Monday, March 18, 2013

Mind Games

Showtime! My talented co-stars Amy Lane (Susan) and Victor Kahn (Dr. Bill Windsor)
in Schenectady Civic Players "Woman in Mind." Photo by Tom Killips.
Courtesy Schenectady Civic Players. All rights reserved. 
Wonderfully artistic and love-filled weekend... we just finished our first week of performances of Woman in Mind at Schenectady Civic Players. It felt great, and was made even more special by the number of friends and family who stopped by to show their support. My fellow cast and crew are first-rate, and I'm really proud of what we have achieved so far.

Unfortunately, the newspaper reviews so far have been mixed... I'm never sure whether to read these things while I'm in the middle of a show, but I was curious since this is such a difficult production to pull off. Alan Ayckbourn's dark comedy is all told through the subjective point of view of Susan (played by the wonderful Amy Lane), who accidentally hits herself on the head with a garden rake; the resulting injury leaves her having a hard time distinguishing between her unfulfilled reality and imagined fantasy life. As performers, we walk a fine line here between keeping it funny and delving into the darker themes... I took the reviews with a grain of salt, since so much of the play is open to interpretation in the first place. Even though I wasn't specifically mentioned, I also found their critiques useful in helping me to further think about how to strike that balance− as Susan's "imaginary" husband, I have perhaps one of the darkest moments in the show, while also needing to come off rather light and charming throughout. I have noticed myself injecting a little more of myself into the piece... at times utilizing more of my improv skills.

It's really all part of the process... something Amy and I discussed with WAMC's Joe Donahue last Friday on the radio show, The Roundtable

Mind the gap! I think some of the funniest scenes belong to Joan Justice (Muriel),
Amy Lane (Susan), and Marty O'Connor (Gerald) in our production of Alan
Ayckbourn's "Woman in Mind." Photo by Tom Killips. Courtesy Schenectady Civic Players.
All rights reserved.
In fact, there are some delightful things I have learned with each of our performances so far, and the cast seems to be getting more and more comfortable with each other... that always seems to happen, and makes it harder to realize that your show has a limited run. One very cool thing for me, returning to work on a full play after several years, is that I have also had a couple members of the audience approach me after our performances with requests that I audition for upcoming shows they are putting together at the Civic Players and other venues! Hey ya! Must be doing something right...

All I can say is that it feels great to be back on the boards, doing something so creative and rewarding... after three shows I have enjoyed hearing the reactions of delighted audiences, and getting a sense for what it must feel like to do this as a full-time gig (kudos to the talented staff at SCP). On Wednesday night we're back at it, with a 7:30 p.m. show, followed by performances Thursday through Sunday. Of course, it can only get better. I can't wait, and look forward to further "Mind" games... 

Related Links:

"Schenectady Civic Players present Alan Ayckbourn's 'A Woman in Mind,'" The Roundtable, WAMC Northeast Public Radio, Friday, March 15, 2013


Wednesday, March 13, 2013

State of Mind

You bet your sweet ascot I'm back on stage! 
With actress Amy Lane in SCP's production of Alan 
Ayckbourn's "Woman in Mind." Photo by Tom Killips.
Courtesy and ©Schenectady Civic Players.
Sorry for the lack of posts here lately... I have been too busy preparing for my upcoming play, Woman in Mind, with Schenectady Civic Players. We actually open this Friday, March 15, with an 8 p.m. performance, followed by shows throughout the week and next (final performance is on March 24). If you haven't ordered tickets yet, you can do so on the theater's website.

Working on this play has been quite the process. My character, Andy, is very much "in the head" (to play on words) and there are a couple tricky scenes that I have been learning how to pull off convincingly. Luckily I am working with a great cast and talented production staff. We have all been busy with tech and dress rehearsals over the last few days, which has made for an even more intense schedule.

Before I moved out to the Hudson Valley and Berkshires, I was working at a couple equity theaters in Rochester, New York. I must say that Schenectady Civic Players is every bit as professional from what I have experienced so far. 

Photo ©Jeremy Clowe.
Although technically a community theater, SCP has been around since 1928, operating out of Schenectady's historic Stockade district. The theater is actually a former mid-19th century Masonic temple, so it has a lot of character and plenty of resources (including a vast collection of costumes and props). Now in its 85th season, the theater has produced nearly 450 plays— from recent Broadway hits to classics to avant-garde I have seen a couple of these shows and have been impressed with the results.

So I'm quite excited about my return to the stage! I am scheduled to appear with the cast and director on WAMC Radio's The Roundtable this Friday to discuss the show— it should be a fun preview to our opening night! You can listen in to the Albany NPR station's segment around 10:30 a.m. on their website.

Ok, it's off to fuss around with tying an ascot for tonight's dress rehearsal... as they say, "the Show" must go on! 



Related Links (updated 3/14/13):

Schenectady Civic Players website

"A 'Mind' of her own," Albany Times Union, March 13, 2013

Saturday, March 2, 2013

For My Next Performance...

Happy Saturday. It's been a busy week for me, so it's nice to relax for a change. Yesterday I headed out to the Berkshires super early(!!!) to do a segment about Norman Rockwell Museum for the radio show, Good Morning Pittsfield. The appearance gave me the chance to talk about the Museum's upcoming exhibitions and programs, and host James Campagna had some good questions about Norman Rockwell's ongoing relevance and inspiration. You can watch a video of the broadcast here.


"To us all... the family!" Photo of the cast from Schenectady Civic Players "Woman in Mind."
Left to right: Allyson Kelly, John Nickles, Amy Lane, Jeremy Clowe. Photo by Tom Killips.
Courtesy Schenectady Civic Players. All rights reserved.
Outside of the Museum, my main focus has been rehearsing and learning my lines for my upcoming show at Schenectady Civic Players. Woman in Mind is a dark comedy that tells the story of Susan, an unfulfilled British housewife who suffers from hallucinations after stepping on a garden rake. After her injury, Susan's real and imaginary life start to blur, and we are introduced to both her "real" and "imaginary" family. I play the character Andy, Susan's "ideal" husband (typecasting, I know!). 

Written by English playwright Alan Ayckbourn, there is a lot to enjoy in this play. Ayckbourn's clever British wit and intriguing story lay the groundwork for quite an effective bit of theater. I must also give props to my fellow actors and director Tom Heckert, who are really bringing this show together. We had another rehearsal last night, and I feel very strong about how our performances are taking shape!

For me it is just a delight to be onstage again, and Schenectady Civic Players does a top-notch job (doesn't hurt that I can basically walk just down the street to the theater!). Woman in Mind opens March 15, and runs through the following week. You can purchase advance tickets on the theater's website. To give you an idea of the show, here are some fun promotional photos that we took the other week. Ok, back to rehearsing... need to get that smooth British gentlemanship down pat (Downton Abbey, take note)! 

Related Links:

Schenectady Civic Players website

Woman in Mind promotional photos, Schenectady Civic Players Facebook page

Good Morning Pittsfield, March 1, 2013