Performance Team at Fremont Abbey

A Tuning the Air Journal

Saturday April 10, 2010 – Performance Team at Fremont Abbey

We reluctantly abandoned the Full Team Saturday Circle for this week, in order to deal with performance and blocking issues on our last opportunity to get into the Great Hall before opening night.

We arrived at 9:30. Chris and I quickly defined the circle, putting tape down to mark our positions. We then set up chairs for the audience so that we could work as closely as possible to the way it will be on Thursday, minus the sound reinforcement (and consequently, the cable issues, although we did address these throughout the rehearsal, especially in terms of blocking).

Igor had asked that we look at entrances, exits and green room issues early on, so that he could attend to other commitments asap. So the first hour was almost entirely dedicated to entering, exiting, walking, standing, putting guitars on, taking guitars off, and generally all of the glamorous stuff that makes one glad to be a musician. Very happy with how this evolved. The movement of the performers, as it developed has a certain combination of natural simplicity and elegance. Found my enthusiasm appearing.

Let Igor go, and took a short break. On to the music. We walked through the set as it stands right now, addressing blocking as well as the music. The first half of the set is more or less as it was on Thursday, with some tweaks. Trapiche has been happily dropped for the time being. A bit more space for improv, including some pretty interesting circulation potential after the mid-show address to the audience. The second half of the show is a bit more open. The Music Director is working on a scheme more akin to last year’s “set list from the hat” approach. A new small group piece was also debuted, to general and enthusiastic approval.

With the 12:30 tenants gathering at the door, we wrapped things up and called it a day. Monday evening will be the performance team at the Wilsons, focusing on musical issues.