The pre-show curtain speech usually included a comment about how patrons should browse the (tiny) gift shop, where they could find “all things Shakespearean”. ALL things? Truly this must be a wonderful gift shop. Most nights, Andrew and I would lean forward and one or both of us would comment on something Shakespearean that *must* be available in the gift shop. Codpieces, chamber pots, The Tower of London, rats with plague-carrying fleas, the remains of Anne Hathaway...
Lucas Hall in the outfit pictured above (photo by Andrew Hamm).
The incredible talent and professionalism of the cast and crew.
Andrew Hamm and Kevin Neilsen, my two fellow members of the Foolhardy Band. It was quite humbling to play music with these two very talented musicians every night.
Watching the faces of people I knew in the audience. Since I knew the script so well, I knew when something cool or funny was coming up, and I could watch for reactions.
I got to watch (well...sort of. I could see about half of the stage area) the show over four weeks, and observe how it was different each night, which scenes were slushy, and which were sparkling, how the actors’ interpretations evolved or changed based on the energy on stage or in the house.
Stacie Reardon, Graham Birce, Freddy Kauffman, and David White (and the whole cast for one number), who brought Andrew’s music (lyrics by W. Shakespeare) to vibrant life each night.
The pre-show music. Each night (if possible...sometimes rain caused us a few problems…) we would play up to thirty minutes of music before curtain. It was an eclectic mix of stuff, though the prevailing theme was American Roots music. Songs by T-Bone Burnett, Sam Phillips, Ledbelly, Tom Waits, Phil Collins, two different Blind Willies...it was great great fun.
Closing night. Two moments stand out. Pre-show, most of the cast had gathered backstage for the opening scene, and as we played It’s Not Too Late (which we did each night prior to the curtain speech), they all sang along. It was great. Then, after the curtain call, we shortened our usual walk-out music and played Message In A Bottle. Many members of the cast came out and gathered around the microphone and sang along. This was a wonderful moment for me.
Working on The Tempest was so much fun. It was by turns tough, annoying, hot and humid, and overall just a blast. I feel privileged to have been a part of it.
5 comments:
Jeez, man, you couldn't come up with the ten cool things your promised? What a rip.
The tenth cool thing about working on The Tempest:
Being a part of the creative process of theatre again, even in such a small way.
how come the night you were nearly a duo instead of a trio combo didn't make the list? I believe the fret factor for that evening was "off the charts".
Good point. However, the list was supposed to be *cool* things about the Tempest...that night the fret factor was high, and the cool factor was very low...!
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