The Titus Experience

 Thanks to all who tuned in on Halloween Night to see Titus Andronicus!  It was a crazy whirlwind of a process, and I think we all ended up being really proud of how it turned out.

If you haven't seen it yet, you still can!  Here is the link:  

https://bit.ly/SBTSWatchTitus

So, as we come out of this experiment and head into the next one, Measure for Measure, I thought I'd blog about the process and the experience now that it is done.

And I am really sad that it is done.  I didn't think I'd get post-show blues from having done a show only one time, but oh how I long for a nice five or six week run of Titus Andronicus.  And I think we all felt like had we had another week of rehearsals (except Jonathan who said he only wanted one more), we really would have cracked this baby wide open.  There is so much to this play that I never imagined.  Love of family and country, and doing whatever it takes to protect what is important to you.  It's also incredibly relevant in this election year, as it starts off with two men yelling only to their factions to make sure they rule!  One more viciously than the other.  And from the comments we have received and the review below, the relevance was not lost on viewers.  

 http://michaeldohertyspersonallibrary.blogspot.com/2020/11/titus-andronicus-shakespeare-by-sea.html

But, as my five loyal readers are well aware, I am all about the journey!  I love when the destination is glorious, but the process is where the memories are made (fulfilling my shaky metaphor).  And this one was really rough for most of it.  And I don't intend to make excuses for any dropped lines or flubs that you may notice in the show.  The show must go on, and you stand behind what you put up.  Also, one of my early mentors and teachers, Mark Medoff, told us in a class that nobody wants to hear it.  Not casting directors, not audience members, not other actors.  Just stand up and say "disclaimer" if you must, because in the end it doesn't matter.  You are what you put on that stage (or on film).  That always stuck with me.  And you'll never see me make excuses.  It doesn't matter if you took over the role the night before, or if you're Yul "freaking" Brynner and this is your 4,000th performance of The King and I.  You have a job to do, and you better do it.  

And I'm proud to say that everybody who worked on this production on and offstage did their jobs.  And at a really high level.  How did that happen?  As Geoffrey Rush said in Shakespeare in Love:

When I look back on this experience, I'm sure I will be filled with sorrow that we weren't able to have an audience or a run of more than one show.  

I will continue to be angry that the ridiculous law AB5 cost us the ability to cast more people and have more rehearsal time. 

 I will marvel that we were able to do this in a pandemic using protocols and social distancing, and we were all so creative in how we handled the staging.  (I'm quite proud of the violence that I staged.  I was able to increase the body count, and not one person had to be carried off the stage.  We cleverly attached sashes to Melissa's arms so she wouldn't be manhandled.  We had to avoid kissing and breathing on one another, which is harder than it sounds).  

I will be overwhelmed by the talents of my fellow artists with whom I shared this magical experience.  

And I will think fondly of the play Titus Andronicus.  Honestly, it was near the bottom of my list of Shakespeare's works.  But, not only do I now really love the play, but I am looking forward to the time when I get to play this wonderful role again.  Although, I hope I get to play it with the same people who were with me this time.

I hope you watch it.