1984 @ Redcat! Down With Big Brother!

Hi everybody! It's the intern again, reporting to say we're finished with our first successful week of 1984 @ the Redcat Theatre. Only 2 more weeks left, so get you're tickets while you can.

Working on this show has been quite the experience. The first day in the space a rag-tag team of actors and myself were able to erect the entire set in only a few hours (under Mia's careful tutelage). We were like Gremlins, but opposite. That's right, Snilmergs.

And the theater, located right under the Disney Concert Hall, is an incredible space. The lobby ain't half bad either, complete with a bar which usually has one or two actors hunched over it before each show. JK. While I'm working backstage with the lovely Annetta (a designer with the Gang hailing from Germany, who's also crewing the show) Intern numero dos, or uno, depending on which one of us you ask, anyway his name is Will, is in the back of the house running the sound for the show. I don't want to spoil the magic of theatre for you too much, so I'll just say that the show is a terrific ensemble piece with just the right amount of technical magic and spectacle (provided in part by yours truly).

Another perk to the show is that if you catch it on the right night, you'll get to experience a talk-back from the actors and possibly a guest speaker. Probably the most insightful was
John Dean, a man who was White House Counsel to the Nixon administration during Watergate, and author of the 2004 book, Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush. Looking for a chance to passionately talk politics with a friend of the opposite party? Chances are this show could spark it. But whether you're a political enthusiast or just want to see a play involving brainwashing, a futuristic dystopia, sex, violence, and all-in-all a profound examination of what it means to be human, this is the one for you. Check it out!

The Internship- 1st week.

(06/13/08)

So this is my first entry as the new intern here at the Actor’s Gang, and I’m pleased to say it’s been one exciting first week. I arrived for my first day on Tuesday to find the theater filled with people working on all sorts of things. I met with my boss, Vanessa, who showed me to my desk upstairs, in one of the funkiest offices I’ve ever seen. I quickly met all the regulars here, including Greg, Mia, and Joel, and knew right away this was gonna be a fun place to work. Later on as I was working on the mailing, advertising 1984 and KLUB I looked over and saw Kristen Chenowith getting made up in one of the dressing room chairs. Whaaaaa? Apparently she was shooting in the theater for some show that’s going to be shown in New York. Pretty good start to a first day. Just as we were finishing up with the mailing I got another job offer:

“So, would you be interested at all in crewing 1984 at the Redcat these next couple we-.”

“-YES.”

Next thing you know I’m heading over to the National Wushu headquarters to be on book for the actors as they rehearse 1984 in this expansive black box-esque space. Oh, and I met the director, Tim Robbins, or Tim, as I like to call him when I’m bragging to my roommate about my new internship. The rest of the week has been about the same: Working the first half of the day at the Actor’s Gang in Culver City, then going to help with rehearsal of 1984 for the second half. I also met Erica, a fellow Nebraskan now currently living in LA, who's stage manager on the show. We reminisced about corn and Husker football. It was great. But what was really great was getting to see a group of actors rehearse for a show they’ve already toured for so long, so that the play has become almost second nature to them.

Next week I'll be helping Mia on Monday as we move the 1984 set into the Redcat theatre, and will be crewing the show for the next three weeks. I'm excited to see what the set looks like and what I'll be doing backstage.

Well, gotta go. I'm heading over to the Wushu headquarters for another rehearsal, then tonight we have an all-company meeting and barbecue. I can't wait to meet some more actors in the company and pig out on Mia's burgers and grilled corn on the cob.

Oh, and I'm sure it will be informative, too. :)

Until next time,

-Alex

Klüb Returns!

The cast of Klüb are in final rehearsals to prepare for the re-opening on Thursday. One of the things I'm excited about is seeing Donna Jo Thorndale stepping into the role of Madame Verona. If you saw her in Carnage, you know what a brilliantly funny actress she is. She also bakes a mean lemon scone, but that's another story.

In the meantime, I'm down at Redcat taking part in the preparations to open 1984 tonight. Yes, we have two shows opening in one week (and a board meeting on Thursday!). The show is looking really good here at Redcat; it's such a great space, and the people who work here are really cool.

Here's a video preview of Klüb. Come check it out. Thursdays at 8pm and Saturdays at 10:30pm are Pay What You Can!

George Orwell's "1984" Coming Back to LA

Well, it's getting busy here at the Gang again, as we gear up for the reopening of "Klub" at The Ivy Substation in Culver City and the return to Los Angeles of our touring production of "1984" directed by our artistic director, Tim Robbins, which will play at REDCAT downtown. I'm so excited that we're going to be performing at REDCAT again. The last time we were there, with "The Exonerated" was a huge success. The people there are awesome, and it's a great venue. Here's a video that our company member Simon Anthony created about "1984." Enjoy!