You Never Know

A few weeks ago I took a trip back east to visit my sister in DC and some friends in NYC. The main purpose of the trip was to see friends, but I had scheduled some time to see a reading of my friend Doug DeVita’s play, BBQ.

I had read the first few pages of the play before, so I had an idea of what to expect. I already had an actor in mind for the male lead, and it was quite interesting that the gentleman reading the part was the “same type”. That was definitely a good omen!

Needless to say, the reading went very well. I loved the play and the actors that read the parts. The reading was followed by a lively discussion afterwards where we all gave our feedback. It was a little surreal for me to be doing that in New York City with professional actors.

Late that night, after the party that followed, sitting in the living room over a great conversation I decided to produce BBQ next year. As Doug puts the finishing touches on the script, I am now on task: fundraising, finding a space, scheduling, and the getting those rushes of adrenaline again.

Who would’ve thunk six years ago when I first logged into BroadwayWorld that it would lead to this? For now, visit our page for BBQ and stay tuned for casting and production dates.

BBQ

“If we’re lucky, the people we loved – parents, friends, lovers, whatever – stick around until we’re ready for them to leave. If we’re lucky, they leave before things become impossible. But the trick is to recognize that precise moment of change, to be able to gracefully let go of a past that may never have been the way you want to remember it, and to embrace a present that is just dying for change.”

Philip and Barbara have been friends since they were 5 years old. Now nearing 50, the only thing keeping their friendship alive may just be its longevity, as they come to realize that each is not the person they believe and/or want the other one to be during one intense Sunday afternoon barbeque.


Pre-production Developmental Reading

Monday, May 21, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Location: Illsley Ball, Nordstrom Recital Hall (Backstage) at Benaroya Hall. Enter at the Artist Entrance located on 2nd Ave. at Benaroya Hall
Directed by Roy Arauz
Admission: FREE

Featuring Greg Brisendine, Jeff Church, Frances Hearn, and Carissa Meisner Smit

About The Playwright

Doug DeVita has written the books for two musicals which were produced at Vital Children’s Theatre in New York: The Tempest (music and lyrics by Brian Allan Hobbs) and As You Like It (music and lyrics by Paul Johnson). His play Just A Rumor (co-written with Gary Lyons) was a semi-finalist at the Eugene O’Neil Playwright’s Conference and has had developmental readings at New York’s Abingdon Theatre Company and London’s Menier Chocolate Factory. Other plays include Confessions of a Serial Egg Donor, Things Seen, Gold Diggers of the 1, 2 & 3, and Something To Dance About (the last two also co-written with Mr. Lyons.) Mr. DeVita is a proud member of The Dramatists Guild of America.

Theater Superstitions

I’ve always been intrigued by theater superstitions. I have a few of my own, yet I had never bothered to investigate them. A few weeks ago, though, theatre superstitions came up in conversation, so we decided to look them up and came across an article on the top 10 theater superstitions. It was quite interesting to see the origins of most of the superstitions, many of which are derived from very pragmatic traditions.

Some superstitions I had never heard of (Blue? Three?), and it was nice to see that at least one of the superstitions was debunked by my favorite show (mirrors.)

Even though I am not usually a superstitious person, when it comes to theater, there are certain habits that I tend to observe almost obsessively:

Greeting the Public in Costume

Meeting the audience while in costume is a big no-no for me. I don’t remember where I first got that ingrained in my system, but I do not allow actors working on a show of mine to meet the audience after the show while wearing their stage costume.

Crossing the Proscenium Before and After a Show

For me it’s like that fourth wall that must remain. I think I got this one at the same time as the costume one. After a show, actors should always use either a stage door or a side door, and not cross through the stage to meet the audience. Granted, I understand there are plenty of instances when this is impossible due to the layout of the space. It still makes me squirm.

Using Real Money

I understand this has its origin in safety: it would be tempting for thieves to break in and steal the real money. Also, for legal reasons, I make sure that the money used on-stage is clearly fake by making it the wrong size and putting watermarks on it.

What are your theater superstitions?