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Precision And Order, That’s All That I Ask

It’s important to have rules and guidelines for yourself when diving into a creative project. Over the years I’ve established a lot of rules and guidelines for myself when directing shows and they’ve always done me well. The number one rule I try to abide by when directing a show is this: Always answer questions before they can be asked. Certainly every now and then someone will think of something I didn’t, but I try to provide the information people need when or even before they need it, or have a confident answer for them when they do ask a question. This can greatly help establish their trust in you as a leader. You can also never OVER communicate to your company enough. As chaotic as my thoughts and organization can sometimes be in life, I take great pride and care in my organizational skills when directing a show. My least favorite feeling when directing are the times I’ve had to say “I don’t know”. This is a very close second rule I always try to follow: avoid saying ...
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Stretch Your Mind Beyond, or Trip A Little Light Fantastic

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As I mentioned a few posts back, by suggestion I re-watched Saving Mr. Banks again and planned to blog some thoughts on it. That of course got delayed, but NOW I plan to share my thoughts about that movie, and as a bonus I have also re-watched Mary Poppins Returns since that time, so why not talk about both? First, the original task at hand: Saving Mr. Banks. In case you didn’t know, this 2013 film covers the period of time in which Walt Disney himself was attempting to procure the film rights to Mary Poppins from the very difficult author of the books, P.L. Travers. Many of their meetings were recorded and these tapes were the inspiration for the film. Emma Thompson plays Travers and as Walt, it’s the critic-proof Tom Hanks! I remember hearing about Saving Mr Banks nearly a year before it was released, and when I heard the film’s premise and casting I thought “THAT’S going to be a thing?” It just seemed so niche, so specific, a story that only someone like me would care to ev...
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You May Find a You There (That You Never Knew Was Yours)

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I have shared this information elsewhere, but with auditions now a month away, thought I should share it here also! What are all the roles in the show? You can read that information below and I have provided additional thoughts and information on each of them. MARY POPPINS CASTING/CHARACTER INFORMATION (Ages and types are fairly open; those given are merely guidelines)  PRINCIPAL ROLES — Mary Poppins: She is extraordinary and strange, neat and tidy, delightfully vain yet particular, practically perfect in every way, you know. Mezzo soprano with strong top notes and dances well. Precision and diction are key. Age: Ageless! (Somewhere between early 20s to mid-30s seems ideal). Vocal range: C6 -- Gb3  Bert: The narrator of the story and friend to Mary Poppins. Bert has many occupations, and watches over the children and events happening on Cherry Tree Lane. He has charm, speaks with a Cockney accent and is a song-and-dance man nearly as mysterious as Mary Poppi...
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I Does What I Likes, And I Likes What I Do.

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Over the weekend was Jenny’s birthday, and it can certainly be a challenge to celebrate a birthday during a shelter in place order, but we made the most of it! On Sunday afternoon I felt compelled to do something I haven’t done in years…broke out the sidewalk chalk and went to town!  Many people (kids) have been doing this a lot lately, and it was making my FOMO act up so I was glad to get outside and scratch the itch. I don’t remember it making you sore as a kid like I am today; bending, twisting, crouching, squatting and such. And yes, of COURSE I was reminded of the classic scene from Mary Poppins! However, the chalk I had wasn’t going to create a country road, a circus, or anything worthy of jumping into…instead I settled mostly for some “Mary Blair inspired” designs.  If you don’t know Mary Blair, she is the artist responsible for the look and design of “It’s a Small World” but there’s more to her story. She was an artist that got into animation in the ear...
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Give Us Treats, Sing Songs, Bring Sweets

So one “upside” to sheltering at home is that all the creative types out there have proven they can hardly sit still. Many people have been sharing their talents online. Whether it’s singing, dancing, craft projects or whatever it might be, they are doing so simply for fun, entertainment, or to bring a smile to others. It’s nice to take some of our ample free time and share what we love. There are no stakes, no risk, and no judging; it feels a lot like an online talent show or old school show and tell, and I think it’s been great. I’ve learned of many talents that I didn’t know friends and acquaintances of mine had! People playing piano I didn’t know played, people who aren’t big singers going for it, and people picking up paintbrushes maybe for the first time, or at least for the first time in a long time! Since we’re all still home for a while yet, and since everyone has been singing more often…have people been thinking about audition songs? If not for Mary Poppins, then maybe f...
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And You'll Be Glad If You Do...

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Wow, what a wild time . I typically try not to let what’s happening in the real world get in the way of what I write or think about too much. You can find that kind of noise anywhere, and I don’t want my turf to be just “anywhere”. The things I like to do (such as directing theatre) often serve as nice distractions from real world problems, but wow! It’s certainly a challenge right now to put yourself in that bubble when we've been mandated to put ourselves into an almost literal bubble!  Several days ago, the difficult call was made to cancel the first show of Corn Stock’s season this summer, fresh off the heels of needing to cancel their spring children’s production which was already quite far into its rehearsal process (with a set even already built). It’s disheartening to think of these productions that won’t happen, and what does that mean for all the remaining shows coming this summer? Well...heck I know as much about that right now as as you do. It’s difficult to see th...
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The Medicine Goes Down...

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Sooooo….how are we all doing?  I started writing this post back on Friday, and it’s now Tuesday. Information has been changing like crazy, and that has affected my draft of this next post! We always complain about not having enough time to do many of the things we want to or need to…well, with everything being closed, it appears that now we do! The universe is giving us time to get caught up, and it’s the perfect opportunity to dive in and get some fulfilling work done! Unexpected free time should be filled in unexpected ways. Use it as a time to grow. Read a book you’ve never read, watch a movie you’ve never seen…or heck, write a book nobody has ever read or make a movie nobody has ever seen. Inspiration finds you whenever and wherever it wants, and you can’t be quarantined from it. IF you just absolutely have to be on a device, then at least Google a topic you’ve always wanted to know more about, and just let that rabbit hole consume you for a while. You’ve got the tim...
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