My knees hurt. My hair is longer than it has ever been in my whole life. I'm a tad hungover. I have 5 days worth of stubble on my face. I think I bruised my heel. My abs are sore from laughing. My tear ducts are dry. I have microphone tape residue on my neck hairs. My voice is tired. My sleep patterns are off. "And I wouldn't change a thing about it. No, I wouldn't wanna change a thing...."
High Fidelity closed last night. I'm not quite sure where to start, and I may have quite a bit to say, so please forgive me if this gets a little long...
So, we knew early in the week that Thursday and Saturday were going to sell out. Would you believe Friday (the 4th of July) sold out as well?! That is truly a surprise... Who knew that a full-house of people would come sit in a dark theatre on a gorgeous holiday evening, and during primo fireworks time?! Hopefully we gave 'em some fireworks onstage, though...
I'd humbly venture to say that we did. These last three shows really rocked...
Let's start with Thursday. We all arrived at the theatre excited to perform as usual, but maybe with a bit more energy and excitement than most Thursdays, since almost everyone in the cast had the next day off from work. The show moved like clockwork - very cool, rock-and-roll clockwork - and we had a great audience response. After the show, part of the cast went to the Loop and part went to Denny's, I believe. I was unfortunately able to do either, but it was cool because I got to go to a friend's birthday party. This was a theatre friend, Alice, and there were lots of great friends there enjoying the awesome weather and excellent food and drink. Several had either been to see HI FI, or were attending this weekend, so actually the show was the topic of several conversations. That was kinda cool...
Friday was an awesome day all around. I love the 4th of July - it's always been one of my all time top five holidays. I love the fact that we get to celebrate our great country and the freedoms that it offers, I love fire(works), and I love beer and grilled meat! I slept late in the morning, which was fantastic, and just enjoyed some downtime at home for a change. Then in the early afternoon I went to a pool party at my good friend John's house. More theatre folk and more very cool comments about the show. Some of the revelers were headed there that evening, actually. I stayed only for about an hour so that I could get home and shower up, etc. before heading to the theater. Another great show. A huge shout out to our band director, Chris Petersen. A couple of the other band members had other gigs or commitments on the 4th, so Chris beautifully made the magic happen in their absence. After the show, we had a great cast party at Trisha and Mike's very cool pad (thanks, guys!). Zachary and Peanut live in the apartment upstairs from them, so I got to see their cool place too. We had tons of food and beverages to enjoy, and even a firepit with s'mores and stuff. It was a great night...
So that brings us to Saturday. I woke up knowing that it was going to be a very full day and very late night. Mine started with a rehearsal at 11:00 for a cabaret benefit I'm part of with Stray Dog Theatre next month (shameless plug: Aug 2 at Tower Grove Abbey, www.straydogtheatre.com). Then, believe it or not, I went to another pool party in the afternoon! This was a surprise party for my friend, Mara - she was totally surprised, which always is so funny to watch... Again, I stayed only for a while, but I enjoyed it. So then on the way home, I stopped by the Record Exchange. I was looking for some sort of trinket or momento to give to the cast and crew, and I had no idea what that would be. But I found something cool - little album cover photos that had been turned into pin-on buttons. Perfect! I was selecting a whole bunch of them when the owner, Jean, walked up to me and asked how the show was going. This guy is so cool, and has been so great about helping us to publicize the show. Scott had given him some comps and he attended during the second Friday, I believe. He couldn't stop raving about the show and how much he could relate to it. He said "I know all of those characters. And then some." I found out that he had created these buttons by hand as well - awesome!
We all arrived at the theatre between 6:30 and 7:00 as usual, and you could sense the mixed feelings we all had. We got dressed, did our vocal warm-ups, sound checks, and all the other prep. Show time arrived and the house was packed. I really believe that everyone took it up a notch with this one. All of the performances have had major energy, but this one was just that one step further in the right direction. A final standing ovation and lots of hootin' and hollerin' (sorry, I'm from Arkansas...) - what a way to end it...
I talked afterwards with a bunch of friends and co-workers who were in the audience - it was so humbling to have at least a few folks there that I knew each night... I reluctantly left them to go help with striking the show. I was reluctant not only because manual labor is not on my top five list of favorite things to do, but also because it was going to be very weird for me to tear this set down. Anyway, everyone pitched in and we actually got it done in about an hour and a half or so. Not bad!
Then on to the final cast party at Kimi's. What a blast! Kimi and Jim have an awesome home, and damn, this girl can cook!!!!! We enjoyed another night of unseasonably nice weather on their great patio. Now we didn't even arrive until almost 12:30, so it was destined to go late. And it did. I had never before sung "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen with about 12 other people at 4:00am, nor did I think I ever would, nor do I think I will likely ever again, but I did last night. And then I got to watch Zak and Peanut do their dance for the first part of "Conflict Resolution." My back was always to them at this point onstage, so this is the first time I saw it. Dudes, I almost wet myself laughing...
I just got up a little while ago and obviously the show is in the front seat of my mind. Words cannot describe what the entire experience was like for me, and I think truly for everyone involved. I told some folks last night that when I walked into the dressing room after the final show, I felt like I had exhaled for the first time in about three months. I will absolutely miss the show and the people immensely, but it was just a huge sense of relief and satisfaction that we had made it through with no major disasters, with intact voices, and with this great audience response... Kudos to all involved.
Again, I can't really put words on what this has all been like. What I do know is that I am so very thankful to have had this amazing opportunity, and to work with these incredible people. I'm not going to post to this blog after I finish this (long) entry, although I think I might do this for future shows because I've enjoyed it so much and it's given me a chance to revisit all of the cool moments.
Okay, I've been sitting here for several minutes and I can't think of how to end this. I could keep going for a while, but I doubt anyone has actually read this far, so I'd better stop. I have loved playing Rob Gordon in High Fidelity. The experience was daunting and trying at times, but so very rewarding... I don't think I've ever poured so much of myself into a character before, so to have the response that we've had is very humbling. Rob is an incredibly complex man. So is Jeff Wright. I think we're going to keep hanging out for a long time to see what else we can figure out together...
Rock on, folks.
Jeffrey
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
"My Cup Runneth Over..."
Hi, all -
This title is another lyric from the song "Nine Percent Chance." In that song, Rob comes to the realization of several things - primarily that he might still have a chance with Laura. I have to say that the last week has brought realization to me about several things, one of which is that this has been probably the most amazing theatrical experience I've ever had, and that I will miss it terribly when it's over...
Last weekend was once again surreal on so many levels. Thursday night we had another packed house, many of whom were good friends and colleagues. Many stayed afterwards to offer their congrats and kind words, which was so nice. I grabbed a couple of drinks with good friends Mara and Jeffrey in our neighborhood after we left the theater, and we laughed a lot as we caught up about everything.
Friday night was indescribable... This was probably our best performance thus far. It was particularly cool for me, because I knew that 10+ of my daytime co-workers were there, as well as some other good friends. There was just a ton of energy in the theater that was actually palpable. The laughs and cheers were more intense than they had ever been. So, when the show ended on a very high note, I headed down to the dressing room to change, as usual. Our director, Scott Miller, was waiting down there to tell me that the NYC-based lyricist, Amanda Green, was in the audience and loved the show! WTF?!!! Unbelievable... So I tried to absorb that thought as I changed clothes, slapped on some deodorant, threw in some gum, etc. I headed upstairs and spent a few minutes with my co-workers and some other friends in the audience. And then I met Ms. Green. What an amazing woman... This is someone who has achieved so many successes in the art form that I pursue. And she was so down-to-earth, so gracious, and so pretty! She gave such unbelievable compliments to the cast and production that I still don't quite know what to do with... Needless to say, it was a true pleasure to meet her. She even went out with the cast afterwards for food and drinks. Now, the other cool thing about Friday night was that my brothers had driven up from Arkansas to spend the weekend and see Saturday's show. They were at my house, so I was anxiously waiting to get home to see them and head out for a night on the town. So this meant that I couldn't go out with the cast and Amanda, which was certainly fine. I asked her if she would be in for the weekend, and she said that she wouldn't because she was back to NYC to dine with the original "Laura" from HI FI on Saturday, and LYLE LOVETT!!! on Sunday!!! Again, WTF?!!! Unreal that this amazing woman took time out from a schedule like that to fly to St. Louis to see our little show...
So I did catch up with the little bros, Mark and Steve, and we spent a few hours at Lumiere Place Casino downtown. Saturday morning we chilled around my pad and then hit Hurricane Harbor, the water park at Six Flags. We got back home in time for me to grab a quick nap, and then they dropped me off at the theatre while they grabbed quick eats/drinks before the show. I can't quite say what it was like to know that they were in the audience... There is some sort of cosmic connection to this show or something... The last time it played (on Broadway), we were all in the audience on a Saturday. The next time it played, they were watching me play the lead in St. Louis on a Saturday. Interesting to say the least... They joined me at Mary's cast party afterwards which was a ton of fun (thanks, Mary!). Sunday we slept in, had some lunch, and then they were on their way. The weekend, like the whole run of the show, just flew by...
So now we're down to our final weekend - just three more shows... I can't believe it's coming to an end, but I'm also so excited to do this three more times... It's getting late tonight - almost midnight. So that means that I need to go to bed, but also that I get to do HIGH FIDELITY later this date, so to speak. If anyone is still trying to come, please know that Thursday and Saturday are essentially sold out. There is availability on July 4 (understandably), and there's even a 2 for 1 deal for that night with the official postcard. I've got some of the postcards, so contact me about that if needed.
As always, peace to all who read this. Happy 4th of July, too!!!! Take many moments this weekend, not only to enjoy family and friends, but also to remember how lucky we are to live in this great country. Eat some good BBQ, too! Unless you're a vegetarian, of course...
Rock on,
Jeff
This title is another lyric from the song "Nine Percent Chance." In that song, Rob comes to the realization of several things - primarily that he might still have a chance with Laura. I have to say that the last week has brought realization to me about several things, one of which is that this has been probably the most amazing theatrical experience I've ever had, and that I will miss it terribly when it's over...
Last weekend was once again surreal on so many levels. Thursday night we had another packed house, many of whom were good friends and colleagues. Many stayed afterwards to offer their congrats and kind words, which was so nice. I grabbed a couple of drinks with good friends Mara and Jeffrey in our neighborhood after we left the theater, and we laughed a lot as we caught up about everything.
Friday night was indescribable... This was probably our best performance thus far. It was particularly cool for me, because I knew that 10+ of my daytime co-workers were there, as well as some other good friends. There was just a ton of energy in the theater that was actually palpable. The laughs and cheers were more intense than they had ever been. So, when the show ended on a very high note, I headed down to the dressing room to change, as usual. Our director, Scott Miller, was waiting down there to tell me that the NYC-based lyricist, Amanda Green, was in the audience and loved the show! WTF?!!! Unbelievable... So I tried to absorb that thought as I changed clothes, slapped on some deodorant, threw in some gum, etc. I headed upstairs and spent a few minutes with my co-workers and some other friends in the audience. And then I met Ms. Green. What an amazing woman... This is someone who has achieved so many successes in the art form that I pursue. And she was so down-to-earth, so gracious, and so pretty! She gave such unbelievable compliments to the cast and production that I still don't quite know what to do with... Needless to say, it was a true pleasure to meet her. She even went out with the cast afterwards for food and drinks. Now, the other cool thing about Friday night was that my brothers had driven up from Arkansas to spend the weekend and see Saturday's show. They were at my house, so I was anxiously waiting to get home to see them and head out for a night on the town. So this meant that I couldn't go out with the cast and Amanda, which was certainly fine. I asked her if she would be in for the weekend, and she said that she wouldn't because she was back to NYC to dine with the original "Laura" from HI FI on Saturday, and LYLE LOVETT!!! on Sunday!!! Again, WTF?!!! Unreal that this amazing woman took time out from a schedule like that to fly to St. Louis to see our little show...
So I did catch up with the little bros, Mark and Steve, and we spent a few hours at Lumiere Place Casino downtown. Saturday morning we chilled around my pad and then hit Hurricane Harbor, the water park at Six Flags. We got back home in time for me to grab a quick nap, and then they dropped me off at the theatre while they grabbed quick eats/drinks before the show. I can't quite say what it was like to know that they were in the audience... There is some sort of cosmic connection to this show or something... The last time it played (on Broadway), we were all in the audience on a Saturday. The next time it played, they were watching me play the lead in St. Louis on a Saturday. Interesting to say the least... They joined me at Mary's cast party afterwards which was a ton of fun (thanks, Mary!). Sunday we slept in, had some lunch, and then they were on their way. The weekend, like the whole run of the show, just flew by...
So now we're down to our final weekend - just three more shows... I can't believe it's coming to an end, but I'm also so excited to do this three more times... It's getting late tonight - almost midnight. So that means that I need to go to bed, but also that I get to do HIGH FIDELITY later this date, so to speak. If anyone is still trying to come, please know that Thursday and Saturday are essentially sold out. There is availability on July 4 (understandably), and there's even a 2 for 1 deal for that night with the official postcard. I've got some of the postcards, so contact me about that if needed.
As always, peace to all who read this. Happy 4th of July, too!!!! Take many moments this weekend, not only to enjoy family and friends, but also to remember how lucky we are to live in this great country. Eat some good BBQ, too! Unless you're a vegetarian, of course...
Rock on,
Jeff
Monday, June 23, 2008
"You're Riding The Wave, Or At Least On The Beach..."
This title is taken from the lyrics of "Nine Percent Chance," which is one of my all-time top five favorite songs of HIGH FIDELITY. I have to relate that line to the experience of the past couple of weeks: it really has been a wave to ride - a wave of fun, emotion, exhaustion, laughter, tears, unexpected moments, and extreme creativity.
So we've finished our second weekend of the show. Halfway done. That seems unbelievable to comprehend... It's exciting to know that we still have two weekends to perform, but concerning to realize how quickly it has gone so far. I will miss this show immensely when it closes...
Seems like it was another great series of shows. Friday and Saturday night were completely sold out (word to the wise - get your tix IN ADVANCE if you are planning to see the show). Lots of friends and colleagues in the audience, which was very cool. All of the written and verbal reviews of the show have been overwhelmingly positive, which is always so encouraging. It seems like the crowds not only enjoy the show, but they really "get it," too...
I've had a lot of folks tell me some really encouraging things after the shows, too. There is a very talented local actor, whose work I respect immensely, who grabbed me in a bear hug while saying: "You made him so real." That made my night, to say the least... To borrow from Rob's view of the world, those are probably the top five words I've ever been lucky enough to receive about a performance...
I've enjoyed having some downtime last night and tonight, but now I'm itching for Thursday to roll around again, so that we can revisit this complex and fun world again. My brothers, Mark and Steve, are driving up from Arkansas to see the show on Saturday night. I'm extremely excited for that, and so grateful to them for making this effort. Cool side note: we are three of the only folks who saw the show on Broadway in 2006. Mark was living in Stamford, CT, and Steve and I went to visit during the holiday season. I insisted on seeing one show since we were going to be in NYC, and they agreed. I picked this one, thinking that it would be perfect for three young, single guys who love music. We all enjoyed it a lot, and were surprised when it closed so quickly. Once they found out I was playing Rob in the first post-NYC production, they were all about trying to get up here to see it. I'm thrilled that they are coming, and I can't wait to get their feedback after seeing this very different take from the Broadway production. It will be fun to hang out together, too. Look out, St. Louis - the Wright Brothers are in town...
I had a cast party on Saturday night. I think it was a success, based on the time of morning that it wrapped up, as well as the amounts of trash produced. Seriously, it was a good time. I always love filling up my house with a bunch of crazy theatre-folk. We ate and drank heartily, and the conversations quickly went south, which is always hilarious... My dog Roxie loved the company and the scraps that she was fed. Thanks to everyone for coming over!
That's all for the moment. Best to all who read this.
Rock On,
Jeff
So we've finished our second weekend of the show. Halfway done. That seems unbelievable to comprehend... It's exciting to know that we still have two weekends to perform, but concerning to realize how quickly it has gone so far. I will miss this show immensely when it closes...
Seems like it was another great series of shows. Friday and Saturday night were completely sold out (word to the wise - get your tix IN ADVANCE if you are planning to see the show). Lots of friends and colleagues in the audience, which was very cool. All of the written and verbal reviews of the show have been overwhelmingly positive, which is always so encouraging. It seems like the crowds not only enjoy the show, but they really "get it," too...
I've had a lot of folks tell me some really encouraging things after the shows, too. There is a very talented local actor, whose work I respect immensely, who grabbed me in a bear hug while saying: "You made him so real." That made my night, to say the least... To borrow from Rob's view of the world, those are probably the top five words I've ever been lucky enough to receive about a performance...
I've enjoyed having some downtime last night and tonight, but now I'm itching for Thursday to roll around again, so that we can revisit this complex and fun world again. My brothers, Mark and Steve, are driving up from Arkansas to see the show on Saturday night. I'm extremely excited for that, and so grateful to them for making this effort. Cool side note: we are three of the only folks who saw the show on Broadway in 2006. Mark was living in Stamford, CT, and Steve and I went to visit during the holiday season. I insisted on seeing one show since we were going to be in NYC, and they agreed. I picked this one, thinking that it would be perfect for three young, single guys who love music. We all enjoyed it a lot, and were surprised when it closed so quickly. Once they found out I was playing Rob in the first post-NYC production, they were all about trying to get up here to see it. I'm thrilled that they are coming, and I can't wait to get their feedback after seeing this very different take from the Broadway production. It will be fun to hang out together, too. Look out, St. Louis - the Wright Brothers are in town...
I had a cast party on Saturday night. I think it was a success, based on the time of morning that it wrapped up, as well as the amounts of trash produced. Seriously, it was a good time. I always love filling up my house with a bunch of crazy theatre-folk. We ate and drank heartily, and the conversations quickly went south, which is always hilarious... My dog Roxie loved the company and the scraps that she was fed. Thanks to everyone for coming over!
That's all for the moment. Best to all who read this.
Rock On,
Jeff
Monday, June 16, 2008
One Weekend Down, Three To Go (I Wish There Were More...)
Hi, gang -
Wow. Opening Weekend is now behind us. Hard to believe that this time last week, we were just doing our first full tech/dress rehearsal. And while that evening went fairly well, it wasn't all that hot yet... The shows this weekend, though, were in fact hot. Based on my sweaty T-shirt at the end of them, at least...
Seriously, it seemed to be a fantastic opening. Congrats to the cast and crew, and many thanks to the audiences!! We opened with a Preview Night last Thursday, and got some great response from the average-sized (expected) house. Afterwards, most of the cast went to Joannie's in Soulard to celebrate our success over food and drinks - good times, especially since I had taken Friday off from work... How nice it was to sleep in a little bit after such a long week!
Friday night was the "official" Opening Night, and it really seemed to rock! The crowd laughed and clapped (love that!) in all the appropriate places, and even some that we didn't expect. Most folks even stood up at the end of the curtain call. Many of the local critics and reviewers were in the crowd that night as well. So far, we've seen reviews in the Post-Dispatch and the KDHX website, and both were very positive. I guess we're expecting to see more this week in The Riverfront Times, Ladue News, www.talkinbroadway.com, and also in the next local episode of Two On the Aisle. Should be some great publicity (one hopes...). After Friday night's show, the cast gathered at The Cheesecake Factory for more food and drink, and then I went home and crashed hard. It's amazing how draining this show is. I don't believe I've ever done a show where I've never left the stage (except intermission, that is). I love it because it requires constant focus, which is great, but it is definitely tiring as well...
Saturday night was show #3. Also a good one, with a few little flubs here and there. Of course, that is the magic of live theatre and the show always goes on. I don't think the audience noticed anything. Again, a successful show and a responsive crowd. Cast party hosted by Peanut (Aaron/"Dick") and Zak ("Barry") afterwards, which was loads of fun. A late night and a zombie-like sleep for me again...
Yesterday was a luxuriously relaxing day after such a long week. I did some crappy house chores, but mostly just chilled out. It was fantastic. I had been invited to a couple of parties to watch the Tony awards, which was very nice, but I declined to continue some peace and quiet at home. There's a lot to be said for a couch, a cold beer, and a friendly golden retriever. The awards were entertaining as well.
So now we have three nights off, before picking back up again for weekend #2, Thursday through Saturday. Honestly, I'm ready to do it again right now, but I will also enjoy the time off. I'll try to keep posting at least once after each weekend. Every performance of every show is different, depending on the energy, the audience, and about 1,000 other factors. I'll try to keep a good log of that kind of stuff.
As always, best to all who read this. Enjoy your week!!
Rock on,
Jeff
Wow. Opening Weekend is now behind us. Hard to believe that this time last week, we were just doing our first full tech/dress rehearsal. And while that evening went fairly well, it wasn't all that hot yet... The shows this weekend, though, were in fact hot. Based on my sweaty T-shirt at the end of them, at least...
Seriously, it seemed to be a fantastic opening. Congrats to the cast and crew, and many thanks to the audiences!! We opened with a Preview Night last Thursday, and got some great response from the average-sized (expected) house. Afterwards, most of the cast went to Joannie's in Soulard to celebrate our success over food and drinks - good times, especially since I had taken Friday off from work... How nice it was to sleep in a little bit after such a long week!
Friday night was the "official" Opening Night, and it really seemed to rock! The crowd laughed and clapped (love that!) in all the appropriate places, and even some that we didn't expect. Most folks even stood up at the end of the curtain call. Many of the local critics and reviewers were in the crowd that night as well. So far, we've seen reviews in the Post-Dispatch and the KDHX website, and both were very positive. I guess we're expecting to see more this week in The Riverfront Times, Ladue News, www.talkinbroadway.com, and also in the next local episode of Two On the Aisle. Should be some great publicity (one hopes...). After Friday night's show, the cast gathered at The Cheesecake Factory for more food and drink, and then I went home and crashed hard. It's amazing how draining this show is. I don't believe I've ever done a show where I've never left the stage (except intermission, that is). I love it because it requires constant focus, which is great, but it is definitely tiring as well...
Saturday night was show #3. Also a good one, with a few little flubs here and there. Of course, that is the magic of live theatre and the show always goes on. I don't think the audience noticed anything. Again, a successful show and a responsive crowd. Cast party hosted by Peanut (Aaron/"Dick") and Zak ("Barry") afterwards, which was loads of fun. A late night and a zombie-like sleep for me again...
Yesterday was a luxuriously relaxing day after such a long week. I did some crappy house chores, but mostly just chilled out. It was fantastic. I had been invited to a couple of parties to watch the Tony awards, which was very nice, but I declined to continue some peace and quiet at home. There's a lot to be said for a couch, a cold beer, and a friendly golden retriever. The awards were entertaining as well.
So now we have three nights off, before picking back up again for weekend #2, Thursday through Saturday. Honestly, I'm ready to do it again right now, but I will also enjoy the time off. I'll try to keep posting at least once after each weekend. Every performance of every show is different, depending on the energy, the audience, and about 1,000 other factors. I'll try to keep a good log of that kind of stuff.
As always, best to all who read this. Enjoy your week!!
Rock on,
Jeff
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
The Shortest Post Ever...
Hey, gang -
We've now had all of our dress/tech rehearsals and they have gone quite smoothly. Preview Night is tomorrow night, and opening weekend begins Friday. The first of 4 weekends. I'm thoroughly excited, but at the moment, thoroughly exhausted... Please come see the show if you can.
Rock on,
Jeff
We've now had all of our dress/tech rehearsals and they have gone quite smoothly. Preview Night is tomorrow night, and opening weekend begins Friday. The first of 4 weekends. I'm thoroughly excited, but at the moment, thoroughly exhausted... Please come see the show if you can.
Rock on,
Jeff
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Opening Soon: Championship Vinyl
Hi, all -
Major transitions have happened since my last post. We moved into the theatre space on Sunday. The A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre is a great space, and I think it will work brilliantly for this show. When we first arrived, we got to work putting up the risers, which was quite an ordeal, but they looked great when we were done. Next we helped to bring in the set. Our set designers have outdone themselves on these pieces - they are so artistic and cool...
Monday night was our first run-through in the space. Understandably, it was a tad rough. It's always a big challenge to try to recreate what you've done in a completely different setup. But we at least got used to the set changes and the physical layout of the theater.
Last night: run-through #2. SO much better, or at least it felt that way. I left feeling very energized and excited. One more run-through tomorrow night before all hell breaks loose. That is what we affectionately call "Hell Week." Saturday, we start a cue-to-cue rehearsal (primarily to set light and sound cues) at 1:00pm. Sunday we rehearse all of the songs with the full band for the first time. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday: full run-throughs with lights, sounds, costumes. The Real Deal. Then we have a preview on Thursday and officially open on Friday. So much will happen in such a very short amount of time. It's intimidating but exciting...
My posts might be short and sweet for a while. We're all getting ready to go into hyperspace until we open...
Signing off for now. We're re-shooting some video publicity at the Record Exchange in a few minutes. More to come once that's complete...
Rock on,
Jeff
Major transitions have happened since my last post. We moved into the theatre space on Sunday. The A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre is a great space, and I think it will work brilliantly for this show. When we first arrived, we got to work putting up the risers, which was quite an ordeal, but they looked great when we were done. Next we helped to bring in the set. Our set designers have outdone themselves on these pieces - they are so artistic and cool...
Monday night was our first run-through in the space. Understandably, it was a tad rough. It's always a big challenge to try to recreate what you've done in a completely different setup. But we at least got used to the set changes and the physical layout of the theater.
Last night: run-through #2. SO much better, or at least it felt that way. I left feeling very energized and excited. One more run-through tomorrow night before all hell breaks loose. That is what we affectionately call "Hell Week." Saturday, we start a cue-to-cue rehearsal (primarily to set light and sound cues) at 1:00pm. Sunday we rehearse all of the songs with the full band for the first time. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday: full run-throughs with lights, sounds, costumes. The Real Deal. Then we have a preview on Thursday and officially open on Friday. So much will happen in such a very short amount of time. It's intimidating but exciting...
My posts might be short and sweet for a while. We're all getting ready to go into hyperspace until we open...
Signing off for now. We're re-shooting some video publicity at the Record Exchange in a few minutes. More to come once that's complete...
Rock on,
Jeff
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
"What Once Seemed Impossible Is There In Your Reach..."
Hey, folks -
Hope that everyone is doing great and enjoyed a nice holiday weekend! Mine was a blast. The gig at Savor last Thursday seemed to go over very well, and we had a great time. The getaway to Florida was fantastic, and just what I needed. Believe it or not, I actually did focus on the show quite a bit. I spent a lot of time in the script - okay, mostly on the plane, but I still did. The other thing I did was read the novel High Fidelity (by Nick Hornby) from cover to cover. That was probably one of the most valuable things I could have ever done to help develop the character of Rob. The movie and the stage show are both derived from this book, and the perspectives I gained about characters, lifestyles, attitudes, etc. are invaluable...
I missed being with the cast on Thursday and Sunday afternoon. Thursday the cast came prepared with all sorts of interesting "backstory" facts about their characters and their relationships with Rob. I heard tidbits about a few of these reports, and I have been impressed (and very entertained) by them. Apparently Rob has more issues than even I knew about...
Just a few minutes after I got home on Sunday night, Aaron and Zachary arrived for us to review the text for the publicity we were filming that evening. We had a hilarious and hopefully entertaining video shoot at our friendly neighborhood record store, Record Exchange. The owner, Jean, has been so kind to help us publicize this production. Go check out his store sometime - it's a very unique experience... I'll send more info about the video piece when it's done.
Monday and Tuesday we had our first full run-throughs. Overall, things went quite well. This is when you can really see true glimpses of what the show is going to be like. I'm getting very excited. I'm discouraged that I'm getting more line notes than others, but most of them are fairly minor (sort of), and the volume is hopefully proportionate to the higher volume of lines. I'm going to stay focused on that. Many thanks to Trisha Bakula, our stage manager, for her diligent and tedious work to help us with this.
One more run-through in the rehearsal space tomorrow night, then we move into the theater. That's when I really start getting pumped. There's something about rehearsing a show in the space where it will actually be performed. And when the set and the costumes and the lights start making their appearances? That's when the magic really starts happening, for me at least...
Gotta run. I must go review these lines again while I have the opportunity. Seriously.
Rock on,
Jeff
Hope that everyone is doing great and enjoyed a nice holiday weekend! Mine was a blast. The gig at Savor last Thursday seemed to go over very well, and we had a great time. The getaway to Florida was fantastic, and just what I needed. Believe it or not, I actually did focus on the show quite a bit. I spent a lot of time in the script - okay, mostly on the plane, but I still did. The other thing I did was read the novel High Fidelity (by Nick Hornby) from cover to cover. That was probably one of the most valuable things I could have ever done to help develop the character of Rob. The movie and the stage show are both derived from this book, and the perspectives I gained about characters, lifestyles, attitudes, etc. are invaluable...
I missed being with the cast on Thursday and Sunday afternoon. Thursday the cast came prepared with all sorts of interesting "backstory" facts about their characters and their relationships with Rob. I heard tidbits about a few of these reports, and I have been impressed (and very entertained) by them. Apparently Rob has more issues than even I knew about...
Just a few minutes after I got home on Sunday night, Aaron and Zachary arrived for us to review the text for the publicity we were filming that evening. We had a hilarious and hopefully entertaining video shoot at our friendly neighborhood record store, Record Exchange. The owner, Jean, has been so kind to help us publicize this production. Go check out his store sometime - it's a very unique experience... I'll send more info about the video piece when it's done.
Monday and Tuesday we had our first full run-throughs. Overall, things went quite well. This is when you can really see true glimpses of what the show is going to be like. I'm getting very excited. I'm discouraged that I'm getting more line notes than others, but most of them are fairly minor (sort of), and the volume is hopefully proportionate to the higher volume of lines. I'm going to stay focused on that. Many thanks to Trisha Bakula, our stage manager, for her diligent and tedious work to help us with this.
One more run-through in the rehearsal space tomorrow night, then we move into the theater. That's when I really start getting pumped. There's something about rehearsing a show in the space where it will actually be performed. And when the set and the costumes and the lights start making their appearances? That's when the magic really starts happening, for me at least...
Gotta run. I must go review these lines again while I have the opportunity. Seriously.
Rock on,
Jeff
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Hi Fi, High Gear
Well, almost another week has come and gone since my last post. The title says it all - we've definitely shifted into high gear...
Last night we ran Act I for the first time completely off-book. Before we started, our primo photographer, Michael Daft, took some extremely cool PR photos. Many thanks to our fantastic costumer, Amy Kelly, for providing the perfect costume pieces for this.
Tonight we ran Act II twice, again off-book. Both nights actually went quite well. Everyone is doing a great job getting into character, and recalling lyrics/lines/choreography/etc. I feel fairly good about where I'm at with the lines. I know I'm paraphrasing here and there, but most of 'em are fairly locked in, I think. Still more work to do on that for sure, though...
On Sunday, Robin put her magic touch on the choreography for "Number Five With a Bullet" and "Crying in the Rain." All the dance numbers are set and awesome, with some room for cleaning and fine-tuning of course. Really cool stuff...
On Saturday, some of the guys made a field trip to the Record Exchange, as sort of a character study. I live about 2 blocks from there, so several of us (Zak, Todd, Joel, Scott and me) met at my house, had a couple of beers, then walked down to the store. We spent at least an hour in there, checking out all of the fantastic stuff available. We found some great LP's and 45's to use as props, as well as some other really cool stuff. Then we came back to my pad, sat outside in the beautiful weather, and grilled out, listened to music, laughed a lot, etc. It was really cool. We missed the rest of the cast, though. Next time...
I'm actually going to be away from the next couple of rehearsals. I had Thursday 5/22 and Sunday 5/25 down as schedule conflicts at auditions, so it's nothing new, but it still feels strange. Hopefully none of the momentum we've gained will go away. I'm sure it won't. The reasons for the conflicts are kinda cool, though. On Thursday, I'm joining about 10 other local singers to perform in the St. Louis Singers' Showcase at Savor (www.cabaretatsavor.com). One of the songs I'm singing is "The Luckiest" by Ben Folds. As it turns out, this song is one of the source/inspiration songs for "Laura, Laura" from our show. That's kinda cool... This weekend, I'll be on a Florida getaway for Memorial Day weekend. I'm really looking forward to that. I will have lots of time away from distractions to concentrate on completely memorizing everything too, so the show will be front and center in my mind. It's been a long time since I've studied lines while laying on the beach. I'll let you know how that goes. I can't wait...
Sunday evening, soon after I get back to St. Louis, we are to shoot some promo video at the Record Exchange. Sounds like a lot of fun. Michael Daft is continuing to take some great photography of individual cast members several times a week. St. Louis Magazine did an interview with Scott Miller and me for their June edition which should come out any day now. Even a photo shoot to go with it. So there is a lot of cool publicity surrounding the show as well. To say I'm getting excited would be a huge understatement.
Happy Memorial Day to all. Be safe and have fun. More next week...
Rock on,
Jeff
Last night we ran Act I for the first time completely off-book. Before we started, our primo photographer, Michael Daft, took some extremely cool PR photos. Many thanks to our fantastic costumer, Amy Kelly, for providing the perfect costume pieces for this.
Tonight we ran Act II twice, again off-book. Both nights actually went quite well. Everyone is doing a great job getting into character, and recalling lyrics/lines/choreography/etc. I feel fairly good about where I'm at with the lines. I know I'm paraphrasing here and there, but most of 'em are fairly locked in, I think. Still more work to do on that for sure, though...
On Sunday, Robin put her magic touch on the choreography for "Number Five With a Bullet" and "Crying in the Rain." All the dance numbers are set and awesome, with some room for cleaning and fine-tuning of course. Really cool stuff...
On Saturday, some of the guys made a field trip to the Record Exchange, as sort of a character study. I live about 2 blocks from there, so several of us (Zak, Todd, Joel, Scott and me) met at my house, had a couple of beers, then walked down to the store. We spent at least an hour in there, checking out all of the fantastic stuff available. We found some great LP's and 45's to use as props, as well as some other really cool stuff. Then we came back to my pad, sat outside in the beautiful weather, and grilled out, listened to music, laughed a lot, etc. It was really cool. We missed the rest of the cast, though. Next time...
I'm actually going to be away from the next couple of rehearsals. I had Thursday 5/22 and Sunday 5/25 down as schedule conflicts at auditions, so it's nothing new, but it still feels strange. Hopefully none of the momentum we've gained will go away. I'm sure it won't. The reasons for the conflicts are kinda cool, though. On Thursday, I'm joining about 10 other local singers to perform in the St. Louis Singers' Showcase at Savor (www.cabaretatsavor.com). One of the songs I'm singing is "The Luckiest" by Ben Folds. As it turns out, this song is one of the source/inspiration songs for "Laura, Laura" from our show. That's kinda cool... This weekend, I'll be on a Florida getaway for Memorial Day weekend. I'm really looking forward to that. I will have lots of time away from distractions to concentrate on completely memorizing everything too, so the show will be front and center in my mind. It's been a long time since I've studied lines while laying on the beach. I'll let you know how that goes. I can't wait...
Sunday evening, soon after I get back to St. Louis, we are to shoot some promo video at the Record Exchange. Sounds like a lot of fun. Michael Daft is continuing to take some great photography of individual cast members several times a week. St. Louis Magazine did an interview with Scott Miller and me for their June edition which should come out any day now. Even a photo shoot to go with it. So there is a lot of cool publicity surrounding the show as well. To say I'm getting excited would be a huge understatement.
Happy Memorial Day to all. Be safe and have fun. More next week...
Rock on,
Jeff
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Do We Really Open in Four Weeks?
Well, it's been a week or so again since I've posted... Hope that anyone and everyone who reads this is doing well.
It's amazing how much happens within a week of rehearsals. Last time I checked in, we hadn't even touched Act II, and now it's completely blocked. We've been working hard, but also laughing like one wouldn't believe. The "Conflict Resolution" scene alone is enough to make even the toughest Harley guy blush. It's really funny though...
So, the title of this blog is a tad intimidating. We really do open four weeks from tomorrow. I have every confidence that we'll be more than ready, and I am so excited. But I also know how quickly four weeks can go, and we still have many miles to go... I've spent a good amount of time studying lines, but I'm still not where I want to be. Next Monday we are to be completely off book/score, so we'll make that happen no matter what.
Still having a great time and thrilled with the experience. The cast is awesome and giving some major moments already. There's a lot of fun stuff going on outside of rehearsal too. New Line's photographer, Michael Daft, is taking some amazing photography for this show. I don't want to give too much away just yet, but suffice it to say that you simply must see the lobby photography and headshots for this show. I had a photo shoot with Michael a couple of weeks ago, and I am amazed at what he can produce... He's an unbelievable artist. He'll be taking some PR photos for the show next week at rehearsal as well - look for 'em!
Time to sign off for me, for now....
Rock on,
Jeff
It's amazing how much happens within a week of rehearsals. Last time I checked in, we hadn't even touched Act II, and now it's completely blocked. We've been working hard, but also laughing like one wouldn't believe. The "Conflict Resolution" scene alone is enough to make even the toughest Harley guy blush. It's really funny though...
So, the title of this blog is a tad intimidating. We really do open four weeks from tomorrow. I have every confidence that we'll be more than ready, and I am so excited. But I also know how quickly four weeks can go, and we still have many miles to go... I've spent a good amount of time studying lines, but I'm still not where I want to be. Next Monday we are to be completely off book/score, so we'll make that happen no matter what.
Still having a great time and thrilled with the experience. The cast is awesome and giving some major moments already. There's a lot of fun stuff going on outside of rehearsal too. New Line's photographer, Michael Daft, is taking some amazing photography for this show. I don't want to give too much away just yet, but suffice it to say that you simply must see the lobby photography and headshots for this show. I had a photo shoot with Michael a couple of weeks ago, and I am amazed at what he can produce... He's an unbelievable artist. He'll be taking some PR photos for the show next week at rehearsal as well - look for 'em!
Time to sign off for me, for now....
Rock on,
Jeff
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Act One, Take One
Tonight we ran all of Act I for the first time. As one would expect, it is far from perfect... But it does seem like there is some great stuff going on already. There are a lot of funny moments and touching moments, and some pretty awesome vocal moments, too. Also, it's such a fun and supportive group of people, which is extremely cool...
I'm disappointed in myself because I don't know my lines very well yet... We were expected (more like encouraged) to be off-book for Act I tonight, but we absolutely must have everything memorized by the time we run Act I again. That's certainly fair and necessary, but I definitely have my work cut out for me. Rob's character has an immense line load. I've been focusing more on music so far, so my bad for getting behind on memorizing lines. We don't run Act I again for a while, but really that's no comfort. See, we start blocking Act II stuff at the next rehearsals, so all of that must be memorized as well. Crap. I'm on it though. I should log off now and go spend some time on it.
On another note, there are two more bloggers in the bunch now: Joel Hackbarth and Todd Micali. For some reason, I'm having trouble getting Blogger to add their links to my little list to the right here. Until I can figure it out, know that they can be accessed at kleptoboy.blogspot.com (Joel) and tmpmitw.blogspot.com (Todd).
Rock on,
Jeff
I'm disappointed in myself because I don't know my lines very well yet... We were expected (more like encouraged) to be off-book for Act I tonight, but we absolutely must have everything memorized by the time we run Act I again. That's certainly fair and necessary, but I definitely have my work cut out for me. Rob's character has an immense line load. I've been focusing more on music so far, so my bad for getting behind on memorizing lines. We don't run Act I again for a while, but really that's no comfort. See, we start blocking Act II stuff at the next rehearsals, so all of that must be memorized as well. Crap. I'm on it though. I should log off now and go spend some time on it.
On another note, there are two more bloggers in the bunch now: Joel Hackbarth and Todd Micali. For some reason, I'm having trouble getting Blogger to add their links to my little list to the right here. Until I can figure it out, know that they can be accessed at kleptoboy.blogspot.com (Joel) and tmpmitw.blogspot.com (Todd).
Rock on,
Jeff
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
The Heart of Rock & Roll Is Still Beating
Do you remember that song by Huey Lewis and the News from the '80s? I used to love it, and I still do whenever I happen to hear it. High Fidelity is such a show about rock-and-roll, so what an appropriate title for a post, perhaps...
That, and my heart rate is also up because I'm so excited about the show. Each rehearsal adds so many more cool elements. I haven't chimed in for about a week (which is my goal - about once a week), so there is much to report. How about a recap of the past three days?
Sunday, 4/27/08: Choreography Rehearsal
Robin Berger put her amazing spin on "Desert Island Top Five Break Ups." What a pleasure to work with Robin again, by the way. We've performed in several shows together, often as dance partners, which is always a blast. I've also been in several productions that she has choreographed, and I always love learning about her vision and very cool interpretation of a piece. So this particular number is no different. Think rock star with very sexy female backup singers/dancers.... I don't want to give too much away, but there are some very cool references to '80s pop culture and musical influences. There are also a few measures where I stand firmly planted and sing, while the 5 "exes" caress me from head to toe. I have to say that was quite fun to rehearse. Hopefully it was okay for the ladies, too. I know that some had more of a ball than others. There is a pun there, but I don't want to embarrass anyone further...
Monday, 4/28/08: Read-Thru/Sing-Thru the Whole Show
This was incredibly cool. For the first time, the whole cast gathered to go through all of the dialogue and music in the show. It was so energizing to finally have everyone together, showing off their stuff but also supporting each other. It really went quite well, and gave everyone an idea of the flow of the show. We also all got to see some renderings of the set, which look very cool. Things seemed to go smoothly, and I was pleased that I still had a voice after singing everything consecutively.
Tuesday, 4/29/08 (tonight): First Blocking Rehearsal
We really got a ton done tonight... The first three scenes of Act I are now completely blocked. We worked with a "stand-in set" that gave us a good idea of spacing, and also allowed us to think about set changes, etc. Again, it seemed to go so smoothly, and it's so cool to start really digging into the material. We blocked/staged each scene and song, and then ran each one 2-3 times. I walked out feeling great about the scenes, except for the intimidation of all of the lines that I need to memorize. I'd better stop typing and go study a bit before it gets too late...
And so it goes. Great people and much fun on the horizon. Again, best wishes to all who read this
Rock on,
Jeff
That, and my heart rate is also up because I'm so excited about the show. Each rehearsal adds so many more cool elements. I haven't chimed in for about a week (which is my goal - about once a week), so there is much to report. How about a recap of the past three days?
Sunday, 4/27/08: Choreography Rehearsal
Robin Berger put her amazing spin on "Desert Island Top Five Break Ups." What a pleasure to work with Robin again, by the way. We've performed in several shows together, often as dance partners, which is always a blast. I've also been in several productions that she has choreographed, and I always love learning about her vision and very cool interpretation of a piece. So this particular number is no different. Think rock star with very sexy female backup singers/dancers.... I don't want to give too much away, but there are some very cool references to '80s pop culture and musical influences. There are also a few measures where I stand firmly planted and sing, while the 5 "exes" caress me from head to toe. I have to say that was quite fun to rehearse. Hopefully it was okay for the ladies, too. I know that some had more of a ball than others. There is a pun there, but I don't want to embarrass anyone further...
Monday, 4/28/08: Read-Thru/Sing-Thru the Whole Show
This was incredibly cool. For the first time, the whole cast gathered to go through all of the dialogue and music in the show. It was so energizing to finally have everyone together, showing off their stuff but also supporting each other. It really went quite well, and gave everyone an idea of the flow of the show. We also all got to see some renderings of the set, which look very cool. Things seemed to go smoothly, and I was pleased that I still had a voice after singing everything consecutively.
Tuesday, 4/29/08 (tonight): First Blocking Rehearsal
We really got a ton done tonight... The first three scenes of Act I are now completely blocked. We worked with a "stand-in set" that gave us a good idea of spacing, and also allowed us to think about set changes, etc. Again, it seemed to go so smoothly, and it's so cool to start really digging into the material. We blocked/staged each scene and song, and then ran each one 2-3 times. I walked out feeling great about the scenes, except for the intimidation of all of the lines that I need to memorize. I'd better stop typing and go study a bit before it gets too late...
And so it goes. Great people and much fun on the horizon. Again, best wishes to all who read this
Rock on,
Jeff
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Back On My Game (mostly)
Okay, so it's so much easier to participate in a music rehearsal when you can actually sing. Many thanks to my doctor for the medicine, as well as to the creators of all of the various supplements and vitamins that I rocked through my system over the last week. Things were much better by last Thursday, and I'd say I'm almost 95% back vocally this week.
We're moving right along. Last night the whole cast ran through the big finale' number "Turn the World Off," and it sounded great. Tonight was just for the guys. A fellow cast mate put it well when she told me "the bitches have the night off." That's hilarious. Anyway, the fellas worked out the songs "Conflict Resolution," "Saturday Night Girl," and "9% Chance Of Your Love." We had a good time, but this is definitely tough stuff. And such long songs! And high!! The third time we ran "9% Chance...," I honestly thought I saw one of my vocal cords fly out of my mouth. But then I realized it was just the gum I was chewing... Gross.
Another hilarious part of the evening was attempting to emulate Axl Rose, The Beastie Boys, and Snoop Dogg, all in one song. That is actually written in the script. You'll have to see this to believe it. "Shall we leave it at that, then?"
Rock on,
Jeff
We're moving right along. Last night the whole cast ran through the big finale' number "Turn the World Off," and it sounded great. Tonight was just for the guys. A fellow cast mate put it well when she told me "the bitches have the night off." That's hilarious. Anyway, the fellas worked out the songs "Conflict Resolution," "Saturday Night Girl," and "9% Chance Of Your Love." We had a good time, but this is definitely tough stuff. And such long songs! And high!! The third time we ran "9% Chance...," I honestly thought I saw one of my vocal cords fly out of my mouth. But then I realized it was just the gum I was chewing... Gross.
Another hilarious part of the evening was attempting to emulate Axl Rose, The Beastie Boys, and Snoop Dogg, all in one song. That is actually written in the script. You'll have to see this to believe it. "Shall we leave it at that, then?"
Rock on,
Jeff
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The Last Real Record Store
Rob Gordon here. These are my records, currently organized, not alphabetically, not chronologically, but...wait for it... autobiographically. Yup, the order in which they were purchased...
Rob Gordon, High Fidelity
Jeff Wright here. This is my online record of the experience of New Line Theatre's production of High Fidelity. I have no idea how it will be organized yet, although it would make a lot more sense to do it chronologically and autobiographically, instead of alphabetically...
A bit of history: High Fidelity is a musical production based on the movie (starring John Cusack and Jack Black, among many others) and the novel (by Nick Hornby) of the same name. There was a short-lived production on Broadway in 2006. Believe it or not, I was one of the few to actually see that. More on that later. This is the first production of the show outside of that Broadway run, which is actually very exciting for all involved. The show runs June 12 through July 5 at the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre at Washington University in St. Louis.
I'm playing Rob, which is an amazing opportunity, and more exciting than I can possibly say. We had our first rehearsal last night. The cast is absolutely awesome. Several of them are good friends of mine from previous shows at New Line or with other companies around town. Many new faces as well, which is always very cool.
I had a unique perspective last night, as basically that of a bystander or audience member. We rehearsed the song "The Last Real Record Store," for which Rob sings a lot of solo and lead with the whole ensemble. So why wasn't I singing? Well, I got laryngitis the day before. Seriously. The timing was awful, but far better to occur early in the rehearsal process of a show. Anyway, it allowed me to listen to the rest of the cast make some really amazing harmonies with each other. What quick studies, and what a great sound! Scott Miller sang Rob's parts while I recorded them, and he also did an awesome job (thanks, Scott!).
My daytime work is in the healthcare arena, where I cross paths with physicians all the time. I spoke with a very trusted otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat physician) today about my inability to speak or sing. He gave me some great advice, as well a prescription for some great meds, so hopefully I'll be back on my game at my next rehearsal on Thursday.
I've never blogged before, so this is all news to me, but I'm excited to give it a shot. I have no idea if anyone actually reads these posts, so feel free to post comments if you like. My goal is to try to add a post about once a week, from the first rehearsals all the way through the closing production week. We'll see how it goes. Since I can't talk today, I probably got more long-winded on the keyboard than I will in others.
So now it begins. Best wishes to all who read this.
Rock on,
Jeff
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