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Joan54
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bullet Topic: Virginia Wolfe
    Posted: 10/21/05 at 4:03pm

What do all of you think of this play in terms of it attracting an audience?  We have cast the play and the director has started read throughs although we have not finalized any schedule.  They -(meaning the director and the four cast members) speak as though it will go off in March.  The two actors who will play Martha and George are very "in to" this play.  They are practically obsessed with it.  The Honey and Nick actors are dedicated but not planning their entire theater season around this play.  The director "loves" it.  I am supposed to be (as usual) doing everything but the acting but I find it difficult to design the sets or even start sketches for the costumes.  I know I will find it almost impossible to book the theater space.  I just don't like the play.  Don't get me wrong..I am in awe of the writing and understand why almost any actor would love to try these roles....but it is an awful play.  I feel like leaving as soon as they start reading...all the nasty comments and shouting and pain....and when the reading is finished I am left feeling depressed and a little sick.  If I can't stand to sit through the rehearsals who on earth is going to pay money to see this?  My prediction is that we will have good sales for two, maybe three nights but we will not find enough audience to make the play possible.  I have seen the play performed by other companies and seen the Burton/Taylor movie...yes -   it is terrible and wonderful and great drama but I think most people will stay away...any experiences with VW to share? 

"behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede"
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tristanrobin
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bullet Posted: 10/21/05 at 5:38pm
I have loved this play for decades - I played Nick many years ago -
and I've seen several productions during the ensuing years...I've
always been captivated.

Then, this past year, I saw Kathleen Turner and Bill Irwin do it on
Broadway. wow. It's like I never had even read the thing before. It
was riveting.

I can't speak for your audiences - but if I were within a 75 mile
radius, we'd be there!

Different strokes, and all that!
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DWolfman
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bullet Posted: 10/21/05 at 5:58pm

I was fortunate to be George in our version.  We had a very strong cast and a superb director.  It was still a lot of work and intensity, but extremely rewarding in all aspects.

One thing our director emphasized is that no one wants to sit through a three hour scream-fest.  We spent a lot of time on comedic moments (yes there are quite a few opportunities to do so) and character interplay (one-upsmanship, marital bantering for all four, psychoses driving motivations).  And, yes, when we screamed, it was a knock-down drag-out.  Our houses were full, though not bursting at the seams, and we received nothing but good reports (and believe me, our patrons are quick to tell us what they don't like).

I was quite surprised to see that Bill Irwin was in the role of George.  He is a long time favorite of mine, and primarily knowing him from his comedic endeavors, I would love to have seen his interpretation.

Even a man who is pure of heart...
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tristanrobin
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bullet Posted: 10/21/05 at 8:40pm
Originally posted by DWolfman

One thing our director emphasized is
that no one wants to sit through a three hour scream-fest.? We
spent a lot of time on comedic moments (yes there are quite a
few opportunities to do so)?and character interplay (one-
upsmanship, marital bantering for all four, psychoses driving
motivations).

I was quite surprised to see that Bill Irwin was in the role of
George.? He is a long time favorite of mine, and primarily
knowing him from his comedic endeavors, I would love to have
seen his interpretation.



Yes indeed! There is way more than screaming in this play - in
fact (other than the fact that Martha is crudely loud) there isn't
really that much actual screaming...nastiness, for sure - LOL -
but not necessarily screaming.

I was also surprised that Bill Irwin was cast in the Broadway
revival. He was INCREDIBLE. Nothing at all as one remembers
him from other venues. Dare I say it? He was better than
Burton.
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Joan54
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bullet Posted: 10/22/05 at 7:44am
Well..thanks for the input, gentlemen.  I heard raves about the latest Broadway production ( our Martha and George attended it together) but I  did not see it myself.  The actors keep reasuring me that we have an audience for this play so perhaps I am just thin skinned.  I hope the director can find the calm and humor in the play...perhaps she is letting them all shout a bit too much at this point....I'm not the director so I keep my mouth shut and just fetch another bottle of ( fake) booze. 
"behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede"
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Joan54
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bullet Posted: 10/22/05 at 7:48am
 Oh.....Tristan...if you saw the Broadway production you probably are 75 miles from us......we'll be on Eastern Long Island...probably the Vail Leavitt Theater in Riverhead.....
"behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede"
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tristanrobin
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bullet Posted: 10/22/05 at 9:23am
hmmm.
I'll have to look it up on mapquest

I'm in New Haven, CT - maybe you're just across the bay?

edited to add: I just mapquested you - LOL - you're over 150
miles (and 3 hours) from me ... that's a tad too much driving (both
ways) in one day for one play. LOL I'm old.
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Joan54
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bullet Posted: 10/22/05 at 10:56am
New Haven......Have you seen the "Cherry Orchard" at Yale?  I am planning to go next week sometime.  I take the Orient Point Ferry ( 15 mins. from my house in Southold) to New London...an easy  - though expensive trip.  I saw the best theater I have ever seen at Yale last year...."MacBeth, Cinderella, Oedipus".  Did you see it?
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tristanrobin
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bullet Posted: 10/22/05 at 5:13pm
Yes! Yes! Yes! I loved Medea, Macbeth, Cinderella!!!! I
agree - the best theatre I've ever seen anywhere at any time. We saw
it three times...it just blew me away.

Yes - I love Yale Rep. I live about ten blocks from there LOL. We
haven't seen Cherry Orchard - and I don't think we're going to. I
hate to say it - but, LOL, I just can't sit through another production
of it. And we have SO many old timers on our subsciptions series at
differnt theatres this year. We're already in for Midsummer Night's
Dream, The Front Page, Private Lives, Lady Day at Emmerson's Bar
and Grill,
Rent, The Importance of Being Earnest, and All's
Well That Ends Well,
A Moon for the Misbegotten, A Raisin in
the Sun, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur
and Frankie and
Johnny in the Clair de Lune
. Honestly, between Yale Rep, Long
Wharf, Hartford Stage and the Shubert Theatre, I'm just about
overloaded on old war horses. Even the touring companies this year
are bringing in stuff I've seen one (or five) times too many - Little
Women, Wicked,
etc. I wanna see something different!!! LOL

Do you also go to Long Wharf Theatre? I'm taking an advanced scene
study workshop there now with Kim Rubenstein (director of Angels
in America
- play not film). It's a very good class- mostly Meisner
work - but with an added twist.
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Joan54
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bullet Posted: 10/24/05 at 8:01am
I confess that I have never been to Long Wharf...but I would value your recommendations for some good theater this year and make the trip.  We have a void of theater here on Eastern Long Island.  I think it has something to do with being overshadowed by Broadway although the best theater I have seen in the last few years has not been in the city but in the regional theater.  Amateur theater is O.K.  sometimes there is something decent at the John Drew in East Hampton (Red Herring comes to mind).  I would rather take the boat ride than drive into the city anyway.  I envy you the class with Kim Rubenstein.....if I only had more days and more money in each week.
"behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede"
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