Inside Betrayal - January 25
Posted by Amy Morton on 2/01/2007
Tech. The point in the process where lights, set, costumes, music, acting all meet up on the stage and have a rumble. This show has 9 scenes which means 8 transitions. Most directors will tell you that transitions can really kill a great play if not done well. Because it moves back and forth in time these transitions involve full costume changes which must be accomplished stupidly fast. So, in trying to get these transitions to look graceful and happen as quickly as possible, we must practice them over and over and over and over and over and over and over. At the end of last night I estimated that I had changed my clothes 27 times. I’m too old for this.
OK, enough of my bitch-fest.
The design elements are beautiful and Rick Snyder has done a masterful job of staging some very difficult transitions. This is a three character play with ten people working backstage making it all look like a snap. They are bloody great and we are very lucky to have them on this show.
Then there’s my fellow actors: Tracy Letts and Ian Barford… absolute nightmares. Snyder must have owed them money or something. Alas… one works with what one is given.
Tonight is our final dress rehearsal- first preview is tomorrow. Previews are my favorite part of this whole process. I learn so much from an audience: about what soars, what sinks, what I thought was so brilliant on my part and ends up being warm bile on toast. So I’m excited about this week and, of course, quite nervous when I realize that I HAVE TO DO THIS IN FRONT OF PEOPLE!!
February 4th, 2007 at 11:10 pm
I hope the preview went well! I’m seeing a production of Betrayal this week in my hometown, I can’t wait. It must be exciting to see everything coming together, after so much work!
February 18th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
“Warm bile on toast”—I’ll have to remember that one.
You were so great in “The Unmentionables.” I can’t imagine that happening, esp. when I stopped to consider how that show had been running for some time any yet none of the “payoffs” rang false. Well done! Look forward to “Betrayal.” Wow, that sounds really wrong.