Let’s Get This Show On The Road!

So maybe I’ve been a little remiss in my blogging, or maybe I’ve just been so busy I haven’t even noticed that a month has gone by since my last entry. It might lead the innocent reader to believe nothing has been going on workshop-wise over the last month, but don’t be deceived, we’ve been working like a giant rhythm machine running a slow motion race!

The first round of performances in Manhattan went off wonderfully. Thank you to everyone who came out for the show and to everyone who stuck around in the lobby afterwards to say such nice things about the performance to the cast and staff. I heard a lot of comments about the quality of the energy the audience experienced throughout the night and that seems like a very good thing! Our cast party was a particularly raucous affair full of the usual: pizza, carrot cake, moving, shaping, drumming, screaming. And then we could all pat just ourselves on the back and breathe a sigh of relief; at least, I hope that’s what the performers did, for the staff the fun was just beginning . . .
For the staff and myself it wasn’t bask in the glow of a job well done time, it was MINNESOTA FRINGE TOUR TIME!

That’s right, the very day after closing night we had a meeting to discuss the immediate actions needed for our fringe tour. Tech questionnaires, marketing materials, press releases, and web page launches all loomed with deadlines that seemed suddenly upon us. But, never fear, we leapt into action and things were accomplished, in fact we’ve been accomplishing things ever since.

Thanks mostly to Ashley’s hard work our web page looked fantastic on launch day. Check it out:
http://www.fringefestival.org/2010/show/?id=1298

It was two weeks of marketing and logistical blur, but we made it through and then began the really hard part: getting the show itself ready for the tour. The show had to be melded into one continuous beast, no time for the directors blither blathering between the pieces in our one-hour time slot! And everything had to be adjusted or re-blocked entirely to work in a traditional proscenium venue. The cutting for time was the hardest part, so painful to cut such wonderful work, but the pieces have emerged leaner and meaner and better for it. Come see how gracefully the show has emerged from our alterations at our preview performance this Sunday:

You are invited to:
A Special Preview Performance of
Living Traces – Burning Breath
presented by
The Manhattan Experimental Theater Workshop
Sunday, July 25th
7:30 pm
Reception to follow in the Arts Center lobby
Manhattan Arts Center
1520 Poyntz Ave.
Manhattan, Ks
Adults $10.00
Students and Military with ID: $5
Proceeds go to benefit the workshop tour to the Minnesota Fringe Festival August 3-11.
Please come support our trip to the Minnesota Fringe!