Musketeers on Arts Zone tonight

From Joanna, Communications Manager

Sorry for all the quiet in the Rep blogosphere. It would seem that the entire theatre has the plague—including me. Conveniently, though, I was on a cross-country road trip all last week during the height of my bronchitis (not convenient for my traveling partner, but c'est la vie. I made it up to her by buying our beer-battered cheese curds in Wisconsin).

Anyway, back on the blog train with this tidbit: Tonight Arts Zone In Studio with Nancy Guppy is doing a little feature on The Three Musketeers. Check it out at 8:00pm on Channel 21.

Dancing With the Stars

From Kiki, Audience Development Intern

I have yet to understand the appeal of ABC's Dancing with the Stars. I mean, I gave it a fair chance. I watched countless child-stars and over-the-hill icons get dressed up in head-to-toe feathered-spandex suits and pathetically parade around to a repertoire of wedding reception classic ditties. I even gasped along with America as Marie Osmond passed out post-samba (I'm guessing Tom Bergeron's cologne might have had something to do with it). But I never quite understood why this show had such a lasting hold on TV viewers. As a devote Lost and The Office fan, I simply wanted more.

And then, I got more.

On Saturday Oct 4th, the Rep held their annual Gala at the Hyatt Hotel. We raised money for our internship program, honored Rep donor and all-around stud Matthew Clapp, and had a few carnies creeping around on stilts. All around a pretty fun night. But once that 80s band started firing up Don't You Forget About Me and Take on Me, all bets were off. The room exploded into a frenzy of peacock feathers and people dancing off the walls. As I whirled and twirled my black jersey baby doll dress I almost lost my footing as I spun around to find none other than Bill Irwin, with a hoard of female interns circling him, jiving up a storm. He was dipping low and jumping high. We made a dance line and he sashayed right down it without missing a beat. He had the biggest grin stretched across his baby face and was quickly turning into the life of the party. I got to dance with my very own star. Jealous much?

I also know for a fact that he got a kick out of it. He was in contact with Sarah Petty, our Assistant Company Manager, and this is what she had to report:

"Bill Irwin mentioned to me that he had a great time with the interns at the Gala. Not only did he express his fondness over the phone, saying they were such a delight, especially with all of the "Gala hub bub," he appreciated being able to relax with them. He also wrote on a little note 'Tell the interns that Beattle songs and Dance lines are a must for their tenure here.'"

*swoon*

Ednotes - The Night Watcher

From Drew, Arts Management Intern

This is Ed Boyd. He works for the Seattle Rep as a Lead Telemarketer. He has obliged to lay down his Cliffnotes variation for our first show, The Night Watcher!

10,984 steps

From Verhanika, Production Management Intern

I have run up and down stairs more this last week that ever in my life. I recently started wearing a pedometer to see actually how many steps I take in a day to run various errands for various departments.

From the perspective of a production management intern, tech (i.e. technical rehearsal) is one of the most exhilarating times of the play-creation process. This is when all of the energy from my land of Production Management—arranging contracts, taking production meeting notes, facilitating the Assistant Production Manager and Production Manager's needs—comes together. We all hope the cosmic forces align and tech goes off without a hitch, but a few bumps are always expected—and necessary—for the learning process.

Before tech started, Diane (the Assistant Production Manager) and I had a conversation about what to expect, what is expected of me and how I should split my attention. She told me that if I have the choice of sitting in Night Watcher tech or Three Musketeers, to always always always pick Three Musketeers. It's just such a bigger production, and she said I would learn more.

She couldn't have been more right. Did she send me there with the intention of learning about theatre? People? People in theatre? Yes, yes, yes.

Three Musketeers has 22 fight scenes in it and a huge number of scenic elements that fly in and out and travel on tracks. Because of the number of things that have to be rehearsed, everyone in the building wants to ensure the safety of the cast and crew in this show. As a result, all the interns are learning a great deal: from how to determine if or when you should or should not offer help, to when to let your particular supervisor have some personal time on their laptop, to what outfit is more appropriate for what tech day (a 10-hour day: yoga pants and T-shirts, first day back after a break, jeans and professional looking tops).

We've also learned that we have a very good-natured, patient cast. If they were any less jovial and fun-loving, tech rehearsals could have been a chore rather than an adventure.

We're not done yet—we're in previews all this week, fine tuning and preparing for the official opening night on Friday. I am sure the learning and walking will continue at a fervent pace- I logged 10,984 steps yesterday, approximately 4 1/2 miles.

Hundreds of Musketeers Invade Seattle Rep

From Joanna, Communications Manager

This Sunday we hosted something like 250 kids plus their parents for a sold-out matinee of The Three Musketeers. Our Family Day kicked off with a "Musketeers Training Camp" in our lobby. Picture tables of kids making hats, tunics, and wooden swords, and then getting some stage combat training before being knighted as musketeers. It was so great and ridiculously cute. Pictured here to the left is Shawn (front desk), Rob (marketing manager), Lindsay (donor relations manager) and Christian (carpenter). They dressed up as musketeers for our season brochure, and were kind enough to come back and play for Family Day.

Because this show is so popular with families, we're offering the same Family Day special for next Sunday's (Oct. 12) 3 p.m. matinee: one free 18 & under ticket for every full-price adult ticket (we're recommending the play for ages 8 and up). The offer is only available by phone, so call 206-443-2222. (The Training Camp was a one-time affair, though).

Fencing—in our scene shop!

From Joanna, Communications Manager

Apparently everyone has musketeer fever around here. I just happened to walk into the production department a few minutes ago to find a crowd gathered around the huge bank of windows overlooking our scene shop. Haley, our paints intern, had squared off against carpenter Patrick—in full fencing gear, wielding foils (thanks, Olympics, for teaching me that technical term for fencing sword). Apparently outside of working in the Seattle Rep shop, they're both fencers (although word on the street was Haley was kicking Patrick's ass in this fight). Wish I had had my camera. You'll have to use your imagination.

The August Wilson Door

From Drew, Arts Management Intern



I don't usually wander down into the scene shop. To administration kids like me, it's an unknown environment that frightens me in a very meaningful way. Bare-handed soldering of huge pieces of metal; huge paintings of Noel Coward's face; super intimidating facial hair; lots of crazy things. However, recently, I happened to find myself deep within its interior (looking for cookies or something) and stumbled upon a giant door. The August Wilson Door.

Acting as a good Rep blog investigator, I looked into it. Supposedly, there is a path in Seattle Center that is being renamed "August Wilson Way" in honor of the late, great playwright August Wilson. Supposedly, there was a request for an "icon" to be designed to commemorate this path. Supposedly that "icon" looks a lot like a door. A twenty-some foot, 3000 pound invocation of 1839 Wylie Avenue, the house that bookends Wilson's Pittsburgh Cycle (the characters live in it in the first and debate the demolition of it in the last). And we here at the Rep made it.

And we do tons of stuff like that. I guess our brilliant carpenters/painters/machinists help out with projects outside the Rep all the time. Well, not all the time, but, if you saw Shrek the Musical at the 5th Avenue, the coolest pieces of the set: yeah, that was them. Now, if they do that kind of work for foreigners . . .

Fiduciary Responsibility

From Drew, Arts Management Intern



Seattle Repertory Theatre is a non-profit entity. This means that we make no money so we can make great art and then ask other people for money so people who want to be moved, inspired, enlightened by the art but can't afford the premium price of world-class theatre, can come anyway. This also means that sometimes, we have to make novel use of scarce resources. Thrifty manuevers to keep our financial situation in order/survive to the next day. Case in point: the "Play a Role" buttons. These marvels of design and craftsmanship were first built for an event for the CREW, the group of successful young professionals who love the Rep. Now if we were a for-profit company, or the 5th Avenue, at the end of the night, those buttons would most likely have met the garbage. But, being good financial stewards, since that day I have seen them at meetings with the Board of Trustees, among countless SRT volunteers, on Managing Director Ben Moore, and, today, at the voter registration booth.

Completely Non-Partisan. (To a point)

From Kiki, Audience Development Intern

For those of you who are deaf, blind, and dead I have breaking news for you: it's election season.

You may not believe me, but there are some people out there amidst the barrage of commercials, slogans, yard signs, and lipstick tubes flying in the air that don't know who the candidates are or why November 4th is a great day to try your first Valium. Worse yet, these people may not even be registered to vote.


To help "play a part" this election season, The Rep has set up its very own makeshift voter registration booth. While the effort is small, our glittery, patriotic table toppers are quite large (see right for some such pizazz). Most of the people that have strolled by on their way to previews of The Night Watcher have saluted our efforts...right before they ask where the bathroom is. But we're excited to be mixing it up and trying to affect our patrons in a larger way. I should also note that our efforts are strictly non-partisan. And by that I mean that we will mail in every single sheet that is filled out by a Democrat.


I'm only kidding. (Again, to a point)

Seattle Rep staff out and about

From Joanna, Communications Manager

It might seem crazy, but a lot of us who work at a theatre go home at night and then go make more theatre. The Night Watcher opened in previews at the Rep last night, but here are some other shows that Rep family are involved in this weekend and next:

Always...Patsy Cline
Directed by Erin Kraft, our Literary and Casting Associate
Playing at Centerstage Theatre tonight through October 12 (Happy opening!)

(Pictured: Erin in our season brochure as a character from You Can't Take it With You)

Unregistered—A 2008 Election Cabaret
Written by Andrea Allen and David Schmader. Andrea is our Director of Education
Playing at the Lee Center for the Arts (at Seattle University) for one weekend only: Oct. 2, 3, 4. All shows are pay what you can!

The June Carter Cash Project
Three short plays inspired by the songs of June Carter Cash. Starring, well, me, Joanna Horowitz, Communications Manager. Now you know why I wrote this blog. Total shameless self promotion.
Playing at Live Girls! Theater through Oct. 4 (Fridays and Saturday nights + Saturday 4 p.m. Happy Hour matinee). This Monday, Sept. 29 is pay what you can!

Midwest Sweetie

From Kiki, Audience Development Intern

Buckle up, we have a new guest blogger.

My name is Kiki Abba (a cooler or more Scantron-friendly name has yet to be found) and I started three weeks ago at the Rep as the Audience Development Intern. Don't worry, I don't really know what that title means either, but we'll figure it out together. I'm literally The Lady From Dubuque, and just graduated from the University of Iowa with a double major in Theatre Arts and Communication Studies. I have found the Midwest to be a wonderful place to grow up. It is full of early bedtimes and Yeild to Cows signs. But I'm happy for a change in scenery and where better to go than the home of Grey's and Fraiser?

As I heave another mouthful of cupcake down my gullet, I can't help but feel the responsibility to let you all in on a secret: Jerry Manning, our Producing Artistic Director, is in love with Cupcake Royale. The torrid affair started years ago, and for anyone that has tasted these petit slices of heaven, you'll understand completely.

Here's what I know for certain: 1.) Today he brought in four cupcakes and left them carelessly on a counter top, basically asking, "Hey Kiki, would you mind stealing one of these?" One thing you'll learn about me is that I always follow orders. I did a sly walk-and-grab and have been feasting on this cupcake for the past 5 mins. You know it's hard out here for an intern.

2.) About two weeks ago MetroMart advertised that they were going to be giving away FREE Cupcake Royales at 4:00pm on a Friday. Manning sent an e-mail to everyone at 9:30am asking, "Should we go en masse? They're good cupcakes...." To say the least, the Rep shut down for about 10 mins as we headed across the street to get out sugar fix. Who needs a watercooler when you have a grocery store stocked with free cupcakes? This is where we bond.

3.) It's probably just a rumor, but I heard that he had a spam e-mail address entitled: cupcakesugardaddy@gmail.com. But that's just what I've heard.

I rest my case.

From the Rehearsal Room: Swords, Batman, and more

From Hilary, Casting Intern

Now that we’re coming on tech for The Three Musketeers, I think its time to look around the rehearsal room with fresh eyes. If I had never seen this room or these people before, would I think them odd? You bet. Here’s a list of sights and sounds that have become normal for me…but maybe shouldn’t be.

One of our actors wears a Batman mask. He wears it so he can get practice dancing in a mask. You’d think I’d be surprised to see the Dark Knight at this particular shindig. (I’m not. Like I said, I’ve gotten used to weird).

Our stage manager neighs a lot. That’s because we are waiting for tech to add sound effects, but we still need to hear the sound of the horse Buttercup. I’ll be sad when she stops her delightful whinny.

Mesh and leather is totally a new trend. The men wear leather boots and sword belts, rehearsal capes, and workout clothes. Looks great.

Swords. Everywhere.

From the Rehearsal Room: Let the Good Times Roll

From Hillary, Casting Intern

What’s it like to be in a rehearsal room with fabulous and fabulously armed comedians? It’s exciting, enjoyable, and professional. But comedy is comedy, and sometimes we do have too much fun.

As I suggested in my last entry, I tend to get sucked into the fights and inevitably believe the actors. So while watching the fight between the Musketeers and the Cardinal’s Guards (a 10-person fight!), you can imagine my reaction when I heard a moan and the sound of head hitting metal from upstage. Terror. I am confused and nervous as I see actors breaking out of the sequence to crowd around their fellow actor who is on his knees, quivering. “I’m fine, I’m ok” he quietly assures us, but he’s covering his mouth with his hand, and he looks anything but. Is he bleeding from the mouth? We spring into action as he opens up his hand and shows us a tooth. Oh my gosh, he lost a tooth!?!?! Stage management rushes to the first aid kit, actors get glasses of water, and I, not always at my best in medical crisis, start wildly grabbing tissues.

I hear laughter. Which cruel person thinks that losing a tooth while rehearsing fight choreography is funny? Who on earth has the stomach to laugh at our poor actor’s misfortune? The actor who got hurt apparently. He stands up smiling, showing us the hole in his teeth. Is he in shock? He puts the tooth from his hand into the empty spot and says, “Gotcha!” Turns out, our actor has a prosthetic tooth and great comedic timing.

I should have known. He’s an actor, and his craft is clearly well-honed. I won’t fall for it again, I resolve then and there but, between you and me, I know that's not true. I’ll fall for it every time. Now the only question is, How can I get him back?

Charlayne Woodard on The Night Watcher

The incredibly articulate and animated Charlayne Woodard chatted with us about her newest play, The Night Watcher.



A YouTube search also brings up Charlayne's acting reel: scenes from The Terminator and more. Interesting...

Seattle Times writes column about Seattle Rep usher Leon McLaughlin

The Seattle Times' Nicole Brodeur just wrote a column about Leon McLaughlin, who has been an usher here at the Rep for 28 years. A savvy businessman who shines shoes and founded his own water filtration system development company, Leon is on his way to Bolivia to install water filtration machines. Read the column here.

On a related note, did you know you can become a volunteer usher at the Rep and see shows for free? More info about that and other volunteer opportunities here.

From the Rehearsal Room

Hi! I’m Hillary, and I’m a new member of Seattle Rep’s Professional Arts Training Program. I’ve just moved to Seattle from Providence, Rhode Island where I graduated from Brown University with a degree in Theatre Arts and English Lit. As the Casting Intern, my jobs include scheduling auditions, doing script reports, and making myself as useful as I can to the fantastic people in the Artistic Department.

In Rehearsal for The Three Musketeers
My third week as the casting intern at the Rep, I have began assisting the director of The Three Musketeers. It’s my first show at the Rep and my first professional show ever. During rehearsal I sit next to the director, her sounding board and devil’s advocate when she needs it, but always I am a watchful observer of this exciting and, for me, new world.

A bit about the rehearsal room. There are 20 swords, 4 pistols, and one bullwhip neatly living on the weapons table against the side wall. At the back of the room, the wall is lined with fun props like French breads, bar stools, carafes, and a beautiful chess set. Behind me is the break table, where everyone in the room (even me!) has a mug with their name on it. There’s always fresh coffee, hot water, tea, ice water, and, perhaps most importantly, altoids. We work closely together, so curiously fresh breath is a priority. The stage space is dominated by a 6 ft. metal scaffold, a smaller version of our set. Stage management has taped out the floor to show where various set pieces would be. With a bit of imagination I can see the world that will soon be in front of me onstage.

We rehearse six days a week, and our schedule is orderly. Stage management makes sure we follow the rules of the Actors Equity union. The union has rules about how long our rehearsals are, how many breaks we get during rehearsals, and how often we get them. These rules are really to make sure the actors are given the circumstances they need to do their best work in rehearsal. And our actors need those breaks—this first week they’ve been learning fight choreography.

For the first six days of rehearsal, the cast has been learning and rehearsing sword fights for hours. I see toned arms, engaged minds, and high spirits as I watch the cast punch, kick and draw their swords to fight each other. Truth be told, I am always relieved when the fights stop and the fighters become actors while they talk to each other about any difficulties or confusion there might be in the choreography. They help each other out so that when I watch I’m always convinced that they’re fighting for their lives—or at least their honor.

Presenting...The Future

We've been trying to figure out a way to give you more content online and pull together all the things were doing—blog, videos, articles, etc. And ladies and gentlemen the future is here. Or something. Today we launch our new online magazine Offstage. It's the home for interviews, videos, weird little features like which characters from the season we'd invite to dinner, and more. We're testing it out. Please let us know what you think: feedback@seattlerep.org.

In this issue:
Fight Director Rick Sordelet talk about The Three Musketeers' 22 fights, 18 swords, and non-traditional weapons (a rubber chicken?!).

Actress and playwright Charlayne Woodard and director Dan Sullivan chat about how they make a play (The Night Watcher) out of a series of stories.

Charlayne tells some of those stories.

Our Literary and Casting Associate Erin Kraft takes us through the series of "creative truths" (i.e. big ol' fabrications) that made up all of the different versions of The Three Musketeers.

Plus a couple of special features about the season, wacky facts about our first two playwrights, and chance to meet the first two directors, and video of both Rick Sordelet and Charlayne Woodard.

Seattle Weekly on Jerry Manning

John Logenbaugh just wrote a column in Seattle Weekly about our new Producing Artistic Director Jerry Manning. Here's an except:

"I think it's time that we put the 'Seattle' back into Seattle Rep," he says, then spends several minutes expounding on the wealth of acting talent that's here and constantly emerging from the UW and Cornish. This is very encouraging: When he speaks about "local talent," it's not the cant of a newbie buttering up his board, it comes from a guy who probably knows more actors, both Equity and non-Equity, than any artistic director working in town.

What the Rep also needs, he says, is younger people—not just in the audience, but onstage and maybe even running the show. "If I were to have my say, I think these institutions, not just the Rep but ACT and Intiman and the Arena and the Goodman, should be run by younger people, artists in their 20s and 30s. There's a smart way to do it and a dumb way to do it. But I think for the future of theater in this country it's going to have to be done."

Continue reading the article...

Video of Fight Director Rick Sordelet

Isn't it funny that Rick Sordelet's last name pretty much has the word "sword" in it? I don't know, just saying...

Musketeers in the house

Rehearsals have started for The Three Musketeers. Word is there are 22 fights in the show, and, as of last night, five of them were already choreographed. We got to sit in on the very first rehearsal and watch the team of actors work with Fight Director Rick Sordelet (the country's leading fight choreographer with almost 40 Broadway credits to his name) to build trust. Here's a photo of the group doing some extreme trust falling.



Photo by Cindy Farruggia, Communications Assistant.