14/48: The World's Quickest Theatre Festival

more Rehearsal and Tech fab photos!

2009-01-18T14:03:00.000-08:00

HALF TIME with Erin

2009-01-17T21:00:00.000-08:00

I mean intermission. It's a great show! I watched the first act from the stairs, because this hizzy is PACKED. Leotards, records, cubicles and toilet paper. But so much more....

Really? You're not here? Oh, what? You're reading this blog?

Well let me tell you something: If you are reading this very well written blog, in your sweatpants in between wikipedia searches, you are missing out on something fabulous, my friend! So, you know what? You are not that smart. I know I don't know all of you, and it's presumptuous of me to judge (some of you i know, so my judgement is just) but you don't know where it's at! You're missing it! What could be more fun than being here and watching this show???

(If you are coming to the 10:30 then nevermind.)

2 mintes to places.

7:43pm

2009-01-17T19:43:00.000-08:00

Alex is dressed in a, shall we say, snug leotard. James is screaming for his radio, it is in his pocket.

Jodie is dressed in his wonderful 1448 jacket. Peggy is continually saying the theme of yesterday's show "Why women gotta BE like that?". Actors are in varying stages of dress and make-up.

I learned to toss toilet paper correctly.

Harvey is being burped.

Whiskey is being poured into flasks. Mik is looking for her Shakespeare book.

Matthew Richter says, "Anyone seen a unicorn head?"

Jim Jewell is still working making the food happen.

Flasks are now being swapped.

Stacy Bush is wearing a dapper outfit.

10 minutes - was just called out.

10 minutes.

I will throw 2 rolls of tp, and I will assist Mik in getting into a pink pretty dress.

Jodi says, "You see me coming, but you didn't see THE NINJA coming."

Peggy says, "Why HARVEY gotta be like that."

7pm Meeting

2009-01-17T19:01:00.001-08:00

All artists are in the room. They all made it to the meeting.

Announcements: We need to learn the kermit the frog song. The band is coming in to teach. Buy shirts! We have them. James Frounfelter is wearing his 45th bandana. An appropriate black bandana for crewing backstage. Thank you to Liz for helping with kitchen stuff! Tonight is the last night in the January 2009 1448. Go out and blow their doors off. Every seat has a superman and a bridal gown. There are many props that have been borrowed, bring them to where I tell you at the end. On Monday nights theater artists can go to Bizzarro in Wallingford and get cheap things to eat and drink. Get out of costumes quick after 1030 so we can bring them back to where they need to go. Clean up after yourselves. After it all we will par-tay.

Be quiet backstage. Der.

Let's learn Rainbow Connection! Have a good show! Woooooo!

-----

As always: Like Shelley Reynolds used to say -

8pm show? OPENING NIGHT ENERGY!

10:30pm show? CLOSING NIGHT ENERGY!

If you start to feel tired? RAISE THE FUCKING STAKES!

Random things - the band and making stuff

2009-01-17T18:28:00.000-08:00

Dinner.

2009-01-17T17:50:00.000-08:00

thank you bizzaro. delicious. we have options of meaty. veggie. and veggie. yum.

overhearing matthew richter. sound super pleased about his play. his eyes are happy.

Amanda lee is strolling in a lovely bedtime style/utilitarian long-john number.

The babies are cute.

Shawn Belyea has make-up on, looking quite rosy.

Tampon owner found. I will keep discretion, but put your mind at ease knowing they have gotten back to their owner.

more Tech.

2009-01-17T17:38:00.000-08:00

cue to cue. lights, entrances, and exits. there are a lot of people to focus. pay attention and retain.
toliet paper to throw.
quick changes to happen.
cues to pick up.
and music to rock.

OH, ok.

2009-01-17T16:43:00.000-08:00

So Peggy and Peter informed me that a play can have sound cues, just not from the booth. If the band is willing, then it is ok.

I am plugged in to the power strip at Base Camp and listening to the band play We Didn't Start The Fire. Anne Conte is folding programs for the night. And others. Mik Kuhlman is asking for a quick change helper. Annette has offered to step in. Go Annette!

TECH

2009-01-17T16:08:00.000-08:00

So now, since my picture show FINALLY UPLOADED, I am sitting down at tech in the theater. I almost don't want to be in here because I don't want to give anything away. So I'll be all secret-like.

There is a VERY long music cue, which I walked in during. It went on forever. It's supposed to, but it went on extra long because the band was waiting for lights to cut them off, and lights were waiting for the band to stop first. Ha. Now they've gotten it down and decide to move to the end of the play. I was just informed that they are in the middle of play 2 of 7. I was also informed that someone bought glue sticks instead of hot glue gun sticks. Oops.

Let's talk bout how James Frounfelter is on top of it. Pretty much always. Or he seems like it. Last summer when I acted for the festival, the leg buckled on the table I was sitting on with another actor. It happened right before the lights went up, so James threw himself underneath of it and held the thing in place so we wouldn't fall. He was hidden from the audience by the masking around it, and even we, on top of the broken table, had no idea he was under there.

Crazy good, right?

Ok, play 3 is in now. Nick Garrison is the director and is patiently trying to work all of his sound cues out. There's a bunch, both practical and not. The band is quietly discussing things while the actors sit on stage in a makeshift office thing. The pencil sharpener sound is hard to do, since it is done by Brendan from over in the band area. He's got a computer and a bunch of sound effects.

I didn't know we could do sound effects?

Other than that, just lights up lights down. I have my video camera with me but again, I don't want to give shit away. I am hoping to get some interviews done after this. I want to get some "personal stories."

I'm actually surprised at the canned music being used. There's not a lot of it, but it sticks out to me because i've never heard it at a 1448. Oh it's being done from onstage. He's got an ipod speaker thing. So he's doing it from there. Got it. Interesting.

My battery is going to die. Will charge and update soon.

Friday Night Pics.

2009-01-17T15:51:00.000-08:00

Director's Meeting 3:00pm

2009-01-17T15:00:00.000-08:00

Concerns:

3 live music moments in first play. With choreography.

Projection screen.

The dog dies at the end of mine.

Just kidding, there's no dog.

Lots of lights, up lights down.

We need staplers and pens and a pencil sharpener.

No intro music.

No set, really. No mirror ball. Anymore.

Make your play less funny because ours is really sad. And people will already be crying. I would prefer a practical pencil sharpener. We only need the one table. Can the chords from the laptop be taped? Who is using that acting cube? Where's the banner? Motivational posters? Well, it's not a big deal. The cigar is not being lit. We can't use the balcony? Or can we use the balcony. How many dresses on sticks are there? We need two crowns. They need to be under the bench. I don't know where you are in props, but I could love to have 2 paper back copies of Romeo and Juliet. And we need privacy for a quick change. She is going to be topless, Ok? Are you guys happy now? We need someone to do the Prom Announcement guy. We need a squawk. At the end of the show, we need to sing Rainbow Connection. Can we sing through it? At tech? Are you serious? Let's do it at the meeting. I need artists around to clap when the actor claps. Anything else? We have 10 minutes until we tech the first show. I'll let you know if we are running behind. And come to the 7:00 meeting! Goodbye!!

I need one wooden chair.

A story from Matthew Richter

2009-01-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

Back in 1997, when 1448 first started, I was directing a show. We did all the blocking, the rehearsing, the giving of direction. The 8 o'clock show rolls around and this actor did none of it. She did none of it! After it was over I went back stage to say "What Happened?" and she had the biggest grin on her face. She then told me "I didn't want to say anything to you before the 8pm show, but i've never been onstage before!"

Now it's time for the director's meeting.

ANYBODY LOSE ANY TAMPONS???

2009-01-17T14:48:00.000-08:00

Because a cute little bag was found that's full of 'em!

Claim at Base Camp.

it's that weird time

2009-01-17T13:56:00.001-08:00

It's that weird time that comes after lunch, when there's about an hour until the director's meeting. Do we do a run? Do we work stuff? after the meeting it's tech. This might be the only time we have to actually work that one part.

I have wandered up to the 3rd floor, just outside the Buster rehearsal foyer, in hopes of getting a stronger internet connection so i can upload another slideshow. They have the doors shut, but I can hear loud voices saying the same lines of text over and over.

WORK it.

I just got a little bit of footage of the band trying to teach the melody of "A Whole New World" to those that didn't know it. I'll put it up as soon as the damn slide show is done.

***************************MIK KUHLMAN IS AWESOME************************************

It's called unexpected real good massage. Thanks Mik!

Also, *********************JIM JEWELL IS ALSO AWESOME**********************************

It's called a fantastic delicious grilled cheese sandwich. Thank you, Jim!

People are spread out all over. I hear Sheila Daniels talking with her actors just below me. I hear voices I don't recognize behind the doors to my left. On my way upstairs I saw Gillian Jorgensen and her delicious child hanging out while her actors were off memorizing.

I think Sheila just said "I want you to take the fish...while you're walking...and set it."

5 hours down, 6 to go. And the shows are sold out, I believe.

Rehearsal PICTURES (slideshow)!

2009-01-17T13:51:00.000-08:00

LUNCH!

2009-01-17T12:56:00.000-08:00

Well. First of all it looks A-mazing, lunch that is...

There is a grill which leads my co-blogger Erin to believe grilled cheese! Exciting.

"I thought I'd get it in the eye," says James.

"Out of the big one," says Peter.

"If I had a nickle," says Peggy.

MIK KUHLMAN is amazing. She just gave Erin and I some fabulous. Fabulous. Massages, dreamy.

Tracy and Darragh - are talking about a dress.

"You are wearing it?!"

"Yeah," says Darragh.

"Good, I brought it hoping someone would wear it. I am so happy you are wearing it."

14/48 Low Down for Saturday

2009-01-17T12:52:00.000-08:00

The Plays

Play 1: "More" by Drew Katzman
Director: David Bennett
1 Male 3 Female

with Alex Samuels
Marcy Rodenborn
Christina Mastin
Stacey Bush

Play 2: "Todd Schuster, Hero" by Keri Healey
Director: Matthew Richter
1 Male, 2 Female

with Ben Gonio
Marty Mukhalian
Jill Snyder

Play 3: "A Flame In Your Heart" by Patrick Scott
Director: Nick Garrison
1 Male, 1 Female

with Rob Jones
Shannon Kipp

Play 4: "Worldwide Stuff, Incorporated" by Joy McCullough-Carranza
Director: "Andy Jensen
4 Male, 0 Female

with Stephen Hando
Chris Bell
John Paulsen
Nik Perleros

Play 5: "A Whole New World" by Darian Lindle
Director: Sheila Daniels
1 Male, 3 Female

with Tracy Hyland
Karen Jo Fairbrook
Mik Kuhlman
Brandon Ryan

Play 6: "Sudden Inexpressible" by Scotto Moore
Director: "Basil Harris & Gillian Jorgensen
1 Male and 2 Female

with Michael "Bama" Katt
Betsy Schwartz
Amanda Lee Williams

Play 7: "Of Queens and Frogs" by Scot Augustson
Director: Mark Fullerton
3 Male, 2 Female

with Darragh Kennan
Jose Amador
David Lewis
Shanna Allman
Leticia Jaramillo

Bits of words from the day-

2009-01-17T12:50:00.000-08:00

“I have three lines today” –
“Have you seen the disco ball?”
Peggy says “Nobody has that look in their eyes.” Which bodes very well.
I see the disco ball it is in half and DUSTY!
In Base Camp all is pretty calm. Things appear to be going smoothly. Jim Jewell requests more salad dressing and sends a runner.
“Is it too early for Glenleviet?”
It is amazing to watch this festival go together.
I can hear the band rehearsing in the theatre , the sound of plans being made, props being made, the sound of radio/walkie-talkies going off.
“Toliet paper and tampons,” says Mr. James Frounfelter.
And apparently there is no door today and that makes him a happy camper.

Morning Pictures (slideshow!)

2009-01-17T11:58:00.000-08:00

Creepily Watching the Band from the Shadows

2009-01-17T11:01:00.000-08:00

I decided to go into the theater and watch the band, because I never have and am totes interested.

Brendan Hogan is talking about one of the plays, trying to describe it so everyone's on the same page and can pick the right music for it. It also has a start up sound for Windows that needs to be figured out. There are quite a few sound cues but are done by the actors onstage. Maybe add a few distorted guitar twangs here and there. I count 7 band members in this discussion, not including the purdy singin' Joanna who dashed upstairs to find out something...from someone. The mood is light and fun as the guys give each other shit and try to hash it all out. Oh I see another woman in the band! Who is that? She was not here yesterday. I wonder if she is in the band, or a band helper. I can't say band-aid because I was reminded yesterday that that is a totally different thing involving sexytimes.

Well...who knows. She could be a band-aid. I don't know her life.

There will be a company sing-a-long to "The Rainbow Connection" at the end of play 7. How should it go? When should everyone come onstage to sing? Is this the curtain call music too? Maybe we should stay on that and rock it up a little bit.

When should the trumpet fanfare happen?

Director Sheila Daniels comes in to discuss play 5 and needs something that sounds like an alarm clock baby. I don't really know what they are talking about. A Whole New World comes after the ________ in the end. She's talking softly and I am in the back.

Joanna has come back to report that there's a show that needs some music to sound like a news broadcast, as well as cell phone sounds, and a triumphant capitalistic celebratory march, but not patriotic. She says, Did you mean Godless America? The director said no. The band takes note and moves on. Gotta think on that one.

I'm going to step away and come back to see what they've decided on in a bit.

Let's get started: A Moment With Peggy Gannon

2009-01-17T10:47:00.002-08:00

Peggy is frantically printing rewrites.

Peggy is frantically printing rehearsal sheets of where people are.

Peggy is talking to the printer.

Peggy is done. "Now's the time when it starts getting fun."

(This all sounds like some strange children's book...)

This building is so large people keep coming back and asking her where rooms are. I think I've heard her say "Buster's Bottom" about 50 times. Over radio, Peggy and Peter banter, sing and misunderstand each other as the morning progresses. I miss what is said as she grabs a bunch of location sheets and daily schedules and dashes out of the room.

Go, Peggy. GO!

2009-01-17T10:47:00.001-08:00

Following the Plays...

2009-01-17T10:30:00.001-08:00

I am silently stalking Darian and Tracy and we are lost… trying to find the blue room. Tracy calls Shelia and we are literally a few steps away.

A whole new world. Play #5. Directed by Shelia Daniels written by Darian Lindle.

Darian is going to add in a couple lines because the actresses are right for it. I wonder what that means.

"A whole new world was totally my prom's theme," says Tracy Hyland.

Now to the quite reading. A few scattered chuckles. Discussion of "A Whole New World" being stuck in ones head for the whole day.

"I like your use of commas," says Brandon. Followed up by, "It took me 3 minutes to read it, did it take you 3 minutes to write it?"

Now I am curious. About the commas.

First read-through finished - the casting sticks... and I roll...

Moving to play #2 directed by Matthew Richter written by Keri Healy.

First thought, it is cold here by the door... eck! (this is the Ackerly Forum)

The play sounds serious the tone in the room is hushed. They finish the reading.

"God, this is such a beautiful play."

Is the first comment after reading. That is a great thing to hear.
Tears are even in eyes.

Ben Gonio begins to tell a lovely story - that I can only catch pieces of - relating to the play.
"What you really love about it, is that it just didn't make sense," he says. Speaking about gifts that he was given from a relative (I believe he said his Great Aunt, but this space EATS sound).

In comes Peter to this - checking and verifying the spelling of names. I move on.

Now to Scott O'Moore's 3pg play? Play #6 directed by Basil.
"Lights Fade" "and that is when the theramen solo begins"

"Staging is going to be pretty straight forward... I mean we are in a cave..."

and busting into this quite stage discussion - comes the lilting sound of a cellphone.

And then after intense discussion of the feeling of the clothes and the world - comes the first penis reference. And then the discussion devolves into penis this penis that - escalating into the thought of large penis props and so forth.

Back at Base Camp.

Amanda comes running in needing a pencil. I don't have a pencil. But, Peter does. Go Peter.

Morning meeting.

2009-01-17T10:03:00.000-08:00

A listing off of lost and found. A discussion of speaking thoroughly to the Design Liaison.

And. Please clean up after yourself.

What time is the company meeting 7pm.

Be. There. On time.

or the aforementioned PUNISHMENT.

(again what color is recycling? yellow)

Plays and actors decided. Mass milling and shuffling to respective rehearsal spaces.

Overheard Quotes

2009-01-17T09:58:00.001-08:00

"Nice work yesterday. Nothing makes me hotter than hot straight men kissing."

"Get to the company meeting. Seriously."

"It's not respectful, and we're not douches."

"DId you know 14/48 founder Michael Neff is with us?"

"Gillian's coming with the baby. We made it ourselves. It's easy, I'll show you how."

"My play's only 3 pages!"

"I'm going to go and do some rewrites."

"This all feels less daunting. I don't know if it's because it's my second day, but it feels less daunting."