Week Two, Anita Three

The second week of rehearsals for West Side Story has wrapped up and the cast is ALMOST complete.



We are on our third Anita; this one will stick I think. She owns the confident sexuality inherent in the character, even though she looks pretty sweet here...



Bernardo has been cast...yes, he is very pretty.



This week held the first musical rehearsal of the ensemble number "Tonight," which meant everyone (well, almost everyone) was in the same room for the first time since the table reading. The cast is full of wise guys. Not that I would REALLY know one...

Riff and A-Rab are definitely our cast clowns, followed closely by Action, and maybe Maria...






There is a wonderful dynamic between all the cast members thus far. Most of the company know each other already from previous shows, which makes for a relaxed atmosphere.

And even those of us who are new to the bunch seem to be getting along quite naturally...


The theatre itself radiated with an inviting glow from day one. There is something comforting and homey about this old corner building on The Strand.



yes I shopped these a bit for fun...



The scaffolding across the street is The Grand, Galveston's Opera House. It is getting a much needed facelift apparently. I am planning a future post about Galveston and The Grand and how I feel about THAT hot mess...but I digress...

The rehearsal room, (there is more upstairs, but I haven't been up there yet) which doubles as the lobby is warm and welcoming.

















Framed posters from all the past productions adorn the wall above the mirrors; an impressive line up for such a small company. They have tackled some great shows in their brief run. I hope they are able to generate enough revenue to keep at it all. No one in Houston is doing as many beloved and important and crazy and difficult musicals as Island etc.



This show will certainly have its challenges. The stage is tiny, we are still short a Shark guy or two, the cast is full of younger college-aged kids, and three of the five leads drive from Houston every night for rehearsal. But I have high hopes for this hodge podge of people and experience levels. Perhaps we will "put on a show" after all. So long as Orrie keeps his grubby paws off my camera. Punk.

Bits and Pieces

Rehearsals for West Side Story began this past Sunday. I only have a few random thoughts to share thus far, so in the spirit of Diesel's Sock Drawer, here goes:

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Galveston isn't that far. With 5 o' clock traffic it really only takes about an hour if I take the Beltway. Of course, this costs me three extra dollars, (I don't take it on the return trip since it is 11 pm and there is no traffic on the Loop) which doesn't sound like much, but when you consider the fact that from first rehearsal to closing night there are officially 53 dates on the schedule, that's $159 bucks, which might be the entire paycheck I will receive for this gig.

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That's right, I still have no clue what the company is paying me for almost a quarter of my year spent in rehearsals and performances. The current minimum wage is $6.55, so at that rate, I am looking at a little more than $1000. WOW! If I made that much every 12 weeks, I would be in that illustrious category of sub-poverty. Nice.

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Of course I am not doing this for the money. If I were looking for the most lucrative thing I could do with my acting skills I would turn to prostitution. This is merely paying my dues. Taking the low paying gig in a different city at a relatively new theatre company is part of the process. Most do it in college or instead of college. In all honesty I am happy to be back on the stage, period. I needed to reassure myself that I could do this, that I love doing this, and that I am damn good at this.

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I do believe WSS is one of those shows that needn't call in the principles until a few weeks before tech week. We don't dance in the ensemble numbers, we sing mostly with each other or alone, and the music itself is fairly simple. I know the orchestral score is a monster, but the vocal parts are written well, and are in fact relatively simple. There is one tricky duet Maria has with Anita, but really, Devin (Tony) and I are both ready for a rehearsal pianist. We have no need to "learn" our notes and rhythms the way the rest of the cast may. We read music. Well. Time to start memorizing and staging! Maybe soon.

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It is a little lonely playing the leads. The rest of the cast is already forming relationships, and Devin and I haven't even been in the same room with most of them since the table reading. Most of them seem pretty nice and possibly interesting. I hope I will get the opportunity to make friends soon!

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I wish I had the voice and dancing chops to play Anita. As we lost our Anita to a move the day after the reading, I got to sing her part in the ensemble rehearsals for "America." I identify with her character so much more, but my voice just sounds silly singing her lines. *sigh* Always the ingenue, never the sarcastic wench.

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Devin is disgustingly able to do this roll. That is all I can say right now without spitting venom and profanity about the unfairness of it all. More later, but for now know that he is a vocal teacher's dream student, retaining and utilizing all minutiae immediately and perfectly. Grumblegrumblegrumble...

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I will be taking my camera to rehearsal from now on, and trying to capture some of what is going on. I love the creative process of producing a show in all its anxiety ridden glory. I hope to catch some of it on film. If I could only figure out how to use my stupid camera in low light! ugh!