Overwhelmed In a Good Way

Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the creativity, talent and drive that surrounds this company. The play I'm in rehearsal for now, Landscaping The Den of Saints, we're still a month out from opening and already it feels like a play. We have no lights, no sound, no costumes, this week we spent two nights rehearsing on the back patio of one of the actors and yet in spite of all of that both the director and I found ourselves not focused on the technical things, but just watching an incredible story unfold in front of us.

That is what live theatre should be about, telling the story. That phrase is somewhere in our mission statement. We believe in telling the story. Especially in Los Angeles too often theater becomes about finding an agent or a manager, or is used as stepping stone to "break in" to film or television, actors try too hard, they over act and somewhere in all that trying and waiting for the "big break" they lose the story. Once the story is gone, so are the agents, the managers and more importantly the audience. It's a hard lesson to convey sometimes, many don't get it. But those that do, those that focus on the story become the truly remarkable actors.

So sitting outside on a warm September night underneath a covered patio lit by white Christmas lights watching a story being told by three actors who do believe in telling the story was a bit overwhelming. Everything else falls away and you get swept away by it. That is what makes theater great! The sound, the lights, the costumes, even the set will all enhance it, make it even better, but it all begins with the story and the actors.

As far as the sacrifice to the lighting god goes for our current show, I have decided to try pleading first. Maybe that will work, I just need 2 good hours, that's not too much to ask for is it? We'll see if he agrees :)