them. I would have and wanted to stop and pick apart moments. But I realized by the 3rd and 4th day the actors were getting it on their own, which is far more valuable.
when I mentioned this to Kathleen she made a very good point...she trusts them and doesn't have to teach them how to act, which has been my experience less as a director and more as an actor doing shows in a learning environment on campus.
So the big lesson this week...
As a director cast people you trust and as an actor make BIG I mean BIG choices and own them (you have to come se "Three Days of Rain" to understand that)
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