Director's Note

It has been nearly 40 years since the first human caught a glimpse of the far side of the moon. Discounting satellite imagery, it's a place that relatively few have seen. And the moon itself has only been touched by a dozen men—the last one, a geologist, in 1972. In history, Apollo 18 never launched. Budget cuts and shifts for the budding Skylab program brought about a quiet transition in this spectacular era of human innovation. With "Darkside", Ken Jones takes us back to an amazing time in space exploration and gives us the thrill of adventure and danger that these American heroes faced on their journeys, and also a glimpse of the people they were, the lives they lived, and the truth that the reality of being human can be more destructive than any malfunction.

That was the Director's Note that I placed in the program for our recent production of "Darkside". Don't know why I posted it—just felt like sharing.

The show has wrapped. The stage has been struck. We celebrated with champagne and had a wonderful closing weekend.

I remember thanking everyone yesterday, as is the custom in our theater. I handed out our traditional ham mugs—commemorative mugs (not for drinking) that our theater likes to hand out at the end of each show's run. Similar enough that you can amass a collection, but all unique enough to remind you of each show individually. So I handed out the keepsakes and said a few words about each person. Not nearly so eloquent as I'd like to think I can be.

So I'm going to try now and thank everyone properly. For these are the people who deserve the praise on this show. I was just lucky enough to work with them.

My Crew

Sue—You really are quite something. There is a place for you on every show I work on from here until infinity. Your passion for this show, your handle on the cast, and your loyalty to me were nothing short of wonderful. And I truly look forward to the day when you take the reigns on yourself. Your talent is itching to burst forth and your eye for great theatre and solid moments will take you far. We received a lot of praise for this production and I hope you take your fair share in that. Thank you for being my "wingman" on this one. It was most assuredly a pleasure.

Deb, Lisa, Sara, and Megan—Like the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame (except that you're women and this wasn't a football game), you were the backbone of this show. I was once told that if you want to look talented, you should surround yourself with talented people. And I did just that. Each of you were integral in your own way in bringing about this production. From preplanning and keeping me in check, budget-wise, to being there to help me through my first real audition on the "other side of the table", to hammering my actors with their lines—no small feat in a show like this which depended on solid, well-paced, and accurate delivery—to stepping up to help with every little detail and thinking of the things I didn't, but should've, to graciously forgiving a rookie director when he pushed too hard and delivering even when he asked for the impossible. I cannot begin to thank you enough for all that you did.

Mark P., Mark R., and Mark B.—How do you create a world that draws in the audience... with four separate locations sharing one area? How do you create the vast isolation and dichotomy of claustrophobia in space on one small stage in Ohio? And then how do you light it? Because really, I still have no idea how you three did what you did. The set was perfect and the lighting was inspired. The three of you infused elements into the show that wowwed us all. Thank you for sharing in this with me and for giving the actors a place to play that made it real for them.

Eric—I knew from the start that if there was someone in this town who could deliver the sound this show needed, it was you. Thank you for creating a soundtrack that complimented the show, drew in the audience, and added some moments that really gave me chills.

Joyce—I said in my director interview that the one thing that needed to be spot on for this show was the costuming. To create believable suits for the astronauts and clothing for the ladies that took us right to 1973 without a word of dialogue was something I was banking on and I hit the jackpot with you. You made them look fantastic. Thank you!

My Cast

Howard—Thank you. I wish I had brought you in sooner. It was great having you begin your theatre journey with "Darkside" and it was wonderful to watch you create two characters that added so much to the show. Thank you for everything.

Doug—You're one of the most hard-working and willing actors I know. I had a blast working with you on this show (as per usual), and it was especially a treat to work with you from a director's standpoint, watching you make the reporter your own and still very much everything I envisioned in that character.

JoLayne—What an absolute gem you are. Your devotion to Beth and this show, your eagerness to find the dimensions of your character, and your talent to express a world of emotion with a single look or shudder or crack of your voice... it was a joy to watch you and a pleasure to direct you. Fire up.

Marla—You rock my world. Watching you pour yourself into this character, taking on every scene with passion, and working to make Gigi more than just the femme fatale... giving her a heart, a soul, and a vulnerability... it was fantastic. You are absolutely fearless on the stage, something any director would kill for, and I thank you for all that you gave to this show and look forward to working with you again.

Randy—I consider myself lucky to have had this opportunity to work with you. CAPCOM is a challenging and unforgiving role. Scene upon scene of nothing but background work, stuck at your little terminal, and yet you made it look effortless. You made him more than just the voice of Houston. And then in the home stretch you delivered a powerful ending that was just... sir, I believed it all. Thank you. It was captivating.

Mark S.—There was more than one line you delivered that gave me chills. Moments where I connected with Gunner and felt his fear, his awe, his strength, his love of being an astronaut and the sense of duty he engendered. You made him real... not just the hard-ass vet, but one of the guys. The astronauts in this show had a tough job—being icons and being human all at the same time. Living up to the ideal of the Apollo-era astronaut while still connecting with the audience. And you did it beautifully.

Trygve—I swear I thought you were actually gonna hyperventilate one night. But seriously. Ed was awesome. You're a talented actor and you're giving and willing to explore your character and find the best way to portray him. I enjoyed working with you and hope to again one day. Thank you for finding so many levels in Ed, for bringing us the tension and suspense that this script called for, and for making us care about Ed Stone. Wonderful job.

Michael—I didn't do you any favors in casting you as Bill. And we butted heads like rams on a hill more than a few times. This part was a solid full show of being "on"—an emotional tour de force. And you did it brilliantly. Every scene saw you hit a different level and every night you got stronger, never dropping your intensity, and never holding back. Ken Jones didn't write an easy part in Bill Griffin, and I knew I needed an actor capable of keeping the emotions grounded, the character consistent, and even from three feet away, he needed to be completely genuine. And I found that in you. You brought it home, my friend. I thank you for that.

Final Thought
I've had the distinct pleasure of being involved with some amazing theatre over the past few years. Writing, acting, and now directing. I look forward to the next adventure, but it will be hard pressed to top this one. I already miss it. The people especially. Sure, I'll see most, if not all, of them around the theater. And we're already getting ready for another production. But all the same—it was this specific group, this crew, this cast, this everything... this was something special. Something I will cherish always.

You guys made me proud.

(Most of...) the cast and crew of DARKSIDE.
March 2007

One Down, Two to Go!

DARKSIDE has officially opened and will continue running through March 18. Opening weekend was amazing and the audience reaction was wonderful. I'm very proud of the cast and crew for all their hard work on this show. The long hours paid off this past Friday as they were greeted with thunderous applause (which drowned out the curtain call music).

If you can get to Curtain Players Theater in the next two weeks, please don't miss this production. Call 614/470-4809 for reservations and we'll see you on the dark side.

Tickets are On Sale Now

We're in that exciting week in any theatrical rehearsal where things are really starting to click—the scripts are out of their hands and the actors are getting comfortable in their skin—and everything is starting to come together. Another week and we'll be painting and then before we know it, we'll be in dress rehearsals!

Also happening this week: more publicity. The postcard is ready to go and will be printed and ready for mailing by Monday. Our theater puts together a postcard for every production, giving the actors something to mail to friends and family as a reminder about the show. Since Monday is very far away, I thought I'd go ahead and offer up the postcard here on the blog for you and the cast to check out in advance.


More pictures coming soon here and to our official website. Check back soon. And start reserving your seats now! 614/470-4809.

Three Weeks and Counting

Pictured (l-r): The crew of Apollo 18—Bill Griffin (Michael Parsons), Gunner Smith (Mark Schuliger), and Ed Stone (Trygve Hoff).

It has already been a month since auditions and the thought of that is equally exhilarating as it is terrifying. This week marked our official start of being off-book. The cast is making wonderful strides with the script, as many of them were putting the scripts down in the second week.

But we also know how much more work there still is to make this show performance ready. The effort of the cast has been fantastic and even when we called rehearsal last night due to severe winter weather and hazzardous driving conditions, they were more disappointed than relieved for their night off. So I'm sure they won't mind the intense rehearsal planned for tonight to make up for the snow day.

We have been in the theater for a couple of weeks now after some time rehearsing at a neighbor-theater's complex. Our theater presents eight productions a year and so there is an overlap from one show's rehearsal to the next. We're not a large theater and so we seek out alternative locations during those crucial table work / blocking weeks. Many thanks to Vaud-Villities here in Columbus for graciously allowing us to use their facilities. Working on a stage from day one was invaluable. And once we moved onto our own boards, things have really started coming together.

This past Monday we took publicity shots. Posted above is the first of many that we'll be displaying both here and on the Curtain Players website. The set is also coming along, as are the costumes. Pictures of the set will be posted after we've opened. Hopefully you'll be able to come to Curtain Players and see it for yourselves during a performance.

Just a few more weeks. Since we're heading into the home stretch, the updates here should increase. So check back for more photos, stories, and updates from the cast and crew of "Darkside".

Changing of the Guard

Quick newsflash from "Darkside". Our illustrious stage manager, Sara, will be stepping down to become Assistant Stage Manager. Sara has worked with me on several production, notably serving as my first stage manager for a one-act I wrote and directed a couple of years ago.

She is, happily, preparing for her new role as a mother and due to the demands of this much larger production, she has asked for this reassignment.

Sue, the assistant "to the" director, will be taking on some of Sara's responsibilities at rehearsal as will our Rehearsal Assistant, Lisa. The crew is top-notch and this little shift will not slow us down one bit.

Thanks for Sara for your help thus far and we look forward to meeting the newest Curtain Player when he/she arrives!

The Cast of DARKSIDE

And just like that, the cast came together. Sunday and Monday were rough, probably more so on the actors than on the casting committee, but it wasn't easy on anyone. Hours of readings, making cuts, pairing people down, moving actors around, trying to find those moments where everything just clicks. And we did.

To those who auditioned, but were not cast, I'll say it again: THANK YOU! The committee appreciated everybody's hard work and we know a lot of very talented people went home empty-handed that night. The decision was tough, on who to keep and who to let go. Now I know what a jury deliberation feels like.

In the end, seven actors remained. And they will spend the next seven or so odd weeks preparing, rehearsing, memorizing, and creating --- and I'll be there making sure to push them, inspire them, support them, and if I have to, give them a swift kick every now and then.

We're gonna have fun.

Without any futher ado, your cast:

Randy Benge as CAPCOM
Michael Parsons as Bill Griffin
Mark Schuliger as Gunner Smith
Trygve Hoff as Ed Stone
Marla Williams as Gigi Stone
JoLayne Morneau as Beth Griffin
Doug Browell as Bob Hughes, the Reporter

I'll I'm thrilled to be working with each and every one of them. I'll tell you more about them as we get into rehearsals and eventually they'll start posting their adventures as well. So keep checking back as we --- and this pun is completely intentional --- countdown to opening night.

AUDITIONS, PART II

One night down. Sunday night brought us a fun evening -- fun for the casting committee. We're pretty sure the actors were nervous, but we also hope they had fun.

In case you weren't able to attend, we still have ONE MORE AUDITION NIGHT for "Darkside. For more info, please read below of visit www.curtainplayers.com.

Auditions for DARKSIDE by Ken Jones
Directed by Jeremy Sony

Monday, January 8 at 7:00pm

Available Roles for 5 men 2 women, plus two non-speaking men's roles.
Auditions will consist of readings from the script.

MEN (speaking roles):

Bill Griffin: 30s-40s, the All-American Astronaut -- command module pilot.
Gunner Smith: 40s-50s, the Veteran Commander.
Ed Stone: 20s-30s, the Hotshot NASA fly boy.
CAPCOM: 30s-60s, Mission Control in Houston.
Bob Hughes (Reporter): 20s-60s, the pressing television reporter.

WOMEN:

Beth Griffin: 30s-40s, the picture perfect NASA wife and mother.
Gigi Stone: 20s-30s, the bored and lonely NASA wife.

MEN (Non-speaking roles)
NASA Techs/Camera Men: 2 non-speaking roles; will serve as NASA techs and
as camera men for the Reporter.

DARKSIDE centers around American astronaut Bill Griffin as he orbits the moon, while his crew mates, Ed and Gunner, sit in their lunar module, potentially stranded after a routine launch misfires. Each time Bill orbits around to the darkside of the moon, we flash back to the weeks and months prior to the launch and see the surprising events leading up to this mission. As Bill begins to lose touch with reality in trying to come to terms with his own past and mistakes, NASA works with Ed and Gunner, racing against the clock, to save them all.


*****Auditions are held at the theater (5691 Harlem Rd, Galena, OH).*****

Please arrive a few minutes early to fill out an audition form and
conflict calendar. Resumes and headshots are appreciated, but not
required.