Edward Albee's Occupant: First Rehearsal

Posted by Evan T. Cummings, Artistic Intern, 17 April 2008

Maybe I’m biased, but it seems to me that the theatre is the only place where a wildly diverse and eclectic grouping of people – all with their own specialties, skills, and singular roles – can come together in service to a common goal, a specific event: that is, a story being told on a stage – presented with affection and fierce commitment to anyone, everyone, who is willing to listen. Especially unique to the theatre is that the first step towards achieving this goal happens in one room, at one time, with all collaborators present – and usually with a mood of anticipation, apprehension, excitement, and possibility in the air.

At least this is how it happens at Signature Theatre.

Case in point, the recent first rehearsal for Edward Albee’s Occupant – the fourth, and final, production of Signature’s 2007-2008 season.

A part of Signature’s Legacy series, this play is an intimate, funny and fascinating portrait of the artist Louise Nevelson, written by a playwright whose own legacy to the form is, now, after a decades-long career, well established – with, hopefully, many more plays to come from his ever-working 80-year-old imagination. I speak of course of Mr. Albee, in attendance at these opening festivities, where he, like the rest of us, got stuck in a strange dance for the half-hour before the work began: To meet, or not to meet. To greet, or not to greet.

As always on first rehearsal days, all Signature staff, members of the production team, designers and their assistants, the cast and any other participants-to-be are asked to gather in the cavernous (…by New York standards) rehearsal room on 43rd street and mix and mingle over frosted pastries and cups of coffee. We were, truly, no better than junior high-schoolers at a chaperoned dance, though. Some, it seemed, (and here I can’t let myself off the hook) were branded to wallflower status, stalled by our “talent-crushes” – the high degree of respect and admiration we had for some members involved in the production. This included Mr. Albee to be sure, but also Larry Bryggman, a long-time veteran of the New York stage and, of course, the incomparable Mercedes Ruehl, a force to be reckoned with any time she graces a stage or screen. For those of us in the room who felt lower on the totem pole it was hard to reconcile these personalities with the true people behind them.

Yet, ironically, when the rehearsal formally began, any fake hierarchies or false divisions seemed to break down. We were all sharing in this process together. When the play’s set and costume designers presented their vision for the look of the play, most of us – intern and actor alike – were seeing and hearing these ideas for the first time. More importantly, for a play with a cast of two who have only each other and the audience to play off of, the rest of us had the distinguished honor of being that very first audience to hear these actors read this play. In the moments where “Louise” talks directly to the audience, we were there – agreeing, or not; laughing, or not; but following every word, the first of many audiences to come.

And amidst all this, with each of us playing our roles, big or small, the playwright himself was there to play his. Looking distinguished, but also weathered from a life of telling challenging stories, he settled in quietly for a time, taking in the remarks presented by the director, designers, actors and Signature’s Artistic Director Jim Houghton. When the floor fell to Edward, though, he gathered himself and stood with a gravitas that hadn’t been apparent previously. He spoke very briefly of his friendship with Louise Nevelson and her influence on the play, then took his seat again. It was clear, in his opinion, his part had been completed when he got the words on the page right. He was now ready to watch the play along with the rest of us, ready to follow along with the process, ready to see what would, what could, happen next.

Paradise Park: Closing Night

Posted by Elaine Wong, Production Intern, 14 April 2008

Hello everyone, this is Elaine Wong, part-time Production Management intern for
Signature. A little about me, I am an undergraduate of the University of Reading
in the UK, currently in my 3rd year studying BA Fine Art and Theatre Studies.
 Signature is my first taster of Off-Broadway theatre and my oh my,
it’s been one hell of an experience. I get to intern in New York City –
it really doesn't get much better than this. This is my first blog for the
website, and sadly my last! My internship is almost over
... but not just yet ;) Right, enough babble about myself.

This past Sunday was the last ever performance of Paradise Park.
So this is it for resident playwright Chuck Mee this season.
I for one can honestly say I am sad to see the end of Paradise Park!
My first day as an intern was the first rehearsal of the play so I have\
been there right from the start. I have witnessed all the drama (and
I am talking about what goes on BEHIND the scenes and not
onstage!), the FIRST and LAST ever Superman drop /
fruitcake toss / inflating of the bouncy castle, all the problems
that come with staging such a prop heavy show and other issues
we won’t even get into. Let’s just say it was not a smooth ride. 
So I arrive at the theatre just before 2pm on the day of the final
performance just in time to see our Founding Artistic Director
Jim slip into the Peter Norton space. I decided not to sit in on
the last performance as I have lost count of the times I have
seen the show. That and I was a little tired, irritable and hungry.

Anyways, I watched the play from the screen in the lobby instead
and it was weird thinking that this was it forever. So the play
finally wrapped up at 4pm, the cast got a great applause at the
end and many of the audience members got to take home
Superman dolls. There was a catch with that, the dolls have
been made fire retardant. It makes them especially unsuitable
for children so Signature staff had to ensure the patrons took
home miniature ones that hadn't been treated... The result of
touching the dolls? Rather tingly hands, like a burning sensation.
Where was I? 

Pizza time! With the final performance out of the way it was time
for everyone involved with the production to see it out with a bang.
We had a lobby full of pizzas and beer. Good times. At the closing
party I spotted Chuck Mee and his lovely wife, Daniel Fish
(director), Kaye Voyce (costume designer), Peter Pucci
(choreographer) and Joshua Thorson (video designer)
to name a few as well as some old faces from Queens
Boulevard. I got into a conversation with actor Alan Semok
(who played Edgar) over a bottle of beer to ask about the
fate of dear Mortimer (the dummy for those of you who
weren't paying attention during the show). Just so that we
are clear, the dummy lives in Alan's front room with his cat
who likes to sleep in Mortimer's lap apparently. So now we
know. Oh and the head comes off the body. Yes kiddies,
the dummy is not real and he can be decapitated. I also
found out at this point that Alan is alumni of the college
that I am studying at currently and his house is only down
the road from mine, only after say three months of working
together. A small world indeed. Moving on, with the pizza
and beer gone Paradise Park was officially over.

Everyone said all the goodbyes that needed to be said and before
 I knew it, time had come for us to clear out. I noticed cast
member Satya had managed to take away a number of
rollerskates that were show props – damnit, I wanted to
take a pair home too! So for all the hours I have spent
at the theatre working on the show, for all the broken
window blinds, all the unused fluffy toys hiding backstage
and the entirety of Manhattan I have scoured on the search
for the many props used in the show... Paradise Park really
has been a very rewarding show to work on for me and a
real learning curve. Everyone involved in the show has
been so dedicated and worked so bloody hard and I
really admire how much effort everyone has put it,
Paradise Park could not have turned out any better.
With that I say adieu. Thanks for reading this.

Manhattan Boulevard

Posted by Edward Freeman, Development Intern, 31 March 2008

The Island of Manhattan is so small, yet can seem so big. My journey through the streets of the City, in search of the perfect gifts for Charles Mee, proved long and arduous as I wove in and out of sleek Upper East Side pumps and cell phones, looking for an exceptional pair of red suspenders; zoomed by the strolling dog walkers and nannies of Gramercy Park, scouting out Chuck’s favorite teas; and pushed through the cascade of tired briefcases descending down the SoHo Subway steps at the end of their workdays, as I ran up them, in pursuit of Dean and Deluca, Jacques Torres and some chocolate covered cherries. All this in a torrential down-pour, mind you.

I came back to Signature’s office in Hell’s Kitchen, soaked, worried that the Thomas Pink suspenders had gotten wet, and ready to go home to Brooklyn Heights, yet completely satisfied and proud of my accomplishments. Mr. Mee may not have requested that we find these gifts for him, or that we hold a party in his honor, for that matter. But the look of sheer joy and appreciation on his face when we gave him a bagful of his favorite things; or when his favorite marching band paraded around the dining hall; or when his friends, colleagues and admirers read love letters to him; or when there was an explosion of confetti at the end of the festivities; was priceless and let me know that my journey and the effort was worth it.

Remember, it’s what you do for others and what you give of yourself that counts the most sometimes. Mr. Mee is an amazing playwright, role model and person, and the entire season of his art that he gave to Signature and its audience has been invaluable. He has left an indelible impression on us and so many others…it is only fitting that this year’s Gala was titled “A Love Letter to Charles Mee.”

NY TIMES: PHOTO SLIDESHOW

Posted by Mike Trerotola, Marketing Intern, 6 March 2008

Hey all you fine Signature fans reading this blog! Check out this cool NY Times photo slideshow, entitled "Moving a Carnival," which features Paradise Park! Our choreographer, Peter Pucci, who also choreographed Queen's Boulevard (the musical), is featured in the slideshow. Hope you enjoy!

Paradise Park: Opening Night!

Posted by Sofiya Akilova, Executive Assistant, 5 March 2008

This past Sunday Paradise Park, the third show of Signature’s Charles Mee Series, enjoyed a brilliant and very special opening. The house was filled with the likes of Romulus Linney, Tina Landau, Dylan Baker and Peter Norton, to name a few. Jim Houghton kicked off the evening with a warm welcome to all our guests, and paid tribute to the courageous collagist we were all there to celebrate, Charles Mee!

This happens to be my favorite play of the Charles Mee Series, and it was my fifth time watching the show and I kind of expected to sit back and kick it rerun style, ya know? But to my glorious surprise, I never enjoyed the show more. Maybe it was the couple of glasses of champagne I had during the lobby reception before the show–I’m completely serious about that. When you watch a Charles Mee play I think your inhibition can really stand in the way of fully experiencing it. You kind of can’t come in expecting anything, even if you’ve seen other Charles Mee plays. The barrage of sensational distractions combined with sudden plunges into characters’ painfully personal journeys oscillates so feverishly in PARADISE PARK that I think the less inhibition the more you allow the beautiful chaos to just have its effect on you, without judgment. And then at the end you just sit back and feel the aftershock.

The beauty of the opening night show could’ve also been due to the theatre being filled with people who have worked on, admired, championed, understood, explored, and connected to Chuck’s work. There was just an amazing sense of communion in the audience – yes, we understand this depiction of reality and life, it makes sense to us! At the end there were two boisterous curtain calls. It was a wonderful moment of simple and genuine appreciation for Chuck and all who unfurled the wonders of Chuck’s mind on that stage.

The crowd then proceeded to the after-party over at 44 ½, replete with cosmos, bite-size spoonfuls of risotto and other delectable hour devours, servers in tight pink t-shirts labeled with things like “naughty,” “heaven,” “tasty;” in other words, Paradise.

Paradise Park: Video Montage

Posted by Mike Trerotola, Marketing Intern, 27 February 2008

Hey all! Check out this really awesome video montage of Paradise Park that our own Marketing Associate, Jen Taylor, put together!

Both Paradise Park and the video montage were mentioned in the "Pencil This In" section of Gothamist. John Del Signore writes "If this far out video montage is any indication, you'd do well to buy the ticket, take the ride."

Chuck Mee and Daniel Fish Discuss Paradise Park

Posted by Mike Trerotola, Maketing Intern, 11 February 2008

Check out this really cool video that we posted on our website! You get an up close and personal interview with Chuck Mee, our Playwright-in-Residence, and Daniel Fish, director of Paradise Park. Hear what they have to say about Signature Theatre Company's world premier production of Paradise Park.