Right after I finished my second production of Irma Vep, I went off to play in my second production of A Midsummer Night's Dream! Last time I was Demetrius; this time I was Oberon and Theseus - at the Millbrook Playhouse in Pennsylvania! Millbrook is an awesome theatre and I'm so happy that I was there. The Playhouse is very popular and people come out in droves to see the plays. There are usually productions up and running in both of their theaters (a main stage and a black box) with another play rehearsing at the same time - so the Playhouse, an old converted barn, is a beehive of industry - and a wonderful, positive community. I frequently found myself walking past an actor from another show in a hallway and we'd ask each other about our respective projects. And with so many artists, designers, carpenters, directors and technicians, our communal dinner times were always a blast.
I'm very proud of our Midsummer. Teresa assembled a very strong cast. I especially loved working with my scene partners, Ariel as Puck/Philostrate and Mary as Titania/Hippolyta. We aimed to create as restrained and refined Athenian characters as possible, to create the greatest contrast to our dark and wild fairy characters. We wanted the fairies to be animalistic and physical - Puck and Oberon would signal each other with animal noises, climb all over the set and could smell characters before they entered. Titania and Oberon's relationship was very sexual and visceral, with an intense emotional core expressed through prowling, violent physicality. It was a total treat to commit so fully to our scenes and then spy on the other characters as Oberon while "invisible," as well as to watch the mechanicals' ridiculous clowning at our wedding in Act V.
All of the actors lived together in a large dorm complex at Lock Haven University. I had limited access to the internet there, which I LOVED. Without facebook et. al. as a distraction, I had more time to spend with my castmates - we'd often stay up late talking. I would go to the university's gym most mornings, and often some of us would go to the local coffee shop together, or walk along the nearby river. After shows we would all go out together to get VERY inexpensive drinks. There was also an opening night party every week, which would involve a fancy gala at the playhouse. And every Saturday post-show the playhouse has a cabaret that audience members would stay for and that we'd all perform in. I hosted it the second week with Jonathon (my roommate, who played Demetrius) and we had more fun than should be allowed. The third week was themed "Christmas in July" - and I dressed up as a Christmas elf and gave a PSA about Krampus, the Christmas Devil (a real German tradition - look it up!)
Summary: I made many friends, had a great time and got to be a part of a magical, beautiful play in an awesome place. Yes, please, any time, thank you!
Summary: I made many friends, had a great time and got to be a part of a magical, beautiful play in an awesome place. Yes, please, any time, thank you!
RSS Feed
