Just Sensational!

Last night, we had our biggest house yet -- 192 people in a 210-seat house! And on a Thursday night! That means this weekend is going to be awesome! Pre-sale is already over 100 for both tonight and tomorrow night, and our walk-up sales have been as big or bigger than our pre-sale this season, so I'm betting on a couple sold-out houses! Woohoo!

Although... when we sell shows out, that's when people can get really mean... you know, the ones who show up at two minutes to curtain and proceed to be morally outraged that we're sold out and didn't hold back tickets just in case they showed up... :)

Also last night, one of our audience spellers was a teacher celebrating her birthday. Her parents had contacted me earlier in the week to see how to get her into the Bee. Quite by accident, she was the last audience speller left, so she got serenaded by John Rhine (Mitch) with the Act I finale, "Prayer for the Comfort Counselor." She thanked me after the show -- I think she really had a blast!

So far, we've gotten standing ovations after all but one performance. And unlike the Fox, audiences who come to the smaller theatre companies' shows are generally more hard-core theatre-goers and they don't give out standing ovations for just anything. This is quite a compliment to our amazing cast and band.

The unbridled joy that is Spelling Bee just keeps rolling along...

Long Live the Musical!
Scott

You Hate Losers

Part of the fun of working on a show is that it swims around inside your head even on days when there isn't a performance. And when you're working on a really great show, that's half the joy right there. As those of us who had already worked on Finn's music all know, living inside this beautiful, special, quirky music for all these weeks has been a genuine privilege.

But this show also has a kickass book, full of rich layers. The show is always in the back of my mind, and once in a while, I have a revelation and I realize something about the show that I hadn't known before. Here's what I revelation'd today...

The secret of Spelling Bee is that it’s not really about winning the bee, as everyone assumes; it’s about winning at being a human being, knowing how to happily "be."

Olive and Barfée both "win" because they finally find a friend and now feel less lonely. Marcy wins because she rejects her unhealthy obsession with winning (or is it her parents’ unhealthy obsession?). Leaf wins by retaining his humanity and sense of proportion – he knows that winning isn't everything. In fact most of the time, it’s not much at all.

But Logainne loses because she doesn’t learn the right lesson. Even at the end, she continues to believe that nothing matters but winning, that anything else brands you as an inferior being. (Oddly, considering Logainne's liberal leanings, this is the mindset that has kept us in Iraq and Afghanistan all these years.) And Chip loses because he continues to invest too much power in winning. Early in Act II, Chip says to Barfée, “You know something, Barf, I may have lost but you are the biggest loser here!” Actually, the exact reverse is true by the show’s end. Barfée ends up one of the biggest winners of all.

Though the show’s central theme is the idea that "life is random and unfair," a companion theme is the idea that none of this really matters. As Jesus says in the show, “This isn't the kind of thing I care very much about.”

I love a musical with layers.

Long Live the Musical!
Scott

The Best and the Brightest

Our second weekend started tonight with another really terrific performance and another amazing audience. It was so clear tonight that the actors have settled into these roles, and any opening weekend jitters are gone. The performances were a little more assured, more comfortable tonight.

And after the show we did a talkback with a group of theatre students from around the country who are here for an audition camp at Webster University. They asked some really interesting -- and sometimes really funny -- questions, and everyone in the cast was cool enough to stay and talk with them. One student dubbed Marcy the spellinator. I think that one's going to find its way into New Line's collective lingo.

Since back in high school, and still today, I love a talkback after a show. It's such fun to be able to ask the artists things you'd like to know, to be able to tell them you enjoyed their performances, etc. So when these folks asked if we could do a talkback, I was delighted.

It's also very nice for us to be able to interact with a bunch of strangers who've just seen our show and get a sense of what they took away from it, what they liked about it, what surprised them, what delighted them. The talkback was cool for us as well as (hopefully) for them.

And I have to admit, part of me was extremely glad to be able to expose them to a non-mainstream company, one that is not union but is professional. So many people think there's only union shows and community theatre, but there's a big, vigorous, varied category in the middle, doing alternative work. I'm glad these students got to see not only the work of a company like ours, but also the genuine joy we get out of that work. We don't do this for the money (which is uniformly shitty); we do it because we all really love making good, interesting art and sharing it with an audience. It's the experience, the adventure, not the size of the paycheck.

Long Live the (Alternative) Musical!
Scott

Holy Cow!

Our first rave review is in, from Chris Gibson at BroadwayWorld.com --

“An over the top delight. New Line Theatre's current production is a perfectly cast show filled with moments of high hilarity. . . I can't remember when I've laughed so hard and so long at a show. New Line's presentation of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee is priceless entertainment.”

And another terrific review from Judy Newmark at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:

“This Spelling Bee radiates the goofy, familiar charm of a sketch comedy show that you try not to miss. You know the players; the fun lies in seeing what they'll do this time. . . It’s just a sweet, imaginative look at pressure and how we badly we sometimes handle it. The adults laughing in the audience may have more finesse than the kids portrayed on stage – but we wouldn't laugh if we didn't know exactly how they feel.”

And this, from Paul Frisowld at the Rverfront Times:

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee America loves a winner — unless said winner is intelligent. If you're too smart, you're a dweeb. The seven children competing in the titular spelling bee are very intelligent winners, and very much social losers. But gathered together to compete against one another, each child discovers something about his or her individual weirdness that's worth treasuring. Rachel Sheinkin and William Finn celebrate the pariah in devastatingly funny songs. Scott Miller's production is exceptionally fine, exploiting the large laughs of the precociously confident William Barfeé (Nicholas Kelly), a mucously enhanced young man who lauds his magic spelling foot in a Busby Berkeley-esque fantasia (courtesy of choreographer Robin Michelle Berger). Miller just as deftly develops the quieter moments, such as parolee-cum-rules enforcer Mitch Mahoney (John Rhine), who sings of wanting to beat the children to teach them real pain, but instead hugs and comforts them. Because that's all anyone can do: Say 'good job,' and hope the vulnerable are resilient enough to take the punches when they come."

Read all the reviews.

Long Live the Musical!
Scott

Now Go with Dignity

Andrea Braun reviewed our show for KDHX-FM, and though she didn't really like the material much at all, she said some very nice things about our production. But she asked some questions in her review that I think are interesting. Here's part of what she wrote:

Is it absolutely necessary to continue to milk laughs out of the mispronunciation of someone’s name, the pathological need of misfit children to win to prove their own worth, a school administrator who did an unspecified bit of something nasty in the woodshed, and a woman whose whole life has been spelling bees? And don’t even get me started on a whole song about a contestant’s being undone by an erection.

I think the reason most people find all these things so funny is that they are all so truthful...

To me, the running joke about mispronouncing Barfée's name is about the disrespect and disregard for dignity that our culture shows young people, particularly the "misfits." Barfée is doing his best navigating the choppy waters of childhood, with divorced parents, being overweight, having multiple health issues, and being socially awkward (or maybe even developmentally challenged). That the adults won't even pronounce his name correctly shows us the way we disregard those who don't fit in (a theme also found in Leaf's story). It's about power. Panch and Rona don't have to pronounce his name right. They're the adults and they have all the power. And the bell.

This is spelled out (sorry!) most explicitly in Mitch's song, "Prayer of the Comfort Counselor." Mitch understands not being shown respect:

My friend, you will be missed,
But now go with dignity.
This ends, but first on our list,
You should go with pride.

This wisdom from the ex-con sets up the epilogue in which Mitch tells us he makes comforting spelling bee kids a lifelong endeavor.

And Mr. Panch's running joke about his unspecified breakdowns is the show's way of telling us that though we're watching kids, we're not really talking about kids -- we're talking about us. The damage we suffer as kids is often the exact same damage we still suffer in adulthood. Panch is as messed up as any kid on that stage. And it also shows us (comically, I think) how crazy the adults are who are supposed to be guiding these kids through the land mines of growing up... With role models like this (I had a vice-principal in high school exactly like that), no wonder kids grow up to be such fucked-up adults...

And I would argue that Rona's whole life has not been all about spelling bees. After all, the bee only happens once a year and we are told she's a top-selling realtor. But she does see the value in the bee, allowing the kids who can't win at anything else a relatively level playing field in which to excel. Even a damaged, awkward misfit like Barfée can be a winner here. And that's what Rona wants to share. And even beyond that, America has always valued spelling bees, because being a good speller means being literate, and being literate means the real possibility of success. When we have so many kids still today graduating high school without being able to read well, it seems to me the symbolism of spelling bees becomes even more important...

And finally, Chip's song about his erection is funny to so many of us because it's so ridiculously, painfully truthful. I remember in junior high -- just riding the bus could give a guy a hard-on, which is unbelievably embarrassing and in a weird way, frightening. That whole plot element is about how biology is one of those obstacles that makes life "random and unfair" -- being out of control of your own body may be one of the worst things a person can experience... But we all deal with it...

One way or another, most of us do survive it all. And that's what Spelling Bee is about.

Long Live the Musical!
Scott

We Always Knew You Were a Winner

I am the luckiest fucker in town. The first weekend of Spelling Bee went so amazingly well, it's almost hard to believe. Everybody fell in love with our little show! We had great crowds and a standing ovation every night. The cast and band ROCKED.

Three of us had also worked on William Finn's earlier musical A New Brain, back in 2002, and as it was with that show, it is such an incredible gift to be able to live inside this music for a couple months.

Spelling Bee is both brilliant in its construction and surprisingly insightful. Its message, that "life is random and unfair" but we can all survive it, is very, very wise (and makes it a clear companion piece to A New Brain). So many people spend so much energy bemoaning how unfair life is, instead of just accepting that it is and enjoying the beautiful little moments we are given. To my mind, this is a very Zen show telling us to just stay on the path, whatever crazy obstacles may be thrown at us, whatever baggage/damage we may be carrying with us... and of course, not to take ourselves too seriously along the way...

The lesson implied by this show, though not explicitly stated, is that peace and happiness come only when we examine ourselves honestly and accept how deeply flawed we are. Leaf is our Zen master here. He doesn't need to win. He needs only to do his best. Each time he comes to the mic, he's not concerned about getting the word right. He just enjoys the experience and energy and excitement of being here. In bigger terms, Leaf isn't concerned about where he's going; he just knows there's adventure ahead.

I know a lot of theatre people think musicals are somehow lesser, less "legitimate," less "serious" -- these folks are missing so much. So much joy and richness and beauty and complexity. How on earth could the addition of music make something less? Great words can be thrilling in the right hands, but words can never equal the power and beauty and emotional heft of great music. Because it is abstract, music delivers something words never can.

I think it's that abstract nature that scares some people -- people who want to control and be controlled, people who are uncomfortable with profound or overwhelming emotion. Music is powerful stuff and that largely unexplainable power unnerves some folks. But that's their problem, not ours.

This production of ours is really something special. It's not just funny -- and believe me, it's really funny, I can't remember the last time I heard an audience laugh that much or that loud -- but it's also so beautiful and sad and complex. The audience falls in love with these kids every night. And though the brilliant writing gets a lot of credit for that, our cast also gets a shitload of that credit. The secret to their success is that they never laugh at these characters, never comment on them, never stand outside them. It's a wacky, outrageous show, but these nine actors bring such reality and depth and richness to these characters that the audience gets emotionally involved from the get-go (exactly as it was with Bat Boy). I actually hear sniffles from the audience during "The I Love You Song" -- that only happens with an outstanding, insightful, truthful group of actors. I can't thank them enough for giving our show such emotional depth.

I think too many people underestimate the value of joy these days. I know this show has brought us all much joy, and I hope we've passed that on to our audiences. Judging from their reaction every night, I think we have. I so love my job.

Thank you, spellers! You all very much rock.

Long Live the Musical!
Scott

I See Hope and Possibility

We are soooo ready for an audience! Great final dress rehearsal last night -- everyone is in tune with each other, all clicking on all cylinders. The pacing is excellent, and we achieved what I wanted, a show that is laugh-out-loud funny all night long AND deeply emotional and involving. What a glorious, beautiful piece of work this is, and how lucky we are to get to work on it!

Pre-sale is excellent. Our usual benchmark is that if the pre-sale gets to 200 (for the whole run) before we open, it's a good bet the run will sell really well. And as of today, the pre-sale is at 221. We've also got a bigger than usual pre-sale for our preview tonight. That's so great for the actors -- it's tough to do comedy in front of a small house because the fewer people there are, the more timid they seem to be, so the laughs are quieter and more reserved. We've got a big enough house already for tonight, that I think everyone will have a blast. And I assume we'll also get some nice walk-up...

Last night as I watched the show, I couldn't help but think about how many people come together in common purpose to put on a show like this. Nobody's getting paid very well, but everyone is so fully engaged. And everyone has done such outstanding work, from the musicians to our designers to our cast to Trish and Ann and Vicki -- I am very very lucky to work with the people I get to work with...

And a special shout-out to the New Liners who came in this week to be our practice Audience Spellers! In case you're worried, no one will get brought up on stage unless they sign up at the box office to be in the Bee.

Tonight, at long last, we get to share this beautiful, beautiful show with an audience. I can't wait!

Long Live the Musical!
Scott

Very Very Very Nice

We had a really good run Monday night. The actors are so in control of this show now. We finally gave them "audience spellers" to practice with (some intrepid New Liners have volunteered to be audience spellers for all three final rehearsals). Don't worry -- no one will be forced to participoate -- there will be a sign-up list at the box office if you want to be in the bee.

Several things struck me tonight.

First, what an odd piece of theatre this is! But I don't know that people will actually notice! It's so funny and warm and charming and wacky that I think folks will mostly just go along for the crazy ride. And it's also truthful. It's deeply, painfully, hilariously truthful. I think that's its real secret. Everyone in the audience will see themselves in at least one of these kids.

Also, to my great surprise, the balance between the singers and the band is outstanding. We're not using microphones for this one -- well, actually, we're using mics for the bee, but not for the songs. I really don't like mics. We use them when we have to, mostly when we do rock musicals. But I much prefer natural sound. I hate putting anything -- whether it's big sets or technology or anything else -- between the actors and the audience. With a rock musical, you have no choice. But with a show like this, you just need good actors who can project. It's often tough for the band to balance with the singers when they're not mic'd. But not tonight. Petersen and his boys are so great.

We also saw all the costumes finished for the first time, and they look terrific. To Amy's great credit, they're really authentic. They really help these actors become these kids, and not in a cartoony way, but in a very genuine way.

And we added the last of the specialty props. We got this incredible trophy that Best Bowling Pro Shop fixed up for us -- it's beautiful and totally personalized! And the awesome owner is loaning the trophy to us for the run for free. Mucho gracias!

Also Monday night, Dowdy (who plays Chip) got to work with the Food. I don't want to spoil the surprise f you haven't seen the show before, so I won't say exactly what kind of food, but suffice to say it was every bit as funny as we had hoped.

Such a stress free rehearsal for me! I took some notes, of course, but there's nothing major to fix. All very small, fine-tuning stuff. This show is in great shape and it's only getting cooler day by day. I can't wait to share it!!

Long Live the Musical!
Scott

So Amazed Am I

Just a quickie...

Tonight we ran Spelling Bee again, but this time without two actors who were out sick. Yikes! We open next week! We're just assuming they'll be healthy as hell and back with us by Thursday. Send us good vibes...

But the weird part -- worthy of a short blog entry -- is that tonight was an outstanding run-through! I assumed it would be less than it should be with two characters (out of nine) missing. And the harmonies did sound odd, with two parts missing. But the cast rallied and nailed it. We really made some progress and did some good work. The show was funny and sweet and totally energetic. They rocked.

I love actors. I really do.

Long Live the Musical!
Scott

Joy Never Comes for Free

So last night our pianist/conductor Chris Petersen joined us and I relinquished the keyboard once and for all (well, at least for this show). That first night with Chris always reminds me how incredibly fragile performances are. Even though Chris is playing the same score I've been playing, the fact that it's a different pianist makes a real difference to the actors.

Part of it is that it's very hard for Chris to jump into this already moving vehicle -- the actors and I have established our own tempos, our own subtle shifts in tone and feel, our own musical quirks, and now poor Chris has to adjust to all that. But that's one of the reasons he comes in the week before Hell Week, so he can figure all that stuff out before Hell Week and before the band joins us.

But like I said, even the most subtle changes require adjustments from the actors, and since they're not fully settled into their own performances yet, since they're still finding their own paths, it's hard for them too.

This part of the process -- the Home Stretch -- can be rough on the actors in so many ways. First, we give them a new pianist. Then Saturday we'll give them lights -- especially in this show, lights are an integral part of the storytelling (helping to delineate flashbacks, interior monologues, etc.), an element that the actors really need but haven't had yet. On Sunday, we'll add the band and microphones. On Monday, we'll add costumes and the remaining props.

And then they'll have just three run-throughs to put it all together -- meanwhile polishing their own performances and putting my various notes into practice. This is the main reason why New Line has so many more run-throughs than we used to. When we started the company, we'd generally have one full run-through before Hell Week; now we usually have five or six. We used to move into the theatre the Sunday before we opened; now we move in two and half weeks before opening. At the beginning of New Line, the amount of time we got in the theatre didn't allow for a lighting cue-to-cue rehearsal or a sitzprobe; now we get both.

But as any of our actors will tell you, the more run-throughs, the better. (Although it is possible to have too many run-throughs, to the point of getting bored with it...) Doing this many run-throughs gives the actors time to settle into the show and then still have time to explore and find all those beautiful little moments onstage that reveal character, relationships, story, themes, etc.

This is the part of the process that is a lot like making sausage -- it's not pretty to watch, but you know the end product will be terrific. And it reminds me that no matter how hard or scary my job is, the actors' job is easily twice that...

Long Live the Musical!
Scott

I'll Make it Happen

Next week is "Hell Week" (what less interesting people call "Tech Week" or "Production Week"), but this week is Crazy Week!

I have to get postcards in the mail, the program to the printer, posters and postcards for the next show designed and printed so we can put them in the lobby, plus this week is when I'll do the bulk of the polishing. I've been behind the piano thus far, so now I will see everything that's going on, some of it for the first time.

People always wonder how I can direct when I'm behind the piano for much of the rehearsal process. But the secret is that this gives the actors some very valuable play time, time to experiment with their characters and relationships, with their physicality, with bits of stage business, with the pacing of the show, all that stuff that adds so much to a performance without the audience really noticing. If I wasn't behind the piano, I'd be giving them notes and bothering them much earlier and I think it would rob them of that time to explore.

I do give them direction when I'm at the piano -- I've learned over the last 28 years to play and watch at the same time -- but I try only to fix staging problems and give them Big Picture direction. From this point forward, with nothing else on my mind, I will nitpick. I will polish this show like a madman, focus the comedy, "underline" what's important (there are lots of subtle ways to do that), massage everyone into the same style and energy, and get us the last mile of this journey. This is the time when they transform from a bunch of great actors into an Ensemble, and I love watching that happen!

Ticket sales are already doing great -- that's earlier than usual. Order 'em now, people!

Long Live the Musical!

Scott