Voyeurs Opens!

Well hello all you lovely, curious folk who have stumbled across the Company One Blog! My name is Marvelyn McFarlane (you can call me marv) and I currently play the role of Saartjie Baartman in Voyeurs de Venus. I'm happy to report that we had a great opening weekend, and I especially thank all of you who came out on Halloween night!

Yeah, wow! What a crazy journey this has been. This is my second show with Co. 1 and i just love love them. Summer Williams is such an awesome director and an incredible human...although I thought she was crazy when she called and said I'd love to have you read for the role of Saartjie. And of course in my head i said "who?" and then when I read the character breakdown which said she is "a brown-skinned, voluptuously proportioned African American woman..." i thought . . . umm does she not know me? has she forgotten the lack of curves on my body aside from my forehead? Thankfully, i put all of that aside, went to the audition, and now here i am!

Being part of this project has been such a challenging and exciting process it's really hard to find the words to describe it. From the start I could tell we had a great cast. I could tell that everyone was really chill and incredibly talented. We were zipping right through rehearsals, almost everyone was off book very early on, and together we really began to see the play taking shape.

One of my personal challenges, besides trying to gain some weight so Saartjie wouldn't look so scrawny, was taking on the South African dialect. Somehow, this came easier than expected. Cheryl, our dialect coach, helped out a ton, and I also have a friend from Kenya who lived in South Africa for 10 years give me some direction. So after finding Saartjie's physical voice, the next task was how to tell her incredibly devastating life story without making her seem too sad. Summer would often tell me Saartjie is just stating the facts of her life in this scene. She's already dealt with it. This was so difficult because the more i learned about her life the more sad, depressed, and angry I became, and then I just had to make her seem complacent. Ahhhh! But somehow I've been trying to find the balance that shows her as a whole human being that laughed, cried, was angry, and yes even complacent.

So fast forward to us moving into the Plaza Theatre. We have a cast of eight, five dancers, 38 scenes, a revolving stage, present day, flash backs, and nightmares, crazy awesome lights and music, and yes - Becca - the blood and guts. All in a lil black box. Talk about in your face action! Lydia sure knows how to keep you on your toes. This is play is so loaded with content and questions that you will be chewing on it for days. In a good way, of course.

Ok so if any of you were at the talk back on Saturday you know I can talk for days so i'm gonna stop here with my random ramblings. But don't worry, there will be more to come! Come see the show and tell your friends!

-Marv

A look into Voyeurs de Venus

Ahem. Hi. My name is Becca and I am playing Millicent, George Cuvier's assistant in the 1800s, in Voyeurs de Venus. Voyeurs marks my first occasion to work with Company One.

I must admit to being a titch sheepish composing the first Voyeurs blog post.

So far, my experience working on this show has been exceedingly positive. When I first read the play, my initial reactions were, "Blood! Boobs!", not necessarily in that order. I have to say that I am a huge sucker for stage gore. Knowing that the character I was auditioning for had occasion to get blood splattered it all over herself, stick surgeons tools into carcasses and play with the entrails only sweetened the deal. I was excited. Am. I can't wait. Occasionally we'll hear a direction referencing the location of the various buckets of blood around Cuvier's lab table. I celebrate inwardly at these moments. Buckets of blood! Yay.

Of course this play is about a hell of a lot more than tits and blood. It's about booty too.

Ha. I'm kidding. Kind of.

But seriously, folks, working on this production has pushed me in ways that I have never been pushed before as an actor. It is challenging as hell stepping into the skin of Millicent, into her world, allowing her to see the things that she sees, play a role in what she needs to be playing a role in and allow myself to experience these things as they happen. I find myself still struggling with that piece, giving myself permission to treat Saartjie the way she needs to be treated, the way that is true to the time and the circumstances. Damn, it's difficult.

I consistently find myself answering the question, "How does that feel?", after we've worked through a scene for a while with, "Awful. It doesn't feel good. But I think the more uncomfortable it is, the closer we are to where it needs to be."

The psychological/dream scenes are increasingly incredible to discover as well. I don't know that I've ever had the opportunity to explore the psychological side of a character before, as these nightmare dream sequences allow. One of my favorite directions so far: "Did you ever see that 'Black Hole Son' video? You know the part where their faces melt off? Yeah. Make those faces here." Melty faces. We get to make melty faces in one nightmare scene. Yay.

And the undercurrent for me through this whole experience so far is just a sense of honor. I feel honored to be working on this important and gritty and provocative piece, honored to have been exposed to it in the first place. I look around at all the creative and talented and professional actors and dancers, designers, writers, dramaturgs, dialect coaches, choreographers, stage managers and everyone involved and I'm just thrilled to be a part of it all, to be sharing the stage with them, to be dancing to "Brick House" with them. It's neat.

I can't wait to see how the show is going to evolve in the next week.

Or hell, even after tonight.

There are so so many directions for it to go.

It's exciting.

-Becca

From a Different Perspective

Yesterday, I was talking with a friend about his 11 year-old cousin who owns a Mac Laptop computer and an I-Pod Touch. He was telling me about his experience of bringing his cousin to the Museum of Science, a place that used to be considered hip back in ’92 (ancient history!). The 11-year-old cousin, I-Pod in hand, was not impressed. He had one objective: to get back home to connect his I-Pod to his computer for an update.

What kind of connection is this teaching us? If you're reading this blog, you should stop now and buy a ticket for Company One's upcoming production of VOYEURS DE VENUS. Better yet, get that Company Card! I promise you it will be worth more of your time. All this blogging makes me think of Neil LaBute's introduction to his newest play "Reasons to be Pretty." He writes: "I like the person who spends more time working than on Facebook, the person who gets out there and lives his life rather than blogging about it or staring the mirror wondering about anything so damn inconsequential as looks or hair or yesterday. The future is now. It's time to grow up and be strong. Tomorrow may well be too late.”

I think we forget how unique the theatre is. There's this great play by an under-appreciated writer Alexis Clements who sums it up pretty well for me. The play is about a woman who presents a lecture on communication and asks the audience to confess their sins. She says: "Shall we make this a public confessional, a more equal exchange? Everybody loves that nowadays, right? Blogs, video, cell phones, television? But what about here in this room? In front of real, living, breathing people? Anybody want to try?" This public confessional, conversation, debate, discussion is exactly what Company One achieves, perhaps unconsciously.

"Company One redefines the typical theatrical experience by developing, producing, and promoting socially relevant plays and innovative educational programming that appeal to, represent and include Boston’s diverse urban communities." I don't think I understood what that meant when I first started out this summer with ASSASSINS, where I helped out as an assistant to Shawn LaCount (the director) and the rest of the company. I have come to interpret this mission statement as providing an atmosphere for community discussion. This starts in the rehearsal room. I had the unique role as both an insider and outsider to this process because I did not have a defined position like a Assistant Stage Manager or Designer. The most fascinating thing to watch was that Company One really does embrace collaboration, communication, and discussion. They do not fake it. I asked Shawn once “How much preparation do you put into a production? What do you do?” His response, was something like this: "Yeah, do your homework. But let the designers tell you what the scene is really about. And let the actors solve the big question." Shawn’s way of working reminds me of Anne Bogart. He lets his actors find their own way. And he’s not doing it because it’s trendy, he knows it works. Bogart, in recent interview said: “I have no interest in being in a room where people are simply doing what I want.” I think that’s pretty accurate to his process. Shawn (and the rest of the Company) are unique because they embrace disagreement as a vital part of the process and trust their staff. There's been a lot of stir about the timing of this show in the newspapers, on television, and online. But this isn't just good press. This is what Company One strives to do. To strike up a real conversation about things we don't even want to think about. I say that is a good measure of success.

Becoming involved with Company One got me off Facebook this summer. It gave me a way to "connect" to real people and not a computer. There’s a difference between interacting and collaborating. Collaboration requires intense listening. You barely see that in the office setting. I like to work in the theatre because it forces me to confront my fears, assumptions, and prejudices. In rehearsal, it forces me to get over my shyness, find a voice, be decisive, and listen to others. It makes me aware of time and space.

I could have very easily just had my part time job this summer. But I made the choice stop refreshing my e-mail and start communicating. I’m lucky I got to do it for three months. At least our audiences got a chance to really engage in some tough questions with REAL people for two hours. In the words of Mark and Summer in the ASSASSINS pre-show announcement, “Please turn of your cell phones. Not on vibrate. Please turn them off. Trust me, you don’t need them where you are going.”

Thanks again to Shawn, Sarah S., Sarah C., Mark, Summer, Sasha, Mason, the SMs Emily, Ellyn, Jess, and the entire company of ASSASSINS for an unforgettable summer. I can’t wait to work with Company One in the future!

-Greg Josselyn, Asst. to the Director

P.S. For someone who hates blogging, this entry is way too long!

And we return...

Hello all. Been a long time.

I apologize for the lack of of communication. Doing this show six times a week for 5 weeks has made a certain blogger very tired, and as much I love writing for you all, believe me when I say that at this point in the game, if I'm not performing or working, I am most likely sleeping (and therefore unfortunately not filling your lives with blog material).

So this is it. The final performances. This run has been blessed...we've had only ONE not sold out show, and that was a Saturday matinee. The reviews have all been great. Audiences are really responding well, talking to us actors at great length in the lobby of the theater and providing the most interesting topics of discussion at the talkbacks.

I don't know how many of you reading this are actors yourselves, and therefore know the difficulty of a long run, but honestly, the biggest challenge for me has been keeping it fresh. I didn't know what that challenge meant until this production...the longest run of a show I'd done previous to this was three weeks, and there IS a difference. By the end of Week 3, your body knows the ins and outs of the show so well that it is way too easy to check out for a second - physically present, but mentally on another planet. Even with this threat looming, we've been turning in solid shows every night. Things that have been helping me personally keep it together... and please let me know if your experiences have been the same:

1) Reminding myself of scene objectives right before I go on. It keeps me wanting something and from simply existing onstage, which is a problem that I think a lot of us run into from time to time.

2) Connections with fellow actors. Especially in "Ballad of Booth" with David Dacosta and "Ballad of Guiteau" with Jeff Mahoney. Those guys are pros; if I find myself going off, all I have to do is reconnect to their eyes and I'm zapped right back into it.

3) Reminding myself what a privilege it is to be doing this. When I get tired, I sometimes just go "Yo. You're performing in a major Sondheim musical for wonderful sold out houses with one of the best theater companies in Boston, and many of the founders happen to be your mentors. So many people would kill for this, and you need to do your best every time." That always gets me gunning.

And on that note, as this dream of a summer starts winding down, I would like to officially go on record and say that it has truly been an honor. This has been one of the best summers of my life, and I thank every one - my cast mates, crew mates, band mates and all at C1 for this experience. And you, dear blog readers, I thank you all for listening to the mad rantings of me and a few of my friends. I hope you enjoy the show, and that I talk to you in the future.

Thanks.
-Nik

New shows!

Company One has added 3 more shows to the run of Assassins.

4pm matinees on:
Saturday, July 26
Saturday, Aug 2
Saturday, Aug 9

Get your tickets soon!

Assassins Production Photos

Check out photos from the show!

A View From The Other Side

Another guest blogger this week! Blake L. Pfeil, playing Giuseppe Zangara in ASSASSINS, has agreed to spill his guts for us. Read and enjoy! - Nik

Hey, Blake here. We’re thru the first weekend of performances…to sold-out houses each night, mind you. Huh. I should have prepared the talented Mr. Walker, our tour-de-force Balladeer, for my guest blog spot a little better.. I have a few things I need to get off my chest, so please, if you need a glass of water, I suggest you get it now. You won’t want to get up.

I’m 20. I consider myself the baby of Company One’s cast of ASSASSINS...the youngin, the newborn, Sam Byck’s “bubula.” So imagine, for just a second, the what I might feel each time I am onstage with my fellow actors, each of whom (in some sense or another) has taught me a few things about this craft. I can go to school all I want, and I can study the mysteries of acting as much as I damn please, provided I schlep out a $40,000 check each year. But this is something much more exciting.

I’ve slowly developed more this summer (alongside truly gifted professionals) than any year of schooling will ever be able to give me. My mother knows: I’m a hands-on person. I can’t sit in a classroom filled with people and pretend to listen...instead I can watch Ed Hoopman as Czolgosz try to break a bottle every night and always get something else out of it. I can attempt to pry David DaCosta's Booth off Jon Popp's Oswald every night and always learn something different. I can sit and cry each night because Nathanael's Hinckley and McCaela's Fromme feel unworthy of somebody’s love. You can’t imagine what it does for a budding actor to listen to Mason Sand drive two entirely difficult Byck monologues home every night, swearing left and right, giving an audience something to think about…and I mean REALLY think about.

I’m trying to explain just how much these people have educated me in an artistic environment that I LOVE. It’s no mistake that I learn something different from Penny Hansen’s screams as Billy Moore for a Bubbalo Bill every night…or from the murderous rage that engulfs Liz Rimar's Sarah Jane Moore when Billy needs that goddamn Bubbalo Bill. See…when you can watch and listen to something like that night after night, it affects you.

I was talking to Jeff Mahoney, Mr. Looking-on-the-Bright-Side gonna-win-an-award-for-playing-a-real-Guiteau, about this feeling of elation that I get each night watching and listening to this group of extraordinary actors. Elaine Stritch said it best: “If somebody doesn’t have any talent, get off the stage! You’re wasting my time. But if they GOT it – and I’m talking about Mama Rose kind of talent: you either got it or you had it – I am so uplifted by talent. I can’t stop crying, applauding…screaming.” I am get this night after night after night. These people got it, and I am so thankful they do, because I am reaping so many benefits.

I’m 20. I should not be allowed onstage night after night with a company of such gifted actors. I’m learning. I’m dreaming. Somehow, by the sheer grace of God, I’m surrounded by this experience. This Wednesday can’t come soon enough.

Please come bear witness. If not for me, the 20 year-old (or, the Italian with a severe stomach problem and murderous hatred towards the government), then do it for my fellow cast members. You won’t believe your eyes. Your ears. Your head.

Heart? Oh, yes.

-Blake