The Climbers

Well, I haven’t blogged the process in a little while because of being flat out with the doing of it all. It is great to see how actors in the group are really rising to the challenge now - like Icarus they are soaring - hopefully not too close to the sun…because you know what happens!
We have really created quite an epic with a play that involves magic, mystery and mythology, time shifts of thousands of years as well as theatrical styles that range from naturalism to stylised, movement, sound image and even puppetry. In doing all this have we opened Pandora’s Box? Ah well, if so… remember… there is always HOPE!

Last week I handed out the details of rehearsals and performances etc.- the contents of the note are below in case people have lost their copy.

Publicity material is on its way and  pretty soon tickets will be on sale so lets get back to rehearsals!

25th October, 2006

Dear Dramability actors, families and carers,

Fusion Theatre presents
Boxxed In

This year we have been fortunate to book the Chandler Theatre as our performance venue. Once again we will be performing a double bill with Dramatts. Dramability’s production Museum Mythica will be the second part of the program.

The dates for the performances are:

Tuesday, December 5th at 7.00pm
Wednesday, December 6th at 1.00pm and at 7.00pm.

Actors will be advised how much earlier they will need to be at the theatre on the performance days.

In addition to our regular rehearsals at Dandenong Community Art centre on Wednesdays, we have also organised for a rehearsals at Chandler Theatre on Wednesday November 29th and Monday, December 4th from 5-7pm. We also have an option for a dress rehearsal in the Chandler Theatre on Tuesday the 5th before the performance at a time to be confirmed.

It is imperative that actors attend all the rehearsals leading up to the performance as well as the three performances. If anyone has concerns about doing this please speak to Jo Raphael.

Costumes, props and make-up are being organised but we ask that actors wear basic black pants and black shirt (long or short sleeve) for the performance. Other costume pieces will be added to this. If anyone has difficulty getting black pants and shirt for themselves please speak to Jo about it soon.

Publicity material and information about ticket sales and bookings will be provided soon.

Here’s looking forward to a great show!

Jo Raphael

Check out our production blog at:
http://dramability.vineblogs.net

mmmmm…. well let me see…. last night was…. mmmmmmmm…… i will put this, everyone and i mean everyone came earlier or even on time and couple are a minutes late….. except Jo was late.

Last night we did alll of the first 2 in the half of the night then we have had time to do the last one in the trasion part. you know… i am surprise that we all did with out hastitions or qurals.

But there one thing that we haven’t done was the “king Midas golden touch” and I have great ideas for the scenes, just you wait.

Any ways, I have to goes… see you areound in the following week.

oaff-man!!! today is hot over 35 degrees and cooked up too!!! lol

Luckly last night wasn’t too bad and luckly isn’t hot like today… otherwise i wouldn’t gone. Any way everyone were in the reheasal…. i MEAN everyone were there last nite. And they weren’t making-around. Now…. let see… what we have done last night….. geez… can you help me Jo. lol …. Alex…. shut up!

Any ways, the first thing we did with the warm up was we did a greek zorba dance, unfortunately they couldn’t dance but we did the simple vision of it.

Then we got into the first scene …. i am not sure if should you scene but Jo might you any way… that would be a surprise… but i will tell you that did the thinker… but i can’t tell you the story. Then we did the Pandaria’s Box and I am in it too, and it went well too and still needs to improve. then we did the inventer of the wings…. i have forgotten the names of that story… it must be the heat.

Last night went well and without wasting time… i was pleased to see how they were commitment are.

owww…. that is nice…. there a cool breeze coming in. Any way, i will see you next time, and the performance is coming close to the day.

mmm…. Yes Jo, as you say “Ahhhhh!!!!”. it is hard on us last night. a few aren’t there. but we managed to survive with out them. AND WE ALL SHOULD BE THERE NEXT WEEK.

Jo give me some task on the king Midas story and Jo asked me to find a song called “money money”… our old time faverites. it was hard to find it but eventainly, someone found it for me. and mind you, I danced to it last night. When i was thinking about the scene, i have go an idea that would be a comedy in it, and I can visilise it too, it would be good if Jo think so too.

Any way, I have to go and see you soon. wink

Alex

Rehearsal was a little frustrating this week due to some key people not being there - perhaps this was a result of the recent week off and some people thinking there may have been two weeks off.  I don’t know but I do know here is no time for laziness and lack of commitment now as we are on the last leg of the production process.

However, we managed to go through the Icarus and Daedalus scene and can see the shadow puppets working here. The music seems to work well. Icarus and Daedalus are kind of jet propelled! Paul is working hard at getting Daedalus right. Vicki stood in for Cheryl as Icarus and played the role as a cheeky son! Andy is having a go at Minos! Debbie is working at becoming a sensational sun. We are more than half way through. Every week we are just that bit closer!

Voice was the focus of the warm-up tonight with a few new exercises brought back from the conference.

Jo

As you know, we have….. about 10 weeks of rehearsals. From this week, there will be no excuses, no making-around or even winge and whine.

Now, i would know what is like to get into the rehearsals and sometimes i would like to get into it and I have also a commitment to do too. And sometimes i get angry if they don’t do what Jo says….. well i have no say on this part.

But still I can’t wait on the day. but nervous as other plays.

I will be back on Wedenseday for more adventures of “This is Alex bloging“

Any ways…. i have to go and see you soon. wink

 

This week brings a well earned break from rehearsals and just as well for me as I’m off to the Drama Australia conference which is held in Sydney this year and there is a lot to do in preparation for that. The conference is held at NIDA.

Regarding our performance - it feels like the pressure is on now and people are stepping up to the mark. We have been rehearsing the first couple of scenes over and over and they are looking good.Paul make s a goood ‘Thimker’ - its challenging being still for so long but he is giving it a good go! Andrew and Katrina are developing their characters well for the linking scenes. Vicki has been doing a sensational job in her new role and is supported well by her fellow actors in that scene. We are adding a little bit of new stuff each week. Now everything seems to be coming together but there is oh so much to do - and everyone really needs to try to remember things from week to week! How nice it would be to be able to rehearse every day in the weeks leading up to the performance!

People are beginning to understand the ensemble approach and getting used to playing multiple parts. This way there is something for everyone!

Cheers

Jo

geez Jo…. you have giving me the best part again. i have no idea why is that??? :s

Maybe and of cause I am Greek or maybe it is my charm…. i dont think so… i don’t why???? So, this is my…. my lucky third time as Zesus. This week we begun to start to form as a prepar play til the D Day. So next week, we will kick our backsides and get cracking with the rehearsals

So we did the thinker, then the Pandoria’s box in the first nite. it went well last nite. In the break, Kate asked us take photos in individual protracts. And later of coming weeks, she will take some photos while we are in the rehearsals.

Before I end, very soon, we will have our own web site. We also have a termprary web site till they transfer the site. Here is the web site for the moment: www.fusiontheatre.alexisdrama.net.

Last Wednesday we began to shape up the show. Starting with the prologue and moving into the transition for scene 1. Hmmm how much should I say about the performance on the blog??? We’d better keep some surprises for those who can come to our performance in November. The rehearsal went quite well - the actors will have to really concentrate and work hard from now on but it is an exciting time.

Kate asked the group if she could take some portrait photos of everyone for her photography class and of course, being so shy (not!) of publicity, everyone said YES!!!! So Kate will have her camera ready for this week. We will be able t use the photos for our performance publicity too.
Fusion Theatre will also have its first Board meeting since its incorporation on Wednesday 13th at 7pm at the Community Arts Centre after the workshop.

Jo

WELCOME BACK JO!!!!

I am glad that you are back with last week’s confussing rehearsals. And such a romanitic picture there Jo… i assumed that you and your husband had a stral a long at the beach.

And yes Katrina…. it is not long to go. And I even couldnt wait too. Also I have some bad and good news for next year, that will annoucned in the later date.

Last night was a hard on reheasrals. We did the thinker again and trying to form a play and adding ideas for the scene. Paul was the thinker. - lucky dack… he has the best part with most of all. The rest of us were the thinking clouds. I thought was an excellant idea for as the intro. And the way how Jo explained the idea or the story of it, i can visioise the story quite easily.

In the break… it happened something interesting… why? Well, Kate asked us if she could take photos of us doing the rehearsals. Suddenly, i asked a cheeky question to Kate and said “Is it clothed pose or in the nude pose?”. Everyone were shocked and laughed at the same and they thought that i have been cheeky in that night.

I think this is it for the moment,

Ciao

Alex