Dead Man's Cell Phone - Rehearsals Begin.

Last night's read-through felt completely bizarre.  It were as if i was only there for a one-night-only-play event.  I guess 13 months is a long time to go without doing a show.  Sure, I've gotten to do some work as a narrator (Stage West pairs with the FWSO to provide narrators for the orchestra's Neighborhood Arts Program) and I worked right up until I had Matilda with The StoryTime Theater, but this is the first time I've really been in a play since April 08.   Again, it just felt extremely temporary.  Standing the play up in rehearsals tonight nipped that in the bud.

There are 12 scenes in Dead Man's Cell Phone:  6 in the first act; 6 in the second act. Tonight Jim Covault, our director, blocked the first 4 1/2 scenes, planting the seeds for character direction as we went along.  He's very good at allowing actors their own space to create.  It is extremely freeing though I'll bet it can be intimidating for someone without a lot of experience.  Thankfully Jim loves actors and encourages their ideas from day 1.  

I realized tonight that there are few major facts that Sarah Ruhl has given me about my character Jean.  I know where she works and what her food preference is as well as her marital status and kid-count.  Aside from those and a few other hints here and there, the rest is up for grabs creatively.  I don't know Jean very well yet but I'm really excited to get to know her.   I have a feeling I'm in for a great experience.