Week 2: Rehearsal Blogs

From Dylan Connor (Carl):

The theme of this week's bobrauschenbergamerica rehearsals: discovery. The groundwork has been laid, and we've fully immersed ourselves in the world of this wonderful play, and now we are discovering what awaits us there. I have been back and forth and around again discovering things about my character Carl--discovering things I thought I already knew about him, and bounding to even greater heights with where he can reside. At the same time, I've been watching this process occur in each of our cast members, in our ensemble as a whole, and in this whimsical alternate world as it unfurls. Sometimes the process is sluggish and difficult, sometimes it's like second nature--but it's always organic, and it's always evolving. I can't stress enough the utter uniqueness and absolute thrill of participating in this process--and to conclude and summarize, I'd like to borrow a few lines from Carl: "It's a precious thing to compare ourselves to nothing else. This is my working attitude. I don't feel shame in my joy."

- Dylan

From Mollie Murk (Phil's Girl):

This week, we have moved from table work and training to plowing through blocking and the movement of the show as a whole. Previously, my theatre experiences have been at the high school and amateur levels, where it is common for directors to spoon-feed actors' blocking and character traits. When we block smaller scenes in bob, however, Donnie usually has us jump right in and follow our first instincts. From there, he will deconstruct the scene and work with us to reconstruct it. This collaborative process has led to so many discoveries in my character, the other characters, relationships, symbolism, and other vital elements hiding beneath the surface of the script. It's nerve-wracking at times because I don't want to mess up, but as we've moved forward, I've become so much more comfortable with taking risks and exploring new ideas. Even if one of us has an idea that doesn't align with Donnie's vision, it's never "wrong." It's a springboard. Our ideas lead to other ideas that lead to more ideas. The possibilities really are endless with this production. Every rehearsal, I'm amazed at the whimsical, hilarious, chaotic, realistic, and sometimes disturbing moments we create from words on a page. This week has been just as incredible of a journey as last week, and it appears there's no sign of it slowing down from here. Whenever I think about what's to come, I can't help but feel overwhelming joy and excitement for this production.

- Mollie