A Special Note to ALL Directors Out There

In a previous post of mine, [click here to view] regarding an experience I had working with a certain director, I mentioned how important it is for a director to be part of the group, get excited with the actors and inspire them to be the best they can be in order to get the best performance out of them. In that post, I also pointed out how devastating it can be for an actor when their director is not involved.

I can now say from experience what affect an emotionally involved, caring, considerate and understanding director has on a cast of actors.

To all Directors out there who wish to inspire their actors, THIS is how it's done:

During the auditions, express your passion for the script, your outlook and expectations for the production.

During rehearsals, allow room for input from the actors. Ask them for their opinion and ideas. Prepare your own ideas and things you want to try at rehearsals ahead of time so that when it comes to start time - you can give the actors a clear picture of all you want to accomplish.

During the cue-to-cue, thank the actors for their time and keep them busy. Actors who are passionate are eager and willing to work and help. Actors love to be put to work as long as their assistance is acknowledged.

During the tech run, be as prepared as possible and keep record of all technical cues. Levels and cues can be set prior to bringing the actors in. Doing all the "technical stuff" at a time without the actors shows them respect. Actors do not help with "technical stuff" in a production. Doing all you can before bringing them in tells the actors that you value their time and do not wish to waste any of it.

Opening night, prior to opening the house and the handing over of the keys to the stage manager, write a speech. WHY NOT?! You have worked with your actors for months, told them what to do and where to go when. You have been watching over them during hours of rehearsals and cared for them by giving them direction. You have done all you can to ensure each actor gives the best performance they are able to. Before you hand the show over, take that opportunity to speak directly to your cast and crew. Give them words of encouragement, remind them of things they have gone through and things that have happend along the way. Remind the actors where they started, and where they have got to; all they have acheived.

In a recent allocution by the director to the actors of Treasure Island at the Palace on opening night, a sword was gifted to the fight captain, tears of joy were shed and a song was sung. Below is the song which the director sang to their actors:

"Is there more I should have said?
Back when you were pictures in my head...
I'm very glad you came to play
Cause you folks gave me laughter every day.
Remember when the stage caved in, cause you were rockin' out?
I rather think your lunacy will be hard to live without.
I'd like to go back to the start
See, you all have a place inside my heart.
And please don't take this as a dare....
But, there's nothing you can break, Mark can't repair.
It's great when we're together and you share your favourite quotes
And though they are unbearable, well, I still love Dean's jokes.
Though I'm looking forward to my bed,
When thinking of the end, I feel some dread.
...
I hope we do this all again
And you can make me laugh like you did then
I know you'll do your best for Joe
As he takes the reigns to run this show.
So now it's yours to take instead
Thanks for being pictures in my head."

[this Director was inspired by Kermit the Frog to inspire us all]

As I stated in my previous post, Directors have the power to break an actor's heart or fill it with love for them to share with others for years to come.

Don't ABUSE or NEGLECT this power. USE it!

Jemmy Rathbone: Character Notes (Treasure Island)

In Ken Ludwig's version of Treasure Island, there is a character by the name of Jemmy Rathbone which I have the pleasure of portraying onstage at the Palace Theatre in London, Ontario in February 2012.
I was surprised to find little information about this character online. I only found two movie clips which were far away and out of focus.  I found a review which stated "the opening scene with all the pirates chasing Jemmy around the ship was action-packed" but that's it! I was unable to find a character background, history or even a description.
With the help of a book called "the Intent to Live" by Larry Moss, I have worked through questions and homework and created my own version of the infamous Jemmy Rathbone. I wanted to share these with anyone else out there who might be researching and preparing to portray Jemmy onstage.
I have placed the information I created into an 'interview' format with the questions being asked by Larry Moss directly from his book and the answers given by Jemmy himself.

WHERE DOES YOUR SCENE TAKE PLACE?
O' course it toikes place on a bloody ship! It's rainin' and da wind is blowin' a good one and da thunder is louder then I e're heard it before. The waves crashin' against the side o' the ship tossin' us about.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE OTHER CHARACTERS IN YOUR SCENE?
Nasty, back-stabbin' swabbers they are. They be yer best mate one day and yer worst enemy the next. Best be careful who ye tell yer plans to or they be usin' it against ya in your weakest toimes.
WHAT DO THE OTHER CHARACTERS SAY ABOUT YOU?
They have the nerve to fink I'm a cheatin', lyin' pirate who took somefin' I didn't and was gonna partake in the riches wifout keepin' me mates in the 'know'!
GIVEN WHAT THE SCRIPT SAYS, IS IT TRUE?
Yeah...d'ere prob'ly roight.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT YOURSELF WHICH IS RELEVANT TO THE SCENE?
Well I'm not sure what "REVERENT" means but I do know vat I'm a sneaky guy. I prob'ly fink I'm smarter than I really am. I can also tell ya dat I was on the streets as it were before I got me chance to prove meeself as a man o' the sea. To be straight wif ya - I'd prob'ly do just about anyfin' to get me hands on some gold 'r jewels of any koind.
WHAT DO YOU LITERALLY DO DURING THE SCENE?
I kant tell ye dat - I've sworn an oath to keep da secrets of the happenins which go about.
WHAT DO THE OTHER CHARACTERS DO TO YOU IN THE SCENE?
Well I kant bloody well tell ya dat either now can I?! ...unless you got a good 'mount o' gold yer ready to part with...?
WHAT IS YOUR POINT OF VIEW AT THE TOP OF THE SCENE?
Uh..I'm confused. Can you say da question wif different words or somefin?
OKAAAAY WHAT WERE YOU THINKING AT THE START OF THE SCENE?
Why didn't you just say dat in first ploice?! I was watch dat noight loike I am most noights. I wasn't tinkin' much but how angry da sea was and how the skies were makin' such a racket that it couldn't mean anythin' good was gonna happen anytime soon.
HOW AND WHY DO YOUR THOUGHTS CHANGE?
They don't! Nothin' good DOES come from that noight and don't wish to talk about it no more!
WHAT DO YOU WANT?
I already told yer that Larry, I want me some gold! But gold ain't any good to ya if yer dead so I guess I want to come out of this alive and able to spend me some gold. Go to port in me homeland and buy a drink or two for a special lady...or two. You know what I mean roight Larry? [nudges him]
NO. I DON'T. [sighs] DO YOU HAVE ANY PHYSICAL IMPEDIMENTS?
You makin' fun o' me knees Larry?! So I ain't as tall as a normal man would be i s'pose but I be fast! Faster than the rest o' these bloakes on this ship! AND, lemme tell you somefin' else! I be the best fighter on this here ship as well!
WHAT PIECE OF MUSIC WOULD YOU PICK TO SYMBOLIZE YOUR CHARACTER?
Oh, you mean loike a theme song? I've always wanted me own theme song...lemme think...well I s'pose if I were a ballerina or somefin WHICH I'M NOT it would be the "Flight of the Bumblebee" but NO I be a sneaky little pirate with a lot of speed and talent with me fists SO, me theme song would have to be the song from the epic scene in Wizard of Oz when the witch sets the flying monkeys on Dorothy and her little friends. She had it comin'.
CAN YOU DO AN ANIMAL EXERCISE TO HELP INTERPRET YOUR CHARACTER?
What the heck is ZAT s'posed to mean?! You comparin' me to an animal dere Larry?! Is ZAT what yer doin?! So I'm a bit like a rat but that don't mean I don't have feelin's and aren't sensitive to those kinds o' remarks Larry! This interview is over! You wanna see more o' Jemmy Rathbone you come see Treasure Island at the Palace Theatre in February 2012. I've enough o' this badgerin'!

2 Whole Hours of Fightin', and Bitin', and Pushin' and Head-Buttin'...

...and not a single lad, lass or pirate were harmed.

Surprise! Tis I, Jemmy Rathbone, 'ere again to inform all ye puss oozing, theivin' mongrels just what 'appened at this evenin's rehearsal.
The evenin' started with a good...start. The sun twas shinin' and no rain was fallin' down on us (like it has every other night for the past 2 weeks!). Everythin' was "peachy" aboard the Hispaniola and all the nasty filth known as pirates aboard were all but mindin' their own business, that is, until the sword-shieldin' boatswain who answers to the name of "Brock", did take the evenin's activities into his own hands.
It twere every man for himself then.
Afore I knows what's happend, the entire crew has turned their backs against me, ME I say! They approached me swift as hungry felines comin' in for the kill. They were all shieldin' knives in their mouths and holdin' pistols in their hands - pointed in MY direction! I didn't know what I was supposed to do OR what I did to make all me best mates turn against me in a mere moment with enough hate to sink a whole fleet.
I have the queerest feelin' that I've been set-up! But by who?...I think the univarse is tellin' me that I ain't to be findin' out just what has got these powder monkies' knickers in knots until opening night: February 3, 2012 at the Palace Theatre.
Be there to support yer fellow mate, me Jemmy Rathbone, and the rest o' them scurvey dogs upon the great spanish ship - the Hispaniola!

"There was a young lad on the sea - THE SEA!" by th'name Jim Hawkins

Tis I again, Jemmy Rathbone 'ere to inform you swashbucklers of the night passed...
A cold brisk eve it twere last night at the Palace where o' such sea filth did meet.
Read'ist we we did from the script "Treasure Island by the infamous scoundrel himself, Ken Ludwig.
We did'ist encounter the wick'd Black Dog who came'st all the way a long journey from Spain 'cross the sea.
Actually a close friend o' me own.
Both the wretch'd Squire Trelawney and the smooth-talkin' Doctor Livesey were present and the words which came'st from their mouths did sound so heavenly that I wanted to strangle 'em both silly with their own tongues.
The cleverest George Merry did'st get under the fingernails of the cap'n momentarily but once he was promised a spot 'mongst Silver's most prized collection o' heads -  he did'st shut his trap.
We also come 'cross a strange, stringy man with a beard o' white as snow and he did'st make the strangest requests o' the young Jim Hawkins...
The Captain Flint, mine hero and role model, doth inform me that we are soon to be in the possession of a treasure more brilliant than that e're imagined by man.
Next week, the common heresay 'round these parts be on Thursday - we be trainin' o' the ways o' the pistols and swords. Once complete, we shall'st be prepared to face any man or beast, armed to the teeth and ready to fight on rockin' boats, rope ladders, taverns and even in the middle o' a jungle riddled with snakes and the Lord knows what else.
Ne'er a man shall get in mine way of that glorious treasure awaitin' me and me mates 'pon Treasure Island!

"Fifteen Men on a Dead Man's Chest..." and 18-25 Actors onstage at the Palace!

Arrrrrgh Maties!
It is I - Jemmy Rathborne here to tell all ye scoundrels that Treasure Island (adapted by Ken Ludwig) is comin' to the Palace Theatre.
Keep yer eyes peeled for clues to lead the way and yer ears on guard for future bits of worthy information.
I have seen with me own two eyes the dark corners of Precunier Hall at the Palace where there be auditions held and I did there witness a ray of extraordinary talent.  Think not of the price of yer ticket but instead the treasure to be found from the seats!
On the day I meeself walked through the doors of the hall, I nearly bumped into a stranger who I did come to learn was goin to be teachin' some sword fightin' for all men worthy of the challenge - INCLUDIN' - yours truly.
I have infiltrated the Captain's Blog of madame Heather May, and I have procured a space where I may inform all ye who be interested in the happenins and on goins of the rehearsals and secret meetins of all the pirates of the underworld which is Treasure Island at the Palace.
It has come into me knowledge that the first meetin' of such vile, filthy biters will be this upcomin Tuesday.
Keep watch and stay alert!