Behind-the-scenes quickie!

There is little time to chat!  So I will post a video and some new pictures for you to enjoy!  Which is really better then me yammering on sometimes.  Maybe all the time.  So here you go: 

This is a clip with the whole crew rehearsing the opening (and only) dance number of our show.  We had to do it a little quietly this day.  Expect it a LOT louder in real life.  Special thanks to the brilliant Blythe Barton  for her mad choreographic skills. 

And here are some pictures!  The amazing Paul Savage is helping us out with a photo montage being used in our show and here are some behind-the-scene images of him hard at work! 

There are also some shots of beautiful Blythe at work on the dance number! 

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Quick and dirty- how we like it!  So much more soon!  It's show month ya'll, get those tickets HERE! 

Guest Blog Feature: Company Member Sam Ginn

Today we have a very special treat.  Sam Ginn, my heart, my moon, and my soul- has agreed to write for our blog.  I am speechless- so I'll let her do the talking:

When Katie asked me if I would write a Blog for the website, I almost tinkled in my jeggings.  It frightened me, because I was never able to write so good.  So I think my thoughts about this rehearsal process, thus far, would best be expressed through poem.  

I park my car downtown and don't worry about the meter,

For it's after 6, and I'm headed to the "10th Avenue Space Theatre."

I walk 12 flights of stairs to our unique rehearsal space.

Out of breath, I regret the chips and sugar I put in my face.

The room greets you with friendly faces and great hugs,

And even happier hearts once we chucked the cat-pee rug.

We start to stretch and warm up our sore joints. 

For in a minute, we about to rock some "Viewpoints."

We use the architecture, gesture, and spatial relationships.

It's a new technique for some, but Katie is there to give us tips.

During "Viewpoints" we explore with the impulses of our body,

I've discovered I'm a horsey that likes to be naughty.

We take our discoveries and apply them to our scene work,

You can't miss the scene where Kyle and Evan pork.

We rehearse our parts with improv and collaboration,

Tapatio, Mamma Bear, and Wall-E are quite an inspiration.  

The process is joyful, exciting, and quite inventive.  

But say "that's what she said," and a quarter you give.

The rehearsal comes to a close and water I must borrow,

For I broke a sweat, and I'm thirsting for more fun tomorrow.

- Sam Ginn

Holy crap Sam.  You made me laugh! 

Huzzah!  TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE! So buy them!

AND!  Our event is NOW ON FACEBOOK!  So rsvp!

Yay!

A little brag.

We have been working it!  Every day there is a new experience with this group of collaborating ninjas, and it is always amazing.  For example, take a look at this picture:

How unbelievably cute are these women?  Sure, they are in questionable positions with each other, but they are just too precious for words! 

The scene they were rehearsing this particular night was one that played exploitively with the male gaze.  We sat together as a group, discussed the content of this scene, created a Viewpoint composition to help explore ideas and warm them up to the idea of the content, and then we made comedic magic that I can't imagine anyone complaining about- except maybe that Fred Phelps idiot. 

What has made every rehearsal special is the level of open-minded commitment that each of my performers bring every single night.  They are brave, compassionate to their collaborative scene partners, beyond able to take direction, and fully capable of making complete asses of themselves. 

I may be stressed about the amount of production work that has piled up to the moon in order to get this show to the place it deserves to be- but I don't doubt for a second that these actors will deliver. 

 I'll leave it at that.  I am one happy woman. 

 Here is a little compilation of pictures Executive Director Ashley Toolan has been snapping during our work.  More from Orgy Day are included, so enjoy! 

Rehearsal and Orgy Day!

We might be having way too much fun in rehearsals.  The month of May is our month to play.  We are solidifying the script, exploring our relationships with the help of discussion and Viewpoints, and generally experimenting with as many ideas as possible to make sure what comes out rocks. 

Sometimes you gotta let the experiments go waaaay outside the box in order to make something really magical and innovative happen.  Luckily for us, we have some incredibly unique personalities contributing to our production and this has allowed for some unique artistic experiences for all.  In a good way.  For the most part.  Maybe? 

Well, anyway- the other night was "Orgy Day".  Yeah, I said it.  Orgy Day.  When was the last time you had to block or rehearse an Orgy for a play?  Yeah, me either- so that's why we had to take the entire night of rehearsal to make it work, and I believe we are well on our way. 

Here are some images from our rehearsal shadow-screen experimentation: 

 

Stage manager extraordinaire came up with this pose.  He called it the "Jackhammer."  Also at last nights rehearsal after a Viewpoint session with three of our female cast members he described the composition as "Sexy Pinball".  This guy is full of gold.  We are happy to have you Adrian.  

     

This is just a general action shot with the star of our Orgy at the center of it all- Evan Kendig, playing the role of "Alvie".  Lucky Evan. 

More action.  Lot's of laughs.  I think this was the moment Julio started eating Evan.  This is a good time to welcome Julio to our cast!  We love you Julio and we are so happy to have your hilarity join us!  Yay!  

  

This isn't as terrible as it looks.  Well...actually, it is.  This is our "Human Centipede" part of our Orgy.  I'm sure I am making my mother very proud. 

That's all for now!  A lot of work went into this short part of the play- but sometimes that's what you have to do!  We are obviously some very derranged folks, but heck- we love it, and hopefully you will too. 

More soon!  Maybe even a video if I can figure out this magic computer box thing I'm working on. 

Guest Blog Feature: CCdd Technical Director Patrick Kelly!

It has begun!

After several months of planning, working, gathering people, and talking our heads off about this madcap venture we are jumping into action! We have begun our rehearsal process and things are getting really exciting.

We gathered in the rehearsal space in the 10th Ave. Theater for the first time on Monday and you could feel the energy that everyone was bringing, the electricity of finally taking a hard crack at the script. 

10th Ave. Theater has been a home to many of us in the past with other productions we have taken part in, and everyone agreed that the building has always treated us very well.  Even the ghosts are our friends.

We had the pleasure of having our new Stage Manager Adrian jump right in taking notes and even filling in on a Viewpoints session- he’s going to fit perfectly. 

As the Technical director I feel like I should mention that we are hitting the road running on the technical side. 

Today we will have our first real production meeting
which will include the creative force Areta Mackelvie who is serving as the Lighting Designer for "The Break-Up/Break-Down".

There is a lot of work ahead, but I think that we are all heading toward it full steam. If anyone out there wants to lend a hand building, hanging or especially painting we would be more than happy to get you involved in our collaborative community!

-Patrick Kelly, Technical Director of CCdd.

Thanks for the update Patrick!  And that's right!  We are now in rehearsal for "The Break-Up/Break-Down"!  There is so much to be done, but we are in fabulous shape and the two rehearsals we have already had have been a utopia of creative expression.  Did I mention the cast is amazing?  That the company is a dream?  That we feel blessed and excited to be working towards something we love?  Well all of it is true, and everyday is getting better and better. 

This weekend we will be working on Kickstarter incentives, so to all our fabulous donors- we'll be in touch! 

Hurray for Art!