Stories of 'Angels'

As we get closer to opening our production of Angels in America, we will feature personal stories about the play. Today we have our first story about how Angels played an important role in how theatre is a part (or became a larger part) of the author's life.

We welcome the words of Willie Repoley. Willie is frequent actor on our stage and will be playing the role of Prior Walter in our upcoming production of Angels. Here's what he had to say:

"I posted something on the NCSC blog in 2007, when we presented this play as the very first (For)play reading. It has now been three years since that posting, and 10 years since I first performed in the play (as Louis) at Guilford College. That makes it about 15 years since I first experienced the play, at Charlotte Rep.

It seems so unlikely that a single play would keep showing up in my life, and even more unlikely that I would be just as excited to approach it each time. After all, plenty of plays -- or songs or artists or you-name-it -- that once seemed vital and full of life now strike me as ordinary or even boring. What is is about Angels in America? Why does this play still seem so revelatory?

It's hard to say exactly or concisely, but I'll try. I left the theatre after seeing Millennium Approaches at the Rep in a state of amazement, and said to my dad, who took me, "That's why." It was the best I could articulate what had just happened at the time, but years later, I can recognize how seeing the play literally changed the trajectory of my life. Now that I knew firsthand what people meant by "the power of theatre," I knew that I wanted to share in making theatre that had the potential of affecting people in serious and profound ways. So, that's why.

It's also an unusual play in the sense that it is set so precisely in time, this moment in the mid- 80's when Reagan was president and AIDS was an almost wholly unknown and terrifying modern plague. Plays that are tied so closely to one snapshot of time run the very real risk of growing dated. No one wants to perform --or come see-- a play that doesn't feel like it matters anymore. And Angels is also about very specific people, all of whom are removed by at least a degree or two from "mainstream" America-- the lone WASP? He's gay. The white Army widow? She's Mormon. The black male nurse ex-drag queen? Well, you get the idea. But the relationships between these people are as vivid and emotionally engaging as if every one of them were a close family member or dear friend. When I first saw it, the play made me feel like a better citizen of the world and a more powerful inhabitant of the good old US of A, even though the world of the play was fairly far removed from my own life and my own experience. It is remarkable to me that a story about a particular time that is reasonably meaningless to me personally (I was 8 in 1986), and about characters have little to do with me personally are so well constructed and so true to themselves, that they can still engage me is such a visceral, immediate way. So that's why.

What can I say? The play challenges me, and engages me, and pushes me, and comforts me, and makes me cringe, and makes me laugh, and makes me sit on the edge of my seat in giddy excitement at my good fortune to be involved again with this story, and with these characters. I think it is one of those rare plays that actually helps me see me. Like, say, Hamlet: I'm never going to be in his situation, but experiencing his struggle engages me in not only his story, but, if it is done well, in my own. I think it is Alfred Hitchcock who is credited with saying something like, "If you want to be universal, be specific." It sounds strange, but when someone gets it right, it makes perfect sense, and for me Angels in America is about as right as it gets. It is very specific on every level: the time, the place, the people, even the language and punctuation of the play itself. And in risking making the play inaccessible to a wider audience, Kushner actually has allowed it to be much bigger than the sum of its parts. So, that's why.

I'm pretty much scared out of my mind to start work on the play with the specific goal of playing Prior Walter, who on the surface is very unlike myself. Where do I start? How do I present him honestly, coming from such a different place? I don't know. But I do know that the answers will be found in the rehearsal room with the help and hard work of not only myself, but of the entire cast and crew, and of course Angie. And ultimately, I know that the truth of Prior is already there, in the words, and in the very real connections he has with all the people and situations of his life. And I know, I have absolute faith, that I can trust in that.

And that's why, too.

I hope this play keeps showing up in my life. I will always be ready to visit it again. Let's get started. See you on the other side."

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Many thanks go to Willie for sharing his Angels story. If you have a story to share about Angels, please share it with us! Contact Lauren at laurenkriel@ncstage.org to do so.

Keep checking in every Monday (and mid-week, too) 'cause we'll have more stories, pictures, designer sneek peaks and interviews coming up in the next month. Thanks for reading!

Cryptic Rave

Jim Cavener is no spoiler. He takes great pains to praise the production without giving away the plot in his Citizen-Times review of Caryl Churchill's A Number.
-Ron Bashford

"It's like Mamet, but better." -Charlie Flynn-McIver

Following Friday night’s performance of A Number, the actors, Charlie Flynn-McIver and Graham Smith, and the director, Ron Bashford invited audience members to a question-and-answer session in the lobby of NC Stage. Patrons used this opportunity to ask questions about the play and compliment the performers. Topics which were brought up included questions about the playwright, Caryl Churchill, choices that the actors made, the intimacy of doing the show in-the-round, how performances will progress over the next few weeks of the run, along with many praises.

In relation to inquiries about Churchill, Ron mentioned that her plays are relatively serious and challenging, which is why they are not performed as often as other productions. An audience member asked about spacing between lines in reference to the moments of silence on stage. An interesting fact about this play is that there are no pauses written into the script, which a patron would obviously not be aware of unless they had read it prior to viewing the show. Ron mentioned, “She doesn’t write pauses, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want them.” Charlie also commented that a lot of the communication is conveyed through silence. The majority of the patrons responded with positive remarks on the intimacy of the seating around the stage. One audience member felt she could feel the tension more by being closer to the actors. Graham said that if there was a further distance things that happened in the play would loose meaning. A member of the audience pointed out the density of the text and complimented the richness of the production by comparing it to a flourless chocolate cake. He also noted that the actors were not condescending and felt that the audience was treated equally during the performance. Another patron stated that Caryl Churchill might be the greatest living playwright and expressed her appreciation to NC Stage for producing one of her plays.

The final rehearsal for A Number took place last Friday afternoon (4/17). The actors are now on their own to facilitate the growth of the show through performances only. One audience member told the cast that he is planning to view the show again during the final week to witness its evolution. I personally feel that those who attend a performance of A Number should see it more than once to truly appreciate Churchill’s writing as well as Charlie and Graham’s immense talent in playing these roles. I also encourage patrons to hang around the lobby after the show to talk with the actors and the crew who welcome questions and comments about the play. They may seem intimidating on stage, but don’t be fooled, they are all very friendly and inviting and are open to discussing this intense drama.

-Elizabeth Dacy

Dress Rehearsals – The Final Stretch

The first dress rehearsal for A Number this past Sunday (4/12) was preceded by Ron’s notes for the actors. Charlie and Graham ran through a few scenes that still needed some work during which Ron asked them how they felt about certain moments or lines. I was able to observe earlier during the time when the actors’ movements were carefully planned and thought out. Now, the sequences of their actions are effortless as though they were not premeditated or discussed, but are spontaneous. Each individual move is not structured, of course, but staging is difficult because of the arena style seating in the theatre, referred to as “in the round”. There is still constant questioning and revisions of the staging due to this seating arrangement choice. Ron watches closely to the actors’ movements and placing making sure that they are not obstructing audience members’ views for long sequences. Changes also occur in smaller ways which drastically alter the effectiveness of a scene. Sometimes the actors run through a section and it works cohesively, then go through it again and it feels wrong to either them or Ron, but they all typically agree when they sense that something isn’t working. I find often that after I watch them run through a scene it looks perfect from my perspective, then Ron changes a minor step or one of the actors decides to change their tone of voice and I realize how much more natural the same scene appears after their revisions. It obviously takes experience as an actor/director to know how to recognize these feelings and to know when something looks or feels right. It felt satisfying to watch the first dress rehearsal and view the entire play including lighting and sound from beginning to end. Transitions between scenes are an effective aspect of the play as well. The music suits the tone of story unerringly. The lighting design during transitions reminds me of watching a rhythmic dance. The light rotates in and out from the stage to the back of the audience changing hue while gliding with the music. The sound and lighting designs are both features to admire in this performance.

The night before the opening of the show, NC Stage hosted an event welcoming contributors, members, and many others in the Asheville community to view an invited dress rehearsal. With nearly every seat in the house filled, the acoustics in the theatre sounded much different than they had in the dress rehearsal on Sunday. I noticed that a higher level of emotion came out in Graham and Charlie who both performed brilliantly and intensely. After the show, Ron went over his notes with the cast and crew. They discussed small staging adjustments as well as modifications in lighting and sound refinements. They then ran through the areas that required corrections. The play has its first "Preview" tomorrow night (actually tonight considering I am posting after midnight) and the actors definitely seem prepared and comfortable with all of the elements of the show. Ron, Charlie and Graham will continue to rehearse in the afternoons this week until the official "Opening Night" this Saturday. Just a reminder, dates for A Number are April 15-May 3. This is a unique and powerful performance that is sure to usher contemplation and compassion.

-Elizabeth Dacy

And from the director...

Friday night's performance will be followed by a "talkback" discussion with me and the cast... more info is available at www.ncstage.org.

Also, there's a new "Student Rush" price and policy: a limited number of seats may be purchased at the box office by students with ID for $5 beginning one hour before each performance during the run of the production (subject to availability). Shows are Wednesdays-Saturdays at 7:30, Sundays at 2.

-Ron Bashford

Taking the Next Step

Elizabeth Dacy, our production blogger from Warren Wilson, posts again...

Production for Caryl Churchill's A Number took an exciting turn this week as staging for the play commenced. Staging is a term used in reference to the period in production when the actors and director plan the movements and placement of the characters in each scene of the play. The actors run through their lines as the director advises and facilitates ideas as to where the characters might sit or stand. The director also asks the actors to determine for themselves where they feel their character should walk to or if they feel more comfortable remaining stationary. This process does not sound like as much work as it actually requires. It is imperative that the actors feel justification for each separate movement. They must ask themselves why their character should walk to the opposite end of the stage or what reason might the character have for standing at a certain moment? Staging is a course in production that takes a specific form of concentration and allowing room for constant adjustments.

Rehearsals have now moved to NC Stage from the space the cast had previously been using for table work. The actors are on an actual stage and under lights making the reality of the play itself rise to the next level. The stage has been built in a unique fashion: In his recent blog posts, Ron discusses the design process and the seating arrangement, and how theatre space reflects the themes of the play.

The actors are not quite off book yet, but the energy and life in their characters has begun to take a greater hold. Charlie is playing three separate characters who all have very different personalities. Each one seems to become more individual and defined as rehearsals progress. Graham plays a strong character who has made questionable decisions in the past which he must now explain. It is astonishing how quickly Graham is able to jump into character at the beginning of each run through. I feel as though he becomes a completely separate, distinctive person when a scene begins. His personality is very different than his character’s, but he appears to have little trouble switching into the mind of this role.

It was interesting to observe Ron’s process during the first staging rehearsal. He seemed to be working very methodically. He moved from one section of seats in the audience to the opposite side, his face continually transfixed on the actors on stage. In forty-five minutes Ron changed seats five times. When one of the actors expressed frustration or confusion about the staging for a scene, Ron generally advised them to just go through the lines and see how it felt to move one way or to remain seated. He did not directly tell them what to do or where to go, but instead he allowed room for interpretation. The way a concrete decision is made during the staging process does not occur through one single method, but by understanding how a choice can be made. This generally happens through discussion between the actor and director, allowing the actor to do what feels comfortable or what he thinks his character would do in a particular scene, or going back and figuring out how the previous staging in the scene might affect it later. Directing takes a specific eye and a sense of knowing when something feels right. Personally, I admire the method of directing in this particular play because of the challenge it presents. Churchill did not include any stage directions in the script. Interpretation is everything in this piece. Ron’s method is perfect for a play like this because he does not set anything in stone right away. The actors are always able to go back and change something if it doesn’t feel right later. The show opens in less than two weeks. I have a feeling that the true depth and reality of this play is about to reveal itself. This is sure to be an interesting week for both the cast and crew of A Number.

-Elizabeth Dacy

And a tidbit from director, Ron Bashford:

Here is a recent picture of playwright Caryl Churchill. She is 70 and lives in London. A compilation of reviews from the original production of A Number can be found here. Daniel Craig (a.k.a. James Bond) was in the cast!

Obstructed View

Hey there NC Stage folks! I've got a guest posting this week while I work on opening our run of Stones In His Pockets (See earlier post for the countdown clock) over at the Diana Wortham Theatre. Before I get to our guest, though, just a few things happening at NC Stage. First, our run of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead closed this past Sunday. Thanks to everyone who attended and made up the great crowds that saw this show. Our next Catalyst show is coming up with Lylas sketch comedy. And we're just getting started on scheduling production meetings for A Number by Caryl Churchill. I will be in this one with my good friend Ron Bashford directing.

That's what's going on over at the theatre. That plus a lot of fundraising, grant writing and reporting, etc.

Now on to our guest. Jamie is a tremendous asset to Asheville. She's a teacher and also performs in a lot of theatre around town. We at NC Stage are very grateful for her service as a volunteer. She is there almost as much as Angie and I are!

So here she is and I'll see you next week.


Obstructed View, by Jamie Shell

I usher a lot in and around town, and you can too! It’s a great way to see a ton of theatre without breaking your wallet, though you may have to make the initial investment of white top and black trousers. Anyway, since I do spend a lot of time at several different theatres, I have had the opportunity to note and pass sometimes irrational judgment on the various--and, yet, oh-so-similar--behaviors of theatre patrons. I shall now use my gathered wisdom to make general suggestions to make everyone’s theatre experience a happy one. As I am also a teacher, I will try to state these in the form of positive “do”s rather than negative “don’t”s.

Do! Arrive on time. Arriving on time is so awesome! Arriving on time with extra time to go potty before the play if you tend to need to do so is even better! Arriving with enough time to pick up your tickets AND go to the potty before the curtain speech is planned, should you need to do both of those things, is best of all! Yay punctuality!

Do! Notice quietly and only in your head that, based on their theatre-issued badges, all the ushers appeared to be named Usher! (Like the R&B singer!) Noticing this aloud to the usher is the social equivalent of, like, when someone named Rhonda introduces themselves, and you begin to sing the Beach Boys song that is her namesake. Don’t be That Guy. Oops, no “don’ts”. Do be someone other than That Guy.

Do! Double-check that your mobile communication device is silenced, even if you’re absolutely 100% sure that you turned it off before you got to the theatre. Seriously. I even accidentally left my ringer on once when I was proctoring the SATs. The horror. So, shit happens, but try to let it happen outside of the theatre when people won’t want to shank you for suddenly underscoring The Grapes of Wrath with “My Milkshake Brings All the Boys to the Yard.”

Do! Laugh, cry, and gasp in response to the events of the show (as appropriate and as the spirit moves you). Do also remember the size of the theatre you're in, and adjust other noises/chatter accordingly. Although someone crying out, "It's midnight!" in the middle of a production of Rodgers' and Hammerstein's Cinderella has provided me with part of a fun anecdote for several years now, it can be a bit distracting to the actors if they're close enough to hear what you're saying, and it can be a bit distracting to your fellow audience members if you're not at Amateur Nite at The Apollo.

Do! Clean up after yourselves when you leave! Find an usher and give him or her your program to recycle, or find a pile of similarly purposed playbills and add yours to the stack. If the theatre permits you to bring in food or drink, it typically does so with the hope that the food and drink will not still be there once you are gone. Also, remember: just because a surface is concave, it is not automatically a waste receptacle.

Do! Offer sincere compliments to people involved in the show if you enjoyed yourself. Sure a lot of actors are notorious for not needing egos any more swollen, but many more truly appreciate the feedback and affirmation and are humbly grateful to receive it. Furthermore, if you are one of the people involved in the show, do wait for people to give said feedback of their own volition, or do ask them their opinion only if you truly desire it, no matter what it may be. And do allow your tone and the wording of your question to connote that desire. Same goes for Audience-Member-With-Friend-or-Otherwise-Vested-Interest-in-Show asking Unassuming-Audience-Member-Who-Doesn't-Want-to-be-an-A-hole: "Didn't you love it?????" This is not a neutral question and will typically not garner a truthful response. If you do not like truthful responses, then ignore all of the above.

Do! Find out a little about the show you're going to see if you know you're offended by, well, anything. I was just in a show with numerous walk-outs that needn't have happened if people had taken a few minutes to Wikipeducate themselves beforehand. Walk-outs are kind of fun, but people who really do want to see the show getting to do so and staying the whole time is even fun...ner.

Do! See lots of theatre! I know we all get caught up in our own shows but our own shows can't happen if we neglect to go out and see everyone else's. Support your friends! See your enemies and mock them afterwards! Whatever! Enjoy!

Angie chimes in

I asked Angie to contribute some thoughts from working on R&G.



"If we start talking about toenails, we'll never figure this out." I want to keep a running tally of all the things like that that the circumstances of rehearsing a play lead people to say--the funny and (usually) insightful combinations of words and ideas that just don't seem to crop up anywhere else. Willie said this last week in rehearsal, and it was funny (obviously) and exactly on point as to what his character needed in the scene we were working on.

Theatre people amass mental collections of strange bits of information and odd tricks (like knowing the names of all of Jacob's sons in the Old Testament or being able to play only one song on the mandolin), and it's because over the years, we work on so many different plays that explore different ideas and require different skills. I mean, with this play alone we've discussed the nature of identity, the theory of multiple universes, Hamlet, the law of averages, when the precise moment of maximum humorous impact is for plucking a coin off another person's head, how to make a coin disappear, how to make people disappear, being the agent of your own fate, Samuel Beckett, and how to score tennis. It's an exciting way to spend the day.