The Women of Lockerbie ISU's photostream

The Women of Lockerbie ISU's photostream on Flickr.

First night of Blocking

After a week of table work we are now on our feet and moving forward quickly. I cannot tell you how amazing it is to see this work getting on its feet and hear the words with the blocking. Even though it is only a shell at this point, I can see the makings of something great up there in those actors. They are smart and excited and fully committed to going on this journey. There is nothing better than a group of people working toward a common goal with such passion and drive. I have to admit I was tired heading into rehearsal after a long day. But 10 mins in the room with those folks and I had my energy renewed.

Today Gloria Clark and I also got to meet the Eng 102 class. It was a good group with some really nice questions. It is exciting that there are people who seem to have lots of experiences with theater mixed with folks who have never seen a play in their lives. I take for granted that theater is such a big part of my life that it might not be for many others. It is our hope that this is a positive experience for all the students who study and see this production and that theater finds a way into their lives, even if only a little bit.

Emily Gill
Director, Women of Lockerbie

Table Work and Week 1

It has now been one week to the day since we cast Women of Lockerbie and the team and I could not be more thrilled with the talented group of actors working on the show. Each brings a special energy to this play and together they are really something special. The cast list is as follows:
Madeline: Eliza Morris
Bill: Jeff Kuryzs
Olive: Tori Allen
George: Gregory Hicks
Hattie: Jessie Swiech
Woman 1: Fiona Stephens
Woman 2: Elizabeth Keach

This past week has been filled with exciting rehearsals.
August 23rd: Introductions, Designer Presentations, Read Through of script with full cast
August 24th: Viewing of "The Keepers" with cast and full team, dramaturgical backgorund work on the events of the crash of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie Scotland.
August 25th: Continued Dramaturgical work and conversations of how these details fit into our production.
August 26th: Mining the play for questions, details, thoughts, discoveries.
August 28th: Continued mining the play for questions, details, thoughts, discoveries, then a final read through of the script before we being blocking the show.

From here on out we will be up on our feet working on blocking and making discoveries about the characters and the circumstances of the play!

Best,
Emily Gill
Director, Women of Lockerbie

(from August 17th) Audition Time~

Tomorrow is a day the team and I have been waiting for since early last spring. Auditions. Tomorrow the stage manager, Andrew Blevins, the assistant director, Liesl Krieger and I will view over 100 actors audition for ISU School of Theater’s general auditions. I know we are all looking forward to what wonderful talent the actors will bring. After general auditions on Thursday, we will spend two day, a total of 8 hours, calling back actors to read/audition for the roles in The Women of Lockerbie (WOL). It is an intense process but is full of excitement and new possibilities! I hope that by the time I write the next blog update that we will have a cast of actors ready to begin rehearsal.

-Emily Gill
Director of Women of Lockerbie