Next!

Thursday night was the night I was both looking forward to and secretly fearing.  I was looking forward to getting my cast in place and getting on with the show but I had the same anxieties as Monday, what if no one came?  What if they didn't like it?  Also, with such a small cast, I had to have three supporting actors, what if the people I cast in these roles didn't want them, even though they are pivotal to the whole play?  Urgh, I'm sure that it's easier when you haven't written the play yourself as there wouldn't be the same insecurities, maybe just new ones!!!

Anyway, my fears were allayed as true to their words, we had all the people from Monday (minus just one or two) come back for auditions.  Director Zombie and I had decided to audition everyone together from the same script, mine, so I had pieces of my script ready for our auditionees.

When you get a large talented bunch of "artistes" together, what happens?  Well, apart from playing darts (although I think it was too crowded for long distance darts), it means that the casting decision is extremely difficult and there will be folk that don't get cast, strong talented actors that just don't fit in the mix.  I don't like to disappoint people so I did feel really bad not being able to cast everybody.

Director Zombie and I also wanted to have separate casts so nobody would be in both plays, for a number of reasons, so there were also discussions taking place in the audition room around who wanted what actors, again there was some preference from the actors themselves which also made some decisions slightly easier.

After we had seen everybody, had call backs for groups and gotten DZ and I completely bored with those sections of my script, a final chat between us and the decisions were made.  The die was cast, or the cast were cast.

Both DZ and myself are extremely happy with our teams, we both have extremely strong casts, me with actors who (on the most part) have been on the Colnbrook stage for a while and I have worked with on several occasions and DZ with some new talent about to be unleashed.  I think that's right too, as a first time director, I think I need experience to guide me in this adventure as well.

My team, although not rehearsing on Monday will be joining me at my house for a full read through of my script as none of them yet know the ending, some not even knowing what their characters are all about.  I have said I will make cake, what a nice Director I am...

Song of the day -  Alice in Chains, Your Decision