December 4, 2008
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A Bear of a Show
Well into the creative process for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. This is, by far, the most challenging role I’ve ever undertaken. The range required is pretty awe inspiring. That Albee knows his onions when it comes to character development let me tell you. Memorizing the lines is agonizing though. There are many non sequiturs and rambling speeches. George tends to speak in paragraphs (much like…well, me). There are layers I’ve not yet explored but, thankfully, we are still a month out. It does give me the willies though not being off book yet. Maybe this weekend I can set aside enough time to memorize.
I don’t know about my colleagues, but when I am in a show it tends to take over my life. Not so much the rehearsing as the obsessing. I think about character development all of the time it seems. I actually wish we had more rehearsal time, not less.As involved as I am with the show however, I am actively looking for my next show. I look at Sweeny at Kelsey with great interest and plan on auditioning as of right now, but I’m wondering whether I will be seriously considered for Sweeny himself now that Johnny Depp has lowered the age expectation for the lead. It played older on Broadway, especially during the first run. Now I suppose I would be suited as well for Judge Turpin and that is a very good role, it’s just that I’m having difficulty seeing myself as the Judge, mostly because Sweeny himself is on my life list. I’ve also learned ad nauseam not to put all my eggs in one basket and so, if something tasty should come up in the next few months I will definitely try for it.
I have been regretting not going to see more shows that feature people with whom I’ve acted. There are just so many of them! Making it difficult is the fact that mi espousa has no interest in spending a weekend evening seeing community theater. Given that I spend so much time out of the home rehearsing and such I often don’t have the reward points needed to go out solo on the weekend. And so I miss many good productions. Ah well. I make a few.
For those of you who have not scarfed up tickets to Woolf yet, remember it’s at Kelsey Theater 1/9-1/18. Don’t be like me. Support community theater.
