5 Days to Previews

It's Sunday - our first day of technical rehearsals and five days until our first preview.

The morning started with a visit to the rehearsal hall to pick up the props and rehearsal costumes, and then getting the stage ready for a noon start. Lighting worked on last minute focus notes and trouble shooting, Scenery put in some railings and cleaned up, Sound continued to make noise and check communication systems, and props set the furniture and organized the hand props backstage.

Noon came and we welcomed Nicky back to the BU Theatre and the actors got a tour of the set and learned how the doors worked, tried the stairs, found the changing booths and cue lights, and explored how to get from one side of the stage to the other. We then stepped through the transitions in the show - the beginnings and ends of each of the three acts - and set the lighting, adjusted the furniture, changed some blocking, and rehearsed the changes over and over again. In relatively record time we made it through the entire show before our dinner break.

After dinner we started over again and began to fill in all of the lighting cues, adjusted the furniture some more, took notes on props and scenery. Sound familiar? This is what we'll keep doing for the next day and a half of rehearsal or so - then we'll add the costumes, and then we'll start to run the show, making fewer stops and adjustments as we approach the preview on Friday.

I had a few minutes and caught up on a few notes and email. One of the email was to our friends at The 39 Steps. The production closes tonight at the Cort in preparation for it's move to the Helen Hayes. This will be the third NY Theatre that our production has performed at. Just keeps on tickin'....

It's almost as if the show is finally going home. The Hayes was the theatre of choice for the artistic team and it's producers, and the set was designed to fit there. Then this plucky little cult musical named Xanadu moved in and stayed longer than most people expected. So we moved The 39 Steps to the Roundabout's American Airlines Theatre, and then to the Cort. The Hayes is a smaller theatre, about 600, and it's a better location with more foot traffic - all of which will be good for the longevity of the show. It's been running in London since 2006.

The Corn is Green Sound designer Drew Levy is leaving us tomorrow for the Helen Hayes. The 39 Steps sound designer Mic Pool has not been able to make it from the UK for the US productions so Drew has been moving the show around NY. Did I mention that Drew is a BU alumni?

There is another Corn connection to 39 Steps - dialect coach Stephen Gabis is playing Old Tom here in Boston - and helping us with the Welsh - while continuing dialect duties with The 39 Steps. He's been working with Sean Mahon, who will take over the role of Richard Hannay when it opens at the Helen Hayes. Stephen was profiled in the NY Times today. Click to read the article.

Another of our family was profiled in the paper today too... click here to read about Nancy E. Carroll as she prepares for the one woman show The Year of Magical Thinking at Lyric Stage.

Nancy - I'm truly sorry about Binx (the goat). I learned just last week that Binxy is still alive and so is his career. He's been working as a Celebrity Salvation Army goat. No kidd-ing. And I'm sure he's leaving gifts for all donors. (you have to read the Globe article if you don't know what I'm talking about).

Back to New York - The Atheist, with Campbell Scott, finishes it's NY run today. Streamers, which has enjoyed critical acclaim, closes at the Roundabout's Laura Pels next weekend. Congrats to everyone involved. It's got to be a record for us - sending three shows to the city in one season.

It's now 10:22 PM. In theory we have another hour and a half. But, as often happens at this hour, everyone is getting a little punchy and a bit silly. It's great to hear Nicky's familiar laugh ring out in the theatre - but I have a feeling we'll be going home early tonight.

More tomorrow.... warning though... there is no rehearsal on Monday... so you'll probably learn fun stuff like how slow our computer network has been this week, maybe how to seal a stage floor, or perhaps a little something about Miracle at Naples or Pirates. Both of which I probably should have given a little attention today.

Photos: Kate Burton in The Corn is Green - photo by Joan Marcus. Nancy E. Carroll - photo by John Bohn / Globe Staff. Campbell Scott in The Atheist - photo by T. Charles Erickson

The Huntington Theatre Company's production of The Corn is Green, by Emlyn Williams, playing January 9 through February 8, 2009 at the Huntington's mainstage, the B.U. Theatre, 264 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA. Buy tickets online or call our Box Office at 617 266-0800

In Box - and other bits

It's a busy week...

Today is first tech for Boleros for the Disenchanted by Jose Rivera. So I'm sitting at my tech table in the Wimberly keeping an eye on the proceedings while following up on some email ignored earlier in the week, proofing a few documents, and catching up on my online reading.

A couple of my department heads have dashed over to the BU Theatre where How Shakespeare Won the West just closed. Lights, Sound and Props will clear everything off the deck tonight so scenery can come in and strike the rest of the set tomorrow. I've still got to post some embarrasing and self depricating photos from opening night... just you wait.

We'll start getting ready for Wishful Drinking on Wednesday. The production arrives on Thursday, with a short tech on Friday afternoon. Both Boleros and Wishful will have their Boston premieres on Friday evening.

The Boston Globe sent Megan Tench to Hartford CT last month to talk with Carrie Fisher in Wishful Drinking. Little did Megan know that Carrie would give the interview from bed... read it all here. The Herald also has an interview.

There's been a little news re: Nicky Martin. The Globe ran an update, and local blogs the The Hub Review and The Mirror up to Nature sent their best wishes. One reader - read the last comment on the the Mirror post - also took the opportunity to chide me for not posting often enough. He's right - but hey - the blog had it's 2 year anniversary this week - and we have an average of 2.7 posts per week over that period. I don't feel too guilty. He also expressed his disappointment in the Boston press for their lack of coverage.

ANYWAY...

I've heard that they had to move Nicky to a larger room to accommodate the abundance of floral arrangements, and I've had several first hand confirmations that Nick is in good spirits and is receiving many visitors.

In other news - Campbell Scott is remounting The Atheist in NYC. Playbill has a nice interview here.

Photo Credits

Boleros: (l-r) Jaime Tirelli, Socorro Santiago, Monica Raymund, and Elliot Villar portray two generations of the same married couple in the Huntington Theatre Company's production of Boleros for the Disenchanted playing October 10 through November 15 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA. Photo: Eric Antoniou
How Shakespeare Won the West: The company rests on their journey to California in the Huntington Theatre Company's production of How Shakespeare Won the West, playing September 5 through October 5 at the Huntington's mainstage, the B.U. Theatre. Photo: T. Charles Erickson.
Wishful Drinking: Image of Carrie Fisher in the the Berkeley Rep production of Wishful Drinking. Photo: Kevin Berne.

Noone-athon: buh bye Atheist, hullo Brendan

Here's wishing The Atheist folks a fond farewell. Though it feels like months ago, it closed just last Sunday. It was a great run with many people enjoying Campbell's performance and the work of our fine Design team and crew. Did I mentioned that three of our four designers were from the BU Theatre program?

There were also a few special guests in the house: South Enders got a glimpse of both Steve Martin and Terrance McNally last Saturday. BostonNOW got the details.

Our work with playwright Ronan Noone, however, continues. We begin technical rehearsals for Brendan in the Wimberly Theatre tomorrow. I'm sitting in the theatre now watching Lighting Designer Jeff Croiter and crew focus the lights, photo below.



There is a final run through of the show up in Deane rehearsal hall in a little while which I will watch with Scenic Designer Alexander Dodge and Sound Designer Fitz Patton. Then home I go to get some laundry done. I'll add some links between loads.

Inbox - Tuesday

Had a few nice surprises in my mailbox today:

BU Today published a video feature with Campbell Scott, Justin Waldman and Ronan Noone. Visit BU Today and take a look.

Huntington favorite Jerry Kissel (Persephone, The Cherry Orchard, Sisters Rosenswieg) recorded a radio spot for us... it's especially worth a listen if you know Jerry. Take a look under the videos in the side bar for the radio ad.

Who is that guy? Campbell Scott

Several of my friends have asked about Campbell Scott... so I thought I'd post this little filmography and send them the link. Oh yeah - it's THAT guy.

There is always something familiar about Campbell Scott. The award-winning actor, known for his ability to dodge the spotlight, has a wide and varied career and it is a testament to his chameleon-like dexterity and range that he can never be locked into a type. Below is a sampling of Scott’s most recognizable films.

Longtime Companion – 1990
Scott’s breakthrough film, Longtime Companion, was for PBS TV’s “American Playhouse” series and chronicled the lives of Manhattanites learning and struggling through the very early years of the AIDS epidemic. This marked Scott’s first collaboration with renowned playwright Craig Lucas, which would prove fruitful. Scott would go on to star in other Lucas-penned films, like the screen adaptations of his plays The Dying Gaul and The Secret Lives of Dentists.

Dying Young – 1991
Scott’s first big starring role, he played Victor Geddes, a dying leukemia patient who falls in love with his nurse, played by Julia Roberts. Directed by Joel Schumacher, the film costarred Ellen Burstyn and Scott’s real-life mother, Colleen Dewhurst.

Singles – 1992
In Cameron Crowe’s ode to grunge-era Seattle, Scott played Steve Dunne, a civil engineer with bad dating luck as part of a pack of unattached twenty-somethings living in the same apartment complex. Also starring Bridget Fonda, Kyra Sedgewick, and Matt Dillon, Singles captured early 1990s life with its quirky mix of angst and wit, and its of-the-moment soundtrack including the era’s biggest bands like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden.

Roger Dodger – 2002
In a performance that won him a Best Actor Award from the National Board of Review, and a nomination from the Independent Spirit Awards, Scott plays Roger Swanson, a smooth talking advertising exec with a penchant for seducing women. When a surprise visit from his 16-year-old nephew turns him into a love tutor, Roger must reevaluate the direction his life has taken. Roger Dodger was a darling on the film festival circuit, winning 11 awards, including Best Narrative Feature at the Tribeca Film Festival.

The Spanish Prisoner – 1997
Award-winning playwright David Mamet wrote this thriller about Scott’s character, Joe Ross, who develops “the process” for his “company” that will make “millions.” Intentionally cryptic, The Spanish Prisoner weaves a trail of double-crosses, false trusts, and shady con artists for Scott to navigate. Steve Martin, Ben Gazzara, Rebecca Pidgeon, and Felicity Huffman round out the cast of charming ne’er-do-wells.

Hamlet – 2000
Huntington audiences might experience some déjà vu after watching this film, having seen Scott perform the role of Shakespeare’s tormented Dane on the B.U. Theatre stage in 1996. Scott co-directed this film version with Eric Simonson, and reprised his turn in the title role. The supporting cast was filled with a who’s who of theatre actors including Tony Award winners Blair Brown and Denis O’Hare.

No End in Sight – 2007
Scott narrates this recently-released documentary from writer/director Charles Fergueson that examines the American occupation of Iraq from the perspective of those inside the Bush administration. A candid retelling of the events following the fall of Baghdad in 2003 by high ranking officials, Iraqi civilians, American soldiers, and prominent analysts, No End in Sight is a riveting look at the state of Iraq today and was the recipient of a Special Jury Prize at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival

Check out more the bios of the entire artistic team here. Nice to have so many BU College of Fine Arts folks working with us!

Photos (top to bottom): (1) Campbell Scott. (2) Campbell Scott, Patricia Clarkson, and Peter Sarsgaard in The Dying Gaul. (3) Campbell Scott, Matt Dylon, Bridget Fonda, and Jim True-Frost in The Singles. (4) Campbell Scott and Jesse Eisenberg in Roger Dodger. (5) Campbell Scott in The Spanish Prisoner. (6) Campbell Scott in the title role of the Huntington's 1996 production of Hamlet; photo T. Charles Erickson

"Tech"ing 1-2-3

I'm doing a bit of "live" blogging tonight as I watch tech for The 39 Steps here at the BU Theatre. An invited dress for The Atheist should have just begun over at the Wimberly Theatre. Here's a bit about the last four days.

Saturday (Sept 8)

Final rehearsal in the Huntington Ave rehearsal hall for The 39 Steps. I watched a run through and it was great fun, there are some new bits and references to other Hitchcock classics worked in.

The lights are focused on stage at the BU Theatre.

It is also the final rehearsal in Connecticut for The Atheist. I missed that run but reports are that all is going very well. It's also the travel day - everyone returns to Boston.

Sunday (Sept 9)

The crew starts around 9:30 AM getting ready for today's "Ten out of Twelve" tech rehearsal. That means that we will rehearse for 10 hours over a 12 hour period. Noon to Midnight with a 2 hour dinner break. It's a good days work - we manage to get through about 50 pages of the script (better than 1/3), but not quite up to intermission. We discover a few things that require a bit of re-blocking, take a few notes, have plenty to work to complete. There are a ton of props, hundreds of light cues, many many quick changes, 4 varieties of smoke and fog, and decibels of sound cues. Then add four actors, two stage managers, four deck crew, and four dressers figuring out how not to bump into each other. A recipe for lots of hard work.

The lights are focused for The Atheist and the crew does a few last notes to get the set ready for tech tomorrow. It's a day off for Campbell, Justin and Steve.

Monday

It's a day off for The 39 Steps cast and crew. Scenery, Props and Paints all worked a long day completing some old notes and starting on some new ones.

It's a 10 out of 12 for The Atheist. The technical rehearsal period for this production is much shorter... only about 14 hours before the invited Dress Rehearsal versus about 33 to the same point for The 39 Steps. It is a great day's work, we tech through the whole play once and then run it back through again without stopping. We finish early.

During the breaks I find out why the boys didn't reply to the last few posts with rehearsal stories. It's because the stories are not fit to print. Unless we want to invite a libel suit or perhaps an international incident. Besides - this blog isn't really about scary hotels, B&Bs, golf or politics. Use your imagination. It's also obvious that they did a lot of work in those five days. They were extremely well prepared for tech rehearsals and we would not have made so much progress without their advance work.

Tuesday

Today is our second 10 out of 12 technical rehearsal for The 39 Steps. We pick up where we left off on Sunday and finish the 1st Act in the afternoon session. We may finish the play tonight, but even if we don't we'll have tomorrow to finish up and run through it all again. That will leave Thursday (an 8 out of 10) and Friday to run it a few times to be ready for Friday evening's preview performance. That will be my favorite night of the week. I'll (hopefully) be home before midnight.

Both design teams and all of the staff are doing great work as the shows are looking great!

Meanwhile the scene shop is building Brendan and the stage managers are prepping for rehearsals next week. The painters are working on Streamers and prelim scenic designs for Third are expected any day now.

If you have any questions about what goes on at tech rehearsals or about these shows feel free to ask (use the "Join the conversation" link below) or Check out this glossary for an explanation of just about any theatrical term there is!

High Noone

Justin and Ronan did not take the bait in my last post, even though I know they both read the blog, so I'll try and twist their arms a bit more when I'm in the same room with them on Monday. Lousie Kennedy, in the Boston Globe, did however contribute a little "behind the scenes" news for us.

"Justin Waldman sounds a bit incredulous, if delighted, as he contemplates the fall season at the Huntington Theatre Company. With good reason: Waldman, the Huntington's artistic associate, will be directing not one but two plays this fall, both by the award-winning Boston playwright Ronan Noone.

"It's a little Ronan Noone festival," Waldman says with a laugh. "It's kismet, I think."

Noone himself has a different word for the happy coincidence of seeing both "Brendan" and "The Atheist" on the same fall schedule: "It's my Xanax," he says - the ideal cure for any anxiety he may have felt after finishing the trilogy of Irish plays that put him on the theater map.

Mostly, though, it's the luck of timing that brings these plays together."

To read the full article click on the quote above or click here. For more of the Globe's Fall Arts Preview, click here or pick up today's paper.

The Atheist in rehearsal

Playwright Ronan Noone, director Justin Waldman, and stage manager Steve Kaus are wrapping up rehearsals tomorrow with actor Campbell Scott in Conneticut. We've received a few notes but little in the way of good gossip. Have anything for us gents? Ronan? Justin? Kaus? Campbell? Hit that "Join the Conversation" button below and tell us a story.

Costume designer Jessica Curtwright and sound designer Alex Neumann also drove down this week for a visit. Scene designer Cristina Todesco and lighting designer Ben Stanton will join the all of the above and the rest of crew at the Calderwood Pavilion (including house carpenter Brian Masters, house electrician Kat Fleischaker, and sound operator Arshan Galius) and a slew of other Huntington staffers for a few days of tech in the Wimberly prior to our first public performance on Wednesday (9/12).

Two shows in tech at once. Off we go!

In Box - The Atheist

The following note from Nicholas hit email boxes last night:

A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM NICHOLAS MARTIN

It's the most exciting moment in theatre. A world-class actor inhabiting a juicy role from a fresh new writer. Like catching lightning in a bottle, it takes a very special convergence of circumstances to light a stage so brightly.

Next month, the Huntington offers one such fleeting opportunity - for TWO WEEKS ONLY. Stage and screen star Campbell Scott will appear in The Atheist, by Boston phenom Ronan Noone. Of all the work I've presented during my years here, this event excites me the most.

Campbell will bring his trademark humor and warmth (inherited from his mom, Colleen Dewhurst) and the bold attack and panache of his dad (George C. Scott) to Ronan's savagely comic tale of Augustine Early, an ambitious journalist who lets nothing stand between him and a good story.

Campbell is the consummate actor's actor and I am always on the lookout for the role that will bring him back to the stage. Immediately upon reading Ronan's script, I knew that Augustine was it. I was right.

I urge those of you who love the theatre, who love Campbell, or who simply want a memorable fall evening—outside of Fenway Park—to buy tickets today. Like a hot game at the ballpark, this is THE ticket to have.

Sincerely,





Nicholas

It's Official

We have announced our full slate of "Huntington Presents" productions. This brings the count up to a grand total of 12 productions, if we include our Breaking Ground Festival in the Spring. Remember when we just did five????

Subscribers are the obvious winners with first choice seating to even more Huntington 07-08 shows.

On the production front I've been lucky enough to take another vacation, and am now paying the price. The 39 Steps starts rehearsal tomorrow. I'll have more updates for you soon. Meanwhile here's some info about our upcoming programming at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA.

Screen and stage star Campbell Scott, stand-up comedienne/monologist Judy Gold, Boston actress and playwright Rebekah Maggor, and internationally acclaimed performance artist Ennio Marchetto comprise the Huntington Theatre Company’s 2007-2008 “Huntington Presents” series in the Stanford Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts.

“This series complements the Huntington’s regular season and allows us to bring a wider variety of voices and performances to Boston,” says Huntington Artistic Director Nicholas Martin. “‘Huntington Presents’ shows are perfectly suited to the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, where the connections between performers and audiences are especially intimate,” he says.

The 2007-2008 “Huntington Presents” line-up includes:

“THE ATHEIST”

By Ronan Noone

Directed by Justin Waldman

Starring Campbell Scott

Wimberly Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA

Sept, 12-30, 2007

Stage and screen star Campbell Scott (”The Secret Lives of Dentists,” “Roger Dodger,” and the Huntington’s 1996 production of “Hamlet”) plays an ethically challenged journalist in this limited-run engagement of Boston playwright Ronan Noone’s one-man show. “The Atheist” was presented first by Scott at the Huntington’s Breaking Ground Festival of new play readings in 2006, before its New York and London premieres.

“25 QUESTIONS FOR A JEWISH MOTHER”

By Kate Moira Ryan and Judy Gold

Directed by Karen Kohlhaas

Wimberly Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA

Dec. 18-31, 2007

An award-winning Comedy Central, HBO, and Logo network favorite, stand-up comic and monologist Judy Gold explores what it takes to be a Jewish mother in this hilarious, autobiographical Off Broadway hit that makes its Boston premiere at the Calderwood Pavilion. By mixing her personal experiences with those of women she and Ryan interviewed around the country, Gold weaves a funny and universal story about the ups and downs of motherhood. Click here to view a Judy Gold Video.

“SHAKESPEARE’S ACTRESSES IN AMERICA”

Created and performed by Rebekah Maggor

Wimberly Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA

Jan. 27 - Feb. 11, 2008

Boston playwright and actress Rebekah Maggor (a 2006 Huntington Playwriting Fellow) channels actresses both current and historic in a salute to the Bard’s best-known female characters and the women who brought them to life. This return engagement follows critically acclaimed runs in Cambridge and Wellfleet, Mass. last year.

“ENNIO!”

Starring Ennio Marchetto

Created by Ennio Marchetto and Sosthen Hennekam

Wimberly Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA

May 13-June 1, 2008

Marilyn Monroe morphs into Marilyn Manson at lightning speed. Eminem's rapping becomes Gloria Gaynor’s wailing in the blink of an eye. A world of celebrity icons new and old unfolds as the original quick-change artist Ennio Marchetto turns origami into hilarious, family-friendly theatrical magic. This international sensation has not been seen in the Boston area since 1994! Click here to view an Ennio Video

Tickets for “The Atheist” are available now online (www.huntingtontheatre.org and www.bostontheatrescene.com), by phone (617 266-0800), or in person (at the Boston University Theatre Box Office at 264 Huntington Avenue and the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA Box Office at 527 Tremont Street). Phone and box office hours vary; call for schedule.

Judy Gold Photo: Courtesy Off Broadway Booking. Rebekah Maggor Photo: Andrew Brilliant. Ennio Photo: Courtesy Foster Entertainment.

Subscriber Bonus - Campbell Scott

There are many benefits to being a subscriber such as saving up to 25% on single ticket prices and getting first go at tickets to special Huntington Events. Today's news is of one of those special events; Campbell Scott will star in a limited run of Ronan Noone's The Atheist

I quote from our latest issue of Spotlight;

The Atheist
by Ronan Noone
Directed by Justin Waldman
Starring Campbell Scott

14 Performances Only
September 12-30, 2007
at the Virginia Wimberly Theatre
in the Standford Calderwood Pavilion
at the Boston Center for the Arts.


EVERY GOOD NEWS STORY NEEDS A GOOD STORYTELLER. Augustine Early, a crooked journalist, has made an art of clawing his way up the professional ladder. When he turns the Mayor’s tawdry predilections into front page news, the scandal threatens to undo the one person he thought was immune – Augustine himself. A searing and hilarious new play about catching the perfect frontpage headline, whatever the cost.

Actor and director Campbell Scott (whose numerous film credits include The Secret Lives of Dentists and Roger Dodger, as well as the title role in Hamlet for the Huntington) performed a reading of this one-man show during the Huntington’s 2006 Breaking Ground Festival of New Plays, before The Atheist premiered in both New York and London earlier this year. The Atheist is written by Huntington Playwriting Fellow Ronan Noone, whose play Brendan is also part of the Huntington’s 2007-2008 Season, and will be directed by Huntington Artistic Associate Justin Waldman.

I was lucky to be at the 2006 reading and I am really looking forward to seeing Campbell in this play again. It is a great night of theatre.