Jim's Richard III Blog

What had started as a blog of Richard III rehearsal process at Cal Shakes has now evolved or devolved into a small novella. The author is petrified to change the name for fear it'll disappear, and wouldn't know what to call it anyway. Many stories are included and questions are even answered sometimes!

Sunday, October 14, 2007

And In The End, The Love You Take


We close King Lear today. I've stories to relate and haven't the time to write them all now, but if Cal Shakes keeps this link open, I'll attempt to answer questions and tell those stories at a later date. Deal?

We had our last evening show last night on a clear, cold night with coyotes punctuating Lear's mad scenes. It seeming the perfect night for him somehow, I watched for the Great Owl that haunts the Theatre grounds, but never saw him.

We are all bone-weary from the strain on our voices and bodies that the cold and heat placed on us all. I am frankly very glad to lay the production to rest and would venture to guess that ALL of us feel much the same from spotlight operator to leading actor--we're just all dinged up.

And many of us are in rehearsals in the day now and/or working part to full time; I started rehearsals for Mousetrap at Center Rep in Walnut Creek as soon as we opened, Delia Macdougal had a thoroughly viscous cold and then went into rehearsals for Sex at Aurora Theatre playing the lead, Andy Murray is rehearsing a show at BRT, and Anthony Fusco working at ACT in Rainmaker.

I'd like to extend my gratitude to the entire cast and crew; a truly heroic group of performers and technicians whose focus, dedication and spirit along with their tremendous amount of skill and talent kept this production afloat. Thank you all, and thank you for keeping me afloat.

Have a great closing show,

deepest Regards,
Jim Carpenter