Preview #4 —

We are starting to find our groove. We are beginning to carve out a path. There comes a time in the process of theatrical storytelling when a company will find an assured path from beginning to end. This is a wonderful and dangerous time. The wonder of it is in the confidence and assuredness that comes to the storytelling. The danger lies in the potential for the story becoming a rote and repetitive exercise.

Preview #4 was proof that we possess a solid understanding of the story and that we are not afraid to tell that story passionately. How do we know this? The measure we use is playing time. As we have been previewing the show the time it takes to tell the story has been consistently decreasing. This is not a matter of telling the story faster. Rather, it means we are telling the story efficiently, with less silence between lines. With less lingering on the line, with a forward leaning approach to every scene, every line, every word.

If playing time decreases as previews continue that is a sign that we are on a good development track. If the time increases, that often indicates that the actors are unsure, or unconvinced about how the story is being told. We are telling this story well and we all know it. This is an exciting moment in the development of our show. We are taking ownership of the moments on stage. We are telling the story on the line, in the moment and without hesitation. This is the ideal.

More to come!