I had a very interesting day.
Today was the last day spent in the rehearsal room at Signature. No more rehearsals to be held in the cramped quarters that it holds. When rehearsal was over, they brought out beer, and we all signed the wall of the room.
I reminisced about all of the time I have spent in that room in the past 6ish years.
I remember my first audition for Gypsy, where I auditioned for Tulsa in Gypsy, and lifted Baayork Lee all around the room during an improv dance audition. I set her down after carrying her all around the rehearsal hall, and she said, "Well, he has the strength!!".
I didn't get the part. I understudied it and played Yonkers.
My first show there.
Also, during the audition for that show, my pants split right in the crotch area. I had red, white, and blue undies on. I tied a hoodie around my waist to hide my technicolor crotch. She said, "Stephen, please take off that hoodie from your waist so I can see the line of your body". I told her in front of a room full of people that I had ripped my pants. She said, "I know, I saw, but do it anyway."
Thank god I got in the show. Humiliation without payoff is just unfortunate.
I remember working on Grand Hotel, Hedwig, 110 in the Shade...
Eric telling me when to "drink the red bull" as Jimmy...(when to turn my frantic energy up to 120%...
To Donna and I having hysterics during Allegro rehearsal, and Donna pulling her "schmata" over her head to conceal laughter.
Boot Camp sessions during One Red Flower. God, what terror when the lights were shut off and he wanted us to be totally quiet...
In Pacific Overtures, during "4 Black Dragons", we all focused on a point in the audience that was represented in the rehearsal room by an Anise Bear pinned to the wall with a magic marker's circle around it.
All of the genius minds who have been in this room over the past 13 years.
Not sad to say goodbye to the confines and restrictions of this room, but just an interesting feeling to let go of a part of the old Signature...
Here's to the new.
Luv,
SGS
2 comments:
I was tickled to see the new
SIGNATURE letters on the new building in Shirlington! Some of us Cabaret kids ate at Cap City and I drove them around to see the outside of your new digs. Congrats to all of you! It's very exciting!
Fred
Ya know, I sort of felt something in my gut react to your post. I guess I'm just reacting to the significance of the move, at least through my own eyes and my own heart. Can't quite put my finger on it. Of course, I can't claim to have been in that room anywhere NEAR as many times as yourself, and I'm not exactly sad either, but at the same time there was/is just something about the shifting of identities, the shedding of the experience of being stuffed inside that quaint yet undeniably warm (at least to me) garage.
Hopefully I'll make it down to see your show?
~HNIC
Post a Comment