January 10, 2009
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The Magic of Theater!
Woolf opened last night to audience raves! As is so often the case in theater, we kicked it up a notch for opening. All were great! I will humbly admit that I was a veritable dervish. I was really in the moment. What amazed us all was the amount of laughter this show engenders. I mean we knew there were laugh lines but the audience really broke up at points. I think it's because the laughs help the audience break the anxiety of watching the incipient train wreck that is George and Martha.
There were still dropped lines, some in my opinion quite important, but thanks to quick thinking on everyone's part, I don't think the audience was any the wiser. In spite of the length of this show, no one left. People do you know, as rude as it is, people sometimes leave at intermission if the show sucks. The most common comment I heard from the audience last night was that they were so focused by the show that they didn't even realize how much time passed. That is indeed a compliment.
Constant readers know that this show terrified me. As much as I deeply appreciated being cast, I doubted myself frequently. Lou Stallsworth, the director, has been such a calm, cool, optimistic voice throughout. Without the deft touch Lou showed in directing I could never have done the job of which I believe I'm capable. Another shout out has to go to Kate Pinner for her wonderful technical ability in building, with Lou, an amazing set and providing the costumes and verisimilitude the show demands. Kitty Getlik has, once again, done a marvelous job with sound and lights and Tara Simonelli is just an amazing incredible Stage manager.
For my fellow castmates I have nothing but praise. Ruth Markoe is pitch perfect as the slashing, braying residue that calls itself Martha. Danny Siegel has just the right blend of young man bravado and insecurity as Nick. But Ashley Stuart! Oh baby, what a job! Ashley has, I believe, the most difficult acting job in the cast. She must, without many lines to provide anchor, convincingly portray a very drunk, very vacuous young woman without losing focus or slopping over into slapstick or shtick. She does it brilliantly! I have to also thank Dan and Ashley for keeping up with the occasional screw-ups Martha and I make, even now. Although the audience may not notice, Nick and Honey need to be able to role with the punches, so to speak, and figure out where the hell we are in the script. This they do flawlessly.
Come see this show! I guarantee that you will have every delight of professional theater which this show is absolutely. This is the finest show with which I have ever been associated. I hope to see your face in the place.
