The folks on Fleet Street

So we head into tech on Monday and I have been really bad about blogging. It's a big show so most of my time is spent working on the show or on other projects coming up. And I haven't talked nearly enough about the cast. We did a run through of the show yesterday morning. Well actually we still hadn't staged the last 7 pages, so we ran right up until the half dead judge is clutching on to Mrs. Lovett's skirts. Talk about a tease. It was tough for me to still not be fully staged. I like to have a show fully on its feet 5 to 7 days before tech. That wasn't possible here because the show is a beast, and since it's being done at a university, you just have less rehearsal time. Actually the time we've had in terms of hours equals two and a half weeks under normal rehearsal circumstances. So when we ran yesterday I was thinking, "God it feels like years since we touched the first act of this show. I hope they remember it 'cause I'm not sure I do." LOL. Well they remembered it brilliantly. Not only did they remember it but they were able to give some really full bodied performances. In the afternoon we finished the show and now we're on to tech!

So as you can tell, I think this cast is pretty damn amazing. They come in so prepared, so willing to try anything, and they play it full out.  One thing I've noticed is that they never mark emotionally. Of course when you are rehearsing a musical, actors have to vocally mark at times. If they don't, they'll blow their voices out. I have to say I often find that when actors vocally mark, their "acting wattage" can diminish significantly as well. That never happens with this cast. They're always in it to win it even when they have to be gentle with their vocal chords.

And here they are:

Denver Milord as Sweeney Todd

Lucia Roderique as Mrs. Lovett

Abdiel Vivancos as Judge Turpin

Corey Cott as Tobey

Jessie Ryan Shelton as Johanna

Marrick Smith as Anthony

Grey Hanson as Beadle Bamford

Lindsay Spangenthal as The Beggar Woman

Noah Plomgren as Adolfo Pirelli

And then there's the "ensemble." Since they are part of the "parlor world," they never leave the stage-- well, except for during A Little Priest. Sweeney's Epiphany sends them "running for the hills" or in this case running into the audience. Their commitment to making the entire conceit of the production work, is what actually makes it work. And their concentration is spectacular. 

Nick Rehberger

Casey Anderson 

Taylor Helmboldt 

Olivia Harris

Stephanie Hogan

Jon Jorgenson

Whitney Houston

I sort of can't believe that I'm about to write a post about a tragically cut short pop star's life. I have to say that I usually find such behavior odd if not downright silly and sad.  I certainly didn't have an overwhelming response to Michael Jackson's death. I remember his music vividly. Thriller was the soundtrack of my youth. I remember sitting in the small cafeteria at Irondequoit High School. That was my homeroom and the school's radio station would play music in the morning. And one morning they played Beat It. I can see the details of the room and the windows and kids starting to dance to it while sitting in their chairs. It did truly thrill. But somehow his otherworldly life kept me from feeling any kind of emotional attachment to him or his music. I'm sure the fact that I was up at the O'neill Musical Theater Conference when he died contributed to my dispassionate response to his death. It's a cocoon up there with no tv and spotty wireless service so the overwhelming response to the news that he died was very muted. I didn't see a paper, didn't have tv to watch, and could only get on Facebook sporadically. 

But Whitney Houston is a whole other story. First of all her voice is just one of the greatest of all time. And interestingly I didn't really appreciate it when I was younger. I mean I loved her music, but I don't think I understood how monumental a talent she was from just listening to her records. It wasn't until I discovered videos of her live performances that I understood her unbelievable talent. Besides that voice-- that once in a lifetime (if not several lifetimes) -- incredible voice, it was just her absolute command of her star presence. Seeing her live in person or a live performance on video-- you realize how much recording kept her reigned in. Recorded she sounded amazing, flawless, stunning. Live she was primal, unbridled, thrilling, and devastating. And yes she riffed, but not nearly as much as the younger singers who idolize her do. And when she did any stylization, it seemed to come from her gut and her soul. It didn't come from her vocal chords just to show off. (Note: I think you're amazing Christina Aguilera but most of the time you're just getting off on your own voice). If you watch the following video, I dare you not to be overwhelmed. This video beyond any (in my opinion) is incredible evidence that she is more than the best voice of her generation. She is one of the greatest voices of all time.

This next clip not only shows her extraordinary voice, but it is a crazy demonstration of her understanding what it means to be a star. She just knows what the audience wants and she gives it to them-- basically fueling them into a frenzy. And just watch what she does in the second half of the song around 4:30 or so. Any other singer doing those over the top theatrical gestures would be laughed off the stage. Not her. She thrills with it. She must have known she had the voice of a goddess, and I think she knew that her audiences expected her to be one. So that's what she gave us.

RIP indeed. 

I Got A Great Sister

A lovely interview with my wonderful big Sis below.

An Interview with Renee Calarco

Heading To Fleet Street

I start rehearsals for Sweeney Todd here at Carnegie Mellon tomorrow. Very excited. It's a show I've always wanted to direct. It's the first show I've directed in a university setting, but I love working with students. There is always a ferocity there. And cynicism is at a minimum. And it's been wonderful working with the designers. They really (literally) blew the walls and roof of the piece for me. I'll post more about that later. Can't wait to dive in!

The Religion Thing: and the reviews are in!

Washington City Paper

The Washingtonian  

Washington Jewish Week 

Metro Weekly 

DC Theatre Scene 

MD Theatre Guide

Brightest Young Things 

All in the Family

A lovely piece about how Renee and I work together:

Yes we really do get along 

Renee Answers Some Questions Too

10 Questions-- Renee Calarco

Answering some Questions...

...asked by Manny Strauss from Theatre Washington.

10 Questions- Joe Calarco 

The Religion Thing has started

We started rehearsals for my sister's play The Religion Thing this week and I have to say it has been one of the most stress free, totally enjoyable, first weeks I've ever experienced. First of all I love the play. Secondly, my sister Renee and I get a long. VERY well. Theater is all about collaboration and collaboration can't happen unless there is a lot of trust in the room. We already have that. I know that I'm incredibly lucky that my siblings and I get along so well. Even if we weren't family, I'd be great friends with both Renee and my brother Dave. I just really respect them. Their both smart as hell and I also just honestly enjoy their company.

And this cast has been a joy to work with. I've worked with both Chris Stezin and Will Gartshore before-- Will and I having worked together many times. Liz and Kim and Joe all came in and sort of cast themselves so to speak. I love when that happens, when talent and sometimes fate gives you who you need for a play.

Another thing I realized during this experience was patience-- well not patience really, but I relaxed a bit more than usual. I've been very fortunate to be able to direct both plays and musicals. I just came from directing the musical Ordinary Days in Philadelphia. It was a wonderful experience even with the pressure of only having two weeks of rehearsal before tech. On The Religion Thing we have four weeks of rehearsal before tech. I've always thought it odd and unfair really that musicals and plays tend to get the same amount of rehearsal time. I don't think plays should get any less, but I do think that musicals should get more, so it was odd that, in this case, the play got more rehearsal time than the musical. One thing that I've noticed in the past few years is that the economic downturn has absolutely affected how much rehearsal time shows get. It seems that cutting down costs includes cutting down rehearsal time. One of the things that I've always loved about directing musicals is that for the first four to six days of rehearsal I get to spend a good deal of rehearsal time listening to the cast learn the score. It's a wonderful way to allow the show to "infect" me even more than it has up to that point. The last three musicals I've directed I have started staging the second day of rehearsal if not the first. It's a much more intense process and the process of rehearsing musicals is always pretty intense. When I'm directing a musical I am always trying to get the show "up on its feet" as soon as possible. So when I go directly from directing a musical to directing a play, I feel like I'm going from 100 miles an hour to about 60, and the urge to just get the actors up on their feet is not easily squelched. During these first few days of rehearsal I've let that instinct fall away. These actors are so wonderful, and they've read the play together several times as a cast for readings of the piece over the six months or so. It's been incredibly relaxing and freeing to not worry about product but to allow a more leisurely pace to take over the process. I'm enjoying it!

Reviews Keep Coming for Ordinary Days

Another rave review:

Philly Weekly Love