Now that Chicago is Done...

So Chicago is finally done and I am Mama Morton no more. But let me tell you a little bit about the experience:

The picture above is a picture of the set for the show. Student Theatre groups get to use Lisner Downstage to put on their productions. It is the only space on campus which student theatre groups have control over...which is nice, but it is a small space so it can be limiting. Chicago was arguably the biggest show a student theatre company has ever done. It was put on by Generic Theatre Company, one of 3 student theatre companies at GW, which you can find on the student org website: http://studentorgs.gwu.edu/merlin-cgi/p/so_printRegisteredOrgDetail/d/533. The link provides information about Generic Theatre Company and a link to Generic's personal website. Over 100 people auditioned for a 22-person cast, the cast was phenomenol and every night we performed this weekend we had to turn away people (for a few of the shows we had to turn away people who lined up an hour and a half before the show sometimes 100 or more people...which was really exciting but had me thinking...are we in an alternate reality?).

Me as Mama Morton

Being a singer, I get ready for performances a little differently than actors. While actors have to learn to tap into a character immediately, I'm used to a more gradual improvement over the course of several months. Being in a show taught me that if you try to be at your best from day one, you have a lot more room to grow and develop the character, and the performance becomes second nature. Personally, its the spontaneity of performing that most attracts me to it, but it you're doing a show, you have to get over that and find spotaneity in other places.

My cast members and the director were really supportive and I think we all came a very long way, especially considering the time-frame we had to finish everything in. This is my first full show at GW btw, but there are also opportunities to perform on both larger and smaller scales through Mainstage productions, which take place twice a year in the Betts Theatre, and smaller shows like Forbidden Planet Productions Cabaret which showcases scenes from different musicals, each with a different director and cast (which mean its much less of a time commitment).

                                     

Til Next Time,

Ekiria

Lemme know if you have questions: magalae@gmail.com