Othello Rehearsal

Boy did we have a treat on Monday!
I went to see the first othello rehearsal @ CASE!
This was very interesting, and I will discuss what happened and my thoughts here.
.....The dim murmuring of voices could be heard as me and my drama teacher, Rick Hamilton, followed the small corridor. We came to a door that said: Rehearsal Hall and we pushed open the door. The dim murmur was now a bunch of garkle, and we were greeted by a light brunette holding a clip board and a cup of Starbucks coffee. "Hello," she quiped, "Can I help you?" "Yes" said my drama teacher, "I'm Rick Hamilton, and this is Kelly Heikkila from the Montessori High School." "Oh! So you're who I've been emailing with back and forth, and now I've met you in person." the girl cracks a smile and laughter is hiding behind her face. She looks exuberantly happy, and must be one of those awfully chronic cheerful people who like to brighten everybody's day. Sadly, I happen to be one of those people. My drama teacher clears his throat, "We're looking for Kelly, the stage manager....?" "Oh, she stepped out for a moment but she'll be here soon." Rick and I turn to face the room, which is large, with a vaulted ceiling covered in old fashioned wood panels. In fact the height of the ceiling is bigger then the Room. I wonder why they made it that way. People file in from the door, all college students, and I am unable to tell their age because they all look so young. Eventually the other Kelly, the stage manager, walks in. You know who she is right away, because she has that sort of 'in control and demanding' gait that assertive woman walk with. Eventually everyone is settled and the director introduces himself to the actors and to us, in part. The actors introduce themselves, as do the tech designer, scene designer, and dramaturg. The guests, meaning us, make our introductions. The CASE students look really interested and happy about the fact that we were from Montessori and that I an IB student, which is apparent from their squabbling and quabbling nodding their heads yes saying 'oh how interesting' and then pouring their attention back to their director, who has something important to say. The director is setting Othello during the Boer war, and this interests me for several reasons. The first being, it completely fits with the theme and story of Othello to put it during the Boer war. A popular setting is in south during reconstruction, but the boer war makes much more sense. He then goes over how we wants to vision to be put out. He will not change any of the names, though he is changing the male role of Desdemona's father to be, instead, a female who is a wealthy land owner. How interesting, I think. When I read Othello perhaps it will tell me why that change has been made. Then the scene designer goes over the set, which has drawn inspiration from the tulu warrior tribe of South africa (from which othello will be from) he also says that the furniture will start out african but end biritish colonial. And the bed that Desdemona is murdered in is a British Colonial bed. That is a good prophetic tool. the lighting will be colorful and fiery, though at some times the actors will step from a lighted up part to a 'less light' or dark part, so it looks as if there faces go from light to dark.

This rehearsal taught me a lot about plays. I saw the dynamics between the small cast, and how they were able to produce a production. And I saw how a production could be put on, and the different roles in putting on a production such as the tech designer, and the dramturg, and the director, the stage manager, the scene designer, the music guy, etc.

I cannot wait for us at Montessori to do our production.
Our school is small and we will do a bunch of one acts.
One will be a drama and One will be a comedy.

I am seeing Emma this saturday, and am looking forward to it.
another entry about that will come soon.
~Kelly