Jack of all trades… but we won’t go into the last part of that phrase
Well, this summer just continues to surprise! A few weeks ago, I was contacted by one of my high school teachers asking if I might be interested in directing their fall play. The teacher who had formerly directed it retired and no replacement had been hired. Thankfully, the dates of rehearsal and performances perfectly line up with my current moving plan!
I’m extremely excited to not only be directing my first production, but am also excited about which play we will be producing—Blithe Spirit. I love this play and can’t wait to share that love with these students, especially because I can introduce them to the idea of “why this play, now?”
Time for a bit of a history lesson: Blithe Spirit was written right after the Blitz of London. People were exhausted, scared, and grieving the loss of cities (you can still tell which buildings in London were built to replace those destroyed during the air raids) as well as an incredible loss of life (that last part sounds a little familiar, doesn’t it?). Noel Coward wrote this play specifically to provide the British public with an escape. Hmmmmm… sounds like all of us flocking to streaming services at the beginning of the pandemic? …and how we are still?
But, aside from historical similarities to today, I also love the comedy in this play. I’m a big fan of British comedy in general and especially British farce. There’s a quickness to it that makes it like a tennis match; the audience is always waiting for each character’s next quip. Now, that isn’t to say that I don’t enjoy slapstick and more general ‘American’ comedy. But there is a wittiness to British comedy that appeals to me and, I hope, appeals to these students as well.
The other reason I chose this play is because, as this is my first time directing, I want to have as much prep time with the material as I can. I have been a fan of this play for over 8 years (which might not seem like much, but that’s over a third of my life!), so I know the play pretty well by now. Also, I did a project on it for my directing class! So, I already know where I want to go with it, possible ways to approach that with these students, and I’ve put in the extra research/design/general time needed so that I personally feel comfortably prepared for my leap into a new (for me) discipline.
This summer I have performed in my first play since high school, and now I will be diving into my first directing adventure. I think that, so far, I enjoy being able to do more than just acting. That’s part of the reason that I got a dance minor—I want to do just a little bit of everything! I am lucky to have already been able to have a wide range of experience: I have written a 10-minute play during a 24-hour play festival, I have choreographed both short and full-length pieces, I have been in both musicals and plays, and I’m beyond ecstatic to add directing to that list. While I cannot wait to perform in my next project (whatever that may be), I am greatly enjoying ‘the other side of the table’ so far—there is a freedom with and responsibility to the work I will be doing that I have not necessarily felt with every acting venture of which I have been part.
I’ll still be moving to Chicago and can’t wait for that, but, for now, I’m looking forward to the next couple months and the adventures that they will bring!
That’s all for now! Stay tuned for more life updates :)
