Donna Lucia blossoms

January 27, 2000

So you've probably been wondering what's been happening with the play.... We, the entire cast have been wondering as well. It's been a harried few weeks. Two actors were fired because of no-shows and were replaced just last week or so. Two female acts had their parts changed as did one of the main male characters. It's been like musical chairs! I've been down right depressed at times wondering if this play was really going to happen. It turns out the director was wondering the same thing and was setting up an alternative play to use just in case. Two weeks ago three of the scenes really came together. That did it! The cast and the director- we all became so enthused we decided the play must go on.

Actor replacements came within days, scripts were highlighted, read and reread. A rehearsal schedule was set up. The set is being built. And tonight, for the first time, the director called me an actor. "No, you're not just an actor, you became Donna Lucia tonight." He's right, I could feel it, as did the rest of the cast. It was truly a thrill.

We were kicked out of our rehearsal stage for tonight because of "Inherit the Wind" is "in house" as they say. So on Thursday nights we rehearse, actually just read, in a local church hall. Because some of the cast members were going to be late, the director discussed our characters with us. What is the background of your character, their goal, and their motivation.

This play, "Charley's Aunt" is a farce. It is often played as slap-stick, but our director is presenting it as a serious play about real people and the odd predicament they got themselves into. My halogen headlight eye rolling routine was quickly squelched. That was deemed, "overdoing it!".

When I first looked at the part I saw Donna Lucia as a successful business woman, charming, with a sense of humor and the "take charge" person in the play. For the last week I've experimented with giving her more of a sense of humor, being quite a tyrant in one scene and totally romantic in another...the character was all over the place. After a few discussions with the director where he simply asked me questions, I started to truly grasp my character and become her. I often practice my lines in the car driving the 35 miles down to rehearsals in Traverse City. For rehearsals tonight I dressed up, hair up-swept, full make-up, Chanel No. 5, sophisticated outfit and an amused intelligent demeanor. Of course it was my earrings that really did it for me! They can truly influence my mood.

I've been reading my lines every day, Clyde and my good buddy Andi have also been reading with me, and I have two of my four scenes down. The other two we're not even finished blocking yet. (Blocking is where you move and stand on the stage.) We just started blocking Act Three this week and it's very complicated with the entire cast on the stage most of the time. Even though I thought I knew my lines, I felt and acted like a total klutz! It's like trying to walk, and chew gum, while juggling and acting trying to look graceful all at the same time...it doesn't work!

Our director is rather vocal at times. Yep, he yells at people. "Why did you do that?!!!" "Why did you walk over to him?!!" "Why are you shuffling around??!!?" He does it to make us think about our movements and make sure they have a purpose. One young girl is quite freaked out and intimidated by it. It doesn't bother me, I know he's trying to make me think. If he rags on me too much I just throw it back at him. So if you're going to walk over to the sofa, you better have a reason and do it with purpose. Our director is from the school that says you don't walk and talk at the same time, unless there is a reason for it. "Stand and Deliver" is his motto.

It's quite scary. Actually it's darn scary, new actors, lines to learn, blocking in Act Two that isn't even done yet! But tonight...it felt good. I can do this. I can do it well. There was dead silent in the room when I finished my scene. Our director, who rarely gives a compliment said, "That was...wonderful! You were not Suzanne, you were an Actor. No, no you weren't either, you became Donna Lucia." The rest of the cast nodded in agreement and were totally pumped to learn their lines. I'm in heaven.
I love this stuff!!!

Yours trying to find a lace fan for a prop,

Suzanne & Cassis (Oh shucks, I can usually see through her!)

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