Just before opening, we asked James Kassees (Antonio/Thurio) to share his thoughts about the tech week process for THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA and what he was looking forward to with opening night.
July 11, 2013
Humans are storytellers. Why else would so many people work so hard for so long to produce a play, to tell a story that’s been told countless times all over the world for more than 400 years? We need to share stories with each other. Excessive heat, oppressive humidity and eyeball-targeting bugs can’t stop us.
Tech week proves this.
Tech week for Two Gents has been grueling, tedious and immensely rewarding. Each person involved is a dedicated storyteller and craftsperson. They’re not just working hard under sometimes difficult conditions, they’re enjoying it! Finessing every word, every movement, every hairpin in a tightly orchestrated effort to get the story across clearly and compellingly. Repeating, reviewing and revising. Sweating like quarter horses. And maintaining good cheer! Everyone is gracious and helpful and ready to crack a joke.
We’re all looking forward to drawing a field full of Shakespeare fans into our tale of the vagaries of young romance. But up to this point, the reward is in the work itself. It’s the rush of endorphins we feel when we capture and convey all the little moments that flow together to push the story forward. It’s the little discoveries we make in clarifying those moments. It’s the joy of telling a good story. Because that’s what humans do.
OTHER REHEARSAL UPDATES
Emilie Krause’s First Week of Rehearsals
Adam Darrow’s Second Week of Rehearsals
Clare Mahoney’s Third Week of Rehearsals
