Finally in the swing of things

Last night's rehearsal was the first chance I've had to hear the play all the way through since the first read-through, and it was really a pleasure to be able to really get into it and start making some edits. I cleaned up some of the clunky transitions and added a bit more texture. But at the same time, it's frustrating, because I realize that I can't make too many more changes before the performance. The actors need time to assimilate the changes and work on the timing, which is so crucial to this piece. It really is an ensemble play, far more than anything else I've written. During tomorrow's rehearsal I'll probably make some more edits, and then I'll let it go. At least until after the first performance... (fair warning, cast!)

The cast deserves so much praise. May Lee Lockhart as Alice, Soo Jin Park as Isabelle, Noelle Hardy, Tovah Hicks, Dan Wachter, Callie Munson and Brandon Little as ghosts. This group really has wonderful chemistry, and they are all so joyful about playing and experimenting and finding new nuances in the story. I think this could be a frustrating play to work on. Most members of the cast play multiple characters, and there are a lot of quick transitions. Timing is crucial; as Noelle pointed out, if one line is dropped, the whole thing can unravel quickly. That means the actors really need to rely on each other. And they can. It's genuinely a pleasure to watch. Even in rehearsal, there are moments when I can simply be an audience member, enjoying fine actors on stage, instead of the playwright agonizing over clunky exposition or unclear plot. And that's fully a credit to the cast and to Laura Blegen, the director.