Camaraderie

As mentioned in my previous entry, I am currently working on a production of Henry V which is being produced by St. Louis Shakespeare. This is a great STL based company that produces yearly seasons chock full of a wide variety of plays, ranging from Shakespearean classics to modernized versions of beloved tales.

Tonight at rehearsal, funnily enough, we had just begun work on Act III. Now, the first scene of Act III is the "Unce more unto the breach..." scene. This is another of the most famous speeches from any of Shakespeare's histories.

One of the fundamental parts of this speech is the idea of camaraderie. Henry is rousing his closest companions, he is rousing his soldiers, and in a way his is rousing himself. The battle is still theirs for the taking, and they need to take it. The most important word here being "They". This group of men, this band of brothers as Shakespeare later refers to them, represents something more. Together they represent England. They represent their homes and their families. They are fighting beside the King to protect their very livelihoods. They are fighting for what they most believe in, in the world and without each other they would fall. Without this bond created and strengthened by Henry in this moment, they would fail.

Tonight at rehearsal I noticed that the cast of Henry V was becoming this very band of brothers. Sure, some of us are working for the French. Some of us are soldiers or drunks or yeomen. And some of us are even royalty. But beyond all that, beyond our characters we are artists, a company of artists that have together to bring this play to life.

Camaraderie is surrounding us. Each time one of us finds a new way to deliver a line, there is a reaction of support around the room. Each time a scene is put on to its feet and a distant shape is seen for the first time there is a feeling of being let in on the master plan. From the moment we step into the rehearsal space, there is a change. No longer are we just actors...we are a cast. We are a support system for each other.

Many members of the cast know each other from previous shows they have worked on, or even just viewed from the audience. So as one person enters the room, another rises and hugs or handshakes are traded. And even for those of us who are new to the entire experience there is a strong sense of welcome, as if an invitation has been sent out. People say hello, ask your name, wave to you when you enter the room, laugh with you when you enter early or read a line incorrectly, and might even give you a nickname like pumpkin.

That's the great thing about this experience so far. After only a few short weeks of rehearsals we can already celebrate each other's triumphs. We can collaborate on a scene, talking about how to make it the best possible. We can pass ideas back and forth. We can create together. I'm proud to be a part of a group of people coming together and forming a community.

First Post!

So...Hello Internet!

Blogs are a tricky thing. See, I'm not the most tech savvy person, but in today's world...I guess a blog is not a tech savvy thing. I'm just behind the times. I've been wanting to write one for a few years now because I've always felt like I had something to say but I was never exactly sure what I wanted that to be. I started a blog last year where I would just write about anything. I wrote two entries and forgot about...until right now actually. I wanted to wait until I had something to write about that got my blood pumping. Then the other night...I discovered it.


While sitting in rehearsals for an upcoming production of William Shakespeare's Henry V, I found myself intently focused on our King Henry, Josh. We were in the middle of our first table read, and Josh was delivering the famous St. Crispin's Day speech, or as I like to call it the Band of Brothers speech. It was one of the those moments that you never forget. It was one of the those moments where you don't realize how odd you look staring at this man reading aloud. It was one of those moments where you could feel people's breathing grow quieter so they could listen that much more. It was a moment where you realize why you do something. It was perfect.

No special effects.
No props.
No costumes.
No fight choreography.
Nothing.

Nothing except a group of people, a pile of scripts, and one man's voice. In fact, one King's voice. I felt those words more than I had ever felt them before. I knew that in that moment, we, the cast of Henry V were the exact band of brothers that the King was speaking of. Together we were creating something powerful, something that was life changing. We were creating theatre.

That's what it's all about...creation. The creation of something so alive that you can barely put it into words. The creation of...a moment, a perfect moment. And it was happening here, here in Saint Louis. The creation of great theatre is happening here and and somehow I have the honor of being involved.

That is what this blog is about.

It is about the creation of theatre here in Saint Louis. It is about the power of these artists. These artists who work full time during the day and then run to four hour rehearsals at night. These artists who have a passion so rich and powerful, that they can't simply deny it. They just can't. They spend the hours they could be sitting at home, the hours they could sleeping or eating or watching TV...they dedicate them to the art of theatre. THAT IS WHAT PASSION IS ALL ABOUT! Making it happen...no matter what.

So, I've decided I will be a part of that. I am a part of that right now. And this blog will be documenting my journey into it all. From auditions to rehearsals. From opening nights to strikes. From the good days to the bad. I hope to give you a glimpse into the heart of Saint Louis theatre.

Thanks for reading!