...Okay, so maybe it isn't just yet. But that doesn't mean we aren't already getting into the holiday spirit by preparing for our Christmas show!
This Thursday, October 24, we are scheduled to have auditions for It's a Wonderful Life, which we will perform December 6, 7, 13, and 14!
Anyone who wants more details can check out the facebook event here!
Everyone is strongly encouraged to come out and audition! We'll need plenty of actors for this cast, so please, don't be shy! We'd absolutely love to have you come be a part of the show!
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Thoughts on The Shaking Tree
I'm not sure there's a moment, while working on a show, where things are not at least a little bit hectic. That being said, as a director, things do begin to slow down somewhat once the show reaches opening night. At that point, you have to trust that whatever work you have done with your actors and crew has prepared them to put on a show that you will be proud of, that they will be proud of, and that the audience will enjoy. The coaching stops and you get to sit back and watch the result of everyone's hard work. That can be very stressful and scary. It's difficult to let go and accept that the show is out of your hands now. It can also be an extremely rewarding moment. Especially when the show has such amazingly talented people as this show has, working on it.
For this particular show, I have been so completely blessed to have such an incredible group of people to work with. That isn't to say that there haven't been obstacles. There will always be circumstances that are less than ideal, but luckily, we've been able to navigate around those as we've faced them and have produced something that I am absolutely proud to say that I was a part of.
I honestly can't even begin to say how thankful I am for everyone who has volunteered their time, effort, and resources for this. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that those of us who have been involved have each contributed our fair share of blood, sweat, and tears (though mostly sweat, on these hot summer days!) Our cast and crew have put in hours and hours of work and have created something really beautiful.
My last post pretty heavily featured our set and the building process of a few specific pieces. And as proud as I am of that, I also really have to brag on my actors. I know I've said before that by the time I get to performances, I couldn't imagine anyone else in the roles they play. That absolutely stands for this show. Each one of them has done such an incredible job and have really made their role their own.
One of the things I really enjoy about directing is seeing the progress the cast members make and seeing that moment where they really hit their peak. As many times as I have seen this show run, this cast still keeps me completely interested. Adrienne Liford is absolutely hilarious and still makes me laugh every time I see her scenes. And even though I know exactly what to expect, Jennifer Tracey still makes me absolutely tear up with the emotion she brings to her role. Kyle Nantz has done a fantastic job. Especially to have come into the process so late, he caught up to the rest of the cast in no time and has been an incredibly strong lead.
In our drama veterans, like Samuel Lewis and Erica Leach, you can really see their experience coming through as they develop their characters. It's also nice to have people like David Sweet, who, in addition to giving an excellent performance each night has been incredibly helpful with so many other elements of the show. The same goes for Randall Partin, who is making his stage debut in The Shaking Tree, and has done an amazing job. I'm surprised a little more each night by just how much he has grown in his role. I may be somewhat biased, as his daughter, but I'm still extremely proud.
It has been such an incredible experience working on this show, and I've been so happy with the kind of response we've gotten so far. If you haven't seen it yet, I would really recommend coming to our final performance. It's a really fantastic show, and this is your last chance to see it! You won't want to miss out!
For more information, click here.
For this particular show, I have been so completely blessed to have such an incredible group of people to work with. That isn't to say that there haven't been obstacles. There will always be circumstances that are less than ideal, but luckily, we've been able to navigate around those as we've faced them and have produced something that I am absolutely proud to say that I was a part of.
I honestly can't even begin to say how thankful I am for everyone who has volunteered their time, effort, and resources for this. I don't think I'm exaggerating when I say that those of us who have been involved have each contributed our fair share of blood, sweat, and tears (though mostly sweat, on these hot summer days!) Our cast and crew have put in hours and hours of work and have created something really beautiful.
My last post pretty heavily featured our set and the building process of a few specific pieces. And as proud as I am of that, I also really have to brag on my actors. I know I've said before that by the time I get to performances, I couldn't imagine anyone else in the roles they play. That absolutely stands for this show. Each one of them has done such an incredible job and have really made their role their own.
One of the things I really enjoy about directing is seeing the progress the cast members make and seeing that moment where they really hit their peak. As many times as I have seen this show run, this cast still keeps me completely interested. Adrienne Liford is absolutely hilarious and still makes me laugh every time I see her scenes. And even though I know exactly what to expect, Jennifer Tracey still makes me absolutely tear up with the emotion she brings to her role. Kyle Nantz has done a fantastic job. Especially to have come into the process so late, he caught up to the rest of the cast in no time and has been an incredibly strong lead.
In our drama veterans, like Samuel Lewis and Erica Leach, you can really see their experience coming through as they develop their characters. It's also nice to have people like David Sweet, who, in addition to giving an excellent performance each night has been incredibly helpful with so many other elements of the show. The same goes for Randall Partin, who is making his stage debut in The Shaking Tree, and has done an amazing job. I'm surprised a little more each night by just how much he has grown in his role. I may be somewhat biased, as his daughter, but I'm still extremely proud.
It has been such an incredible experience working on this show, and I've been so happy with the kind of response we've gotten so far. If you haven't seen it yet, I would really recommend coming to our final performance. It's a really fantastic show, and this is your last chance to see it! You won't want to miss out!
For more information, click here.
We're open!
After much hard work, the show is finally open! We've all been very busy preparing for the show, but while we're in performance, here are a few photos of the process of getting here! One of the (many) things I've been incredibly proud of is our set. We have a several pieces that a lot of people put a lot of hard work into and I think the result is extremely impressive. Here are a few progress shots of our tree.
Our kitchen and mine:
The full set:
Unfortunately in the picture of the entire finished set, you aren't able to see a lot of the detail in each piece. However, that's all the more reason to come check out a performance and see everything in person! I really am proud of so many of our pieces and even more so of the incredible talent that you'll see performing in and around them. You have one more chance to catch a show, tomorrow at 7:30. You won't want to miss it!
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| The completed trunk, sans canopy |
Our kitchen and mine:
Unfortunately in the picture of the entire finished set, you aren't able to see a lot of the detail in each piece. However, that's all the more reason to come check out a performance and see everything in person! I really am proud of so many of our pieces and even more so of the incredible talent that you'll see performing in and around them. You have one more chance to catch a show, tomorrow at 7:30. You won't want to miss it!
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Two Days Till Performance!
There are only two days until I get to see my play performed and I am really looking forward to it! For the past couple of weeks I have been out of town, so I haven't been able to see how The Shaking Tree is being given its final shape, and in a lot of ways I think that's a good thing. I've always liked surprises!
I, as a writer, am confident that I have left my child in the right hands. Rebecca Partin, the director, has shown a level of professionalism throughout the rehearsal process that is highly admirable. She is very talented at what she does and I am sure that nothing but a fantastic performance will come from her hard work and stressful days. The cast as well are among some of the most fantastic folks I have ever met, and very talented. I can't wait to see them bring my characters off of the page and onto the stage. Everyone who has helped with this show should be commended for their hard work.
Tomorrow, I will be interviewed concerning the show (among other things - including my love of all things Batman) on Jeremiah Massengale's program on WCCR 94.5 FM, The University of the Cumberlands' campus radio station. I hope you all will listen in, and I look forward to seeing you all at the show!
Here's to Friday and the rest of the performance dates! Here's to Rebecca, the cast and the crew! And here's to you! I hope to see you soon!
I, as a writer, am confident that I have left my child in the right hands. Rebecca Partin, the director, has shown a level of professionalism throughout the rehearsal process that is highly admirable. She is very talented at what she does and I am sure that nothing but a fantastic performance will come from her hard work and stressful days. The cast as well are among some of the most fantastic folks I have ever met, and very talented. I can't wait to see them bring my characters off of the page and onto the stage. Everyone who has helped with this show should be commended for their hard work.
Tomorrow, I will be interviewed concerning the show (among other things - including my love of all things Batman) on Jeremiah Massengale's program on WCCR 94.5 FM, The University of the Cumberlands' campus radio station. I hope you all will listen in, and I look forward to seeing you all at the show!
Here's to Friday and the rest of the performance dates! Here's to Rebecca, the cast and the crew! And here's to you! I hope to see you soon!
Monday, July 8, 2013
A week away from tech!
Seven days from tonight, we will be starting tech week! That is both incredibly exciting and also somewhat terrifying. Not terrifying because I don't feel that we'll be ready, because I'm confident that by opening, we're going to have a fantastic show! But terrifying because at the end of tech week, I know that as a director, it's time for me to let go. And because I know we still have quite a bit of work to do in the next week.
The past little bit, we've had nothing but rain, which makes it really difficult to do any building in an outdoor space. Or any rehearsing, for that matter. Luckily, we've been able to have access to the high school on some of these rainy days, so we've done some rehearsing in the cafeteria. We've also met at A Common Ground Coffee Shop to do some line work a few nights.
But despite the nasty weather, we've still been able to get some things done. We got our posters back from our printer and have gotten over 40 posted around the area!
We're getting a bit of construction done, as well. There are several set pieces that I found while I was shopping that I fell absolutely in love with, but were just too expensive, so since we can't have the real thing, we've been building away!
We still have some set construction to do, but I'm hoping that will be finished up in the next couple of days.
Also, I recently did an interview with Whitley County Insight about The Wildwood Theatre, so you can check that out on their youtube channel!
Final update for this post is on rehearsals. Actors have been off book as of this past Friday, so we're finally going to be able to rehearse without scripts in hands! I'm excited about finally getting to work on physicality a little more. There's only so much you can do when your hands are full and your eyes are on your script. I think having scripts off stage will free the actors up a lot to be a lot more natural and expressive on stage.
The next two rehearsals, we'll be doing some work on individual scenes and looking at specific moments that need work. Then this Thursday and Friday, we'll be running Act 1, then Act 2, making sure our scenes are transitioning smoothly. Then begins tech week, where we'll be introducing costumes and lights and sound and all kinds of other exciting things!
So, much more to come! As always, if you're interested in being a part of the show, don't hesitate to let me know! We can always use volunteers! And please help us spread the word! We would love to have a huge crowd for our debut production. We're going to have a fantastic show, so be sure to come!
The past little bit, we've had nothing but rain, which makes it really difficult to do any building in an outdoor space. Or any rehearsing, for that matter. Luckily, we've been able to have access to the high school on some of these rainy days, so we've done some rehearsing in the cafeteria. We've also met at A Common Ground Coffee Shop to do some line work a few nights.
But despite the nasty weather, we've still been able to get some things done. We got our posters back from our printer and have gotten over 40 posted around the area!
We're getting a bit of construction done, as well. There are several set pieces that I found while I was shopping that I fell absolutely in love with, but were just too expensive, so since we can't have the real thing, we've been building away!
 |
| Guess what this is going to be! |
Also, I recently did an interview with Whitley County Insight about The Wildwood Theatre, so you can check that out on their youtube channel!
Final update for this post is on rehearsals. Actors have been off book as of this past Friday, so we're finally going to be able to rehearse without scripts in hands! I'm excited about finally getting to work on physicality a little more. There's only so much you can do when your hands are full and your eyes are on your script. I think having scripts off stage will free the actors up a lot to be a lot more natural and expressive on stage.
The next two rehearsals, we'll be doing some work on individual scenes and looking at specific moments that need work. Then this Thursday and Friday, we'll be running Act 1, then Act 2, making sure our scenes are transitioning smoothly. Then begins tech week, where we'll be introducing costumes and lights and sound and all kinds of other exciting things!
So, much more to come! As always, if you're interested in being a part of the show, don't hesitate to let me know! We can always use volunteers! And please help us spread the word! We would love to have a huge crowd for our debut production. We're going to have a fantastic show, so be sure to come!
Friday, July 5, 2013
Oh Theatre!
This is going to be a brief post, but I wanted to share my thoughts with you wonderful folks who read our humble blog.
Tuesday, Rebecca, David Sweet (Richard), Erinn Sweet (our fantastic stage manager), a few others (including Lisa Sweet, Dave's lovely wife) and I went to the The Barter Theater in Abingdon, Virginia to see a staged version of Les Miserables. It was, in a word, spectacular! The set was great; the costumes were great; the acting was superb!
But, all the while I was watching this magnificent dramatic representation of the restorative power of grace, I was thinking that we here at The Wildwood Theatre could pull off a show that was just as good - eventually. Rebecca even asked during intermission, "Do you think we could do this?" To which I replied, "Absolutely!"
So, what do we need to put on a show like what we saw at the Barter?
YOU!
We need your talents, your devotion, and your support. There is no reason, with all of the talent in this area, why great community theatre should be an impossibility. It's not! And I think we're proving that. I've been watching what Rebecca and the amazing company of actors and stage folks have been doing with my child (or play; I see no difference, as both come into the world painfully and both bring pleasure when you see them grow). I am so impressed! I have every reason to believe that even without former Broadway stars and expensive set budgets, this show is, at the core and throughout, REAL THEATRE!
It may sound self-serving, but honestly folks, come see this show! It's going to be grand! Just grand!
As a writer and as a lover of the dramatic arts, I can't wait to see the final product!
Tuesday, Rebecca, David Sweet (Richard), Erinn Sweet (our fantastic stage manager), a few others (including Lisa Sweet, Dave's lovely wife) and I went to the The Barter Theater in Abingdon, Virginia to see a staged version of Les Miserables. It was, in a word, spectacular! The set was great; the costumes were great; the acting was superb!
But, all the while I was watching this magnificent dramatic representation of the restorative power of grace, I was thinking that we here at The Wildwood Theatre could pull off a show that was just as good - eventually. Rebecca even asked during intermission, "Do you think we could do this?" To which I replied, "Absolutely!"
So, what do we need to put on a show like what we saw at the Barter?
YOU!
We need your talents, your devotion, and your support. There is no reason, with all of the talent in this area, why great community theatre should be an impossibility. It's not! And I think we're proving that. I've been watching what Rebecca and the amazing company of actors and stage folks have been doing with my child (or play; I see no difference, as both come into the world painfully and both bring pleasure when you see them grow). I am so impressed! I have every reason to believe that even without former Broadway stars and expensive set budgets, this show is, at the core and throughout, REAL THEATRE!
It may sound self-serving, but honestly folks, come see this show! It's going to be grand! Just grand!
As a writer and as a lover of the dramatic arts, I can't wait to see the final product!
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Just for fun...
A poll!
While shopping for props, we've come across some pretty interesting things. Tell us in the
While shopping for props, we've come across some pretty interesting things. Tell us in the
comments which of these second-hand gems gets the
grand prize for creepiest thing found while prop shopping!
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| The furby who's seen some hard times? |
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| This lovely pincushion? |
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| Dorothy minus scalp? |
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| Or the eye-less Rubber Head? |
Let us know what you think!
Monday, June 24, 2013
Posters, and cast changes, and construction! Oh my!
It's been a while since my last post, but don't let my lack of blog activity fool you into thinking that things have been uneventful!
I suppose one of the things I'm most excited about is the fact that we got our final poster design!
I am so incredibly happy with the design and I can not wait to get the posters printed! I'm going tomorrow morning to meet with Ken Sims, of Litho-Craft, to approve a sample of the printed poster. After that, he will be doing our printing for us, and we should have our posters soon! Then we can get started putting them up around town! I've already had a few local business owners offer to let us hang posters after they've heard about the show, so I'm really happy about that! Lucas and I also spoke with Mayor Roddy Harrison last week and he has offered to help us get the word out! I'm really expecting that by the time we open, we will have a good turn out.
We have had one big change to the show. Unfortunately, Zack White had to step down from his role. However, Kyle Nantz, a WCHS Drama Alumni and 2012 EKDAS Festival 'Best Actor' award winner, has graciously agreed to accept the part, and we are thrilled to have him on board!
The rehearsal process has been going well. We have completed blocking for the show, and have since done a run of Act 1, a run of Act 2, and one full run. The next two weeks, we'll be looking at smaller sections of the show and fine-tuning everything. After that, we'll just have one more week to work before tech week!
I've been so happy with how well things have started coming together. Granted, we've had a few hiccups in the process, but overall, I'm quite pleased, and I think we're going to have a great show.
As Lucas mentioned in the previous post on here, we've been making a lot of progress with the set. We've gone to several different Vendors Malls and secondhand stores and have found a lot of really cool things. Also, we've had several organizations and individuals donate or loan us materials, set pieces or props.
Hopefully, now that we have most of our materials, we'll be able to start constructing some of our bigger set pieces. My goal for this week is to complete our wall frame units and braces. Next week, we'll tackle the tree.
Also, we've been in contact with several different people in the community and I believe we now have almost all of our technicians for the show! We're continuing to have people volunteer to do one thing or another for the show. I have been so completely overwhelmed by the community response. We still need a few volunteers to help with things like concessions, tickets, and ushering, but I'm confident that we'll find people for the jobs! And if you're reading this right now thinking, "Hey, that sounds pretty cool. I think I could do that!" then please let me know! We would love to have you on board! Also, any help getting the word out about our show and our theatre program is always appreciated!
So we've gotten lots done, but we still have lots left to do! Keep an eye out, because there will be much more to come later!
I suppose one of the things I'm most excited about is the fact that we got our final poster design!
We have had one big change to the show. Unfortunately, Zack White had to step down from his role. However, Kyle Nantz, a WCHS Drama Alumni and 2012 EKDAS Festival 'Best Actor' award winner, has graciously agreed to accept the part, and we are thrilled to have him on board!
The rehearsal process has been going well. We have completed blocking for the show, and have since done a run of Act 1, a run of Act 2, and one full run. The next two weeks, we'll be looking at smaller sections of the show and fine-tuning everything. After that, we'll just have one more week to work before tech week!
I've been so happy with how well things have started coming together. Granted, we've had a few hiccups in the process, but overall, I'm quite pleased, and I think we're going to have a great show.
As Lucas mentioned in the previous post on here, we've been making a lot of progress with the set. We've gone to several different Vendors Malls and secondhand stores and have found a lot of really cool things. Also, we've had several organizations and individuals donate or loan us materials, set pieces or props.
 | |
| We found a couple of these awesome carbide lights! |
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| One of the hats I've been loaned! |
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| I absolutely fell in love with this stove! But then I saw the price. |
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| These were donated. Just need new tops and bases! |
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| Table and chairs have been loaned! |
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| WD Bryant donated lumber and luan for our set. |
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| Bryant's gave us as much scrap lumber as we needed! |
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| Ronnie Partin, sawing boards down to 2x4s. |
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| Randall Partin, cutting the 2x8s down. |
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| Me, helping saw! |
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| Lumber before |
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| And after! A beautiful stack of 2x4s! |
Hopefully, now that we have most of our materials, we'll be able to start constructing some of our bigger set pieces. My goal for this week is to complete our wall frame units and braces. Next week, we'll tackle the tree.
Also, we've been in contact with several different people in the community and I believe we now have almost all of our technicians for the show! We're continuing to have people volunteer to do one thing or another for the show. I have been so completely overwhelmed by the community response. We still need a few volunteers to help with things like concessions, tickets, and ushering, but I'm confident that we'll find people for the jobs! And if you're reading this right now thinking, "Hey, that sounds pretty cool. I think I could do that!" then please let me know! We would love to have you on board! Also, any help getting the word out about our show and our theatre program is always appreciated!
So we've gotten lots done, but we still have lots left to do! Keep an eye out, because there will be much more to come later!
Saturday, June 22, 2013
"The Shaking Tree" Set Update
We've been at this play for a while now, and dramatically it is shaping up quite nicely. I say "dramatically" as that shape has been brought about mostly by the sweat and hard work of the actors and the director.
They're not the only ones working, though. We have begun some construction on the set pieces, and in this hot weather, I feel like I have lost about a gallon of sweat (not to mention my discovery of why folks who work in construction tend to get so aggravated).
The authenticity of the set is key for this play. It would be one thing if it were set in this century, but it isn't. It's set in a different time, and (at least from the writer's viewpoint) that time needs to be seen in the set, as well as in the acting and costuming.
Rebecca and I have done quite a bit of shopping in the past few weeks and have found multiple gems that we both think will add to the authenticity of the set, including lunch pails, a rough-looking tool box, some period tools, etc. The shopping in itself has been a job, but definitely rewarding. I recommend to anyone preparing for a show to not neglect their local flea markets and vendors' malls.
As far as the set itself coming together, we have begun working on it too. We have put down some ideas that will not only make our set realistic, but also light enough to move - which is a necessity when performing outside when the weather can change at any moment.
Some examples have already been made, including what we are going to do for our giant oak. Let me say, folks, it looks great and is nearly weightless. Scaling the sample to the actual size is going to be a fun and interesting process and is going to require a lot of chicken wire, foam, and pvc. I am confident that when we are finished the tree is definitely going to be the centerpiece of the entire set.
For the mine and kitchen, we have also developed plans. I feel, though, that they will require much less work than the tree, as we need only to build frames, cover the frames, and do some detail work. I can't wait to see it finished, but I suppose to finish it, we really need to get energized and get to work. It will be hard work, but in the end, I'm sure we will reap the benefits of all the sweat we put into it!
They're not the only ones working, though. We have begun some construction on the set pieces, and in this hot weather, I feel like I have lost about a gallon of sweat (not to mention my discovery of why folks who work in construction tend to get so aggravated).
The authenticity of the set is key for this play. It would be one thing if it were set in this century, but it isn't. It's set in a different time, and (at least from the writer's viewpoint) that time needs to be seen in the set, as well as in the acting and costuming.
Rebecca and I have done quite a bit of shopping in the past few weeks and have found multiple gems that we both think will add to the authenticity of the set, including lunch pails, a rough-looking tool box, some period tools, etc. The shopping in itself has been a job, but definitely rewarding. I recommend to anyone preparing for a show to not neglect their local flea markets and vendors' malls.
As far as the set itself coming together, we have begun working on it too. We have put down some ideas that will not only make our set realistic, but also light enough to move - which is a necessity when performing outside when the weather can change at any moment.
Some examples have already been made, including what we are going to do for our giant oak. Let me say, folks, it looks great and is nearly weightless. Scaling the sample to the actual size is going to be a fun and interesting process and is going to require a lot of chicken wire, foam, and pvc. I am confident that when we are finished the tree is definitely going to be the centerpiece of the entire set.
For the mine and kitchen, we have also developed plans. I feel, though, that they will require much less work than the tree, as we need only to build frames, cover the frames, and do some detail work. I can't wait to see it finished, but I suppose to finish it, we really need to get energized and get to work. It will be hard work, but in the end, I'm sure we will reap the benefits of all the sweat we put into it!
Thursday, June 6, 2013
All kinds of new and exciting things!
Lots of updates in this post!
First of all, Lucas and I had a meeting with Jeremiah Massengale on Monday. He, as part of his graphic design business, Forwarding Design, will be designing our show poster for The Shaking Tree.
Meeting with a designer was a completely new, but really positive experience. We talked a bit about how the theatre came into existence. He asked about the play and some of the themes in it that we wanted to convey with the poster.
We talked a lot about dealing with change, with having hope, the Appalachian culture and about family. We talked about color and style. Honestly, I'm extremely excited to see the drafts he creates for us! By the time we walked away from the meeting, I felt confident that Jeremiah probably knew what we wanted, graphically, even better than we did, and after hearing a few questions and suggestions of his, I really can't wait to see the designs. It's going to be difficult waiting until his deadline to see what he's working on.
We also decided to go ahead and name the theatre! We ended up going with a name that we've actually been talking about for quite a while, but just hadn't settled on. So we are now, finally, The Wildwood Theatre! And to go with our shiny, new name, I have been speaking to a local artist about designing a shiny, new logo for us! He is supposed to be getting me a draft in time for us to pass it along to Jeremiah for inclusion on our show poster, so I'm also very excited about that.
But I have created a facebook page for us, so there is one more step toward getting our name out. So far, I've been really pleased with the response we've gotten from the community on both the Wildwood Theatre page and our event that I created for the show.
Also, and I think this is the last thing I have to say about publicity, is that I've contacted a local printing business about printing our programs and posters for us! I really love that we are able to use so many local resources. Part of our mission is that we want to draw from local talent as much as possible, and I'm really glad that this isn't limited to just the actors or the crew, but to really, every aspect of the show. I just feel incredibly lucky that we have so many talented artists and businesspeople around town that are so willing to help our program!
Another (non-publicity related) step we've taken forward is that we have had our first reading of the show as a cast! We did have one issue come up. Unfortunately, the actor originally cast as Jubal was unable to accept the role. However, I was able to re-cast the role in time for our new Jubal to join in the reading. The actor who is now playing Jubal, Zack White, is someone I have had the pleasure of working with and watching perform several times before, so I'm confident that he is going to be excellent in the role.
The cast met at A Common Ground Coffee Shop to do our reading, and I think it went really well.
After seeing my cast together and hearing them read the script, I'm really looking forward to beginning blocking. I finished the rehearsal schedule today so we'll be starting soon! I'm also hoping to arrange some production meetings, so there will be much more to come!
First of all, Lucas and I had a meeting with Jeremiah Massengale on Monday. He, as part of his graphic design business, Forwarding Design, will be designing our show poster for The Shaking Tree.
Meeting with a designer was a completely new, but really positive experience. We talked a bit about how the theatre came into existence. He asked about the play and some of the themes in it that we wanted to convey with the poster.
We talked a lot about dealing with change, with having hope, the Appalachian culture and about family. We talked about color and style. Honestly, I'm extremely excited to see the drafts he creates for us! By the time we walked away from the meeting, I felt confident that Jeremiah probably knew what we wanted, graphically, even better than we did, and after hearing a few questions and suggestions of his, I really can't wait to see the designs. It's going to be difficult waiting until his deadline to see what he's working on.
We also decided to go ahead and name the theatre! We ended up going with a name that we've actually been talking about for quite a while, but just hadn't settled on. So we are now, finally, The Wildwood Theatre! And to go with our shiny, new name, I have been speaking to a local artist about designing a shiny, new logo for us! He is supposed to be getting me a draft in time for us to pass it along to Jeremiah for inclusion on our show poster, so I'm also very excited about that.
But I have created a facebook page for us, so there is one more step toward getting our name out. So far, I've been really pleased with the response we've gotten from the community on both the Wildwood Theatre page and our event that I created for the show.
Also, and I think this is the last thing I have to say about publicity, is that I've contacted a local printing business about printing our programs and posters for us! I really love that we are able to use so many local resources. Part of our mission is that we want to draw from local talent as much as possible, and I'm really glad that this isn't limited to just the actors or the crew, but to really, every aspect of the show. I just feel incredibly lucky that we have so many talented artists and businesspeople around town that are so willing to help our program!
Another (non-publicity related) step we've taken forward is that we have had our first reading of the show as a cast! We did have one issue come up. Unfortunately, the actor originally cast as Jubal was unable to accept the role. However, I was able to re-cast the role in time for our new Jubal to join in the reading. The actor who is now playing Jubal, Zack White, is someone I have had the pleasure of working with and watching perform several times before, so I'm confident that he is going to be excellent in the role.
The cast met at A Common Ground Coffee Shop to do our reading, and I think it went really well.
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| Adrienne Liford, reading Eve |
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| The whole group |
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| David Sweet, our Richard, and his birthday drink |
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| More of the cast |
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| Kelsey Sutherland, our ASM |
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| Erica Leach, reading Sarah |
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| Randall Partin and Jennifer Tracey, reading Daniel and Mary |
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| Myself, the director |
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| Lucas Waters, our playwright |
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| David Sweet as Richard and Zack White as Jubal |
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| The Shaking Tree Cast |
After seeing my cast together and hearing them read the script, I'm really looking forward to beginning blocking. I finished the rehearsal schedule today so we'll be starting soon! I'm also hoping to arrange some production meetings, so there will be much more to come!
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