Donna Lucia's first rehearsal

January 4, 2000

We had a major snow storm last night and by early afternoon our driveway still haven't been plowed out. The snow was up to the middle of my thigh, how was I going to get out? Our first rehearsal was schedule for tonight.

The weathered cleared up today, but the snow was deep. Just when I was thinking about e-mailing or phoning the director about our rehearsals I picked up an e-mail from him. The rehearsal tonight, make it if you could. My last report from Traverse City said the roads were plowed and passable, if you went slow. That's it, I was going.

The roads were okay and I made it in time. However half the cast was missing! What kind of reading was this going to be? Just fine as it turned out.

Our director, Don, have us a lecture on his function. He was there to help us along, but come the last night of dress rehearsal, he would be history. The play would be ours. That was a scary thought! No one to lean on and bawl you out when you were screwing up! He said the play and we actors would be turned over to the Stage Manager. We would follow the blocking (where you located on the stage at any given time) we had all agreed upon, give our lines with the same energy, in the same tone that we had all rehearsed. The last performance was not the time to "give it all I had". We were to do that at every performance and every rehearsal.

Next we introduced ourselves, what part we were playing and gave a brief synopsis of our background. Believe it or not, I was brief! I met for the first time, Sir Francis, my love interest. There is quite a high difference, he being much shorter, so the director said no high heels for moi. Turns out he has had a lot of acting experience, so I can learn lots of from him.

So we all gathered around, sat, and started to read aloud. People filling in where needed on the missing parts.

I do not know my lines by heart, not memorized, but I'm very familiar with them. I've been reading them almost every day, certainly every other day. I was shocked!!! It sounded like some of the actors were looking at the script for the first time! Stumbling, mispronouncing, losing their place. It was a surprise! As it turns out, the director is an excellent actor!! And most amusing! He took the part of Lord Fancourt Babberly, the character who's impersonating Charley's Aunt. He had me laughing almost continuously! I'll definitely learn lots from this guy. How exciting. Somehow we muddled our way through the play. I felt better then I probably should about knowing my lines. I knew them well enough to start playing with the character and putting feeling into the part. I was having fun!

After we finished the director started in on us. First of all I've been saying Donna Lucia d' Alvardorez wrong. No wonder! So we all agreed on his pronunciation (he is the "director" although in this instance "dictator" is more like it!). Then he said we were going much too slow. One page should be one minute of performance time! With 145 pages, the play should be 2 hours and 20 some minutes. Too long he said. It must be no more than two hours! He had Sir Francis and me read one page and timed us. We flew, bantering back and forth. Hell I was out of breath by the time we finished. One minutes exactly! What had been dull and dragging became energetic and exciting.

"What about waiting for the laugh lines?" I asked.

"We don't wait. We just go on. They'll get used to the it and keep their laughter to themselves until their ready to explode. This is a farce and the humor comes from the fast bantering speed of the play. Afterwards they'll repeat the amusing lines to each other, but keep it moving while it's happening. We'll give each other lots of energy and the audience will feed off the excitement. So know your lines!" he said.

I was could see what he meant and was pumped! Then he gave a little critique and analysis for each of us, starting with moi. "Good pacing. You know your character. Well read. Very well read. Good job," he said with a smile. What? Where's the places were I screwed up?!! Nothing, he just went on to the next person. "Do you know what your character is about?" he asked. The following critique were a bit intense but helpful. I started feeling like Sally Field, "You like me. You really like me!"

It was getting late. We put together the schedule for the next six weeks. He didn't want to see my character again until next week when we would all meet again and start blocking the play. In the mean time we were to read and learn our lines.   I love this stuff!!! By next Tuesday I'll have those lines down even better. We are to be "off book" (playing without a script in hand) by no later than the first week in February. Blocking will be finished in the next two weeks. Rehearsal almost every night of February with Mondays off and perhaps some Fridays (she said hopefully). Opening night performance: Thursday February 17.

Yours singing all the way home,

Suzanne & Cassis (Can't you take me with you next time? How about a part for a poodle?)

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