We have just finished Week Three of rehearsals. I continue to be inspired by the job director Nathaniel Shaw is doing with shaping our production of Richard Greenberg’s beautiful play The Violet Hour. It’s a very ambitious script, and it calls for all five characters to go through the emotional wringer in the course of the story. It’s a genuine tragicomedy–hilarious one minute, almost like something out of a period comedy, and then heartbreaking the next when reality and fate rear their ugly heads. Yet by the end, it’s also healing and even hopeful. In short, Greenberg is working some pretty potent and challenging theatrical magic, and Nathaniel has his eye out for every connection, every realization, every surprise.
I told Nathaniel this week that he’s my favorite kind of director–he picks a fantastic script, hires wonderful actors, and brings a lot of ideas to the table from the first day. Yet at the same time, he’s completely open to the ideas we actors bring to the table, and to what happens spontaneously in the rehearsal room. He creates the perfect respectful playspace (ably set up and overseen by our production stage manager, Kerri Lynch), so that we can just throw ourselves into the story and see what we bring out of each other.
Showcase productions don’t always come together so beautifully; this is an exceptional script and an exceptional bunch of theatre artists, all working at the top of their game. Sunday we have our costume fittings with designer Bobby Pearce, Tony nominee for Broadway’s Taboo. Then we run through the show again. Monday, they bring in the office set designed by D. Craig M. Napoliello. Tuesday, we go into Tech Rehearsals, and add Mike Inwood’s lighting, Jacob Subotnik’s sound design, and David Ojala’s special effects. (I can’t say any more here without giving away some major plot twists!)
This is the most ambitious production The Active Theater has ever done, and it’s also the most expensive. The set has been built by one of the best pro shops in town, and there are period costumes to be provided, not to mention some surprises. If you can help support this production in any amount, click here to visit IndieGoGo and contribute. As of this writing, the theatre still needs to raise another $6300 before our opening on Friday, March 9th! Even small amounts add up fast, so please do pitch in if you can.
If you are a casting director, or producer, please make your reservations to see this show by contacting Virginia the Active Theater right away to reserve your industry comps. The performance venue only has 65 seats, and tickets are already selling for this first NYC revival of this remarkable play.
If you are an audience member, I encourage you to buy your seats now, as they are going quite quickly. Click the image on this post to see more about the production and to buy your tickets. This is a production that will move you. And it deserves to move to a larger venue for a longer run, too.
We open a week from tonight. Join us at The Violet Hour to see for yourself, and help us make that move happen!