AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN went beautifully. It was SO much fun to do every day. Seven characters, nine costume changes, about 2/3 of them quick changes that had to happen offstage, and most of them involving wigs and/or hats. Here's me in my favorite costume - as Rhinestone, a backup singer. I had three lines as this character, but it was, as I have said, my favorite. Also, the character's official name is "Backup Singer," but we developed individual names, albums, hit singles, and albums to be released subsequent to the action of the play. This had nothing to do with the direction we were given, just our own crazy notions. I am throwing a tremendous amount of face in this photo:
We had our opening night party at The Bartlett House Museum, an old historic home. The whole house is decorated alternately with gorgeous furniture and BIZARRE odds & ends. There are dozens of elaborate dollhouses and miniatures upstairs, and a gorgeous old parlor, dining room, and hall downstairs. And I covet such a veranda. Among the stranger items to be seen was this fair lady, who is my new bosom chum:
Well, we have a fairly small audience for our preview matinee, but they are responsive and lovely - they seem to really be into it. I enjoy watching my castmates in this show, as they are hilarious beyond measure. Our director put it quite well when he said he couldn't decide which of us was the funniest. My good friend Sarah Hunt is playing Gloria, the American, and she's adopted Texas twang and Texas-sized 1960s hair. She does every inch of it justice. Alesia Lawson, a pal of mine that I met working last summer in Illinois, was brought in (per my suggestion, thanks SO much) to play Bertha (the disgruntled maid) halfway through the rehearsal process. The actress originally cast had a family emergency, and had to fly home to London. She was also slated to play Little Red in INTO THE WOODS, so Alesia took over her whole track. She's gonna kill it as Red! I met the other three actors when we began this project. Emily Ciotti, playing the glorious Italian Gabriella, looks like Sophia Loren when she decks herself out, 60s style, and says that all this teasing of her hair is going to make her family proud, as she's finally embracing her Jersey roots. Gavin Lodge is Bernard - dapper and goofy and adorable. He makes sarcastic comments regarding WICKED quite frequently, but I notice that he's the only one singing "Defying Gravity" in the dressing area. And then there's the amazingly talented and unbelievably funny Derek Milman as Robert. I have most of my scenes with him, and we spent a good chunk of our rehearsal time attempting not to crack up at each other as we flung ourselves across the stage. His EYES, they're comic gold! I've never seen someone's eyes get so wide! I personally think the show is a scream. And our set - our SET! It's incredible! Our costumes look fab, the music is perfect...I love this play, and I'm ever so glad I'm getting the chance to be in it, and with these talented people. A big shout out to our director, Brian Williams, who stepped in at the last minute when the director who'd been hired had to bow out. Farce is NOT easy, my friends. It's very scientific. You have doors slamming at specific times, costume changes, spit-takes, blah blah BLAH...it can be a mess. Luckily, farce is also amusing, so it's worth the initial rehearsal tedium. Seven entrances in this show, six of them doors. Yowza.
Whenever I blog backstage, I find my thoughts are a bit disconnected. I am usually listening with half an ear to the monitor, ready to run off at any given moment. I have large gaps in between stage time in this piece, which allows me to get a lot done! BEES was much more in and out. Labor intensive, that one. Delicious, though. I love playing multiple characters. I live for quick changes. Once you get it down, after a few rehearsals, it's like a beautiful dance, and it's exhilarating to run on stage when the audience saw you 60 seconds ago in a COMPLETELY different costume.
Off to finish the show! Auf Wiedersehen!
