Sometimes the choice for who should be part of your productions comes so clearly and easily as you sit there watching all audition. The right person has the right partner and all of the doors of the play begin to open – and you can rest knowing the momentum is there. Sometimes this is not so easy. You are squinting and squinting and doing all you can to see the roles fill in. Sometimes it seems as if you are looking through funhouse mirrors. Sometimes it feels like looking through a dense covered in vaseline to see if anyone sparks with the text. It makes for a long night or two or three.
However those days are months away. Now I am at the very beginning of the process. Now I am at the ordering of the scripts, securing a costumer, playing with colors and shapes. One of the necessary steps at this point of the process is to find a stage manager or two to lead the organization of the process and set the tone for the rehearsals to come. Often this choice is even more difficult then casting a show. You have to find a student or two that is very smart, very intuitive, and good with people. Leadership among students is a tricky affair. It is so easy to become that power monger that turns the entire cast rebellious – or to become that milk toast leader that has no opinion and has no ability to corral others into productive work. You want the book smart student AND you want the people person. Often this doesn’t come in the same package.
For the past several days I have been scanning through all of the students I have had in my head trying to find some new combination that would both really benefit from the experience and be able to offer a lot to the process. So many different possibilities. Then it struck me. I had a young lady in my play analysis class last year that just LOVED plays; you could see her lapping up every moment of the script with eyes wide open to all of the possibilities. She spoke boldly of her opinions of the play – and even more impressively, asked great questions! I LOVE a student with great questions. This year in theatre history as I watch various groups dream, plan and rehearse their projects I am taking a silent inventory of everyone’s strength and areas needing growth. I saw her lead the group through some moments. I saw the others in the group respond. I had a leader – smart, curious and a people person. I was set.
I asked her today to be part of helming the show. She agreed. We are in business.