Coming Back From A Break...And Continuing Our Strong Run!!!

It is Gregory D. Hicks again, just checking in!

A lot has happened since I last blogged: all of our dress rehearsals, the opening of the show, etc. Time is moving SO fast! IT seems like only yesterday that we were all auditioning. Now, we are three shows into our run!

From an audience's standpoint, doing a show (especially with all the emotions that this show has) may look draining and monotonous but like Emily has said, we are still playing and discovering. Just because there is an audience (speaking of which, the playwright, Deborah Brevoort will be in the audience tonight!!!! But, no pressure!) present that does not mean we stop discovering. In order for this wonderful thing called theatre to work, we save the best for last: the audience!

I have been told and agree that the following are elements to any theatrical, staged performance: the first thing you need is a text. The text is where it all starts. There will be something in it that will draw people to it. So, in order to shape the text, you need a director. They will be the first one’s drawn to the script, because without the text to draw someone to do it, you do not have a show. Next, you have your design team/stage managers/crew. These are the ones who you (the director) trust to help create the world from the text and help keep everything flowing smoothly. Next, you get your actors. These are the (crazy, but fabulous people, lol) that embody the text. As the directors has done, the actor focuses specifically on their character making for a much richer interpretation on the text. This is because new ideas are bring brought to the characters by the actors AND the director can focus on the entire picture and help the actors along as they go. Now, you need a world for the actors to explore: the set. The set is a mixture of the director's vision, the necessary requirements from the text, and execution of the crew. With only two more components left, you are very close to having your show when your actors get into costume/makeup. At this point, you have a very solid foundation: a leader, officers with their specific assignments, a created world, the clothing that would be acceptable in your created world and the last ingredient to this perfect concoction is the audience. This makes everything complete because now there is live energy; an energy that can only be felt in the theatre. Actors feed off of this energy and it allows us to really be in the moment, whatever that moment may be, and share it with someone that is not on stage. This is where the all the sharpened tools are ready to make the best “concoction”. We are then ready to have fun, make more discoveries, focus on the other, raise the stakes, and live in the moment as the people we have created throughout the rehearsal process.

It may seem like doing a show several times, with the same lines, same set, same people may be boring but it is just the opposite! It is exhilarating! When you have all the right tools: a wonderful cast, crew, (all the crews: costume, set, sound, light, etc.) and director everything just falls into place. It is just like cooking a good chili: when it is first done (and if you put in the proper work into) it is great. But, just you let those spices set. Let the chili powder really soak into the beans and the meat. Let the cumin really mix in with the salt and peppers. And when you reheat up your well-made chili, you are amazing that something that was already great just became extraordinary!!!

Deborah Brevoort is here!

Hi all,
I just had dinner with the Playwright Deborah Brevoort and she is AWESOME! She has such amazing stories to tell about how the show came to be and some really interesting experiences she has had with different productions. I hope you can all come see her speak tomorrow! She will be at Milner Library at 10:00 AM then in the CPA at 12:00 and is attending the show tomorrow night and will be doing a talkback after the show. ALL ARE WELCOME TO ALL EVENTS!

The run of the show is going very well too. The actors are still out there making new discoveries and they are thrilling to watch each night. Hope you all get to see their beautiful work. Also, the designs on this show are particularly lovely and really brought the show together to be a whole work.

Best,
Emily Gill
Director, The Women of Lockerbie

A day off?

So we officially made it through Tech weekend and also our First Dress Rehearsal. What a relief. The show is truly coming together and its wonderful knowing that we are so close to opening night. The show is about 98% ready, we just have those final little tweaks to make to give it that little extra edge. The cast is excited, the Designers are exhausted but excited, and you couldn't ask for a better spot to be in.

Today is the first day off for me from the show in ten days. That type of time is exhausting and today my body has realized that it's a day off, so I'm stuck home sick. It's been a long week but rather enjoyable as we see the show piece together. Tech was great! It was slower than we originally expected but it allowed us to make those ever so slight changes that we needed to lights and sound.

So here we go, two more shots before we have an audience! This show really has been a treat. As Jessie mentioned, the way that the cast & designers have been able to work together has never been experienced by myself. It truly is a wonderful experience of a show!

Andrew Blevins
Stage Manager

The Lockerbie FAMILY

Hey there! This is Jessie Swiech and I’m playing Hattie in ‘The Women of Lockerbie.’ Whenever you’re cast in a show (or work on one in any capacity), you always hope that you will be working with a really good group of people. It’s especially important if you’re working on a show which deals with such heavy subject matter as ‘Lockerbie’ does. As an actor, you not only have to do hours of research about the events surrounding the disaster, but also spend a lot of time in the headspace of the people who went through the event. …It can be rough. Really rough. But that, my friends, is where we got lucky. No – luck probably didn’t have much to do with it, actually. Let’s just say that we are very, very fortunate. The cast, production team, director and designers all seemed to click almost immediately. Being surrounded by the kind of trust and mutual respect which we have built up makes an absolute world of difference. The cast is not just a group of people who are collaborating on a play. We became – in a very short period of time – a family. If she just nails a moment, we’ll give her a huge, “WOW! That was awesome!” when we get backstage. If he forgets the blocking and goes back to an old pattern, we’ll adjust and laugh about it later. If we need a pep talk before we go onstage, we’ll boost each other up. If I work and work on my monologue until it really gets to me and I just start to sob, I suddenly will find myself in the middle of a cast sandwich while someone softly sings “We Go Together” from ‘Grease’ as a ballad until I laugh. (…Hypothetically speaking…) This play is such an ensemble piece, that I cannot imagine what it would be like trying to perform it any other way. I’d like to think that in some small way, we’re embodying one of the messages of the show. Telling of the story of an act of hate turning into an act of love, has made us – the actors, the stage managers, the assistant director, the director – into a family. I will never forget this show or the wonderful memories it has given me. The experience of working with a group of insanely talented, yet humble individuals has been almost an awe-inspiring one. Thank you everyone. You are all fabulous and I cannot wait to begin the final stretch together. Into the breach, my friends! It’s almost show time!

10/12 completed

Yesterday was the rehearsal we call Ten of Twelve. This means that we rehearse 10 hours of a 12 hour period. It is a LONG day but yesterdays 10/12 rehearsal was productive, thoughtful, fun, and exciting. I was simply one of the best ones I have ever been a part of. We spent the first two sections of the day (we break twice so the day is made of up three work sessions) doing a stop-and-go. This basically means that we ran the show, stopping and fixing tech elements (lights, sound, props, and set....no costumes until Monday) as we went and re-running sections as needed. Since the show is only about 95 mins long, we (Andrew Blevins and I) assumed that we would fly through this stop-and-go. As it turned out things t0ok much longer than we expected. We found out that a show as delicate as Lockerbie needs delicacy and patience when incorporating technical elements. Crazy or sudden shifts and lights or sound simply do not work in this world. JM (Lighting designer) and Mark (sound designer) along with Eric (props) and John and Chad (Set) worked hard to elevate the story the actors are telling on stage in a way that helped move the action and the story along but not overwhelm it.

After we finished our stop-and-go we moved on to a full run. I expected since we were all tired that the run would be a bit low energy but I was WRONG! The actors took the show to a whole new level and not only incorporated the tech elements but used them to elevate and focus their work on stage. And let me tell you....you all are going to have your jaws HIT THE FLOOR when you watch the final sequence of the play...it is a truly thrilling thing to watch!

Side note: there was no shortage of laughter yesterday as usual. The cast and crew pulled one over on me when instead of the hearing the show music during on shot at the final sequence they played The Circle of Life from the Lion King and proceeded to pull a stuffed animal from the clothing bag and dance around like wild animals from the Lion King. Someone got it all on film and I am sure it will be on facebook soon enough. It was VERY FUNNY!

Best,
Emily Gill
Director, The Women of Lockerbie

Prep Prep Prep

So here we are, Crew View Eve. Tomorrow is the first day that we will have the crews reporting for duty. This is awesome and terrifying. A lot has to be done prior to their arrival and due to many other things having to be done during rehearsal, Tech Prep is not always on the top of the list. This whole week, my assistants and myself have spent time during rehearsals prepping the necessary paperwork that we use frequently during tech. Whether its charting entrances/exits of actors, or locating where every prop is during the show at any given moment. Lucky for us, this show has no more than 20 props....if you don't count the clothes.

This weekend that we are heading into can be extremely exhausting considering we are putting in over 18 hours of rehearsal for Tech in 3 days...and then we begin dress rehearsals with costumes!

No matter how crazy and ridiculous this whole process sounds, it's exactly why I do Theatre. It is an insane amount of work, but the amount of gratification that I receive when I call that first cue on opening night is worth every moment, good or bad. It's hard for some people to understand what we do and why we do it, but it certainly is a lifestyle that we all have chosen for some reason. In the end, we all do it because it's what we love and are passionate about. I wish expressing these feelings through type did it justice, but it really doesn't. I invite you sometime, whether it's helping a local high school or a community theatre, to get involved with a production. Just see what it's like.

It seems to be the perfect fit for all of us involved in this production atleast.

Andrew Blevins
Stage Manager

New Discoveries

This past week has been a good one....stressful and full of work but still good. Very productive. We have been in the CPA on our set since Sunday night. It is so nice to be able to settle into the world of Lockerbie. Lights and sound have been working over top of rehearsals so we have had a sneak peak at the loveliness to come when we fully integrate lights and sound and costumes.

We are now only ONE rehearsal away from tech....and I made profound discoveries at rehearsal tonight! It is amazing and thrilling to me that the team can be this close to tech and still willing to make discoveries and PLAY. The cast reminded me tonight that even though I tell them to continue to play and make new discoveries about the play all the time, that it is JUST as important for me to practice what I have been reminding them. I needed them to remind me of that tonight. They needed me to be reminded of that too. Though we are very close to tech and dress rehearsals, we STILL HAVE TIME TO PLAY & DISCOVER NEW THINGS ABOUT THIS SHOW! What a gift I was given to be reminded of that tonight.

Emily Gill
Director, The Women of Lockerbie

It's All About The Other

Hello, all! My name is Gregory D. Hicks and I am the actor playing George Jones in The Women of Lockerbie! Like my stage manager, Andrew Blevins, I am new to the world of blogging. However, as I have learned in life and on-stage, saying "yes" to new constructive ideas can lead to many great discoveries!

Speaking of great discoveries, there was a HUGE revelation on Wednesday, September 14th's rehearsal! We were working the scene between Bill and George and we realized that something was missing. As we worked, Emily (the director) was able to get us to try new blocking and new intentions. With these new approaches, our relationships (Bill's and George's) connected in a way that never happened before! This idea of being “Mano-y-mano” was heightened and, at the same time through defending one’s view, the opposite became true. It is a stereotype that men do not often show their feelings but because of this horrendous circumstance, these men show enough vulnerability to teach the other about their side of this tragedy while maintaining an acceptable level of testosterone. What is even more exciting is this major connection was not established with "actor tricks" but by Emily revisiting one of the fundamentals of acting, which is: having concern for the other.

Early in my acting training, I was told a theatre “law” by the acting faculty at ISU that, "You are only as only good as your scene partner." Now, that may not make since to someone who is new to acting or who is an avid theater-goer especially if you have seen one man/woman shows. However, then the other scene partner become the audience that the actor sends and receives to. The reason this holds true is because of another theater “law”, which is: "Acting is about reacting." Once you let someone know how you are feeling, it is up to you, the listener, to: hear the information, process it, and react accordingly. This also makes sense in real life as well, which is probably why the acting style of realism is such a mainstream acting style; overall, it seems to be the most relatable style. With this new found energy and the performance date approaching, I am looking forward to taking using this into our future rehearsals!

Before I sign off, there is another discovery that I revisited from that rehearsal and have FULLY pieced together as I am writing typing this post. They say that to be an actor, "You have to vulnerable." And you do! You have to be ready to lay it all on the line; you have to be ready to show your public audience several private moments throughout your show. So, if that is the case, if you can focus all of your energy (sending and receiving) on your scene partner while your scene partner is doing the SAME for you, you will not be as vulnerable at all! You will not feel naked, but clothed; you will not feel left behind, but carried; and you will not feel neglected, but comforted! And so will they!

Looking forward to sharing our journey from the stage, 

George Jones aka Gregory D. Hicks

Here we go...

We are now officially 2 week to the day from OPENING NIGHT!!! I cannot believe that the time is so near to opening. It seems like just a little while ago we started talking about Lockerbie. In reality, many of us have been working on the show since March as Andrew Blevins pointed out in his recent blog post. It seems amazing to me that we now are looking at a nearly completed show after all this time!
The actors and I, along with the stage management team are thrilled that we only have two more rehearsals until we are on the REAL set in the theatre for good. It will be great to finally feel the set under our feet and get acquainted with the very intricate and amazing scenic elements after weeks of imagining the slops and hills taped out flat on the ground in the rehearsal space. We will be moving into a MUCH larger space and will have to figure out what that means for us in terms of blocking, vocal projection, and overall arch of the story we are telling on the stage. This likely means a lot of work on the details but I think I speak for all of us when I say we could not be more excited and READY to get into the theatre space and get this show up and ready.

Emily Gill
Director, The Women of Lockerbie

The Final Countdown to Tech

So I guess I'm newer to this blogging idea but I've decided to give it a shot! My name is Andrew Blevins and I serve as the Stage Manager for this production of The Women of Lockerbie. This project has been exciting as it started for me back in March and has been a joy to work on this whole time! The whole show is officially coming together! It's getting down to the time where we are in the prep stages for Tech. We will start adding lights, sounds and the set within this next week. My days will be filled with meetings with the director and designers as we prepare for Tech.

The event that always starts off prep for tech week for me is what we refer to as Paper Tech. This is the moment where myself, the director, the lighting designer & sound designer all sit down and discuss the lighting and sound cues within the show that I will be responsible for making sure get called at the correct time. It will be a good meeting to start off what is going to be more than likely a very good tech week!

I hope you all are as excited to see the show as we are to present it. It really can't be expressed how much work goes into a show. Everyone has been working so hard, whether it's the cast or design team. In the end, it should be a great product that we put on that stage!

Andrew Blevins
Stage Manager

The Women of Lockerbie ISU's photostream 2

The Women of Lockerbie ISU's photostream on Flickr.

More photos from Rehearsal

Designer Run/First night in the CPA

Tonight was a good night. The actors had their first real chance to explore the full show on the set in the CPA. It was amazing to see it all come to life! (I think there are photos that will be posted of the night)

I am always amazed how things change once we get onto the REAL set. We have been rehearsing on a flat, taped out version of the set, that while correct in scale and size is really hard to feel much of the size and scope of the actual set. We do not get to experience the height or depth of the space until we are really there. This requires some imagination and creativity (and lots of work on the part of the stage management to tape the set out to scale!) but we make it work. It is important to give the technical folks time to do their work and complete their jobs to make the set safe and beautiful for the show. The actors and I always REALLY want to get on the set as soon as we can but also REALLY want the set to be a lovely and well constructed as possible. This means using another room to work through much of our rehearsal process. It is a compromise that in the end always works well. The actors are smart an adaptable with their surroundings and the tech folks are able to take the time to do their jobs well.

Also another great meeting with the ENG 102 class today! So many great questions about the rehearsal process and the viewers guide. Looking forward to seeing some of you in rehearsals soon!

Best,
Emily Gill
Director, The Women of Lockerbie

Off Book time

We have reached the point in the rehearsal process where the actors are off book (memorized) and now, as they say, the real work begins! It has been an exciting few weeks working on this piece. Each day I learn so much about the play and the characters as the actors make new discoveries in their work and the designers bring in new thoughts for us to try.

We are slowly going back through each scene after running the full show for the first time on Tuesday night. The run gave us a chance to find out what worked and what needed work and pointed us in the direction we needed to go this week.

The Scottish accents for the women are coming along nicely. Connie DeVeer, the voice and dialect director for the show has been working with the women outside of rehearsals and teaching them practice drills and working on individual lines and scenes. She also comes into rehearsal to listen to the women up on their feet working on scenes and gives them feedback at each break. We laugh a lot because the actresses often continue to speak in their Scottish dialect even when we are on breaks, talking about scenes, or doing warm-up.

Today's weekly production meeting went very smoothly. Each area had new things to report. Set: the set is up but not painted or carpeted (carpet will be used for grass on the set) and carpet samples were brought to see how easily it could be painted. Lights: we did a test of water under stage lights as well as looked at the color of the light on some of the costumes. The light crew is currently in the middle of a work call until 11:00 PM tonight and it looks like things are going well in the CPA. Costumes: fittings have been going well and the actors now have their shoes from the costume shop to rehearse with. Props: Props are being gathered and there was much talk about how to work with the candles the script calls for (they have to burn for 35 mins or more on stage in the hands of some of the actors). Sound: new compositions are being created all the time to underscore some of the sections of the show.

Tonight we will be working on some of Madeline's monologues and re-working some of the finals scenes in the show.

A special THANK YOU to all the ENG 102 students from Elizabeth Hatmaker's class for all your visits this week and last!

Emily Gill
Director, The Women of Lockerbie

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