BLOG

Blog #11

Posted by DCA Theater on September 27, 2010 in July-December 2010 Season, INCUBATOR Series: Strange Tree Group

by Emily Schwartz, Artistic Director and Resident Playwright for Strange Tree Group

And here I am, your friendly playwright, back on the blog for our performance day. These past few weeks spent in the Studio Theater have been enlightening, challenging and fun, and tonight we present the fruit of our labors. Some say it tastes of pomegranate but I myself would liken it to a tart boysenberry but either way it’s a definite sneak peek behind the scenes of strange tree as a whole. Usually the work-shopping happens in my little living room upon various types of mismatched (and slightly uncomfortable) antique chairs and the only chance the audience gets to see the script is when it’s in finished form, costumed and propped up on stage.

This experience has been really fulfilling for myself especially because it’s allowed me to work as a team with the strange tree ensemble and a few invited guests and actually let them live the scenes that are finished (or sometimes half-finished as it were) up on their feet. Because, as all playwrights know, sometimes things on paper can change when you thrust them in live action. Questions arise. For instance, “Did he just walk through a table? There is a table in front of him isn’t there?” and “When does the ghostly string instrument come in? When do they hear it? What does it play?” Since this is a workshop props and costumes are limited to what we have in the room or what we can find on the street. Like say for instance you need a feather and there are a ton of dirty pigeons outside on Randolph… We washed it with soap and no one puts it in their mouth. We promise.

At any rate, some pictures follow of the group in rehearsal. You can see that we’ve set up our spirit table and our medium’s cabinet. (Thanks to the DCA for providing such appropriate and luxurious movable curtains) Now we just add lights, sounds, a little bit of historical information and some magical slight of hand from our friend and workshop partner Brett Schneider and we are ready to rock your socks off 19th century style! This will be the best, unfinished, dark comedy about spirit mediums you see this September. Come and check it out early so you can say you saw it when!

Rehearsal in action: Stuart Ritter, Kate Nawrocki, Cory Aiello, Michael Downey, Jenifer Henry, Carol Enoch and Patrick Cannon respond to accusations of fraud at the table.

Elizabeth Bagby and Weston Davis rehearse the fight sequence

Director Bob Kruse discusses motivations or some such with the workshoppers after a run: Elizabeth Bagby, Weston Davis, Stuart Ritter, Todd Aiello, Brian Rooney, Cory Aiello and Carol Enoch