SCAFFOLDING IN PLACE: in rehearsal for “The Making of a Great Moment”

Well, another play starts. Feeling again, being the nerd, when the neat kids are planning a party, and I get to listen in to the dance numbers.  Of course with a world premier there seems to be much more interaction than last time. As Sean explained, this is a play written for MRT, and the players.  As I watched the interaction of the team I was lead to wonder if Shakespeare as he created plays for his troupe went over the changes of lines, and blocking. There does seem to be a great amount of give and take as the lines and blocking come together between players, director, and playwright. I find it informative as always to be in the rehearsal to see the places where Sean does the direction that is never perceived when seeing the finished product.  The change in tempo in delivering a line, the way the line is delivered, with which mood or emotion required in the performance. Again so wonderful to see the work done to use the props, bicycles here that must be placed at the correct marks, but where are they?  How to move them, how to get the bikes to keep together? At one level I wonder if there should be a play where people experience how the little things are added into the performance.  It may sound silly, but I am reminded of Carl Gauss where it was said: “He is like the fox, who effaces his tracks in the sand with his tail.” Gauss, in defense of his style, said, “no self-respecting architect leaves the scaffolding in place after completing the building.” This seems to be so much of what goes into a play, and the finished performance.  Seeing the effort and subtle changes and improvements is a delight to watch. So much to learn and appreciate when the scaffolding is up before completion.

-Richard Pitkin, Cohort