The first week always starts out slow. But it’s a good slow. A necessary slow. We sit around the table, read and talk through the play. I ask questions as we plod through, and we stop for discussion at the end of every scene or unit. Discussions include things like:
• What is the trigger - word or line said to another character - that sets him/her off to act the way they do
• The magical question of “what do you want?”
• Sharing our knowledge about the subject or personal experiences that apply
All of this creates the back-story, as well as the story in front of us and allows different ideas to be put on the table. This table work is vital in getting us all on the same page and to start seeing the play as a group instead of individuals.
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| Vincent Hoss-Desmarais & Brian Dooley in reheasal |
After a few days of table-work, I like to then go super fast with the blocking, (if possible), and do what I call a rough pencil sketch of where we’re coming and going and how the scenes start. Other than that, I try to let the actors find their way through as they hold onto their scripts, experiment, try things and make choices. I like to say “go ahead and try anything,” but I'm also capable of then saying “you can’t do that!” when certain rules of the human condition are broken. For example, if you just met someone you would not suddenly start rubbing their back and neck unless there was a real reason.
With Michel & Ti-Jean, we were able to not only get the play ‘blocked’ (as we say in the theatre), or up on its feet but we also then stumbled through the whole play on our last day. That’s when we invited the production team to see what we’d accomplished, so they could start working on the lighting and sound. We always have a production meeting immediately following the first rehearsal with the production team. It’s important for us to discuss what’s happening, and ensure that we’re all moving in the right direction as we upgrade ideas.
With Michel & Ti-Jean, we were able to not only get the play ‘blocked’ (as we say in the theatre), or up on its feet but we also then stumbled through the whole play on our last day. That’s when we invited the production team to see what we’d accomplished, so they could start working on the lighting and sound. We always have a production meeting immediately following the first rehearsal with the production team. It’s important for us to discuss what’s happening, and ensure that we’re all moving in the right direction as we upgrade ideas.
