The first rehearsal

In a few short days I will be landing in the world of academia, well actually, on the campus of academia for my first foray into the worlds of Notre Dame, Cole Porter and the "concert version of a musical." Several months ago I was cast in the dual roles of Fred/Petruchio in Cole Porter's play-within-a-play Kiss Me, Kate.

Because this is a concert version, the rehearsals are minimal, but that does not mean the workload is any less. In addition to the wonderful tunes (and it seems Fred/Petruchio has a lot to say,) there is the dialogue as Fred (the producer of a musical version of Taming of the Shrew) and the character he plays Petruchio, the lead in Taming of the Shrew.

Even though we will be using music stands and minimal staging, I feel that it is my duty to go into the first rehearsal as memorized as possible. My reasoning is quite logical: 1) As one of the professional actors and one of the leading characters I think it is important to show that professionals come as prepared as possible. 2) the girl who is singing Lilli/Katherine is AMAZING and I don't want to look like a slob next to her.

Speaking of the first rehearsal, there is always a bit of anxiety mixed with excitement. It is the first time we all get to meet our colleagues, hear what they've done with the role and get the reminder that putting together a show is more than our own individual part.

The wonderful thing about my experiences in opera and musical theatre is that I am familiar with both sides of the cloth. In opera, the first rehearsal is usually a sing through and the singer is expected to be completely memorized and prepared as no one uses a score during the staging process. In musical theatre it often the practice to use the script/score during the first rehearsal which could be a read-thru, a sing-thru or some combination of the two.

Excitement aside, there is the anxiety of being perceived as "good" by ones colleagues and if nervousness has set in, it can make those first few minutes before you open your mouth, completely nerve-wracking. To help me with this, I remember an old trick Mike Brady (of the Brady Bunch.) He told Marcia to imagine her driving instructor in his underwear. This really levels the playing field and makes me not take myself or the situation too seriously. It's also absolutely hilarious.

The first rehearsal is a mix of emotions and yet it is also one of the best parts of the rehearsal process as it means that in a few short weeks (or one week in this case,) a show is going up and you get to be a part of something that brings together a wealth of talent for a moment in time.

Peace,

Eric