First Rehearsal

Rehearsals have begun. We began with a cast meeting to discuss costumes and schedule. This schedule shall be a challenge with all the other demands on high school students and the younger actors we have asked to join our cast. My daughter is playing the part of young Helen and two other young actors, one a 2nd grader and the other a 3rd grader are actors from the summer Children’s Theatre summer company and they have been invited to join the cast. My Annie Sullivan is taking college classes and swimming and my Kate Keller is teaching dance lessons one night a week. Can they balance the demands of these other activities and still perform at the level I demand? This is the problem of a small rural high school. Everyone is involved in everything. Will the production quality suffer?

I began by reading the script. Actually I read this script last year but I try to alternate each spring: A comedy one year and a drama the next. In that manner, a student who wants to pursue theatre in college should leave this high school with a solid resume.

We began as a cast with a pizza movie watching rehearsal. I so wanted to watch the Ann Bancroft, Patty Duke version because I think the performance is superior. Now this is where the balancing act of being teacher, forensic coach, mother, wife, church choir director having a new puppy in the house… – I think all come into zapping my quality. When I went to gather up the video - that version could not be found. The DVD case yes – but actual DVD no. I could find the Patty Duke – Melissa Gilbert version so… that is what we watch and it served as an introduction. I think the wonderful moment for me was when my daughter, who watched both versions over the holiday break and who thinks any movie in black and white must be of low quality, wanted to watch the Anne Bancroft “Miracle Worker”. She is eight year old and could tell the quality of the production.

I find that using videos as an opening for high school performers ensures the same vision. When these kids audition, I cast some that have a great deal of experience and for some this is the first time ever on stage. This helps give us all have the same vision in which discussions can center.
So the this rehearsal on stage proved interesting. We have a stage craft class building the set. That is such a wonderful gift! The set building begins by me providing a copy of the script to the instructor. I did this before break. One of the items he asked for last year was the play selection and script earlier then what I did last year. I hope that is something I can do for him - at least this year I did it. So then we have had several discussions and have searched the internet for other productions ideas.

Our stage is an open thrust stage.So building is sometimes an engineering feat. When I arrived at rehearsal (not as earlier as I had hoped – moving and eight year old is a challenge!) the stairs to the upper bedroom platform were a bit different than what I imagined. I think is might help is stagecraft and set builder joined us for the video – but he has a new baby, and teaches evening college classes – reality of a high school teacher…So spent some time rearranging platforms to make sure the table I purchased from the second hand story fit (just found this place and as a drama person always searching for cool items this is a great little jewel!) and the living room area were large enough to allow four actor’s blocking to flow. This took too much time and didn’t get through all the scenes that were scheduled to block – so now we are behind.

That was a Thursday night and the next day I was gone from school. As the forensics coach, we were off at 5:15 AM to attend a competitive speech tournament. So - haven’t had a conversation with the set builder. Wanted to send an email from the tournament site, but the school didn’t have wireless so can only wonder about his reaction to the platforms arrangement… I think this a creative challenge of balancing what is possible in terms of construction, time, and artistic vision.
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