Post-Reading Reflections

This past weekend was the FreshINK staged reading of The Haunting of the Weave.  (I'm ready to change the name now.  It was good to hear it read and to see what worked and what didn't.  I feel like I have a clear idea of what to change if I continue to go in this direction.  Although, I see some new ways to go as well.

I'm trying to write down my thoughts now so that I can have them on paper and then put them away for awhile while I concentrate on the rest of my job. 

I do feel really lucky to be able to have had the luxury of a sabbatical to do the research and to work to produce something creative AND personal.  It has been a great journey for me.  It isn't over yet, but it is time to put it aside and let it marinate.

I had a wonderful experience with the actors, stage manager, sound and projection folks.  If anyone in that group is reading this.  THANK YOU!!

Tomorrow We Perform

Well, 4 rehearsals in and we've made a lot of changes.  I wish we had more time and more technology.  I'd love to have a loom on stage, use more of the projections, create more staging.  But, this is a reading and I need to let it be what it is.

The actors are doing a great job, working hard and doing their best to bring these sometimes wordy and difficult speeches to life.  I'm working on the 'cues' now and in a few hours we will have our last rehearsal. 

I am both really excited AND really terrified to bring this before an audience.  I know that it is not ready for 'prime time' yet and still very much a work-in-progress.  My delicate ego worries about being destroyed.  At the same time, I'm eager to see what does work and what people have to say.  So, for anyone out there reading this... wish me luck!!!

First Rehearsal

I'm really excited!  We had our first rehearsal for the FreshINK reading of the play.  It is still raw and needs a lot of work, but having enthusiastic actors working on it and giving it life felt really rewarding.  The reading is one week from day (and through that weekend) and we have four more rehearsals.  There's a lot to do, but it is good to be at this stage.

Well... it's out there...

The play now has a working title:  "The Haunting of the Weave: The story of the Lowell Mill Girls."  Not sure that is the right title, but it is what I have right now.  I've put it on our department D2L page so that students can read it and be prepared for auditions on September 14th.  We will be doing the play as part of our FreshINK program in late September.  I'm both excited and terrified.

There have been a lot of changes but I still feel that it is very much a work-in-progress.  I feel very attached to it and also a bit frightened of what this next stage will be.  But, having it performed - even as a reading - will really help me to see whether I can go on with it, or if that is the extent of the life of the piece.  We shall see.  To be continued...

Next Steps

I have been on vacation and away from this for a while.  I'm working on syllabi this week, but I also anticipate getting another annotated revision done with notes about transitions (music and projections).

I'm feeling quite positive at this point.  I will be in Boston in a few weeks and hope to take some final photos of Lowell today (depending on my family obligations).

Next, we will be doing the play for the first FreshINK at Parkside and I'm both nervous and excited.  I know that the script still needs work and that there are things that are far from perfect, but I believe that hearing it and seeing it will be helpful and I think (fingers crossed) that I'm ready for this level of performance.

John played me some of what he is doing with sound/music yesterday and that was very exciting as well!!!!!!

Music

I had a great meeting with John Costigan yesterday to talk about the music for the reading.  We both think in similar ways about music so it was a great conversation.  I just went through the script and looked for sound and music.

The big news is that I'm swallowing my pride (knowing that this will be personally difficult for me) and we will have this as the first reading in our FreshINK series at the end of September.  Right now, after thinking of several different ideas, I think I'm going to keep it simple and call it "The Lowell Factory Girls".  Clear - not exciting - but clear.

I've added myself into the script at the end as part of a monologue.  I'm not sure it works, but I was encouraged to do it.  I look forward to making the next round of cuts and changes as I'm finally beginning to see how this will work on stage!

Listening to music was helpful.  I had some songs in my head but found a few that are interesting in their connection.  I remembered that The Roches  did a great version of "The Factory Girl" on their album NURDS.  I don't think I can legally post the link to the song (and don't even know if anyone is really reading this) but you can search for it on iTunes.  It is an old Irish folksong that applies and it has been performed by many folk artists over the years.  This is not, by the way, the Rolling Stones song that will also come up in a search.  :)

Finishing Another Draft

It has been awhile since I last posted here.  I won't go into too much detail about the reading.  There was a lot that I was disappointed about, but the feedback was pretty good overall - certainly helpful.  I left feeling discouraged but after having it ferment a bit in my mind, I came up with some new ideas that I'm working on now and I think that will really help.  I'm adding a character and making some fundamental changes.  Also, cutting a lot and adding a scene or two and some commentary.  We'll see how that reads.

In the meantime, I had a short visit to Lowell.  It wasn't as long as I'd hoped for.  I took my Dad and he tired quickly and we had to leave.   BUT, I did get to go to the American Textile Museum.  I'd never been there before and spent a lot of time with a docent looking at the machinery and talking about what each machine does.  It was fascinating.  I could have spent all day there.  I'll go back in July and maybe in August.

I'm hoping that I can get this draft done today and out to Julie and Roseann to read.  At any rate, I'm feeling better and excited.

Some pictures:

This first picture is raw cotton.  I love it.  It is, of course, the beginning of the process.

 This second picture is of a picking machine: preparing the cotton and cleaning it.

This next picture is of an old factory that is next to the Lowell Park Visitor Center.  Some of it is condominiums and offices, not sure of the rest.