Brian Boitano Weblog…bitch

Well, it’s been quite sometime since i have posted my last blog….i think the main attribute to that was my intense ice skating schedule, and for that, i apologize. In the mean time,  here’s everything i will be covering:

Vaudeville–video

Vaudeville–performance/creation of

Port Orange Family days Pantomime

Moby Dick costumes

Princess of Mars

Karagoz puppetry

sweeney Todd

Districts:

student directed scene

set design

pantomime

 Sooooo….i guess I’ll start off with the most recent thing, Districts. I’ve been working on all my events for weeks, and i was optimistic on making my last districts the best. When i got there, it was confusing and scary because of several horrible events like forgetting an extension chord, losing my set deign binder, a rather sloppy pantomime, and a student directed scene t hat would have looked better if i had all my actors fully devoted. It’s weird that when you have to depend on people your events usually come out worse than when you don’t. Every year, my individual event that had nothing to do with another person comes out well, and i get a critic’s choice on that one. I found out through the grape vine that this year i got critic’s choice on my set. And i’m fairly certain i got an excellent on my Student Directed scene and pantomime. We didn’t hear anything about those two.

My student direct went somewhat well, but the two people who didn’t really memorize their lines that much (Allie and Scarlett) brought the scene down a notch because they forgot their lines and fumbled them….but everyone in the room laughed–including the judges. I thought there were times when it may have been over the top, but it turned out well. The judges didn’t mind (or at least said so) that I used girls to play guys. they liked a lot of the gags and timing of my actors and LOVED shay. I was very optimistic. I think it was two or three times better than cat on a hot tin roof last year. I think this was partially because of my choice of actors and the fact that this was a comedy. I just really wanted to redeem spruce creek after i dropped the ball of us ritually getting critic’s choice in student direct.

 No one came to watch my scene design, which i guess was okay, but i expected at least one person from my troupe to be there….i did fine though, i always start out my presentation fast and somewhat scared/nervous. a good portion of that was attributed to forgetting the extension chord and having to rush over there in 1 minute to not miss my event. So after my presentation, i got nervous because i thought the judges were weary about my design cause they asked some kind of detailed questions. i was very intimidated too because this year they were actually familiar with the play and at least one of them had actually been to the steel pier of New Jersey–where this takes place. they said it was beautiful over all, and it looked like the actual place, but they wanted me to be more metaphorical about it, or at least try to bring that more to the set. I didn’t agree with their concept of the play where they wanted everything to be more of a haze or dream, because i think that’s what the Broadway version was like, so i wanted to steer away from that, to try to make it a more concrete vision rather than an illusion. But you can’t argue opinion. They didn’t like my floor plans–and that was completely understandable. They said i could get a program off of google for free because all i heard were one that ere like $1000, but they said that once i get my floor plans down i would be an unstop-able set designer.     

The pantomime now, has had several problems, namely, Anthony. I don’t know why i work with this boy, he barely listens, he can’t stand doing something the way i ask–regardless of whether i’m directing or not. It was originally going ot be Seashell, Kasey and Scarlett. Kasey had problems as well, she seems too reserved and doesn’t get into the performance as much. She would do things not as well as they should, she would get sloppiest and sometimes she just wasn’t fast with the moves. Scarlett at least got into the performance. But it just would have been easier and better if i just had Seashell stay with her part, i think everything would be better had she just stay in districts–oh, i also would have been able to do a duet acting event with her. but hey….you win some and you lose some. Overall, our troupe did a great job. so far, i heard we got 3 critic’s choices and i honorable mention. I just wish there was some other incentive this year to have worked hard because we’re not doing state. I know last year oodles of people were motivated for that prime most amazing experience. I think more people would have worked harder knowing that that was waiting for them when they’re done with all this hectic drama. Overall, I did get to see some good theatre and experience part of it, and for the last time, proudly represent Troupe 2461   

This past friday 9/28/08 i saw the play “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” By Tennesse Williams at the DBCC. I must say, the play itself is a goodp lay. But it was not done justice to. The set was meager but functional. It had some serious ugly going on. The actual windows to the outside of the house were that of which looked literally like a bunch of boards that were thrown over the top of nothing. It gave it a really cheap look to the set but the house is supposed to be VERY wealthy. It had a very gross pale pink as the interior color and the format of the hosue didn’t make much sense. I worked on this play for districts last year and while some people may have hated it (Mr. Kuiper…..and the judges) but the biggeest problems came from:

• the actor who plays brick naturally had a Boston accent, so his southern accent was VERY obscure
• Maggie was terrible, Mary jeanes could have acted circles around her!!!!
• Mae seemed to be a little too insincere
• they didn’t use the children
• THEY USED THE MOFO-ING ALTERNATE ENDING!!!! that was the biggest problem i had 

I LOVED the original ending, it was how Tennesse Williams intended it to end, but Elia Kazaan said he should change it because Big Daddy was too importiant of a character to leave after the second act. The only benefit to this was that we got to see the amazing performance by big daddy again. I did hate that, it changed the idea of the play completely. I HATED IT!! GAH!!! Overall, i wouldn’t see this play again–unless it was done properly. If not, then it’d be pointless to see it, im ight as well read it again if i’m just going to see crap, at least in my head i can imagine what it’d look like if it’s done well.

Big Mama and Big Daddy were great. The actor who played Brick is a good actor, but this role didn’t reflect it so much. The costumes were good, and that might be as far as i would commend the show. I know it’s community college, but that’s no excuse for poor theatre. Other wise, i do enjoy the play cat in general, i didn’t choose it without a reason for districts. Unfortunatly, i don’t think i was able to convey what i wanted with the actors i used. Randy wasn’t a great brick. Mary was a good Maggie. Anthony goofed off at every rehearsal with Randy. I think if i had a more productive cast, i could have accomplished much more than i did.   

We had 1 day less this week, and it was monday. In class we got our Riders to the Sea scenes starting to rehearse. Unfortunately, one of our group members was missing. And, unfortunatlely, i was an emotional wreck due to stupid things earlier that week and day which spilled over into the rest of the week. I was probably the worst person to do a Riders to Sea off-book that actually made the teacher cringe. It was mostly attributed to my lack of knowledge of the lines…but whence i get them memorized I will Pwn as usuall. I think that if i try to embrace chekov’s theory of acting and do some characteriation it would be easier for me to step into the character of a young strapping man.

Drama club, i submitted a T-shirt design. It lost.

Moby dick, I wanted to be Queequeg, my favorite character from the book and all parodies. I did a pretty good audition on Tuesday–I actually got applause from people in the house while reading which was….very weird. I danced decently which was an improvement for me too. On Wednesday we had singing as well which at that time i didn’t suck so much. I wasn’t called to read again which had me nervous, but i was fortunate enough to get a call back. At call backs, i sang badly once, danced with the people the director wasn’t considering once, and i didn’t read at all. I figured he was going to give Ashley the part of Queeqeg because of how many times he called her up. I think it was more dissapointing that i wasn’t called to read for ANYTHING else. I really wanted an acting part and there were a ton in this musical so i thought i had a chance–but i forgot, I”M NEVER CAST!! everytime, like an alzheimers patient, i forget how bad it feels when i’m rejected from a part so i stupidly go out for another thing, then i fail and repeat the process over and over agian. It’s not that i can’t take rejection, it’s just that i don’t know how much rejection someone can take. As Brian Boitano, i’m not generally used to this.

So now my only options are tech, tech or more tech. I want a chance to actually design something that i know will be built. Not just a model and a concept to be thrown away once i’m done like with districts. I want one of my concrete ideas to come to life. So i’m praying that Kuiper will let me design–even though the last time i asked him to design he rejected me. I think if he gives me creative freedom i can atually do something impressive. So i sent him a message with the officer minutes asking, but he hasn’t responded yet. Natalie got to design the costumes for Romeo & Juliet, and i really want to show that i can do something impressive too. So maybe Kuiper will trust me with something.             

We already had an oral which i think went well. It was on “Riders to the Sea” by John Millington Synge and we had to do a 5 minute presentation on how we would stage the play. I was probably the closest to the actual time limit, but i wasn’t as chock full of information as, oh let’s say, Shay. I didn’t go until today (8/29/07) so i had more time to actually listen to what other people wanted to do. I think most of them were staying in a safe realm of realism, but i really appreciate the idea of expressionism and surrealism. I love to create my set designs allong those kinds of lines. I think it’s better to do realism when your doing film, theatre you have a bigger creative realm as far as keeping it on a stage and having to get your point across in an hour and a half without a rewind button. It takes more cahones. Luckily I, Sir Boitano, have much cahones and i think i pulled it off. I was nervous about my costume designs cause i HATE fashion and i’m always scared that i’m going to screw it up and then find out later that an empire waist line is a symbol of innocence, and low cut is symbol of power or something crazy like that. I’ll just stick to what i know… Over all, my presentation was not as good as the other ones, but it was actually within the time limit which was what no-one else did, so i did accomplish something. I think for my next oral i need to delve a bit more into the underlying tones of the author and bring them forth. It’s my job as a director to make everything obvious and be able to let the audience leave the theatre knowing exactly what i meant. Coming up next in class are our actual scenes from Rider and i will be playing the lead role of “Bartley.” We don’t have any other information as to what we need to do as far as off-books, but i’m on top of my lines. More excitedly, is “Moby Dick the Musical.”  For the sake of everyone in drama, i did not apply to be stagemanager. But looking back on my experiences here at spruce creek, i’ve done almost everything there could possibly be backstage/tech booth, but i have never acted. It’s not that i never wanted to, but it’s that i don’t think i’ve ever got the opportunity. I know that i can in the very least try, i have had good scenes in class, and i think comedy is my forte. The thing is, i never seem to be given the chance. I’ve been dying for an acting role since i was a freshman, and now i’m a senior and still standing infront of the entire drama club with nearly nothing on my acting resume. It’s not that i feel like a hypocrit, but more like a student who’s not well rounded. Of course we get to act in class, but it’s different to get out infront of a paying audience and give them a real performence. Unfortunatly, it’s been extremely discouraging. Everytime i’m not cast in something i will get really down and promise to never audition for anything again because i apparently can’t fit any role, or i’m not good enough for any part, or i’m not pretty enough, thin enough, or talented. I know rejection is a part of theatre and it’s something you have to cope with. But after not being cast so many times, it really takes a toll on your self esteem. But not only that–if i audition for something outside spruce creek i have a whole resume less than everyone else who’s competing for the same part. Now i know what you’re thinking, “Brian? Not completely satisfied wiht himself?!?! WHAT?!?!” Yes, i know, but we’ve all been there people. I guess what i need to do this year is learn how to finally cope with what happens without hating life, and still audition even while thinking i don’t have a chance in hell. So i’ll focus on that and Stanislavski technique–both are key.