Archive for November, 2009
I caught up with our actress Georgie (Jane in “Disillusioned”) the other night. She went home to see her family in Michigan… a respite from NYC, and a way to reconnect with the people who know and love her.
I could tell that it did her a world of good, and it did me some good too. She told me about her dad and how he’s carrying around printouts of our online reviews. (I met both her parents during the first run of our show, they’re such sweet people.) She was almost buoyant when she told me just how proud he is of her: “He’s got the one with the picture of me circled, and then he made an arrow to the part where it talks about me. He’s carrying it around like a beauty pageant sash or something!”
Standing in the middle of a New York City street, everything was quiet for those few seconds and I realized just how big this show was for me and everyone involved.
I know how proud my parents are, they’ve told me many times since seeing both shows this summer, and it feels good every time they let me know that they “got it.”
To hear how proud her parents are makes me feel blessed to have had the honor to have given her the opportunity to feel that love and pride, and given her parents the opportunity to applaud all of the hard work she’s done to pursue her passion.
It’s amazing to see someone you love shine, and I was proud to see each one of our actors shine so brightly night after night.
–Sue
November 12th, 2009
There was this really tough scene that I know Eric, the wonderful and talented actor who played Bernie, was none too fond of when we started rehearsals… or even during our first run.
During our second run, it somehow seemed to make more sense for him, and with each performance, it just got better and better.
For the most part, when I write something, I don’t think about it much after I’ve committed it to paper. (Song lyrics are the exception.) I think it’s a way for me to keep moving forward and on to the next thing.
Hearing an actor say the words aloud, or actually watching the work in performance not only adds a layer, but lodges it in my memory. (Scott also has a funny habit now of saying his favorite lines from “Disillusioned” whenever he can fit them into a conversation. It’s like having my own animated echo.)
The scene I’m thinking of is one of the least verbose, and maybe that’s part of where the difficulty lies. There’s so much emotion, so much he’s trying to say, but each word is a struggle and a triumph.
At the end of the scene, Bernie says:
“Start from nothing, then make it… Magic!“
I’m getting past the fear of nothing and beginning to realize the possibilities and my ability “to make it magic.”
Quite a trick indeed…
–Sue
November 11th, 2009
I’m enamored with my new niece, and the newness of her… remembering the wonderful time we spent with her. When she fell asleep in my arms, nothing else mattered. And when Scott held her, he said he was “at peace.”
Being so present in that moment, and watching my husband be so present, really underscored how important it is to choose how we spend our time… And how precious it is to have time to reflect on things, instead of constantly grasping and planning.
So for now, I’m not going to try and figure “it” out… I’m just going to go forward, and enjoy this time… because I know I’ll be doing something soon enough.
–Sue
November 10th, 2009
I was reminded this Friday, with the birth of my second niece, how precious each moment is, and how something amazing can happen in an instant.
How does this relate to theatre? Easy. It underscores how important it is to make sure patrons feel that their time was well spent. If they feel their time was well spent, they’ll know their money was too.
–Sue
November 9th, 2009
I couldn’t sleep… Lyrics started forming, and then a song started coming together… and just like that, a whole new layer has been added to our musical.
Maybe it’s the night owl in me… but there’s something so delicious about writing when the world is asleep. I remember writing on the kitchen table of the London flat I lived in more twelve years ago now…
And I feel like a teenager again — when writing was still something so new…
When all the world’s asleep, I connect with the dream I’m making come true.
–Sue
November 5th, 2009
Last night meeting with the cast, it was great to laugh, talk, and remember the most important thing about theatre: It’s about people.
Raising my glass,
–Sue
November 4th, 2009
Since the end of our run of “Disillusioned”, I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on what went right and what could have gone better.
I realize that more often than not, I was wearing my problem solver hat… but I think it was on a little too tight, because there were a few times where I just wanted to enjoy the process a little more as I went along… There were times where I ached to be more creative (and not just about solving problems).
Once the show ended, I still kept wearing that same hat, and found myself spinning my wheels a bit, since I didn’t have the same problems to solve.
So, at least for now, I’m purposely slowing myself down a bit… and will enjoy drinks with the cast and crew tonight as we toast a good run.
Cheers!
–Sue
November 3rd, 2009
Disney's "The Princess and the Frog"
In this age of CG, Disney is taking a chance on whether audiences will respond to their new animated feature, “The Princess and the Frog.” It’s in the same tradition as greats like “Mermaid” and “Beauty” before it, and I think it’ll be a hit.
I very clearly remember a moment when I clearly understood that I wanted to write musicals, it was watching “Beauty and the Beast” in the theatre.
Having written a traditional musical myself, and trying to sell it in this age of juke box and movie based musicals, I’m curious to see what happens.
–Sue
November 2nd, 2009
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