Journal

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Beau Jest: This Past Weekend

Friday’s Hecklers (March 11, 2005): Well not really. They were people from Sean’s office. Sean, a dentist, works at a second office one day a week. There female office staff came to the show and made comments out loud on everything. I was definitely an experience. As actors on stage, we must ignore everything the audience does except allowing time for laughter. I know if I were in the audience I would have been angry with this detractor. But I was told by friends that once involved in the story, the comments were not that noticeable.

Saturday: Eighty seats were reserved for that night’s performance with around 100 seats filled.

Sunday’s Sellout: On Friday night, we found out that Sunday’s performance would be a sellout. There were even 11 people on the waiting list.

Play Details and Photos

JamesSherman.jpgWith around 100 seats filled the past two Saturdays, a sellout on Sunday, and 60+ averages for Friday shows, Kudzu has agreed to let us do Jest a Second this time next year. James Sherman’s Jest a Second is a sequel to Beau Jest which takes place one year later. BOB and SARAH are now married, BOB has become orthodox Jewish, SARAH is expecting and JOEL brings a secret out of the closet.

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Beau Jest: Maintaining Performance Intensity

With 5 days between performances, it is a challenge in keep the intensity from one performance to the next. With our near sellout and excellent performance, I can remember what the intensity was, well because it really was. But to call that intensity again after 5 days off or at a moments notice? well how?

Our performances have been on Fridays and Saturdays. Friday has always felt like a warm up for Saturday’s performance. I think I am looking at this all wrong.

At the beginning of Act III, I have been preparing for JOEL’s encounter with SARAH over the “identity” of her “boyfriend”. This little session I hold with myself is more of a character development issue. It is recalling why JOEL is doing this. On the nights I spend less time in preparation, the worse I think that scene goes. I need to spend more time as JOEL during the run from 15-20 minutes before Act I till the end of Act III. Well, Duh!

But it is something that is hard to maintain when I have to interact with the other cast members, assist the Stage Manager with setup, etc. Not that this is a complaint. It’s not. Those are the facts and besides it’s also part of the enjoyment of why I do this. But I must work out a method for me to switch between JOEL and myself in a way that I can recall JOEL’s intensity at will. This is at the core of acting.

Yes, I know there are methods, techniques (Stanislavski, Strasberg, Meisner, etc.) and I have studied Meisner. But Paul Sylvan says on his website: “…’method acting’. It is a ‘middle man’ in a 2-step process.” I do need to review, make a combination of, and/or come up with something that works for me.

Regardless of how I do it, I really do want to be consistent in my intensity no matter how long it is between shows.

Play Details and Photos

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Beau Jest: Almost a Sellout

On Saturday March 5, 2005, we had a near sellout. Kudzu Playhouse has 120 and there were less than 10 seats empty. The audience was the best so far. It is amazing the energy that cast will receive from a great audience. And we did. This was by far our best performance.

Mary (MIRIAM) had here own fan club. Just like a TV sitcom, where a guest actor will receive applause when they first appear on stage, so happened Saturday when Mary entered.

We are half way through with our run. Only 3 more weekends (9 shows).

Play Details and Photos

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Beau Jest: Opening Weekend Attendance

Opening night was Friday. We had a fair size audience (49) and great participation. The audience laughed at everything. Even at things the cast never considered. Even when JOEL and SARAH are having their serious argument, there was laughter. Even then, Amy and I were both thinking: “That’s not funny”. Overall it was great and the audience loved it. Lane was also very pleased. The cast on the other hand, had a few major traumas, which I hope the audience did not notice too much.

On Saturday night, the crowed was much larger (70-80). The cast had settled down from the night before and things went very smooth. The reception for the two nights was very favorable. Enough so that Lane is thinking of doing the sequel Jest A Second with the same cast.

Play Details and Photos

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Beau Jest: a few notes

Tonight is the free Preview. Lane considers it a rehearsal and it may stop and start as necessary, although this is unlikely. Tomorrow is opening night. Lane has placed ads in the Atlanta Jewish Times last weekend and this weekend. Hopefully we will have a good turnout for this six week run.

I always knew that I would run into someone that I would not get along with off stage, but it happened sooner than I expected. In only my second play, I disagree with a member of this group. I will be nice and not say if it is cast or crew. But it does boil down to the person not doing his/her duty correctly. And I am not the only who is annoyed with this person. Oh well.

This will be my second play, yet both involve a heart attach of the screaming, angry old man. Hmmm?

Play Details and Photos