Second week

Our second week was a lot like the first week.  Rehearsal Rehearsal Rehearsal!  I would come home my brain all mushy.  It was a lot of work and I was enjoying every minute of it.  We started the week filming a promo for Citizens Bank, who is the primary sponsor for this show.  Then we were giving 12 new pages of dialogue for act one.  Ekkk!  Back to the translation and memorization work, then to re-block the first act with the additions.  Mid week we were able to get on stage for a full day of rehearsal. This was great! The rehearsal room is not the same size as the stage and did not have the platforms. It was a full day of gathering our bearings and making all the work we had done in rehearsal polished on the stage.  We could not be on stage at the end of the week because Ivoryton had a big festival and they have Santa and all the lights around the city get turned on and there is music and food and the streets are closed.  After rehearsal we were able to enjoy the city festival and have our picture taken with Santa!  (I will post pics in another blog).

I have greatly enjoyed this experience so much!!  The director we are working with is VERY knowledgeable and knows how to work with both the deaf and non deaf actors and how to make the voices and the sign language flow together seamlessly- even when the voice actress cant remember her lines!  (yep thats me!) He has worked with the company and was a voice actor with the company for a few years.  He understands the frustrations of working in two languages at one time.  He also understands the play inside and out.  When I was a student at DePaul one of my classes I was required to take was a directing class.  I saw this class as something I had to do, and took it serious enough but did not put in any extra effort.  YET, what I remember from that class and what has stuck with me, where the requirements for a GREAT director.  Not only does the director need to read the script (yes I know this sounds like a no brainer!) but the director needs to KNOW the script.  From front to back, needs to have a knowledge of the playwright and the reasons behind what was written and the time period etc etc.  Our director has this and also has the plays memorized, so when I do flub a line he is there to back me up!  Which also means when I do flub a line he knows!  haha  Not only is he a great director he is also a great teacher.  I have learned so much from him.  I have learned about physical comedy, and intonation techniques and stress words and memorization skills (so I don't flub a line-yes slight reoccurring theme). Hearing about his experiences with the company and some of their tour logs has added to me becoming more aware of my role in this company and my job and crazy enough my legacy.  Never really thought I would say that but crazy enough it is true.

These past two weeks have been some of the best weeks so far in this lifetime.  I look forward to seeing what the next two weeks brings!