Theatre On Steroids

I had stayed up late reading the first draft of the script, set for a Table Read the next day. I secretly wondered how this would all go down, but I shouldn't have! Sitting in a room full of producers, all huddled about a table lined with the Cast, I, too, heard the words on the page come to life for the very first time.

My son, The Actor, sat amongst the Cast, contributing.

I was stunned. Bring words to life they did . . . and I laughed throughout the presentation. All too soon, it was over, and the real work about to begin. The 50 pages of dialouge would be honed and go through many revisions before the final edit made it to film.

Monday.

Tuesday.

Wednesday.

Thursday.

Take after take; revision after revision; change after change.

It was theatre on steroids - a play of sorts, which began one way, but was becoming something quite refined from the original.

A real-time creative collaboration between the Writers, the Producers, and the Cast.

The script changed so many times, one was privy to watch the Cast not in the currently-rehearsing-scene going over the new set of lines handed down in the latest script document of the day.

Finally, the show had to go on.

The final revision was ready . . .

or was it?

As a squirming audience sat in the stadium seats, high above the multi-camera operation on the floor below, the lights were dimmed and Action! declared.

Laughter graced the studio.

Act One, Scene One went off without a hitch.

Act One Scene Two - CUT!

The Director paced, the Producers huddled, the Cast consulted.

Assuming their places, the audience was stunned, then laughed uproariously as the INSTANT REVISION of the script played out before our eyes . . . and it was PERFECT!

The proper way to end the scene; the most likely ending to the hilarity that had gone on before.

Truly, the night was filled with such surprises. A theatre production carries great weight, but none so amazing as that which we witnessed Opening Night: instantaneous story line revision.

The experience made for a memory like no other.

Now, the wait begins to see what they put together as the final product . . .