2 Weeks Out!!!

We are almost 2 weeks out from opening night, ladies and gentlemen. Who's ready?

It's a scary time for a theatre group, to be 2 weeks away from opening. Kevin King (our technical director) and I were talking last night, and he said "I feel like we're behind, but if you think about it, in the old theatre we wouldn't have even been in the space yet, so I guess we're actually ahead!"

It's true. When 2nd Flight was just 2nd Flight, and we performed at the Cramer Center in Manassas, we wouldn't even move into the space until 2 weeks before the show went up (which would be this coming weekend). We'd build stuff ahead of time, but we wouldn't be able to really put it together until we were in the space.

And I have to say, this set is going to kick butt. Right now it's not painted or anything, it's just the skeleton, but it's awesome. Mad props to Kevin and Rick Wilson (our other technical director) and all the others who helped work on it so far (Theresa Bender, Brittany Washington, Asher Miller, Michael Schaaff, Kevin's dad Mike, and I'm sure there are others but these are the people I have actually seen working on it).

On another tech-related note, if you ever need cheap fabic, go to Wal*Mart. Their dollar-a-yard racks have costumed more shows for me than I can count. Go in with an open mind regarding color and weight of the fabric, and you're bound to find something that will work really well. Don't go in planning to be picky; you'll never find exactly what you want. Looking for something specific in the dollar-a-yard rack is like looking for a vintage Versace evening gown at the Sterling Goodwill. Not gonna happen.

That's about all I've got for today, but I have it on good authority that I may have some fodder for a Thursday update coming my way. I won't make promises, since it's not within my control whether or not the photos I've been told of appear in my inbox, but if they do, there will be an exciting story about the making of a certain special prop.

In the meantime, here are a couple more rehearsal photos, courtesy of Traci J. Brooks.

I actually watched this in rehearsal, and in person, it was even funnier than this picture. Poor Tara and Dan were trying to sing lovingly to each other, paper in hand, while Dan grabs Tara's butt to keep her from falling. Without the paper, she'll be able to hold on better, so he won't have to grip so hard, so it won't look as funny. But in rehearsal, it made me laugh.

This is one of two classic Ryan onstage poses. The other pose looks like Superman posing on top of a building with his cape billowing in the wind (though usually there's no billowing cape, for Ryan). When I go to see Ryan onstage, I always look for these poses -- I don't think it's on purpose that he does them, it's just that the roles I've seen him in lend themselves well to these "I'm singing very passionately out ot the audience" types of poses. I'm not making fun of you, Ryan. You know I love you.


A rare tender moment between Ivy and Nadia. I'm not entirely sure if this is actually Ivy and Nadia, or Juliet and the Nurse, but regardless, it's one of the few times Brittany's character isn't calling Tara's character a ho-face.

And finally, we have a not-so-tender moment between Ivy and Jason. Ivy looks like she's about to stab him in the face, then laugh about it. I'm not 100% sure what's actually going on here, but I can tell you that Ivy does not actually stab Jason in the face. Unless Debbie took some interesting directorial liberties that I'm not aware of. Which I don't think she did.

That's all for this particular update Tuesday! Come back on thursday and see if Asher sent me what he was supposed to (and if he didn't, you'll know it's his fault you don't have a story, not mine!).

Update Tuesday strikes again!!!

I promised two updates, so two updates ye shall have.

In this update, pictures from rehearsal!!!

Director Debbie Niezgoda offers direction (cuz that's what directors do, ideally) to actor Dan Plehal (Jason). I think he looks like he's not paying any attention, but I'm sure he's actually committing her every word to memory; right, Dan?

Photo credit: Traci J. Brooks

Ryan Khatcheressian (Peter) and Dan look very studious. Dan must be taking better notes, though, cuz his hand is moving faster. Step it up, Ryan!

Photo credit: Traci J. Brooks

Assistant Director B. Keith Ryder and Stage Manager Colleen Stock (greatest stage manager ever, from what I can tell) take notes. Lots of note taking going on at rehearsals. Kinda makes you wonder if they ever actually sing or dance or act, doesn't it?

Photo credit: Traci J. Brooks

Yes, they DO rehearse! Here, Ryan practices being a hummingbird while the rest of the cast practices choreography for "Rolling".

Photo credit: Brittany Washington

Meet the Cast of "bare": Part Three!!!

So, I don't have the script on me, and I know for a fact that the new CCT/2FT website (http://www.cct2ft.com/, for those who don't know) has the cast listed out of order, and my stupid computer isn't letting me access 2nd Flight's old site, so I'm just going to post these in whatever order I want to!

First, I would also like to mention that I am FINALLY going to make it out to rehearsal tonight -- about freaking time, too. I'm skipping class to go, since I ended up digging through costumes at Chantilly High School on Saturday instead of measuring inseams like I had planned to be. So, tonight's the night. Ryan, better prepare, I will have to touch you. Sorry.

And now ... let's meet more cast members!!!

Name: Traci J. Brooks, but my partners in crime refer to me as "Trey"
Role: I play Diana, the "naive Asian." It's one of those stretch roles.

What are some of your favorite past roles? Mayor Maggie in Bat Boy: The Musical (CCT), a dancing student revolutionary in Footloose (LTA) and Liat in South Pacific (LSDT).

If you could play any role you haven't yet played, what would it be? When I win my Tony, I would be thrilled for it to be for my stellar performance of Eponine in Les Miserables, the emotional Cathy in Last 5 Years or bratty Marcy in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Or all three at once!

What do you do when you're not doing theatre (day job, hobbies, etc.)? I'm lucky enough that my day job DOES involve theater! I was the Music Director for Lopez Youth Performing Arts Company in Reston for their 2008 production of Seussical, Jr., aand I'm the Acting Teacher for their drama camps this summer. I'm pretty computer-oriented (my Mac is never far from me), and I love graphic design, web design, Photoshop and Facebook. Other than that, I am a professional student, a advanced amateur photographer and gormandizer of all things music.

(Erin says: Gormandizer is my new favorite word, as of this moment. And for that, Traci is my favorite cast member today!)

Anything else we should know about you? I am thrilled to be a part of CCT/2FT in their inaugural production as CCT/2FT! My brother's name is Jason, which makes this "You and I" fun to sing his name over and over ... and ask if he has a date for prom ...? Oh, and I'm allergic to poison ivy ... hmmm does that mean Ivy (the character played by Tara Moore), and I don't get along? Table work time!

And finally, what is one thing that people would not guess about you upon first meeting/seeing you (can't be something you've said already; make it good – "I'm allergic to cats" is lame, but "I once worked as a dancer in a vampire theme bar" is awesome!)? I love hugs, but I hate massages. They make me tense- which I'm pretty sure is NOT their goal.

Name: Janelle Delaney

Role: Tanya

What are some of your favorite past roles? Chiffon (Little Shop of Horrors), Cinderella (Into the Woods), Mama Euralie (Once on This Island)

If you could play any role you haven’t yet played, what would it be? My dream would be Aida , Dorothy in The Wiz or any part in Dreamgirls

What do you do when you’re not doing theatre? I work 2 jobs ; Online Resources and Coach. I am a major movie buff so watching movies is my favorite. Shopping, sleeping, laughing, cooking, eating (I’m a big foodie!) and generally having fun.

Anything else we should know about you? I am a constant source of entertainment but usually not on purpose … it’s just who I am!

And finally, what is one thing that people would not guess about you upon first meeting/seeing you? I have been trying to answer this question for over an hour … I can’t think of anything!

(Erin says: Ooooh, that means I get to create something!!!! Ummmmm ... Janelle once participated in a V8 Wrestling Match for charity. Ew, gross.)

Name: Richelle “Rikki” Howie
Role: Sister Chantelle

What are some of your favorite past roles? Narrator - Joseph... Dreamcoat, Vera Charles -Mame, Muzzy Von Hossamere - Thoroughly Modern Millie, Kate - Wild Party, Sarah Friend - Ragtime, Momma Rose - Gypsy, DeeLee - Smokey Joe's Cafe, Charlene - Ain't Misbehavin', Director of The Piano Lesson

If you could play any role you haven’t yet played, what would it be? Deena - Dreamgirls, Cassie - A Chorus Line, Roxie - Chicago

What do you do when you’re not doing theatre? Management consultant to the gov’t. I have over 100 pair of shoes and have a shoe shopping addiction and a Family Guy addiction.

Anything else we should know about you? I cook a killer death by chocolate dessert; I’m busier than a one-armed paper hanger at a wallpaper convention with theatre, usually doing 3-4 shows at once. It keeps me sane.

(Erin says: Oy. I struggle with one show at a time and all the other crap going on in my life. Rikki, you are a rock star.)

And finally, what is one thing that people would not guess about you upon first meeting/seeing you? I worked in a theme park outdoor show as Yogi Bear, Cindy Bear, Scooby Doo, and George Jetson in Charlotte, NC, and one show Yogi became decapitated by mistake and I scared a group of kids when Yogi's head rolled off the stage into the audience and I hear "Oh no!!! Yogi’s a black girl!!!!” Trust me, it was hilarious. All characters onstage and singers lost it!!!

Meet the Cast, Part 2!

So my original plan was to just run on down the cast list as it's listed in the script, but I'm going to deviate from that slightly today. I had a special request for more of my witty writing from my favorite (and possibly only) loyal reader, Michael Schaaff ... who also happens to be in the cast! So he's getting bumped up a little bit, and is in fact today's very first cast member to be interviewed!

(Right now Michael's my favorite because he's the only loyal reader I know of, and because his picture is pretty freaking awesome. And, you know, he seems to be a pretty cool guy. But if YOU want to be the next Michael Schaff, tell me! I like mail, I like comments, and mostly, I like embarrassing pictures from people who will let me post them on the internet! Maybe I can make this a weekly contest ... )

(I just got an email from Michael that Brittany is also a loyal reader, but since she was supposed to be posted today anyway, I figured I'd give her a special shout-out right here. Holla! ... Yeah, I really just typed that. *hangs head in shame*)

Enough about me. Let's hear about Michael and Brittany and Brian!

Name: Michael Schaaff
Role: Alan

What are some of your favorite past roles? Ken de la Maize – The Musical Comedy Murders of the 1940s

If you could play any role you haven’t yet played, what would it be? Princeton/Rod – Avenue Q (pipe dream, I know, but I’d love to do it)

What do you do when you’re not doing theatre (day job, hobbies, etc.)? I’m a Quality Assurance Engineer for Honeywell. I like to go to the movies, play video games, board games, sleeping (that’s my favorite), dining out, and causing shenanigans when with my friends.

Anything else we should know about you? I like long walks on the beach (bet you get that a lot ... Erin says: You know, I do, actually, everyone wants me to walk on the beach with them), cooking outdoors, dodging traffic, being sarcastic, making a scene in public, and I’ll do just about anything for a laugh (I’ve ordered diet water at a restaurant and they came back to say “I’m sorry sir, we don’t offer that here”).

(Erin says: Those waiters are stupid. Really, really stupid. All water is diet, duh!)

And finally, what is one thing that people would not guess about you upon first meeting/seeing you (can’t be something you’ve said already; make it good – “I’m allergic to cats” is lame, but “I once worked as a dancer in a vampire theme bar” is awesome!)? I’ve dressed up as Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Superman (full spandex) …not necessarily for Halloween, and looked damn good I might add. (Erin says: Heck yeah, you did! I have the Superman picture somewhere, but for whatever reason, gmail won't find it for me. If it decides to give it back to me, I'll post that one here too ... the world needs more men in spandex.)

(Michael was kind enough to resend!)

Name: Brittany Washington (headshot credit: Traci J. Brooks)

Role: Nadia

What are some of your favorite past roles? I've only just hopped back into theatre this year for the first time since I was in middle school, so I don't really have anything to choose from!

If you could play any role you haven't yet played, what would it be? Cathy (The Last Five Years), Helen (Fat Pig), Olive Ostrovsky (Putnam County Spelling Bee), the list goes on but I'll spare you.

What do you do when you're not doing theatre? I'm a receptionist for a company where the phone rings about twenty times an hour max, so I basically get paid for not falling asleep at my desk. It's a pretty sweet gig. (Erin says: You have no idea how jealous I am. No idea. Seriously, her gchat message just said she's watching "Juno" ... at work. I hope her boss isn't reading this.)

Anything else we should know about you? I am pathetically reliant on my TiVo, enjoy singing in the shower, overuse my flat iron, and am a terrible cook unless the only thing you like to eat is toast -- in which case, I can totally hook you up.

And finally, what is one thing that people would not guess about you upon first meeting/seeing you? When I was six, I desperately wanted to become one of the Barney kids -- I knew the words to all of the songs and had my own purple stuffed dinosaur and everything. Obviously it never quite worked out... not that I'm totally bitter or anything.

The other, less-awesome Britney. This was the placeholder headshot until we got a real one, but Brittany and I decided that it still needed to be in here, since when it comes down to it, she and Brit-Brit are essentially the same person.

Name: Brian M. Garrison
Role: Matt

What are some of your favorite past roles? ‘Puck’ in William Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream is my all-time favorite … so far. There’s nothing better than playing a mischievous fairy decked out in glitter and bells. (Erin says: It's so true. And again, I'm so jealous. I don't have nearly enough opportunities to wear glitter and bells in my life.) Portraying the ‘Dauphin’ (Prince of France) in Henry V was another awesome experience. I love any role that allows me to speak French and partake in a brutal sword fight. Outside of Shakespeare, ‘Linus’ in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown was a ton of fun and my friend made me a blanket for the show. I stopped carrying it to work, but I still sleep with it sometimes. And ‘John Landis’ in Fifth of July was probably the toughest dramatic role I’ve taken on to date. John was a very complex individual with very complex circumstances. He’s the antithesis of me in almost every way, but the experience was priceless.

If you could play any role you haven’t yet played, what would it be? I definitely have a list going: ‘Henry Jekyll’ in Jekyll & Hyde. ‘Mark’ in Rent. ‘Matthew’ ‘Mark’ or ‘Luke’ in Altar Boyz. ‘Adam’ in The Shape of Things. ‘Irwin’, ‘Dakin’ or ‘Scripps’ in The History Boys. I also want a part in any future M. Night Shyamalan film.

What do you do when you’re not doing theatre? Acting is my passion and I would prefer to put it first in my life. (Insert shameless plug here: If anyone wants to subsidize my acting career please feel free to contact me!) I’m a project analyst (accountant) for a telecommunications integrator during the sun-filled hours of the day. It pays the bills and I like my co-workers a lot, but it’s not the love of my life. I also like to hang out with my friends, travel, eat at great restaurants, write the never ending screenplay, party-party-party in DC & NYC, shop, play video games, see a lot of live theatre and spend quality time at home with Netflix.

Anything else we should know about you? I’m in an improv troop called ‘Mission Impromptu’. I’m a ‘totally fierce’ cook and avid wine drinker. I’m also ‘Godfather’ (Erin says: Godfather like Marlon Brando? Cool!) to my best friend’s son, Alex, who just turned 1 in May. In the very near future, I plan to move to New York City to further pursue my acting career.

And finally, what is one thing that people would not guess about you upon first meeting/seeing you? I dated a dancer in a vampire theme bar … Wait, no, um … When I have the time, I still read comic books and collect action figures.

And they're off!

So the cast has been rehearsing for about a week now, and things seem to be going smoothly!

Last week we had a cast meet 'n' greet at Tara Moore's (Ivy) house. I hear everyone got along great and had a lot of fun mingling -- I got there late as I had dinner plans that I had made before I knew about the meeting, so I missed the fun part and was just there for the administrative stuff where everyone got their scripts and talked about how this is going to be a lot of work but SO MUCH FUN!

Rehearsals so far seem to be very music-oriented at this point, which is good, as it's a pop opera (i.e., not much dialogue).

One day soon I'll start posting some cast interviews!

Oh, and yesterday was also Technical Director Kevin King's birthday -- Happy Birthday, Old Man! ;)