THE REHEARSAL PROCESS

The process of preparing a show in rehearsal is a mystery to most people. Books have been written about going "from page to stage" Each process is different, and is often mysterious even to those involved.

Jeff Mason, who will be playing Jed in ISU Theatre's production of 5th of July opening October 3 has agreed to write about his journey during rehearsals Perhaps other members of the cast will also offer insight.

Here is Jeff's first post:

September 3
Well we've just completed our 2nd night of blocking and things are going great! We spent last week in table work slowly making our way through the script. New discoveries were made every night and we were all very ready to get started this week. Last night, as with most first nights on our feet, started a little awkward but we kept going. It was a very different experience for everyone to come in with our lines mostly memorized. This already has made a huge difference in our process. We were able to begin playing on our first night. Tonight was a little slower. We blocked out the most physical scene in the entire play. Obviously this took quite awhile, but now its done and we still have roughly 4 weeks. That's all for now!

September 10
Tuesday night we finished blocking the entire show, and we did it a day ahead of schedule. There are a few rough spots in Act 2 that we didn't get to block as well as we would like but there's always time for that tonight. Yesterday I had a fitting and got to see one of my outfits that Doris made. It is absolutely gorgeous. Eventhough its 70s-tastic I almost want to take it home with me. Monday we start in Fisher already, this process is going fast!

September 14
We're in Fisher!! Tonights rehearsal went a little long because whenever you throw in something new to the rehearsal mix everything feels different. So tonight we only made it through about 10 pages. That being said, now we can start nailing down a few things since we are in the performance space. I'm really starting to see these characters now, with of course, a little pushing from Brad. I just looked at the calendar and we're less than 3 weeks! Exciting and Scary! Thats all folks

September 17
Tonight we finished going through act one and got a good way into act two. This week we've been working our way through the show and stopping and starting as we need to. Friday we run the show for the first time. Everyone is pretty much off book and we have really been focusing on listening to what is being said and reacting to it because that is what will truly make this show come alive. For me there is a lot of that! I am on stage throughout most of the show and yet I don't have a huge amount of lines. So far this week has been a huge lesson in maintaining a dialogue with the cast but not actually saying anything. Its really tough at times to maintain that kind of focus. Only one more week before tech!

September 19
Last night we had an amazing rehearsal. We only had to go through the last ten pages of the show so we could really take our time and work through it. We've started warming up by just saying lines from the play to each other and it has really helped to get us into the world of the play. I'm a sucker for ending moments and boy does this play have one! I won't tell you exactly what happened but by the end of the night Brad, Don, and I all had tears in our eyes. Tonight is our first run through and next week we begin running an act every night. The set is coming together nicely and that is only helping us.

September 23
Last night our rehearsal began very slow and sluggish. About 15 minutes in Brad stopped us and we did a few warm-ups to get us energized. We started the 2nd act over and there was a huge difference! This was definately one of our best rehearsals. We were all having fun and making alot of new choices. It was a great night. We have tonight off, then 3 more rehearsals and its our first tech.

ISU THEATRE ALUMNI

ISU Theatre Alumni please comment on what you are doing now. My promise is that ISU Theatre will NOT ask you for money............ At least not right now

Welcome to the ISU Theatre Blogspot

What better way to start a blog than "What I did on my Summer Vacation"

Here are some updates from some of the people of ISU Theatre: Please add your story by commenting to this post


Michael Rubke
I'm going to Bulgaria next week (with Sarah and Levi, Nick J, John Flotho, Mariana Seda). Leaving July 10. We're spending a month at the Rhodophi International Theatre Collective, studying world theatre styles and workshopping ideas for new plays.For prep work, they've asked us to read up on Norse mythology, and read the plays A Doll's House, The Glass Menagerie, and For Whom Southern Belle Tolls.

Meghan Sigwarth
My summer has been really busy so far. I am being a nanny for three wonderful children. A five year old and twin four year olds. I'm doing an acting internship with the Grand Opera House in Dubuque, Iowa. They're putting on Beauty and the Beast and I play Babette the feather duster and am the enchantress at the beginning of the show. It's a lot of fun! Other than that, I start rehearsals for The Shape of Things, a play by Neil LaBute in a week. My friend Brandon Pape, a recent graduate of Loyola is directing. I'm really looking forward to it-especially playing the part of Evelyn. I don't have a social life outside of the theatre (haha), but I do enjoying hanging out with all the theatre folk, writing some music, and reading, (oh and preparing for Fifth of July).

Taryn Packheiser
TP's Summer News:July 4th: Packheiser Family reunion in Texas. We have had yearly reunions sinceI was a little kid. My grandmother had 13 children (my dad being one of them)so you can imagine that we are large group in the U.S. As far as I know we are the original and only Packheisers in this country. So if you meet one I'mprobably related.

July 7th: Screening work at Chez Bushwick in Brooklyn in a group show producedby friends at University of Illinois: Champaign-UrbanaJuly 11th: Screening work at Terpsichore in Southern Pines, North Carolina in agroup show produced by a friend from North Carolina School of the Arts
July 14-August 2nd: Working for Kids Co'Motion with Valerie Williams in Ames. http://www.comotion.org/docs/kcm.htm Performances at 7:30pm at City Auditoriumon August 1st and 2nd

Artist Update: Currently working a new evening length solo with interactivevideo and audio. Content is exploring horror stories and comedy with a balanceof hope/awareness in between. Also exploring non-literal character work basedon emotional changes and costumed identity

Gypsy: Reading the script, teaching myself how to baton twirl, listening to themusic, learning about Musical Theater history online.

Personal: I listen to at least 10 new cds a week and usually watch 3-7 movies aweek. I get terribly frightened by Iowa rainstorms.

Kaytee Stearns
I am doing an internship with The Core Talent Management in Los Angeles thissummer. It is so much fun. We have clients such as Dr. Drew, Drew Lachey, andTom Green. It is a great experience.

Will Dean
I have a job/internship at a professional theatre in Chicago called QuestTheatre Ensemble. I'm the TD for their upcoming show "People's History of theUnited States". http://www.questensemble.org/I'm also being paid to run sound for another theatre company called WalkaboutTheatre. Their show is called Wargarden. http://www.walkabouttheater.org/-Will

Jeff Mason
I have an internship in Des Moines this summer at the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. Right now I am working on a project that brings people together across the state that are interested in Culture, History, and the Arts. I am also planning workshops for kids visiting the State Historical Building that include basic acting and movement. I don't have any travel plans this summer, just the drive between Ames and Des Moines everyday!

Carrie Taylor
This summer I am in Winona, MN as a stage management intern at the Great River Shakespeare Festival along with ISU Alum Adam Moeller (Company Manager here). We're doing The Merchant of Venice and The Taming of the Shrew.

Brad Dell
I'm directing THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW for Western Illinois University's SUMMER MUSIC THEATRE.

Jim Trenberth
Attended a movement and Light workshop with Jennifer Tipton and Dana Reitz. Did some choreography, danced(if you can call what I do dancing), and had a GREAT TIME. Quite different that working dance recitals in CY Stephens

Had breakfast with KCACTF Artistic Director (and former ISU Theatre Faculty)Gregg Henry

I'm off for Colorado right after the 4th.


So, thats the news. Please add your adventures.