Comments on: Open Rehearsals for The Amadeus Project? http://elementaltheatre.org/2009/08/open-rehearsals-for-the-amadeus-project/ providence, rhode island Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:24:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Bryan Kimmelman http://elementaltheatre.org/2009/08/open-rehearsals-for-the-amadeus-project/comment-page-1/#comment-64 Bryan Kimmelman Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:57:51 +0000 http://elementaltheatre.org/?p=138#comment-64 The one added benefit of having some selected open rehearsals would be during those times when certain scenes tend to get stale from continuous rehearsing. This perspective comes from a member of a band where you rehearse a song many times and get it down but then it starts to lose some life in it. Having just some people watch the process brings a whole new drive behind it. Open dates for the rehearsal could potentially give rise to new ideas for an already well rehearsed scene. To much however would lead to a violation of that special bond that a cast feels during rehearsing which is vital to a successful production in my eyes. That's how I see it :) The one added benefit of having some selected open rehearsals would be during those times when certain scenes tend to get stale from continuous rehearsing. This perspective comes from a member of a band where you rehearse a song many times and get it down but then it starts to lose some life in it. Having just some people watch the process brings a whole new drive behind it.
Open dates for the rehearsal could potentially give rise to new ideas for an already well rehearsed scene. To much however would lead to a violation of that special bond that a cast feels during rehearsing which is vital to a successful production in my eyes. That’s how I see it :)

]]> By: Jenny Peek http://elementaltheatre.org/2009/08/open-rehearsals-for-the-amadeus-project/comment-page-1/#comment-58 Jenny Peek Thu, 20 Aug 2009 21:54:29 +0000 http://elementaltheatre.org/?p=138#comment-58 I agree with the already-commented comments and would like to add my two cents: There is something really refreshing and wonderful about the first time a show goes before an audience's eyes... the rehearsals happen amongst a relatively small group of people and actors (and directors) are not afraid to explore and to make mistakes. Then tech where new people and new elements are invited to the party. And then the final phase... getting "outsiders" there. Isn't the reason we do live theater to get that laugh or gasp or whatever right there, in response to things we may have forgotten (or never realized) were laugh- or gasp-worthy? It's something I certainly love about it all. I always think the first time in front of an audience is the beginning of the reward (for sometimes-challenging rehearsals, for slogging thru tech), and the final pencil stroke in completing the circle that is the show. That's just my thinkin'! I agree with the already-commented comments and would like to add my two cents:

There is something really refreshing and wonderful about the first time a show goes before an audience’s eyes… the rehearsals happen amongst a relatively small group of people and actors (and directors) are not afraid to explore and to make mistakes. Then tech where new people and new elements are invited to the party. And then the final phase… getting “outsiders” there. Isn’t the reason we do live theater to get that laugh or gasp or whatever right there, in response to things we may have forgotten (or never realized) were laugh- or gasp-worthy? It’s something I certainly love about it all. I always think the first time in front of an audience is the beginning of the reward (for sometimes-challenging rehearsals, for slogging thru tech), and the final pencil stroke in completing the circle that is the show.

That’s just my thinkin’!

]]> By: Kris Joseph http://elementaltheatre.org/2009/08/open-rehearsals-for-the-amadeus-project/comment-page-1/#comment-42 Kris Joseph Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:26:27 +0000 http://elementaltheatre.org/?p=138#comment-42 I've worked on shows where rehearsals have been opened up, and I think your gut feel is quite accurate. That being said, I think the way to do it might be to set one or two times when the rehearsal hall is open to people; make sure the cast is aware and plan to work something "light" in that time (run some scenes that are feeling quite solid; look at something technical). In my experience, it always ends up feeling a bit like show and tell -- and ends up being neither 100% rehearsal nor 100% audience outreach. That said, audience members LOVE getting a peek at what goes on before opening night! I’ve worked on shows where rehearsals have been opened up, and I think your gut feel is quite accurate. That being said, I think the way to do it might be to set one or two times when the rehearsal hall is open to people; make sure the cast is aware and plan to work something “light” in that time (run some scenes that are feeling quite solid; look at something technical).

In my experience, it always ends up feeling a bit like show and tell — and ends up being neither 100% rehearsal nor 100% audience outreach. That said, audience members LOVE getting a peek at what goes on before opening night!

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