Final Preparations ie Tech Rehearsals!

Chekhov said: “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”  In technical rehearsals and the final stages of acting rehearsals, we are all working to focus moments, to highlight the smaller details of the bigger picture for a character, an arc of story as it fits into the whole story.  A drop of music, a pool or focus of light, the timing of an entrance, the minute moment of a character picking up a pen or pouring a cup of tea or fiddling with a locket; carefully chosen moments which are given their own music or silence, light or darkness, that serve to bring us into the world of the play and hint, as pieces of a puzzle, at the final picture.  As a musician in an orchestra or choir sings and plays their own part, when brought in with the other instruments or voices, the symphony comes to life, in harmony or dissonance as the score requires.  It is, in my opinion, magic.  In “tech”, we are fine tuning our individual scores, and finding our harmonies with the new players, which are light and sound.  The technical peoples have their own notes to play to complete the symphony that is the story.  The timing of a blackout, a fade of light, the sounds of rainfall all contribute to the story as much as the author’s words and the actor’s realization of them.  To the layman, “tech” would probably be tedious.  To us, it is a necessary choreography.  And in the final production, it will seem to the audience that hours spent on it did not happen, because it will seem to them seamless.  A costume does not appear fully realized; it is measured and fitted to the actors’ bodies, it is adjusted, it is stitched, it has tiny details added, like a flit of lace here or a carved button there, and all of this takes time and focus and patience.  In “tech” were are making the final adjustments and adding those buttons and lace details.  When we are finally in front of an audience, if we have done it right, they will see the glint of light on broken glass in the many places that will, in the end, tell them that the moon has been shining this whole time…

~Mia K. Ingimundson

A New Leaf in Winter~Uncle Vanya rehearsals week two

This is my first experience as an Assistant Director, and I can think of no one better to begin my mentorship than Director John Wright.  Having worked with him as an actress on HECUBA and GREAT EXPECTATIONS, he has shown me great faith and trust and I have grown as a performer under his direction. particularly in learning to better trust myself.  I put my faith in him once more as I embark on this new journey of my career.  He welcomes my feedback, and loves to ask “tell me what you see”.  We share insights and I am learning to look at the pictures, if you will, that the actors make.  Working in the round, I move about to get different perspectives and to give the actors the sense of sightlines.  The audience is to be treated to various profiles, and pulled in to seeing all that happens in the actors’ eyes, which is a lovely experience.  As a performer, I love to work in more intimate configurations, and as an audience it is a cool experience to see across to the other watchers.  I like to think of the audience as another character in the story.  A circle brings us, audience and actors, together as one.

I went to theatre school in a hundred and fifty year-old former church where our voice teacher the very first day advised us all to buy long johns and to never complain about the lack of heat.  I feel like I am back there, as our rehearsal space is cavernous and chilly.  We are snuggled in our wraps, cardigans, scarves and coats, and huddled next to space heaters.  I think of such things when I meet people who think that working in theatre must be glamourous.  The thing is, no one of us utters a complaint, because as theatre folk it is par for the course.  We pride ourselves on it, I think.  We do what must be done to do our work.  And we have learned that Chekhov’s work ethic was very great indeed!

~Mia K Ingimundson

First week of Uncle Vanya rehearsals

A warm greeting session was had as the cast, crew and designers gathered for our first day of rehearsals.  Some new faces, and many familiar ones.  It was for GREAT EXPECTATIONS that I last had the pleasure of sitting around the table with John Wright, designer Marti Wright, and actors Anthony F. Ingram and Robert Moloney.  Blackbird is a family to me, and once again a wonderful cast has been assembled.

We were fortunate to be joined by Peter Petro ~ who translated Uncle Vanya from the original Russian for Blackbird ~ present to answer our questions about Imperial Russian life, art, class and society, and Chekhov himself.  Working in theatre has given me many a fascinating history lesson, and continues to still as the company brings to life the various aspects of country life in 19th Century Russia.

Marti Wright’s costume sketches are, as usual, works of art in themselves.  She thinks in beautiful palates and textures, right down to the colour and feel of a character’s knitting wool.

Yelena

As I cast on and knit the first few rows for Mary Black, who is playing Marina, Stephen Arberle who is playing Telyegin quietly noodled on his guitar and the company lifted the text from the page.  First read-throughs are an exciting time.   It has been a fun week of discovery, and there is much more to look forward to.