Jay Croft » Class Act Theatre

No Dinner This Week

jcroft — Tue, 05 Jul 2005 05:02:54 +0000

Another company is renting out Class Act Theatre and so we cannot rehearse The Man Who Came to Dinner this week. Mary may call a few people to rehearse at her house, but not the entire cast. Last week we did run through the entire play and completed the blocking.

This week I just need to make sure that I have my lines down. And for some of my lines, the lines where I say something like “I see you are still busy” or “Are you busy” or “I’ll wait in here”, the most important part is my queue.

Stick my head in:
BRADLEY: Mr. Whiteside…
WHITESIDE: No, not now. Go away.
Pull my head back out.

Sounds easy, and it should be, but the timing is crucial. I can very easily be skipped right over.

Last week we had a lot of fun running though the script. This is a very funny play.

Just four weeks until we open.

Details

Arsenic Weekend

jcroft — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 03:10:19 +0000

Last Tuesday evening, I received the script for Arsenic And Old Lace. On Wednesday evening, while The Man Who Came To Dinner was rehearsing, the director of Arsenic, Patrick Schambach, and I went over the blocking for the scenes I would be in.

On Friday evening, the night I will be in the play, with just 3 days of leaning lines, 1 evening with blocking with the director only, no cast, I was in my truck parked outside the theatre and going over my lines again. I did this by holding a sheet of paper over my lines and recite them as I read through the script. I get to my first little monologue and my mind goes completely blank. My third line into the scene and I have no idea what it is. Needless to say I had a small panic attack, right there in the truck.

About 20 minutes later, cast call being at 6:30, the cast of Arsenic went over the two of the scenes I would be in; three times for the first scene and once for the second. That was it. That was all the rehearsal I would be getting. Time now for the real thing.

Needless to say, I was a little nervous. Friday evening went well enough despite my rearranging words in sentences and when two actors jumped ahead of one of my lines, which I had to get in and did appropriately. Saturday was better. I knew what the timing should be and how the other actors were going to do their bit, etc.

That, I think, is the most difficult bit. Not having had rehearsals with the other cast for weeks before the show, I did not know how they were going to react, behave, move … the little nuances. Leaning lines and blocking (where to stand and move) really is just a very small part of a play. It’s everything else and THAT is the hard part.

Just 5 more shows over the next two weekends.

Class Act Theatre
June 3 – July 3, 2005
Fridays and Saturdays @ 8:00 p.m.
One Sunday Matinee only on July 3 @ 3:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $18.00 adults, $15.00 students & seniors (Group rates available for reservations of 10 or more). For ticket purchase/information, please call 770-579-3156

Last Minute Role Accepted

jcroft — Wed, 15 Jun 2005 11:12:40 +0000

At rehearsal last night for The Man Who Came To Dinner, I was asked if I would be interested in having a part in Class Act Theatre’s current production of Arsenic And Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring. The part is for a police officer named KLEIN. Apparently the original actor had to drop out a week before opening and the current actor dropped out after this past weekend.

The role is not very large. KLEIN and BROPHY (his partner) are in the first act and act somewhat as narrators, providing some of the background for the play. They are not seen again until the third act when the mystery is close to being solved.

I accepted the role. It is now Wednesday and I have until Friday to learn all the lines and blocking.

Arsenic And Old Lace runs for 3 more weekends, 7 shows.

June 3 – July 3, 2005
Fridays and Saturdays @ 8:00 p.m.
One Sunday Matinee only on July 3 @ 3:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $18.00 adults, $15.00 students & seniors (Group rates available for reservations of 10 or more). For ticket purchase/information, please call 770-579-3156

Landed a role at Class Act Theatre

jcroft — Tue, 24 May 2005 04:07:24 +0000

Well, I landed a part at Class Act Theatre in The Man Who Came to Dinner. I have the part of the Dr. Bradley. I thought I did terrible on that part. I actually found out Friday morning (May 20, 2005). I was on a cruise and received a call on Thursday night, well a message was left on my cell phone. When we arrived in port at Key West, I turned on my phone and discovered the message. While on shore I needed to conduct some business. I called Kudzu Playhouse to see if I might have received a role there, didn’t want to pass up a better role, such as a lead. After I accepted with Class Act. Then CATCo called and offered me the part of the Son of the home owner.

Rehearsals begin in June.

Audition Notice: The Man Who Came to Dinner at Class Act Theatre

jcroft — Tue, 10 May 2005 06:20:48 +0000

Class Act Theatre in Marietta is holding Non-Equity auditions by appointment on May 14 & 15 for the comedy The Man Who Came to Dinner. Auditions may be extended, as needed, to fill large cast. All ethnicities encouraged to audition. Show runs July 29 – August 28 (Fri & Sat evenings, some Sun. matinees). Casting men and women aged 20?s and up. Prepared monologue suggested, but not mandatory. Will also do cold reading from the script. Please bring headshot & resume, if available. No pay offered. Rehearsals begin June 6. For more information or appointment, email us at: hitshow@bellsouth.net (please include phone # where you can be reached), or call 770-579-3156. Theatre address: 25 Powder Springs St. (corner Anderson) Marietta 3006.