directing a play

So. I decided to take on a couple of drama classes this year. And agreed to direct our school play.

That was back last spring. It's now almost this spring, and holy jehosephat has it ever been a trip and a half. Tonight, after our almost-dress-rehearsal I came back home, knocked back a couple of the drinks that make the countryside famous (I'll give you a clue: it starts with a G and ends with a T), Phet put Ji's iTouch on shuffle, and then we danced up a storm to everything from George Michael to the Violent Femmes, with some Beastie Boys and Ramones in the middle. It's been that kind of night, and THANK HEAVENS.

Our play goes up on Friday and then there's a second show on Saturday.

Some first timers might have taken the easy route. Some smart folks might've gone for simple and easy. Not me, no sir. We've gone knees deep in the mud, my friends. We've got - get this - FORTY TWO middle schoolers on stage. We have - no, really, I'm not kidding - TWENTY EIGHT scene changes. Cause, yeah, I'm a glutton for punishment. We've got a pretty accurate set built that accurately represents Kerala and yes, we've got a MORE THAN THIRTY FOOT HIGH COCONUT TREE on stage that our poor carpenters built for us. We have everyone in the cast joining in for a MASSIVE Bollywood dance number. We cut a HOLE in the stage so our lead actor can "fall into a well". Insanity.

I've been planning and plotting the play since we were up at Don and Frances's this past summer. I came back to school, told my colleagues I was going to go with the play (Rice Boy, by Sunil Kuruvilla) and then spent the next couple of months tweaking it so it would work with a middle school audience. I RETYPED the entire play. That, oh that, was a treat and a half. But it helped to focus me on what needed to be done with the script. Then, we had our auditions and more than 60 kids came out. We spent a looong time discussing our final casting decisions, and then I spent the following month working with the kids on blocking, memorizing lines, knowing when their entrances were, and so on. The whole time, I've got to say, was a fantastic experience. I can't believe how much work I've done, but it was one hundred percent worthwhile. I've had a GREAT time. Sure, I'm delirious. But happily so.

When we got back from our winter vacation we went right into major rehearsals three or four days a week. Keep in mind: these are 11, 12, 13 year olds we're working with. A couple of 14 year olds maybe. And they're coming, like, every day after school. To work on A PLAY. These kids are INCREDIBLE. Sure, a couple of knuckleheads, but even them: they're there. At a play rehearsal on a Saturday morning. Crazy.

The past few weeks have been an insane blur of rehearsals, lighting problems, costume fittings, prop finding, coordinating, ticket selling, and general mayhem. I was directing but also did all the costumes, helped with the poster and program, did a lot of work with the lights, selected all the music, and also created a stellar playlist for before and after the show. Oh, and by the way, the yearbook met its first deadline last week, and I leave for Shanghai with 10 middle school kids on Tuesday. Not to say I am the greatest (yeah, I know I am, but that's not my point with this particular post...it just sort of goes without saying, right Mum? Dad? Em? Jake?) but I have had about 5 minutes a day to NOT think about the play.

All of that said, I am THRILLED about this show. I wish you were ALL here (sorry about the caps, I'm all hepped up on goofballs and adrenaline) to come and see the show. It is SO GOOD. So. Good. Not because of me, but these kids, and my colleagues, and the script.

Expect to have a grand showing of the video up at the countryside this summer. And free soundtracks for all my friends!

Wish you were here.

[Delhi-28-January-2009]