Sunday Quickies

It's an interesting thing about previews. I believe in them fully and always schedule at least 4 before an opening but I sometimes wonder at the "get it open so we can make some real money" mentality that truly seems to place the quality of the work in second place.
We have found ourselves bound into a format of 3 weeks rehearsal, jam in tech week {what a misnomer that is} into really about 4 days and then into previews and fall face forward into "community opening" then opening opening { the real one since the critics are invited.} They may not show up but one can always hope.
This is a pretty wacked system. It sacrifices artistic growth to a nebulous ideal of maximizing revenues.
I have been working to push budgets to give Obsidian 4 weeks before tech but that also presents some interesting challenges. We are all somewhat trained to the 3 week model and I don't know if either actors or directors truly know how to expand the process to richly fill 4 weeks.
Anyway this is all a bit of a segue into

Are preview performances worth it?

My rant and the link don't match up too much but hey, you take the road as it comes open.


Something that has been long done here and is a continuing source of very, very slow progress between the indie arts community and Equity.
Artists are doing it for themselves

Is Stephen Sondheim the Shakespeare of musical theatre?

'nuff said.



Late breaking addition: All-too-fleeting pleasure of the Actors Company

Writing About Africans

When writing about Africans:

"Broad brushstrokes throughout are good. Avoid having the African characters laugh, or struggle to educate their kids, or just make do in mundane circumstances. Have them illuminate something about Europe or America in Africa. African characters should be colourful, exotic, larger than life—but empty inside, with no dialogue, no conflicts or resolutions in their stories, no depth or quirks to confuse the cause."

Read more of How to Write about Africa

h/t 99 & Ta-Nehisi Coates

Ruined Blog

If you look over at the blogroll you will see a new blog called Ruined. It is a research and information site for the creative team and cast of our production of Ruined. There will be links, pics and embeds etc but mostly it will be a way to package a lot of information about the Congo so that we can have a shared basic understanding of the world we are going to be living in.

If you find anything that you think might be of interest please send it on to me and I will get it up.

So for those of you who like to follow a process all the way through from pictures on line to sitting through the performance, the Ruined Blog will be a place for you to check in on.

who knew grannie: a dub aria...last week

Miranda Edwards


The cast with Ordena in the centre


Andrea Scott, Marcel Stewart, Joseph Pierre, Ordena, Miranda Edwards


Amina Alfred


all photos by Nicola Betts