Had a great week being a part of Metropolitan Playhouse's 20th virtual reading: Langdon Mitchell's In the Season. I last performed in front of an audience in Blithe Spirit at the beginning of February, so while this wasn't, by no means, the longest spell without a gig, it definitely felt like it, given...you know. "2020." It was nice, even for one night, to have that "show day" vibe, and I'm so lucky and fortunate for the opportunity.
I converted the script so I could futz with it in Word: sure, highlighting my lines ain't no big deal, but with only a handful of rehearsals, I phonetically edited some of the British RP stuff that I know I blank the pronunciations on (big ups to "The Ask List"). I also found it helpful to change the actual colour of the lines I needed to direct to someone off-camera. Framing my camera so that I was chest up helped me keep scrolling my next line as close to the camera as I could, without looking like I was, you know, scrolling. The toughest bit? Training yourself to act to the little green light at the camera, instead of naturally trying to find the eyes of my scene partner in a window off to the left.
Each cast member got their own virtual background, painted by Pamela Lawton; mine? Ohhh, obviously the best.
Awesome was not happy with his living room being taken up with all this stuff.
I told friends: "Come see live theatre made like television transmitted through the internet." And. I mean, yeah. Right?
Actual show calls from Alex, the director/Artistic Director! The nice thing about beaming this out via the internet-o-webs from home is that you can answer the call and then go find yourself a snack in your own kitchen.
Tess Frazer and Benjamin Russell killin' it.
Checking in on the show via Youtube while I was offstage.
Afterparty!