Whoa, glad I got that off my chest. I think I have established that fact a little already in my last post, but I wanted this post to be dedicated to my next theatrical venture. I have taken on the task of casting and directing a thirty minute one act for a high school one act competition. So I have got the piece picked out already. I am doing a cutting from the first act of the play Over the River and Through the Woods by Joe DiPiero. This is the same play I had my quote from on my last post. It is this very fun, witty, straight comedy. It is truly a delightful play that has hit my top ten beloved plays list (which may be discussed on another post).
It is the story of these two sets of grandparents both strong brooklyn Italians who have always been about family. Their life mantra is "Tengo Familigia" or in english that means something along the lines of "to support a family". In the beginning of the play through a series of asides the audience finds out about the grandparents life stories, how they got to where they are now, and how much family means to them. Nicky, the grandson of these grandparents, thinks they are loud, nosy, and nuts. So the story goes is that Nicky got a grand promotion at work but this promotion has one big stipulation. He has to move all the way across the country from is home town of new york where he has lived all his life to Seattle. Nicky thinks this is a opportunity of a life time. He thinks what a better time when he was still young, unattached, ready for change, and no real reason to stay there. His grandparents object when hearing this. He's got them. Wasn't that enough for him to stay there for? By the end of the first half of the first act Grandma Emma has a plan thought up to keep Nicky right where he was. He needed to get married and she knew just a person to do so. On other side notes we learn that Grandpa Nunzio, husband of Emma, has cancer that he knows that if Nicky leaves he'll probably never see grandpa Nunz alive again. This information hasn't been known to anyone at this time not even Nunz beloved wife Emma.
So we go to the second half the first act: The lights come up to the same apartment of Grandparents Aida and Frank. Both grandparents are there getting ready for their usual sunday dinner with Nicky. Unbeknownst to Nicky there was to be a guest that evening. Who could it be but the "Caitlin O'Hare the unmarried niece of [Emma's] canasta partner". She is everything the grandparents could ask for--young, beautiful, a great cook, and loving. Nicky is so embarrassed by his grandparents he acts like a idiot/jerk the entire dinner. He finds he does like Caitlin and that Emma did "do good." Upon Caitlin's departure he asks Caitlin on a real date which she turns him down flat telling him that he was a jerk and rather rude to his obviously loving and caring grandparents. When he tells his grandparents that it didn't work he flies off the handle telling them that he doesn't want their help. He yells at them hurting his grandparents very deeply. In the midst of his rant he doubles over having a hard time to breathing and collapses. Nicky has had an anxiety attack...I mean "Nicky was always an anxious baby." End of Act I.
Not wanting to completely spoil the whole show for you and hopefully encouraging you to read this amazing play, I will stop their with my slightly confusing synopsis. This segment described here is the the cutting I am using for the one act competition. I am excited to direct it but I first have to cast it. I have get the script edited and cut down to hopefully be under 30 minutes though I may have to cut some more of it. The auditions for it are tomorrow and I am nervous. I know that sounds so silly, but I am paranoid that I am not going to cast it well, that I am going to miss the right talent and that I am going disappoint the teacher I am doing this for and my little sister who is being my stage manager. I just hope from my auditioning experience and observing other director will help me in this task. When I get that done the fun starts. I mean I haven't really directed a show. . .I got a taste of directing this semester with semi-directing a short children's theatre scene for a class but other than that and sort of directing for scenes and skits I've written and performed for random classes/talent shows my actual directing experience is rather limited. Saying I do feel that I have a slight natural feel for directing theatrical things. I just need to simpler, especially for this production where resources and time are sketchy and thin.
This really is a great challenge to take on. I love theatre so much and to get this group of high schoolers to get a taste of some real good kind of theatre, is a warm fuzzy. My ultimate dream to take my passion for theatre and teach children of all ages and help them see that theatre is a perfect outlet for many things that may be going on in their lives.
Now, I guess I can keep you posted on the development of this little shin-dig. I just hope that it will pan out. That good things will happen. That I could maybe, how minute or slight it may be, influence some of these teenagers. SO "parting is such sweet sorrow".
And the quote for today, also from the Bard is:
"My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go."
~King Claudius Hamlet by William Shakespeare
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