Well, we had a read through of the script yesterday. Michael (the co-writer/producer/artistic director) was a little overwhelmed by the number of people I had cast (25). He told me I should think about cutting five people. So, I had to take on the task of tearing a part out of some poor child's hands. This sucked. I picked five people to be cut today. Informed two of them, and had Michael call the other three.
Meantime, I'm meeting with my stage manager and assistant director to figure out a complete rehearsal schedule. We've got a huge butcher paper calendar taped down to a table and we're trying to fit what should take 6-8 weeks into 3.5. I've never had rehearsals 7 days a week before, but now.. I'm gonna be a slave driver.
Michael calls, one of the children's mother (and the child herself) is VERY upset about being cut and willing to do anything to come back into the fold. I feel like I'm stuck being the evil bad director lady. The man who told me to cut people is now telling me not to cut this particular child even though she's got a busy-ass schedule. I know she's adorable. ALL of the kids are adorable.
Arg.
It just feels like I'm climbing uphill and I'm not really sure why. With Cuckoo's Nest I had an absolute love of the script. I found personal meaning in it. I haven't found why I'm involved with Oliver yet. It can't just be the challenge of doing this gargantuan project. I have to find a personal attachment an investment in the script, in the characters. How is this play going to change who I am? Is it teaching me how to make tough decisions. Aren't I being a kind of Fagin character if I work these kids as hard as I plan?
I took this gig because I want to be a director more than anything in the world. I want to make my living as one. And I can't do that if I'm not willing to take on projects that scare me and stretch my abilities. And if there's anything this project does, it terrifies me. But, starting tomorrow, I dive in head-first, and it doesn't matter if I'm shivering and quaking in my burkenstocks. I have to look like I know exactly what I'm doing and like I've got all the right questions and answers hidden in my pocket.
Meantime, I'm meeting with my stage manager and assistant director to figure out a complete rehearsal schedule. We've got a huge butcher paper calendar taped down to a table and we're trying to fit what should take 6-8 weeks into 3.5. I've never had rehearsals 7 days a week before, but now.. I'm gonna be a slave driver.
Michael calls, one of the children's mother (and the child herself) is VERY upset about being cut and willing to do anything to come back into the fold. I feel like I'm stuck being the evil bad director lady. The man who told me to cut people is now telling me not to cut this particular child even though she's got a busy-ass schedule. I know she's adorable. ALL of the kids are adorable.
Arg.
It just feels like I'm climbing uphill and I'm not really sure why. With Cuckoo's Nest I had an absolute love of the script. I found personal meaning in it. I haven't found why I'm involved with Oliver yet. It can't just be the challenge of doing this gargantuan project. I have to find a personal attachment an investment in the script, in the characters. How is this play going to change who I am? Is it teaching me how to make tough decisions. Aren't I being a kind of Fagin character if I work these kids as hard as I plan?
I took this gig because I want to be a director more than anything in the world. I want to make my living as one. And I can't do that if I'm not willing to take on projects that scare me and stretch my abilities. And if there's anything this project does, it terrifies me. But, starting tomorrow, I dive in head-first, and it doesn't matter if I'm shivering and quaking in my burkenstocks. I have to look like I know exactly what I'm doing and like I've got all the right questions and answers hidden in my pocket.
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