Summer Play Festival
Interns Blog

Today we had our first stumble through of The Ones That Flutter, and I think cast and crew were equally surprised at how well it went! The past week has consisted of tablework, blocking, and discussions about the life of the play and the characters living it. Us interns made coffee, did photocopying(lots and lots), the usual, but we were also on book and prop-tracking, so we felt part of the theatrical experience as a whole. It is not until now that I realise how short our rehearsal time is, being halfway through it already, but I’m confident that everyone’ll make Sylvia proud by the end of it

As for stuffing programs...for those who attend theatre often, next time you’re flicking through your playbill, waiting for the show to start, I’d like to to pause for a moment, and dwell on those poor unfortunates to had to place those little pieces of paper into your programme. Easy job? 8 shows multiplied by 8 performances multiplied by 99 seats=6,301 programs. That’s a lot of stuffin’.

I had to think REALLY HARD while writing this because I’d just spent like, a half an hour writing bios and as a result felt a temptation like no other to put this down all in third person…

So Esther is going great! I’m really enjoying watching the whole rehearsal process. I love all the actors—they’re talented and hilarious. I’ve gotten to run lines with Marin Hinkle two times so far, which has been AWESOME. Call me crazy, but I love it and it makes the hours fly by… plus, I just love her. In the meantime, I am interested in but slightly concerned for our little intern cabaret planning… WHAT is happening with that. Eric and I have been doing some intense preparation, rewriting Sondheim lyrics to accommodate for a musical based on the life of an intern, one example being “Into the Public! Into the Public! Into the Public and out of the Public and home after dark!” We’ve also sung enough things to the little opening musical phrase of “Color and Light” to make Laura P. and Liz want to kill us ("Stuffing programs stuffing programs stuffing programs AND FOLD.").

Oh my God, speaking of which. I’ve stuffed maybe hundreds of programs at this point, and I have the inky fingers to show it… and, yeah. That’s as much as I can write about on that subject. It did need to be said, though. The stuffing won’t be ending anytime soon!

BUT ANYWAY. Everything’s dandy and happy. I love Esther and the people on Esther and I can’t wait ‘til the show goes up and we roooock the Publiiicc!! Wahoooo.

so i have seen the first two shows of the festival and i must say they were both fantastic. but i think what made it even cooler was (a) they were both free for me because I am an intern, and more importantly (b) that they were both so incredibly different. The Black Suits and Tell Out My Soul were about as different as two shows can be, which is a testimony to the goal of SPF: to simply produce and fund new exciting work. The work doesn’t have to prescribe to any genre, it just has to be good, and that is clearly shown by the diversity of the plays that are being put on this month.
as for green girl, it is going really well. While at times my job of writing down line notes and setting props gets really dull, it still is interesting to be sharing the space with professional actors and directors who I can learn alot from. Since we do go up next week, i thin nerves have become a little raw in rehearsal, with everyone thinking in the backs of their minds “oh my god! we are going up in like 4 days and we’ve had less than 2 weeks of rehearsal!” but I am not too worried because I think that the newness and vibrancy of the work coupled with the short and intense rehearsal process is what makes thus festival so exciting. I think if we are seeking perfection we will probably fail, but if we are seeking a raw sense of newness and creativity we are in very good shape.

A day in the life a la diamonds and coals. My way.

Coal to taking line notes. To the utmost detail. Por ejemplo, “On page 22 you said ‘that’ instead of ‘the’” Important? Possibly. Fun? Not so much.  I almost miss running crazy errands.  I’m also not a morning person.

A piece of Fool’s Gold goes to Tahini, the falafel place on Astor place.  Not the best falafel I’ve ever had but I might go back just because the guy that made mine was fun to flirt with. But seriously though, no tabouleh? That’s a mistake.

Granite to stuffing programs.  It’s menial but it does give me a chance to catch up with other interns and find out what adventures they’ve had.  Did you know Max has a hiddent talent for ironing? We should include that in our cabaret!!...which reminds me...what’s happening with that?

And a big fat diamond to Tell Out My Soul. That play was better than church. (I hope I don’t get smited for that) I was mad hungry but I was feelin the spiritual food.  Y’digg? Yes I’m a stereotype. No I won’t apologize. Performances were spot on.  Seemless transitions.  And the writing itself was just amazing.

Stay tuned for my next blog.  It might be personal, revealing...or it might be another shameless plug at SPF.  But just ‘cause it’s shameless doesn’t make it a lie.  I wouldn’t lie to my millions of adoring fans reading this entry.  And scene.

While those two things may not be on the top of your list to have, in The Black Suits they are staples.  Today was Tech and let me tell you this show gets better and better every time.  Sometimes, when you work on a show, jokes get old, you get sick of it or maybe even both.  With The Black Suits, not only is it not possible, but I find myself rocking out more and more every day.  Today was a very long day, but so much was accomplished.  We had our invited dress rehearsal tonight, which went extremely well minus a costume change that we had never done before.  It was so refreshing to hear other people laughing where Heather, Caroline and I have been laughing for 3 weeks already.  I always find that to be such a great part of the process- when we get to add an audience into the mix.  First it’s the text, then putting it on its’ feet, adding props, costumes and lights and finally an audience to enjoy all of the elements.  I can’t believe we open tomorrow night.  The show moves so quickly too.  This experience hasn’t just been another show I will add to my resume.  I think I have found friends and a network of people that I will have for a long time.  I know the next time I get asked what my favorite show to work on has been, I will quickly respond by saying, that’s easy, it’s The Black Suits.  If you don’t know it, you should find out, because after all NY Press says..."It’s the Next Big Thing.”

Apologies for the unimaginative title, it’s been a long day. It began with my intern right of passage...photocopying sixteen scripts before the actors arrived. A little known fact about me is that I have the midas touch in reverse when it comes to technology; everything breaks. Today was no different. Photocopier broke down, and I wasn’t too far from doing so myself, spening two hours in quality time with the machine. But listening to the actors read the script, and breathe life for the first time into the words on the page, was such a great experience. Then we started the detective work, stopping and starting to ask pick Sylvia’s brain about the play and its characters. There is a sense of calm in the actors and production team that is so unlike anything I’ve experienced so close to the beginning of the production. Everyone’s so… civilised. Perhaps I speak too soon though. Watch this space…

Today was load in for The Black Suits, and by load in, I mean the third time we have schlepped large musical equipment, set pieces, and racks of suits from one location to another.  After nearly nine hours of work, the day seems like a blur of fluorescent spike tape (6 colors, any SM’s dream), purple paint, and wrinkled shirts. All of our crew was there - including about a third of our very own SPF interns.  Everything looks SO AWESOME.  Our set looks great, now that it is dressed, it is really looking like a real space.  This is one of my favorite parts of a production, when all the elements start to come together and resemble a real show. Later in the afternoon, most of our lovely cast arrived, exclaiming with delight at the progress that had been made.  And the lights!  Get ready out there to have your socks knocked off, because this is going to be some show.  Of course, we are faced with a whole new set of challenges now that we are settled - to be figured out tomorrow before THE INVITED DRESS!!! I’m only a little bit nervous...but very much excited and proud to make this thing happen.

So as I sit here, in the glamorous SPF offices, awaiting the arrival of the costume designer for Tell Out My Soul, Kate Cusack, I can’t help but revel and get way too excited about the upcoming weeks. Everything is falling into place, the costumes are intricate and have been methodically picked out and developed by Cusack and myself to show how deeply complex and human our characters are. I cannot wait to see the set, being assempled as I type in the Anspacher Theater, by Tim Mackabee and my amazing fellow intern Emily Antenucci. Despite all the chaos and nerves I think we have a magnificant show. It’s really exciting that we have two vastly different yet captivating and exhilarating opening shows. Of what I saw from Joe Iconis’ The Black Suits, I think it will soar beyond just this festival and take the New York Theater scene by storm. In this changing world of theater, it may seem like rock musicals come around often and rarely shine beyond the shadows of Rent and Spring Awakening, I’m really excited to see where The Black Suits, as well as Iconis and their amazing cast, go after SPF. In the course of this upcoming week anything can happen, but what I am sure of, is that the audiences will leave different. Those at The Black Suits will be inspired to live freely and do what you love, at Tell Out My Soul it will be deep feelings of the importance of love, family, and forgiveness.

IT’S MY FIRST BLOOOOOG.

I waited a while before posting one of these… partly because I missed the day where we learned how to post, so I was a bit of a latecomer, and partly because I am admittedly self-conscious about the smallest details. So I had to spent a few days lurking in the shadows and observing blog posts… y’know, getting used to the whole scheme of things, kinda like an Animal Planet special… except with theatre. And blogs.

I am on Esther Demsack, which is starting this week!! I’m totes excited to start the rehearsal process and be involved in a production, especially this one, since it’s kinda awesome… not to say that the past 2 weeks haven’t been fulfilling, but the future looks bright and breezy!

Also really excited for The Black Suits to go up… I got to sit in on one of the runthroughs, so I feel like quite the privileged little intern. If only there was a CD so I didn’t have to spend all day replaying “The Answer” on youtube.

You’ll see more of me and my posts (upsetting, I know) once Esther starts a-runnin’. Yay plays!

I am half-way through a 5-day hiatus from Black Suits rehearsals and I am, as my fellow Suits intern Liza would say, having a major issue. When you’re with the same group of incredibly talented/hardworking/all-around-amazing people for close to three straight weeks, their sudden absence is certainly felt.
Today the interns were graced with a visit from yet another successful theatre professional who detailed his experiences as Broadway-producer-at-large. I really enjoyed listening to his anecdotes and advice; it was certainly clear that he is passionate about the work he does.
Liza and I then had an adventure with the fancy-pants copier in the Public Theatre office - coming to a program near you: a red THE BLACK SUITS insert which includes the names of all those individuals I alluded to above, plus my own.