Author: jcroft

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Update: Mid-November

With my new job came a limit on internet time. That’s just the nature of the company I work for.

Anyway, A Christmas Story has just 5 rehearsals before the preview night and opening night. It is slowly coming together, but there are still some things that need work. Mainly, any show with kids lends itself to some level of unpredictability: Will they remember there lines, be in place for their queues, etc.

The part that scares me is not the quantity of lines, half the book, but the fact that as the NARRATOR and being invisible to the rest of the cast, if I forget a line there is no one I can improve with to get back on track. It’s all me. If I loose my place… well.

I always believe that it will happen during a run, that is, that I will forget a line or my place. That way I do not fear it so much. I plan on what to do as much as one can plan on forgetting a line. I may let the cast or director down, but hopefully the audience will not notice… to much.

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Audition Notice: Same Time Next Year

A man and woman meet by chance at a romantic inn over dinner. Although both are married to others, they find themselves in the same bed the next morning questioning how this could have happened. They agree to meet on the same weekend each year. Each of them always appears on schedule, but as time goes on each has some personal crisis that the other helps them through, often without both of them understanding what is going on. Twenty five years of manners, morals and attitudes are mirrored during these encounters as we follow this love affair between George and Doris, who rendezvous once a year.

Directed by: Adriana Warner

When: December 4 (Tuesday) and December 5 (Wednesday) from 7-9 PM. No appointment necessary.

Union Status: Non-equity/Non Paying

Casting: one man, one woman

Characters: must be able to play a 25 year age range for the six vignettes

George – begins as an uptight, neurotic accountant, becomes stuffy and rich, gives it all up when he goes into analysis and joins encounter groups, and becomes a latter-day hippie before returning to the establishment.

Doris – matures from an awkward girl to a restless housewife, a college returnee, an over-age flower child, a career woman and finally a settled matron.

Audition requirements: Cold readings from the script

Performances: January 25 – February 24, 2008, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2:30pm

Contact: Jeannie Hinds
Telephone # 770-594-1020
Fax # 770-594-1318
E-mail: kudzuplayhouse@aol.com

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A Gift from the Cast

The crew received gifts from the cast. We all contributed. And to my surprise the cast gave me a gift as well. For the 4th weekend of the run, we opened in Kudzu’s new theatre on Stage 2. I was there from Tuesday through Thursday and all of Friday building out the set and cast room.

Because of that I received a nice little framed ceramic tile with The Actor’s Prayer on it:

As on the stage I take my place
I pray that I not know disgrace
Allow me not to drop a cue,
And neither on the scenery chew
Make not my props to go astray
Allow no entrance to delay
That I may not be left to groan
And hang upon the stage alone

Make all the critics to be kind,
To imperfections make them blind
And keep my brain both quick and cool
Lest of myself I make a fool
May all my lines be spoke as writ
Please make this play to be a hit!

© 2006 Community Theater Opera Room

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Update for Octorber 2007

Since August 14th: Ramona Quimby has started and we are actually approaching our last weekend; I started a new job; And landed a lead role in A Christmas Story.

Ramona Quimby opened in Kudzu Playhouse’s old location but moved to Kudzu’s Stage 2 on September 22nd. I spent every night, and all of Friday the week before and around Saturday’s two shows building out the set and dressing room. I was exhausted after that week and skipped acting class that Monday night, more on that in a minute.

I also picked up another role in Ramona Quimby, that of MR FROST. Paul Komorner who was MR FROST always had a conflict on Sundays and Saturday nights. He was also in Bermuda Avenue Triangle on Kudzu’s Stage 1. MR FROST was being played by Jerry Harlow in the old theatre where he could escape from the tech booth for just long to do the 30 second part.

I purchased from a Halloween shop, a hat, Elvis glasses and beard to alter my appearance. With an overcoat I look completely different. One cast member said I looked like Hank Williams, Jr. I also use a Texas twang for a voice.

I started taking an acting class again with Chris Cole Harris. She called and said she was trying to get a class together and at the time I was not doing anything other than Ramona Quimby, so I said why not. The class started on September 17th and after a very long week, decided to skip the night of the 24th.

I also started a new job on September 4th.

Every year, Kudzu does A Christmas Carol for the Holiday Season. Last year, I was light and sound tech and had such fun with the 120+ light and sound queues that I wanted to do it again this year. I went as far as telling Wally and Jenny that I wanted to be tech again.

Well, it turns out that Act 1 Theatre in Alpharetta did not fill the roles of RALPH (Narrator) or THE OLD MAN (RALPHIE/RALPH’s dad) in A Christmas Story. I was recommended by several people to Rebecca Coffee who is directing the show. Working with Rebecca I scheduled an audition on Thursday, September 26th for ether role. Rebecca decided to cast me as RALPH.

If you remember from the movie by the same name, there is a narration all throughout the movie. The Narrator is the grown up RALPHIE. For the play, the narrator (RALPH) is on stage for most of the play.

I have finally landed a lead and I am very excited about the play. And a little nervous, there are a bunch of lines. Oh and this play is also being reviewed for the Metro Atlanta Theatre Awards.

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No Bermuda Avenue Triangle for Me

I had to withdraw from doing light and sound for Bermuda Avenue Triangle. With Kudzu moving to a new location with two stages, Ramona Quimby and Bermuda Avenue Triangle have too many overlapping show times for me to do both. Being ON stage in Ramona Quimby and backstage on Bermuda Avenue Triangle, Ramona wins. I could miss 1 or 2 shows for Bermuda, but I was going to miss half and that is too much.