ceebeegee: (Helen of Troy)
ceebeegee ([personal profile] ceebeegee) wrote2006-10-13 02:01 pm
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I had a rehearsal last night with Juliet, the Roberta leFay for the reading tomorrow. Juliet was in the Shakespearean cabaret I did last May--she was the Rosalind in the second performance I did (the one with super-curly dark hair, very sweet). I had talked up The Last Night of Ballyhoo with her then, telling her what a great play it is and how there's a role in it for her (Lala). When the __gaia reading first came up, I'd originally thought I was ging to do that, since Lilian said I could pick any play I like. Then we talked about it, and she thought it might be a problem getting the rights, so I decided to do one of Duncan's plays (Sweeter Dreams is actually quite perfect, since it mentions Hoboken a few times). So I asked Juliet to be in that instead.

She did pretty well for a first reading, although she struggled with some of the words. I had to explain some of the more Catholic references, like beatific (I then launched into an explanation of the canonization process) and Aloysius. But she had a good handle on the role, and she takes direction VERY well--I would give her a note and she implemented it immediately. That's good to know. She liked the play a lot, and loved the vocabulary in it. One note I gave her was to "have fun" with the writing--allow yourself to enjoy it a little. (I gave her that after the "creamy buttocks" line.) Don't punch the lines or you'll overkill them, but allow yourself to...lean into them a little.

She's gonna be great. It's interesting, in real life she's nothing like Roberta, she's very sweet, but I knew she'd be great as this acerbic, edgy reviewer. I am an excellent caster, I must say. And that's 50% of directing.

"creamy buttocks"

[identity profile] king-duncan.livejournal.com 2006-10-13 06:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Yay! Looking forward to rehearsal tonight!

Every female actor who's read the script wants to play Roberta. There's something fun about just getting to let loose and be a major bitch. :)

That character is half based on a character from "Nine" (I wrote most of the play under the influence of the music), and half based on an actual theatre critic from South Florida (who once said I "waxed too wooden" in a role.

Re: "creamy buttocks"

[identity profile] dry-2olives.livejournal.com 2006-10-13 07:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, come on... you can't blame a guy for having to wax a little bit when he's wooden.

Re: "creamy buttocks"

[identity profile] neoscribe.livejournal.com 2006-10-13 08:01 pm (UTC)(link)
Did you base it on Necrophorus, the hot brunette (originally played by Saundra Santiago) whom was the assistant producer?
Yoowza she was hot! (and a BITCH)!

Re: "creamy buttocks"

[identity profile] king-duncan.livejournal.com 2006-10-13 08:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, that character, but I'd only read the synopsis of "Nine" in the London Cast Recording CD, so I didn't actually know what she was like (and she certainly wasn't in black leather in my head).

Ah, Necrophorus...

[identity profile] neoscribe.livejournal.com 2006-10-13 08:22 pm (UTC)(link)
If I had used that character, mine would have been a very different play, indeed... (mwuh ha ha..) ;-)

[identity profile] alexlady.livejournal.com 2006-10-13 08:41 pm (UTC)(link)
we'll be there sunday! very excited.