The Imagination Blog

The show is over. It was a huge success, a fabulous collaboration that got rave reviews from all who came.  My actors surpassed my wildest wishes, in short, it was great!  The King and I has just completed a record breaking sold out run and I’m going to Disneyworld!  Well maybe not today… today I’m sleeping and eating and writing thank you notes; and missing everybody.

What do you do when a show is over?  Well if you’re like me you realize that you are suddenly faced with empty evenings and it feels very strange.  The making of a performance fills your life.  When I am directing I am either at the theatre or thinking about being at the theatre, creating lists in my head, reviewing what happened the evening before….any number of things related to the current love of my life…the show I’m working on. And then it’s over… you and your great love just broke up.  Your family moved and left no forwarding address……

Anyone who lives this will tell you that this is the actor’s life- ephemeral- which makes it all the more precious.   When a group of people come together to create a performance something magical happens for a time, but the magic has to end and we have to go on to the next show, our day job or whatever our day to day lives brings.  Luckily we go back enriched, and this is why we return again and again to create this thing we call theatre.

I warned the parents of the children in our show about this – I figured the adults already know.  I cautioned them to remember that their children will feel especially lonely for each other.  At the cast party one of our tiniest little girls demonstrated it at the end of the evening.  An older child who had often played with her came up and announced “I’m leaving now”.  Our little Katie had been dancing up and down beaming- suddenly she burst into tears.  Great sobs shook her little body and tears streamed down her face.  The masks of comedy and tragedy played out before my very eyes.  And there it was- this little girl showing all of us what we have been doing- giving our all, sharing our emotions, throwing ourselves into the mix in order to create something together that has meaning- something important that we love- and it’s over!!

Beginnings and endings (dare I quote another King) are part of the circle of life.  I’ve already started work on a fall show, getting the details in place…but I have to admit that I spend part of each day looking at King and I pictures, talking to King and I cast on Facebook and doing any number of things that allows me to gently put down the work I’ve just finished and move on.  I know that this show, like every show I’ve done, will always be a part of me.  I learned and grew doing it, made wonderful friendships, laughed and cried together with folks I really treasure.  Thank you all for supporting me, challenging me and changing me.

I close with heartfelt thanks to the incredible cast and crew of the King and I who gave up their lives for a time to become something more…

Cory

I’ve named this post kaleidoscope- because that is what my life as a director feels like right now- a kaleidoscope of images, impressions, memories and emotions that keeps shifting into beautiful patterns.  Preview night is the first pattern- and it includes nervous jitters, panic moments and moments of laughing out loud.  Vivid pictures slide through my kaleidoscope view screen – the beauty of the ballet- a painting in gold and light thanks to our talented lighting designer Theresa Ridge- the joy of the children thanks to our dear neighbors from Country Meadows who came bearing gifts- small gold wrapped packages for our young actors.  (When I told the children they literally jumped for joy) And then the children accepting their gifts- even our littlest three year olds accepted the presents with a perfect bow of respect.  Then there is our Anna(Patty Cole) and the King (Roger Lentz) - a joy to watch together.  They pull me into the kaleidoscope and I fall in love with this story all over again.   Another image slides into view- our preview night audience spontaneously on their feet applauding the show- a standing ovation at preview night?  Wow!  That’s a memory I will never forget.

Next my kaleidoscope shows our opening night- a swirl of nervous energy. More jitters for my cast, exhaustion from the final polish times, sheer joy from the energy of the crowd and beautiful images from the show.  What entertainment!  Even our stage crew is costumed and changes the scenery in character as royal slaves.

The kaleidoscope of a musical - I see an image of the sign that says “sold out” yippee!  Then I see backstage- folks lined up at makeup tables coloring their hair, chatting about their day.  Funny image as well- my assistant director Megan and myself trying to paint out dark circles under our eyes so we can do our curtain speech looking bright and chipper – a steady stream of our male actors coming to us to ask “how can I get this eye liner off when I get out of here tonight?”  Our fantastic stage manager Jen Feldser carrying around her emergency bag of candy….  I’m convinced our light and sound equipment runs on gummi bears- not electricity!

Then there are the joyous images again. Cast members giving each other little gifts to celebrate, laughter, hugs,  and through it all our costumer Drenda and assistant Barb calmly sewing, sewing, sewing…making the endless repairs and refinements our hundreds of costumes require. All of us are busy avoiding saying what is on everyone’s mind  “do you think they’ll like us?”  and then the response of the crowd- they laughed, applauded, shed a tear- and lept to their feet at the end when Anna and the King bowed.  They liked us!!!

Sometimes people ask me why I do this…now you know.

Life is definitely heating up with King and I in it’s final rehearsals, so I have had little time to write.  My husband is a saint.. but that’s another story.  Although I have few breathing spaces at the moment in which to reflect,  today is one of them, so here goes…

As I think about the show and where we are I can’t stop a big smile from spreading across my face.  What a fantastic show we have!  A living breathing Siam has come to life peopled with wonderful characters.  I know a show is good when the production staff begin to watch it more than comment on it.  I find myself drawn in to this show in that way.  I forget to think about the acting and enjoy the story.  That is the acid test- and the goal of all theatre.  Theatre works best when people can lay aside their own thoughts  for just a few moments and suspend disbelief to be drawn up in another’s life.   When this happens the actors have been successful in creating someone so real that we forget for just a moment they are pretending.

Often as a director I am asked “So how’s the show?”  For this show I can easily answer “Great!” but it is not enough.  I would need to say “enchanting” or “transporting” or more… it has become a work of art.   When I held the first parent/full cast meeting I told the gathered people that this was our goal.  To go beyond rehearsing a play into the realm of making art.  And we have done it!

What is art?  Art to me is about beauty and about expression.  It is about capturing a truth about the human experience.  It is about something that becomes more than the sum of it’s parts.  Art is about creation and sometimes co-creation.

Our King and I has become art.  A true co-creation of many, many kinds of artists.  During the entire process of the show we have made decisions about the characters, the set, the costumes, the lights,  the meaning of the play- through collaboration.  The actors have had full voice in what happens to them and my staff has had full voice as well.  I am very proud that this show  has steered through the delicate task of blending many people’s best work to grow into something beautiful that belongs to all of us:  Cory, Megan, Bill, Jon, Eric, Jen, Drenda, Carlton, Roger, Theresa, Baron AND all 60 cast members created this beautiful art.

If you are reading this and you are one of my wonderful staff thank you!  If you are reading this and you are a parent, spouse or significant other of a cast member thank you!  And if you are reading this and are new to Hershey Area Playhouse- run, don’t walk to get your tickets to a wonderful experience!

I haven’t written since June 5th?  Where has the time gone? The days are flying by filled with the thousands of decisions that go in to producing the beautiful spectacle we call a musical.

This week and the last were filled to the brim as we moved from the blocking phase of the play to cleaning up and filling in the rough spots.   We had to answer such important questions as “how will we get 36 people quickly on stage in the dark- especially when some of them are very little people?  Followed of course by the all important “how will we get said 36 people off stage in the dark?”   Our publicity team of Derek Dunham, Terry Farrell and Brian Baker had to determine “how will we get 60 people photographed in four hours?” and our fabulous stage managers Jen Feldser and Eric Mansilla dealt with the all important “how will we coordinate said 60 people to photography downstairs whilst said 60 people are also needed for rehearsal upstairs?”  Jen was heard to say that she is seriously considering getting a fireman’s pole put in!

Meanwhile set construction has been making magic constructing walls, pillars and niches to resemble soaring palace structures which our scenic artist turns into carpet, marble and mosaic through the magic of paint.

During this hectic time I was required to be out of town for three of the rehearsals- so my assistant director Megan Zimmer made the directing magic for me- working through a maze of scheduling issues and snafus (the June calendar mistakenly listed these rehearsals as ending one hour earlier than they should) to complete the polish, fill in the blanks and smooth out the problems- which she did brilliantly.  I couldn’t have left the show in better hands!

Which meant that I was treated to the delightful experience of returning on Thursday to see a show transformed from the disjointed chaos of the blocking portion of play production to the blossoming beauty of the characterization phase.  During this time a play comes together.  All of the thousands of details begin to gel- and the actors begin to practice their craft, creating the characters who will come to life on stage each night for two and one half hours to tell their story.

I am blessed with hugely talented and experienced actors and dancers, who co-create with Megan and I.  Actors filled with ideas.  Actors willing to work extra hours, stay late (can you say eleven o’clock?  sure I knew you could!) and contribute their ideas.  Actors filled with passion and skill who offer their wonderful suggestions and make our lives easier. Dancers who spend their down time rehearsing in whatever tiny space they have been allotted.  I love you guys!!!

And so … I find myself this week entranced by their work- completely drawn in to the story- laughing aloud, clapping, tearing up… wow!  Magic!

I’ve titled this entry “Living in Pretend Siam” because we are at the stage where we are just about done with the blocking and will soon be beginning to create the splendid imaginary world of Siam.  The set is 2/3′ds in place, waiting for the talents of the scenic painters to bring it to life.  The costumes are stacking up in the dressing rooms (and I mean stacking up- have you ever tried to contain 12 GIGANTIC petticoats and hoop skirts, etc, etc, etc?) The actors are starting to fill their imaginations with the food actors need to create a character - lines, research, sights, sounds and imaginary experiences.  What a busy time!

I thought it might be fun to compare our imaginary Royal Court life with life for the real people of Siam in the late 1800’s.  In my research for this show I ran across a fascinating article from an 1883 edition of the New York Times which gives an account of a British visit to Bangkok.  The author describes attending a royal ceremony in which members of the Siamese court promise their allegiance to the King.  In the story, we read of a huge parade with guards dressed in Tarten plaids woven in the vivid colors of the region.  The King himself arrives in a chair encrusted with jewels,  and the visiting British must scurry down from their vantage point on the temple steps to be sure that their heads are not higher than the King’s.  Boats fill the water ways and comprise a major form of travel- much easier to use than the narrow crowded streets lined with wooden houses.  The city is dominated by several temples with beautifully carved and Buddahs. Servants are described scrubbing the floors of houses with coconut shell halves and children are kept themselves occupied by playing what seems to my modern day sensibilities to be an extended game of team hacky sack!  Although the King greets the visitors with a simple bow, servants and guards crawl towards them on hands and knees- to quote the article “like a crocodile” - as a measure of respect.

I can’t wait to share this find with the cast- who are eager for materials to make their characters inner lives blossom.  You can read some of the fruits of their imagination in this blog.  As promised, I’ve included more of the children’s journal entries.   Just scroll down kids- there are here, really!   (By the way - if anyone wants to see the original article, just cut an paste this link in your browser- but not till you’ve read our blog of course!  http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9F06E3DB103BE033A25751C0A9649D94629FD7C )

It’s been a hectic and crazy week with cast photos, school deadlines and our King,  Roger Lentz, returning from Maldova!  When the cast first saw him enter, we were in the middle of rehearsal of “Getting to Know You”.  Kaylor Long looked up and immediately flung himself to the ground in a bow- followed by all of the wives and children.  Way to go Kaylor! Someone forgot to tell Roger he had to give them permission to get up however, and my dutiful actors lay there until we figured out what they were waiting for.  I guess you could say it’s been a week of ups and downs.  (Yes, pun intended!)

What an awesome crew! You are making my job easy!

Cory

Journal entries:

Dear Diary- I’m nervous about being taught by Anna.  I hope she likes me, because I am not very smart.  I feel very special and honored to be chosen, but I feel I need to get every question right and impress Father and Anna.  I want to be Miss Anna’s star pupil and get to know her very well.  - Chanakarn

Dear Diary- Mrs. Anna just dismissed us from today’s lesson.  She told us Siam is smaller than other countries.  She also taught us about something called snow.  Snow is frozen water that falls to the ground!  I believe Mrs. Anna.  I think she is a smart woman who knows almost as much as my Father does.  Although some of my sisters don’t believe in snow.  They think Mrs. Anna is crazy.  I really want to impress Mrs. Anna with my knowledge.  Maybe if I know everything Father will spend more time with me!  I have to study!  Princess Chanthira (Jamie Wilson)

Dear Diary

Today Father has informed me that I and a few other children will be learning from a school teacher from England.  Her name, Father told me, is Mrs. Anna.  I am upset, yet honored to be chosen.  I feel upset because I will not have much time to walk around in the royal garden.  I am also honored because I was picked out of all of Father’s children to get taught.  I hope that Father and Mrs. Anna get to know me.  I guess that Father understands me, but I thnk he just knows me by my smile.  I hope he realizes that I am not just a Princess, but his daughter.  I am off to the garden!  Fondly, Kaylia

From the Diary of Sukoh Mali (by Juliana)

Today Father announced that a scientific woman from England will come to teach us.  He only chose a few of us, and I was one of them!  Most of my younger brothers and sisters were not chosen, I felt so lucky!  At first, I wondered what a woman could teach my siblings and I.  I mean aren’t women more lowly than men?  Isn’t that what my mother told me?  It is all so confusing!  This woman must be very scientific if my Father has hired her as a schoolteacher!  This afternoon, I heard some of the Amazons talking about Burma.  I know all about the tensions between Siam and Burma.  While they were talking a thought went through my mind.  What if Father has hired this scientific woman to help him resolve the problems with Burma as well as teach my siblings and I!  What other reasons could be more consistent?  She is scientific after all!   Not all of my siblings are enthusiastic about getting a schoolteacher.  I heard one of my older brothers mutter We don’t need a schoolteacher, so why get one?  It’s a waste of money!”  Some of my sisters agreed.  I don’t care.  I look forward to meeting her and learning all she has to teach me!  I can’t wait!

Dear Diary

Today the King/Father/Hero/Lord of Light, picked the children who will get to learn and I am in!  I feel so privleged and I will not Father or Mrs. Anna down.  I will show father that he didn’t do the wrong choice by picking me.  Also today I met Mrs. Anna.  She looks very funny and very nice.  I can’t wait to get started.  - Samoorn (Meigan Mueller)

The King and I is off with a big bang!  More than 124 people auditioned for our fifty some roles- what a huge group of talent to choose from.  It took us a full week of call backs to be sure we gave everyone a fair chance to show us their talent- and of course to match the talented actors in groupings that made sense- be it families, lovers, etc.

A huge thank you to our dedicated staff who made this all run smoothly.  We have an amazing cast and an amazing support staff- it looks to be a fabulous show.  Be sure and check out our first photos of some of the children with Anna by clicking on the King and I icon on our homepage.

This week the focus has been on the classroom scenes, and we are starting to work on creating characters.  Our wives have learned to “stop drop and bow” as soon as the King enters in the ancient way of Siam- to quote the script “crouching like toad”.  Ouch those knees!.  The support staff learned something this week too- ladies in hoop skirts take up twice as much room on stage as actors in regular clothing. We spent last evening redesigning portions of the set to make sure we can handle quick exits in large costumes.

And speaking of children..I began work with the Royal Prince and Princesses last evening- and all were asked to be able to describe their character in three words:  an adjective (who I am) an adverb (how I do things) and a verb (what I want).  Then they wrote a journal entry as their character, telling what they think about the new teacher Mrs. Anna.  The results were awesome! One young actor wrote the following as his character:

“I feel so honored to be chosen by Father to be tutored by Mrs. Anna.  Even though my father the King is a little scary to me, I hope to become one of his favorite childrenby honoring him and doing well with this tutor.  I also hope to impress Mrs. Anna and become one of her most excellent pupils.  My mother said this is a rare opportunity, so I will try to take advantage of this as much as possible.”

and another creative young talent wrote:

“I am excited and determined to be a good student and to take advantage of the opportunity I have been given.  Also, hopefully to get noticed by the King and Mrs. Anna.”

Fabulous character development!  These kids are learning to create a real personality on stage and bring this character to life.

I’ll close this post with a smile… and a testimony to the power of technology.  Our youth actors were assigned the task of researching Thai culture and choosing a Thai name for their character as homework.  By the end of the evening several of them had already found a name; using their down time to search the internet with an iPhone.  Cool!

Cory Wilkerson, director