We completed our first week of rehearsals last night. I think we are all a bit exhausted but also running with a sense of exhilaration due to the amazing work we accomplished in the rehearsal. The show is now completely staged. The entire company was in rehearsal yesterday for the entire day as we blocked Act 2 and the larger scenes in Acts IV and V. Act 2 rocks. Act IV is in great shape. Act V, I've still got lots of work to do to pull all of that together. While it is staged for the rehearsal room, it is not going to feel right until we get on the set a week and a day from now. I don't think we will that work until then, so our focus needs to be on the scenes we can pull together in the rehearsal room as we go forward.
This is a great cast with hearts as large as their talents and let me tell you, I need all of both as we continue to climb Mount Othello. When I declared the day over, I was ready to collapse and I think more than a few of the cast was as well. At least now our work shifts to taking the scenes apart piece by piece instead of the grueling work of staging.
Some ofthe cast got a sense of the live drumming we are adding to the show and that was a kick of energy. I can't wait to add that into the show later in the week. If yesterday is any indidcation I feel like we are going to have a sweeping, imaginative, and relentless telling of the tale to open two weeks from now.
