February 15, 2008

Email from Virginia Premiere Theatre--

Robert Ruffin
Producing Artistic Director
Virginia Premiere Theatre

I have just finished reading "Doing Oberon". It's a gorgeous piece of work the quality of which I rarely see. I'm not sure it's right for our audience, however, and so will pass it to my Producing Director to get her input. In the meantime, I would gladly review anything else you would like to send with cast size no more than five. I am particularly looking for a comedy or pocket musical for spring '09, but am also thinking about 2010. For your records we have changed our name from Playwrights Premiere Theatre to Virginia Premiere Theatre.

I asked why it wasn't right for his audience, and he e-mailed that his audience doesn't know how to follow a piece which really has no plot. I suppose he's right. I never think of that. I think every moment has its plot.

Dress rehearsal last night involved a still-unfinished set, no scrims, no "performance art" by Lyle, and a cast trying as valiantly as they could, but unable, I think, to make up the calculus of the lost rehearsal time. We need two more nights onstage, full tech up and ready, to be presentable. We open tonight. This is ironic since we’ve had the longest rehearsal period of any play in the world, but no amount of rehearsal makes up for last-minute mayhem in the physical space.

Everyone tells me everything will be fine tonight. The quality of this day depends on my believing them, so–