End Of Week One

As the title suggests, we are at the end of the first week. Lots has happened, with lots to come. The exciting thing so far is this incredible energy put forth by everybody in the room. Today was spent almost entirely on review of what we'd done so far this week, much of it dancing and singing the finale or what leads up to it. There's something magical and more than a bit contagious in the music that gives me the energy to keep going. I know I've touched on this already, but it bears repeating again and again. Or at least it bears the discussion again and again, because I often feel that I'm just repeating the same thought, or re-circulating around the same idea.

The finale consists of the reprised version of two songs and the introduction of a third song, all of which are familiar to the audience, whether you've seen the show or not. The first song is the title song, MAMMA MIA. Sung with such energy and verve by these young, nubile men and women it's impossible not to be filled with a certain joy just watching them. Then they move into a reprise of DANCING QUEEN, and let's be honest (without trying to sound ironic here), who wouldn't be filled with joy watching this song? And finally, the secret weapon - the final song. I'm not gonna say what it is, cause I don't want to spoil the fun for those who haven't seen it yet. And if you've seen the movie, forget it, you still know nothing. But the end of the show is fantastic! Not only an homage to ABBA (of course) but one of the funniest reveals you might ever see on a Broadway stage. And as I was about to enter the scene in our final moments of rehearsal for the finale today, I thought to myself - "And I get paid to do this?" I mean honestly, to quote the late, great Jerry Orbach, "We must get paid for the waiting around (or in our case, the auditioning and waiting to get the next job), for surely we would do the acting for free!" Oh My God, how true that is. It was simply a blast. It's why we do what we do, I know, but it's so much more than that. It's also, and I suppose some of this comes with an awareness of age in the business, the joy that you know it gives an audience.

The discussion came up more than a few times this first week about the fact that when MM! opened in New York it was October 2001, only a month after 9-11. People were still reeling from the events of that day. I was in the second day of rehearsal for the Broadway production of HEDDA GABLER starring Kate Burton when the planes struck, and when we opened only a few weeks later, I thought (as dark as the play was) "Who's gonna want to see a show about a woman who shoots herself in the head? There's a real upper!" But then I thought, "Well if I thought that was bad, who in their right mind would want to go see a light and frothy "...giant singing Hostess cupcake..." of a musical?", as Ben Brantley of the New York Times called it. (It's true, I remember that review!) Apparently a LOT of people did. It was the salve for people's wounds. It was the calm for peoples storms. It was a wave of release and a chance, if only for a few hours, to forget the outside world and get lost in remembering a past that might actually have never existed. (Okay, that last bit? I'm sort of paraphrasing the Times there, but it's a great image and appropriate to the story.)

So of course over the years, and through the many friends I've had who've been in the show, I had heard about how much fun it was, and indeed I experienced it first hand on the night that I saw the show. But I can only imagine what joy that kind of a connection is with an audience 8 times a week. Even today, with the memory of 911 growing more and more distant, I none-the-less look forward to that experience and that connection more than I can say.

Our final 2 hours of rehearsal were spent on the intricate and lengthy scene between Bill and Rosie in the second act, when they finally come to a "meeting of the minds". Again, to avoid any spoilers for those who haven't seen it, I won't give away too much. But for those who have, we'll call it "the chase in the church". You know what I mean. The best part about this rehearsal was, again, this feeling of excitement and acceptance in the room and the idea that anything is game, anything is new and refreshing, nothing we try is "wrong" or "inappropriate." It's not just this scene but the whole show that is being re-done and the constant reminder of that goal makes this gig so cool and exciting! Anything goes and so we, my Rosie and I, tried it all. We were falling all over each other and the floor, literally, trying to find (always) the truth in this situation, in this scene between these two very real people who discover, through the course of the scene and the song, how desperate they are for each other - sexually, emotionally, spiritually. It's an amazing joy to work with Allison, my "Rosie" who's willing to try just about anything, and Martha and Janet, our director and dance captain, who are there to support it. We're still not all the way through the scene, but we found a great path to follow, so the rest should fall into place easily. And for the sake of my son and daughter, just so no one's shocked when they see it, "Yes, Daddy does kiss another woman." But it's okay, it's just work. ;)

The coming day off is much welcome, but I have to admit I'm a bit timid and nervous about the following days rehearsal. Tuesday I start the scene between Bill and Sophie where he first discovers that he's her father, or so he thinks. They sing the duet "Name Of The Game", and Alyse, our new Sophie, has such a haunting and yearn in her voice, I fear (in a good way) what that might do to me or bring out in me. Part of the job description, I know, but that doesn't mean I'm not aware of it or fearful/excited to see what comes up.

Yet another example of why I do what I do, I guess...