Another Sunday, another rehearsal at the Alpen Club. This time, two and a half hours of music, with our musical director Vashti patiently bashing out notes and clapping out rhythms for us as we tried to work our way through the two big ensemble numbers, "Pirelli's Miracle Elixir" and "God That's Good" (umpteen bars of "Yums"). Both of these numbers involve simultaneous conversations between chorus members, happening one on top of the other. I've often wondered if an audience can really appreciate this without having seen the score, and follow as "Third Man" sings across the stage to "Second Woman," or if it just sounds like chaos. Performing it is like musical dominoes - if one cue is missed, the next one is missed, and so on - so we really have to count. You could see all of the ensemble members intently focused on their scores and bobbing their heads, tapping their feet, slapping their thighs.
We made good progress though, and had time to break for dinner. The Alpen Club has a very kitschy German restaurant downstairs so some of us headed down for schnitzel. Then we were back and joined by the principals to block the opening number and Pirelli. Director Ryan likes things to be "organic," which control-freak-me slightly panics about, but given that Sweeney is not the type of show where we're going to be tap dancing it's probably OK - the movement doesn't really need to be coordinated. I guess as long as we don't look like we're wandering around with no sense of purpose, it will be OK. In these numbers we are once again engaging the audience often, and really taking advantage of the intimate nature of Jericho as a venue to bring the audience into the action through eye contact and physical proximity.
It's really fun watching the principals grow into their roles. Alex, who is playing Sweeney, is probably the quietest of the cast members off-stage, and it was exciting tonight to see this mild mannered man turn into a murderer with rage boiling just beneath the surface as he made his initial entrance at the beginning of the show. Arne, a sweet sweet man who is playing the Judge, is sneering and stomping around the stage like a true villain, too. Ah, the magic of theatre.
So Act One is now blocked. Unbelievable but true. No rehearsals now for me until next Sunday as this week is all principals and small group rehearsals. I was heartbroken tonight when I didn't get cast in the quintet that sings "The Letter" in Act Two - it has always been my absolute favorite number in the show - it is absolutely haunting - and I was really, really excited at the prospect of having the chance to maybe get to perform it in this show. Well, that's showbiz. And at least I have the rest of the week off...maybe I'll be able to get laundry done this week...