In Review: "Oklahoma!"

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In Review: "Oklahoma!"

The first time I saw Oklahoma! live was at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Ontario, Canada (in 2006?). I remember turning to my parents and saying:

“That was fantastic, and they really didn’t stray away from the dark part of the show. I don’t think I ever need to see this show again!”

All of this to say that, when the recent St. Ann’s Warehouse production of Oklahoma! first caused a stir at the Warehouse and then again in its move to Circle In The Square, I did not feel the need nor desire to run to see it. I had seen it onstage twice, plus the two filmed versions, and how different could it really be?

So I waited…until last weekend. The second-to-last performance. (How’s that for procrastination?!)

So, was it all that different?

Well, no. But yes? And also really no.

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In Review: "Slave Play"

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In Review: "Slave Play"

Fulfilling another of my promises for the second year of The Glamorous Life Blog, we begin my In Review series with Slave Play by Jeremy O. Harris.

[*Quick note about In Review: I’m calling this series “In Review” and not an “actual” review because: I am not a paid theatre critic. I firmly believe that everyone has opinions and a voice and, therefore, has the ability to write a critical analysis if they so choose. However we should distinguish between paid critique and non. “In Review” is merely my take in looking back upon the work I have experienced, which I hope you will find interesting and informative!]

I had put off seeing Slave Play for as long as I could, which was in large part due to the inability of my peers to describe to me anything about the play without “giving it away” and this idea that “it just has to be experienced.”

That sort of vaguery is off-putting to me and, alas, I fell victim to my own stubbornness yet again, putting it off until last weekend. And I really really wish I hadn’t. (Slave Play closes this Sunday 1/19)

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Do You Hear What I Hear?

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Do You Hear What I Hear?

(And don’t worry, I’m not talking about the Christmas song.)

Sound is a very powerful thing. It surrounds us at all times, and yet how often are we paying specific attention to those sounds?

Sound can be music of course, but it can also be created by a billion other things:

  • Objects (doors closing, printers printing, squeaky floors, keyboard clicks, etc.)

  • People (unintelligible chatter, direct conversation, whispering, yelling, sneezing, etc.)

  • Actions (vehicles on the road, steam from a radiator, glass breaking, etc.)

  • Reactions (fires crackling, the frying of an egg, stomachs digesting food, etc.)

  • And more

And because of this pervasiveness of sound in our lives and its ability to recall in us specific thoughts, images, and emotions, sound is an excellent way to create an environment and to tell a story.

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One Revolution

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One Revolution

We like to parcel our lives into smaller units. We’ve been doing this for thousands of years, and have increased the amount of various units as time has passed.

But one unit that is consistent throughout most cultures - ancient and modern alike - is the year:

One revolution around the Sun.

Whether or not we were aware of the Earth’s relationship to the Sun at that point, humans have always seemed to be keenly aware of this pattern of light, life, and season. And it has become engrained in us and our cultures in a multitude of ways: Birthdays, Anniversaries, education, celebrations, remembrances, etc.

The year has become the easiest and most visible yard stick that we utilize to measure progress - both our own and that of the world around us. And at this time of year you will hear an increased emphasis on the year as a measuring tool, as well as a strong counter-movement against its importance.

But as we find ourselves back in the same place we were one year ago - not just personally, but as an entire planet - it seems to make sense to look around and evaluate what has changed and, perhaps, what has not.

What is different one revolution later?

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Words Words Words

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Words Words Words

Words matter. Word choice matters. And context is everything.

I have often heard the saying that “words are magic,” and it’s difficult to disagree.

We can utilize language to create so many things:

  • We can create visuals to be imagined.

  • We can conjure emotions.

  • We can make peace.

  • We can force conflict.

  • We can make art.

  • We can tell stories.

  • We can build entire worlds.

Words are extraordinarily powerful, and it’s good to occasionally take stock and think about the way words affect our lives and the world around us.

Plus, it just might help your art as well. 😉

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Take A Break?

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Take A Break?

At times we all need to take a break, from one thing or another.

Sometimes it’s work. Sometimes it’s locations. And sometimes it’s people.

There is a fairly common perception that artists cannot afford to take a break from their projects, and I mean that both literally and figuratively. However, that is not actually the case.

We have all been trained to be disciplined, hard-working, and to achieve - all the time. And too often this gets equated to a laziness or some sort of failing whenever an artist decides to take some time off or time away.

But I’m here to tell you that breaks are not only necessary, they are integral to the creation process. Allow me to explain.

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Strong and Wrong

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Strong and Wrong

There’s a little trick people use when teaching beginners how to solo in Jazz - which professionals also sometimes utilize - that goes something like this:

“If you hit a note that you didn’t mean to hit or that doesn’t sound right, hit it again. Then again and again, and maybe even hold it out. Then it will sound like you meant to do it.”

And it works.

There’s something about the way we process information as humans that makes us resistant to encountering information which goes against the norm of our everyday experiences, but then that resistance will break down with time and exposure.

There’s a lot of chatter about this phenomenon in the political sphere (how long after an idea is introduced to the mainstream does it become popular with the masses) and in psychology, but it can be highly useful in the artistic world as well.

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There Must Be More

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There Must Be More

“…than this Provincial life!”

Sorry, I just needed to have my Belle moment. That’s totally not what this post is about. I just adore that score.

Onward!

Over the past week I saw 3 shows - 2 Broadway and 1 Off-Broadway.

These shows were (in the order I saw them):

  • Scotland, PA

  • The Inheritance Part 1

  • Tootsie

Now, regardless of how I felt about each of these shows, or how much I did or did not enjoy them individually, they all had something in common per my experience in watching them.

At one point (at least) in every one of these shows I had the thought: “…But must we? This again? Isn’t there more out there? There must be more.”

Allow me to explain.

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You're Allowed to Call "Hold"

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For those of you who are not aware, in the theatre we have this thing where you’re allowed to call “hold.”

“What does that mean…?”

Excellent question!

During the tech process of a show, it is common practice that anyone in the room is allowed to call “hold!” and stop the rehearsal process. This could be due to a safety concern, a missing element (prop, costume, light, etc), something that went wrong onstage or backstage, a person missing an entrance, needing to fix a technical moment, a mis-fired cue…or for so many more reasons.

Basically, you can call “hold” for anything major that goes wrong because everything is a priority.

I want to repeat this.

Anyone in the room is allowed to call “hold” because everything is a priority. And not a single person in that room will (rightly) judge you for it.

“Okay. So what?”

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Take It To The Chorus

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Take It To The Chorus

What is a chorus? And for that matter, what is a verse?

These seem like fairly general music terms that we all know, but do we?

I’m pretty sure that most people could at least tell you that they’ve heard of the terms chorus, verse, and bridge before, and could most likely give you a general definition.

Well, at least as far as pop music goes.

But in musical theatre, these things have a slightly different meaning. And it has dawned on me slowly over the past several years that there are many creatives in the industry (directors, performers, etc., and yes, some writers) who are not exactly sure what these terms mean when applied to musical theatre music.

So, what do they mean?

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Let The Sunshine In

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Let The Sunshine In

Lately, I’ve been hearing a common refrain from people throughout my life - friends, family, students, parents, and even strangers and acquaintances on social media…

“I’m just so tired. Everything is exhausting.”

And when exploring this a little further, I’ve begun to notice a pattern. A very common pattern, in fact, and one that I have fallen into many times.

Does this - or something like it - sound familiar?

  1. Wake up

  2. Caffeinate/Eat

  3. Work

  4. Eat

  5. Work

  6. Exercise perhaps?

  7. Obligations

  8. Eat

  9. Obligations

  10. Zombie out in front of electronics

  11. Sleep

Rinse and repeat.

This is a common pattern - and I have absolutely nothing against patterns or routines, I personally thrive off them! But the above doesn’t seem to be leaving much, if any, time for joy.

Now, I’m not talking about carving out big periods of time on a daily basis for “relaxation” or regularly skiving off obligations to instead do something fun. What I’m talking about is finding a way to include just a little bit of joy in your daily life. Just a little bit of sunshine amidst all the necessities.

But how?

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A Good Story Is Everything

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Anyone who knows me well knows that - in all honesty - I’m not very good at telling stories.

Now, I’d like to qualify this a little since - yes - I’m aware that I’m making a career as both a writer and a performer, which are both types of professional storytelling. And when I can provide a narrative in such a structured, prepared, and well-crafted way, I feel totally confident delivering an engaging story.

But as for more pedestrian, real-life stories? It’s been a struggle.

It was first pointed out to me about five years ago when someone turned to me and said:

“Yeesh. I hope you’re a better writer than storyteller!”

Ouch. Harsh, Gretch.

But it was true! I have always loved telling anecdotes from life, particularly the funny or really out-there ones, but I tend to hold my tongue these days because I know that my stories tend not to land.

So I’ve worked on it. I’ve researched (cuz it’s me) how to tell a good oral story and what makes this craft different from a written story, and I think I’ve improved greatly. Huzzah!

But why am I bringing this up now?

Well, if this summer taught me one thing only (and it taught me waaaaay more than that), it’s that people of all walks of life respond to nothing as well as they respond to a good story.

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*And* I Have To...What?

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*And* I Have To...What?

We often ask a lot of our performers - and directors, designers, and everyone else of course as well, but this post is performer-focused.

We especially ask a lot of our performers in a summer stock rehearsal setting.

But sometimes we ask for even a little more.

Perhaps you have a special skill that the director would like to include in a show. For example: you play an instrument, you tumble, you’re a gymnast, you can juggle, you can do impersonations…or a thousand other possible talents.

And then there are shows that ask for even more than a little more, and to do it all in 8 days.

And that, my friends, is the zany, fast-paced romp that is Murder For Two at Bristol Valley Theater!

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Just The Perfect Blendship

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Just The Perfect Blendship

One of the absolute best parts of the theater that I feel people don’t talk about enough is the people - the community.

Sure, every June as we all get ready to sit down together in NYC and across the country to watch the Tony Awards, or are preparing for one of the major benefits like Broadway Bares, or even just during Pride Month in general, theatrical and non-theatrical publications will talk briefly about how Broadway is a community. And it is! It’s a fantastic community with the same pros and cons that any community might have.

But only “Broadway” is discussed as being the community itself.

And as soon as you call something the “Broadway” community, there is an innate elitism to that term - whether geographically or in terms of production budget - which gets thrown into everyone’s minds.

But what is this Broadway community? Is it just the thousands of people actively working in NYC’s largest theatrical houses? Just those who contribute to the city’s multi-billion dollar industry?

I don’t think so, no.

I think the Broadway community is far larger than that. Personally, I would consider the Broadway community to include anyone and everyone working in theatre across the entire country. I would even consider the Broadway community to include the multitude of theatre lovers - those who don’t necessarily work in the industry, but participate through other means by supporting those who do, or even just attending all productions they can and keeping tabs on what’s happening in the industry.

In my opinion, it is crucial to consider everyone involved in the theatre everywhere as part of the Broadway community.

“But why?”

Allow me to explain!

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Stress? Psh! Injury...? Why Would You Even Say That?!

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Let’s have a brief conversation - one-sided, of course, since this is a blog post :-) - about stress and physical injury in the theatre.

This is a topic that most artists - performers in particular - avoid, and for a few reasons:

  1. Injury is scary and no one wants to think about it.

  2. Everyone has stress and no one wants to look like the “complainer.”

  3. Injury has become stigmatized as something shameful.

  4. We wear our stress, and ability to handle it, as a badge of honor.

There are others as well, but I generally see these as the biggest reasons this topic is avoided. People don’t want to talk about these things, but if we don’t talk about them they become these big scary monsters that we hope we won’t have to endure.

But we do.

Stress and injury will affect everyone at some point, so let’s just talk about it.

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The Rumor, The Legend, The Mystery

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The Rumor, The Legend, The Mystery

Most people - and writers in particular - are drawn to stories about larger-than-life people, figures, and times. Moments and personalities that disrupted the status quo and changed the course of history. The extraordinary.

These are the stories that live on, passed down through facts and records (contemporary and non), as well as rumor, gossip, and anecdotes that may or may not include a kernel of truth.

The people at the center of these stories are some of the most compelling, and they have attracted the attention of people throughout generations.

And writers love them.

Historians and creative writers alike love to tackle these gigantic stories filled with change and drama, as well as mystery and intrigue, and put their own spins on them. But what they never tell you is just how difficult these people and stories are to write.

I too have fallen victim to this type of alluring narrative and - despite this post’s title - I am not speaking about the great historical mystery of Anastasia as adapted by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.

I’m talking about one of Western history’s most debated women from one of English history’s most infamous time periods:

Anne Boleyn.

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Love The Art, Hate The Artist?

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Love The Art, Hate The Artist?

Society - particularly American society - loves to demonize or to “other” art and artists.

We deride people who create:

  • “Oh, you’re an artist? You’re one of those.”

  • “Oh, you’re a writer? I wish I could sit at home all day.”

  • “Oh, you’re an actor? You must love starving.”

These are of course specific examples using common ideas and tropes, but these kinds of reactions are common and probably sound familiar to you.

We tell people who want to go into the arts:

  • “Why would you to throw your life away?”

  • “But you have so much potential!”

  • “But there’s no money in the arts!”

Being a creator is clearly seen as being *less than,* but why? Less than what? Why would we consider becoming an artist or writer or performer or designer a path that is throwing your life away or not using your skills and talents?

Well, Capitalism.

But this type of thinking and behavior not only can be unlearned, but it needs to be unlearned. Art and the products of creation are everywhere, but we’ve been conditioned to have a blind spot for most of it, and what we do see we are told to feel contempt for. Let’s just see how pervasive art is, shall we?

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It's Critical!

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It's Critical!

Lately, I’ve noticed that a lot of people - friends and strangers alike - have been saying something very similar to me as a I talk about productions, performances, or people that I’ve recently seen onstage.

As I’m giving my solicited opinion and actively formulating my thoughts, people keep stopping me to say things like:

  • You’re choosing your words very carefully.

  • You can just say what you mean to me.

  • You’re trying to be so [nice/PC/positive].

This got me thinking about how we, as artists and audience alike, deal with the art of criticism/critique/opinion. I’ll also admit that I recently listened to two interviews with high-profile theatre critics - both of which bothered me in very different and specific ways that I won’t go into here - so this topic hasn’t been far from my mind.

And after last week’s blog post, which was a semi-review of Hadestown, I got a lot of comments from people online and in person that basically said “Thank you for focusing on the good.”

But isn’t this how we should be talking about art?

All of those things above that people have said to me made me react the same way:

“No no no, I am saying what I mean, which is why I’m choosing my words so carefully.” And as for positivity, I think that is important to bear in mind as we critique - why focus on only the negative?

So, what is the best way to give theatrical criticism?

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"It's An Old Song" Yet Somehow New

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"It's An Old Song" Yet Somehow New

Last night I had the absolute pleasure of seeing Hadestown on Broadway, and there is so much I would like to say about the show and the experience.

Now, when I first began this blog I had promised that one of the things I would occasionally write is theatre reviews. However, I am not a reviewer or critic (well, everyone is a critic, aren’t they?) and I personally do not feel that the world needs another small-time reviewer to muddy the opinionated waters.

So what I am going to do is occasionally write about a show or theatrical experience that moved me, and then try to speak to why. What is it about this show? What in particular was enjoyable or exciting? What was new and/or different?

***This does mean there may be mild Hadestown spoilers today - but since I am including no pictures, video, or music, how spoiled could the experience really be? (Another question for another day?) Plus - well - the Orpheus story has also been around for a couple millennia, sooo… ;-)

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