Steps To The Stage
Steps To The Stage
Reimagining 'Carrie': Empowering Storytelling Through Theater and Music with Marlee & Allison
Allison and Marlee, the visionary directors of a unique community theater production of "Carrie," join us to share their intriguing adaptation of Stephen King's classic tale. Set against the backdrop of the 1970s, this take on "Carrie" revives the musical version, infusing it with the raw energy of King's novel and De Palma's film. Our conversation unveils Sue as the central storyteller, guiding the audience through a police interrogation-style narrative that explores the complexity of memory and perspective—guaranteeing a gripping theatrical experience.
We tackle the profound themes of trauma and power that underscore "Carrie's" narrative. Allison and Marlee unravel how generational and religious trauma, societal bullying, and the complex dynamics between Carrie and her mother, Margaret, drive the story to its explosive climax. The exaggerated horror elements serve as an allegory for real-world issues such as abuse and unchecked power, resonating deeply with audiences. Dive into the surprising layers of teenage life and social hierarchies that further complicate Carrie's world and shape her tragic journey.
The episode also takes a behind-the-scenes look at the collaborative magic bringing this production to life. With a mix of fresh talent and seasoned veterans, we celebrate Erin's leading performance and the bold inclusion of female actors in traditionally male roles. Discover the innovative musical direction and choreography aimed at capturing the emotions and horror themes of the show. Allison and Marlee emphasize creating a respectful and fun rehearsal environment, spotlighting their commitment to empowering individuality and fostering a supportive atmosphere. This production of "Carrie" promises an unforgettable experience, from rehearsal room to stage.
This show is PG-13 and contains mature themes.
Weekends Oct 25th through Nov 9th $15 general admission -- $12 seniors and students
Tickets available at: https://chinocommunitytheatre.seatyourself.biz -- chinochildrenstheatre.org -- or contact the box office at (909) 590-1149
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Our idea of theater and stuff is not what a lot of people are used to, and a lot of people I don't know guys come from where theater is something that's so stressful for people. They love it so much but you put yourself through abuse because you love it so much and we're like what, if we had fun, didn't do that?
Speaker 2:The lights are on the curtain's up. This is Steps to the Stage. Folks at home, do you have a business, small or otherwise, that isn't pulling in traffic the way you want it to? Well, it might be because they don't have something to remember you by, and that's why today we are sponsored by Graphic Details Inc. Signs and displays. They will print out your banners, they'll cut vinyl, they'll do window graphics for the company cars. We're talking business cards, banner stands, LCD displays, tabletop displays, logos, all in full living color. Again, that is Graphic Details Inc here in Chino, California. Thank you so much. Hello and welcome to Steps to the Stage, the 7th Street Theater podcast, where we talk to the community theater professionals you know and love. Today, on a very spooky episode of the show, we have our friends Allison and Marlee directing Carrie Hi. Welcome back, both of you. Great to be back.
Speaker 2:Of course it's great to have you back. It always is. Would you mind both of you sort of talking about for those of you who don't know what the show is, would you mind talking about sort of the basic sort of structure, the plot of Carrie and sort of what drew you to the show, each of you Sure?
Speaker 1:Of course. I mean obviously. I think most people think of the Brian De Palma film from ooh, I don't know the year late 70s. So you know we have. And also the Stephen King novel that has been adapted into a musical. There's so much to delve into that, but anyway, basic plot. Basically, girl Carrie White, we're in Maine. She's a little, she's got trauma. She's a little weird High school students, you know them, big bullies.
Speaker 3:Big bullies, big crazy bullies.
Speaker 1:Big bullies and basically, basically everybody. If you're mean, your town burns down and you all die.
Speaker 3:Yep. And then you go home and you see your mom there, who is also not great, and then you're like, hey, we're also going to die.
Speaker 1:So basically, don't pour blood on people, don't be mean.
Speaker 3:Don't go to prom, don't go to prom, don't go to prom.
Speaker 2:We didn't go to prom and look at us.
Speaker 3:Don't go to your senior prom, because if you don't go to prom, then you'll be the one that lives and survives.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly so basically, was that a basic plot structure?
Speaker 2:no, no it was a little, it was girl girl, weird girl go school.
Speaker 3:School not like girl pig blood. They make trick pig blood they make trick pig blood, girl says ah, kill everyone. Then girl outside go, oh no, and follow her home.
Speaker 1:And then see kill mom and now mom dead, girl dead. If you don't know, if that's a spoiler for you, I don't know what to say.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean hello, you're not seeing, do you not know if? If you're uncultured swine, there's nothing I can do about it swine?
Speaker 2:oh god, I'm picked one you're not uncultured.
Speaker 3:If you haven't seen it, just go see. It just go see it.
Speaker 2:It's a great show yeah, it is.
Speaker 3:The musical is a little bit different too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was about to ask about that so of course, this is based on a book.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:More originally. But of course you said, the movie by Brian De Palma Does this adaptation just. First of all, does it take more from the book or from the film?
Speaker 3:I would say more. It was a musical in the 80s. Yeah, it's Broadway's biggest flop. It was on Broadway for three days, three days and so this version that we're doing is also the revival of that musical oh, like the restructuring Okay 2012. And it's based in the early 2000s, but we changed it to be in the 70s to suit the book Interesting.
Speaker 2:Okay okay, okay yeah. Would you mind delving a little bit more into some of the differences? Sure yeah.
Speaker 1:Between, between the book and this version, also just more. It's more like the book in that Sue is more centered, as like the storyteller.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:And that also changed from the 2012 production.
Speaker 2:So now she's kind of our narrator, almost like surrogate more.
Speaker 1:Yes, exactly like our guiding light through everything. Yeah, so that's, that's the biggest like okay thing from that. So we kind of get a flat. We're going like back and forth in time a little bit.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's kind of fun not like super specifically.
Speaker 1:We're not getting.
Speaker 3:Technically, the whole show is like a flashback yeah, so yeah, sort of like that's more like the book yeah yeah, it's like she's in the interrogation yeah, like police interview style, right, and it's supposed to be like we don't ever really see the interrogators okay only see sue in that room and then we go back into her memories and we're in her version of the story oh, I like that, yeah, okay, yeah, so it's, it's, it's quite complicated because you've got Sue's version of the story, but then you're telling the story of another girl. So it's like the actors kind of have to think about, like, okay, yeah, I'm portraying my character, but I'm also portraying a memory of someone else.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's an unreliable narrator.
Speaker 3:Yeah, in ways yeah, because you're not really sure, like, what really happened to Sue, but she's doing her best Because also, it's clear she's been in this interrogation room for a minute and as the sole survivor they're kind of like, hey, over 30 people just died and we're a little confused how you got out of that. Yeah, with narrow eyes, yeah, so she has that pressure. And then, of course, like, it's also this tale of like oh, I realized what my part in all of this was.
Speaker 3:Right. So she's really recounting where she messed up, and that's kind of the big plot of it all. That's the message of it.
Speaker 2:I guess I really like that. Yeah, yeah, if we want to talk about sort of Carrie's version of this story, sure A little bit, and sort of talk about, like, her trauma in a way and sort of how that informs her actions and sort of how that sort of creates the events that we see towards the end of the show.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Sure Obviously got a big old heaping of religious.
Speaker 2:Yes, I have lines and lines of notes about that. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:But it's kind of just used as like a vessel of like parent-child dynamic. So it's just kind of a. It's a really convenient like symbolism for like how there's like a weird with like parents and children about like also like God and, you know, human in there. So it's a nice, like beautiful little symbolism and like margaret, the margaret white, carrie's mom kind of attaches onto from her trauma. So yes, it's like it's generation.
Speaker 3:We're going to like generational trauma, cycles of abuse and and also you're really getting the female perspective of both of sexual trauma and religious trauma, the not so many especially back then when you think about it of like how many women for so long in history don't know about their own bodies and aren't told about things until much later in life. Which is really what starts this whole thing of Carrie not knowing what a period is and not knowing that that's going to happen to her, but Margaret hiding that from her because of her own traumas of being sexually abused and being like thinking that that's a punishment from God and so not telling her daughter about it to, in a sense, protect her, but in reality it didn't protect her from anything?
Speaker 2:Yeah, she's just harming her even further.
Speaker 3:Exactly, and now she's also a pretty late bloomer, so like now in high school girls are already ready to talk about those things and so her not even knowing what that is really kind of. It's like the traumas are all interlinked, you know, like everything's crossed over and in the religious part of it all, like even the bullying, like all these things are pretty heavy and pretty deep but at the same time, like we're touching on things that a lot of people can relate to, right, and I think the bullying too, like she's a little quirky, she's a little weird, she's different, and instead of back then people kind of bringing those people in and being like it's cool, we embrace that. People definitely completely and totally ostracize you, like you do not belong here at all, and that's a different, because then the only place you do belong is the abusive home. So now she's confused because, oh, I can't be at school, but the only place that loves me is the place that hurts me.
Speaker 1:So it's really like she's messed up, you know, yeah, and then we get a funneled things about power and, like you know who has power, like the parent or a child, and what happens when your child has legit powers, yeah, legitimate magical powers.
Speaker 3:What do you do with that?
Speaker 1:so that's a fun little thing to go in there. Yeah, and we don't know how she got these powers exactly and it's interesting and it's just fun to be like the what ifs and things made bigger to mean different things so we're able to see like obviously this is an extreme reaction to abuse and bullying, but it's. It's like the horror always does it it's based based in truth, with like a dose of extremism, so we're able to see it better. The audience.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So it's so cool to have it based in like religion and power and destruction.
Speaker 3:Yeah, there's a lot of like cool tropes and stuff in this too that like lean into those. We go more extreme with the tropes. Oh okay, so you can see them better. Okay, that's a good way to say it. See them better, yeah I like that yeah thanks.
Speaker 2:You mentioned sort of at the aspect of her power. We don't really know where it comes from, but her mother certainly seems to think that she does, especially going back to what she thinks is sort of a punishment for her existence. And that comes back in when she reveals sort of the truth of her birth and sort of copulation, in a way. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:You are the love. I was betrayed for One of the hardest lyrics to hear in Margaret White song, like it's so crazy because it's so manipulative, it's so codependent in its own sense. You know, yes, she loves her daughter, but her daughter was born out of a really traumatic situation for her. In order to save Margaret, to save herself from that trauma, she turned to God, because that's where she can find purity. And so when she thinks God is punishing through Carrie, it's like, oh, you're the curse. You've always been the curse, the curse of blood, now You're the curse. So there's this, yeah, it's like she definitely believes. Like, oh, my daughter is a witch and now I need to get rid of her. Which is where we get to the end, where it's like I gotta sacrifice her because it's the only way I'm gonna save both of us and it's really interesting.
Speaker 3:It's very deep, yeah, hidden under this, like musical tone, and then you're like whoa, you actually listen to the lyrics like oh my god, yeah, yeah and it's crazy, it's crazy. It gets crazy up in there and the the vibe of the show is all over the place on purpose. Like we cover tons of genres of music, we cover tons of different types of characters and traumas and issues and people, and then you throw it all together and it's just about this girl who people are being mean.
Speaker 2:She was pushed to a breaking point for no reason.
Speaker 3:Exactly, and it's so complicated because it's so simple. That's why it's complicated, because you're looking at it going, going. Well, we could just stop that. Why did this have to happen? And that's kind of the whole message of the story, right?
Speaker 1:it's like what can humans make true like? Yeah like is is margaret or everyone's like feelings, or the idea of obviously we can't make someone have telekinesis, but like if someone believes something so strongly that like it is a curse and like she's terrible, it almost like manifests into something real. Or we, we like, have so many feelings about carrie, it manifests into something so just interesting with like, what if humans had the power, with our thoughts and feelings, to make something true?
Speaker 1:like if someone believes carrie's a monster or like from the devil, or whatever, then like, did margaret make it true or did carrie make it true herself by, or whatever? Then like, did Margaret make it true or did Carrie make it true herself by thinking that, or maybe it's both.
Speaker 3:Oh, exactly, yeah, exactly.
Speaker 2:Sort of that. You want me to be the bad guy?
Speaker 3:Yeah, fine, I'll be the bad guy, and was she ever really scary or was she just different? And then now you've made her the monster that she is, and you know that's the teenager of it all, because we've all listen we've all been teenagers. We were either on the outside or we were on the inside. Especially like me, I grew up a little bit older than all of you. The early 2000s were wild, and so it's kind of crazy because the year I graduated the show is the year the revival graduated. High school is the year the revival set set in.
Speaker 3:So there's like things when I watch that that I'm like, like it feels so real, but like, yeah, the high school of it, all the like there really is hierarchies in american high schools oh yes, you know, and like it's just a crazy dynamic that you have to shift through, and like it's even harder to portray it on stage because it has to be so dramatic for it to land. And then when you watch, watch it you're like but it feels real, like popular girls ostracizing someone. But also there's always that one nice popular girl that will talk to you in English class and you're like, why don't you talk to me at lunch? Or why don't you say hi to me in the halls? And it's like that's kind of what Sue is giving, in a sense of like she's starting to realize, like, oh, I'm actually not this person I'm portraying myself to be, and she's kind of the example of the change. Yeah, but then it's too late at that point she doesn't go away.
Speaker 3:It's too late, so yeah.
Speaker 2:That is the one thing that I think kind of shocked me the first time I watched the movie and sort of engaged with the story, was that Sue and Tommy were actually trying to do something nice and yet Carrie has every right to be apprehensive about this Absolutely, Absolutely, Absolutely.
Speaker 3:And I think Tommy too is such an interesting character. You know, he really is the sweetheart of the show.
Speaker 1:As we say, the Troy Bolton blueprint.
Speaker 3:Yeah, he is Troy Bolton. It's like if Tommy Ross and Danny Zuko had a baby. You have Troy Bolton. Can I play?
Speaker 1:sports and write poems.
Speaker 3:Yeah, poetry Words and our amazing actor nate. He always is like when we do stuff he's always like tommy run, tommy like poet, you know, and it's like that's so real, because in a sense he is kind of like yeah, and then that's it, you know. But he has this sweetheartness that there's an innocence to him that carrie sees in him and that's why she can trust him a little bit more than the girls, I think.
Speaker 1:But it's you know, and that's why I always love like sometimes people get so defensive about like in Romeo and Juliet, like they didn't have to take the potions, or potions Like they didn't have to. You know, like go through this whole thing to like pretend you're dead or whatever, but like the worst, what makes it a tragedy, is that it is preventable.
Speaker 3:I love that so much. What makes it a tragedy? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Absolutely. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:If you need high quality headshots or other professional photo work done, visit Zochi Neri Photography at fbme slash xneri photos. So moving on from sort of the plot and details of the show into the actual production of it, again, both of you are directors. Would you mind sort of talking about? Oh, you've mentioned, of course, nate Mm-hmm.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Would you mention talking about some of the other people in the cast and what the casting process was like for both of you?
Speaker 3:Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the casting process was fun.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it was really fun. It was cool because you know, we didn't know what kind of crowd this show was going to bring out. We haven't really done anything like this in a long time. I would say it's a horror musical we haven't really done. And then you know, I was seeing that Carrie's kind of been buzzing around on social media and stuff the last year and kind of grabbing attention and so it was like, okay, are we going to get new people, are we going to have some veterans come back? Like what's going to be? And we got a really good mix of both and it was actually a really crazy process. It's always like we have like you never know what's going to walk into your room and for us we always do like a monologue and a song. So we got to see them act a little bit before bring them to callbacks, do the whole thing. But it was more like which people are going to work with. What I mean. Our callbacks lasted a while we had.
Speaker 3:This show is vocally insane because you cover so many genres. You have that opera style-esque musical theater and then you have this like really like rugged, weird, like sound for Carrie, like it just kind of covers so many different vibes. And then there's like the 80s ballad that they kept from the original and it was like threw it in there and you're like this is so 80s, it's crazy, um, but it's perfect. And so we really kind of had to be very tedious about the vocal parts of it all.
Speaker 3:But in the end we ended up with a really solid cast and I think we almost casted pretty much everyone who auditioned oh no, wow, we had a low boy count coming in, but you know what? It didn't even matter. The boys that we have are so strong and you know, we have female actors playing male characters and then they're really stepping up to the plate in the sense of like giving it all they've got, and they're just a really great cast. Together. They're very different. We have a new. Our lead is Erin, and she goes by Ronnie in our cast, but she is a star, and she goes by Ronnie in our cast, but she is a star and she's amazing, and it was really great to see someone we've never seen before have the confidence to come out and be like boom, you know, yeah, so we yeah, we love them yeah, we do really love them.
Speaker 3:and then, like some people have come in later and our very own Joey Rice is in the show, what closing weekend. And our very own Joey Rice is in the show what Closing weekend. He stepped in for us for a role and so Joey will be playing George, which is a really fun little character.
Speaker 1:Yes.
Speaker 3:George and so yeah, so it's been exciting to see them come together as a group.
Speaker 2:You mentioned that this show feels very musically challenging. Who is your musical director?
Speaker 3:So Luke Shaman, who, if you remember if you were have listened before to the show last year we directed percy jackson and luke played percy and he wanted to challenge himself musically as because he's going to school for music and things like that and he was just looking for a role where he could really challenge himself in something, and so he asked us if he could musically direct and we put our trust in him and he's been doing pretty good, yeah yeah, and then we're choreographing it, both of us yes, okay, let's talk about choreography and movement in this show.
Speaker 1:Yeah, crazy, crazy I well, first of all. First of all, we're actually I love horror and all that stuff and I think we don't get to a lot. We don't get to see it a lot on the theater stage and we don't get to see I mean, I think we say it a lot like we're really into acting and movement that's not beautiful, like there's a time and place for it, but like humans aren't beautiful sometimes. So it's like the combination of like there's a lot of like classic musical theater songs that need like musical theater dancing and then like where we can bring moody movement that like with their bodies, that's like weird and out of being a human and like bringing the horror genre. So it's like a fun, weird mix of things. There's some really fun choreography that we've like based on like images of art and based on it's really like we're trying to be outside. They're not just high school students, but they're also like embodiments of different things going on in the show.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, it's definitely like we always talk about with the cast. It's a little bit of a challenge because you kind of, as a dancer, have to get out of the like tropiness of being pretty. Like we said, we always say this. Like we like that ugly to live on stage, like ugly should be the center of attention there.
Speaker 3:Um and like with carrie sometimes they're representing her powers, sometimes they're representing the relationship dynamics that are taking place. Um, that's one of my favorite dances we have of. Like there's a sue and tommy having a moment and chris and billy having a moment and they're both trying to manipulate their other partner and how they go about that, because Chris doesn't do it the same way Sue does, and so they're the ensemble's representing that and it's a really cool like, not that we're force-feeding the plot to the audience, but that the ensemble gets to really dive into the emotions of things yeah, more strongly people's bodies doing the storytelling as well as like the lines and like everything going on, yeah, yeah, and Carrie moves pretty quickly, so the more storytelling we can do, the better.
Speaker 3:Okay, this is very exciting. I'm getting as well as the lines and everything going on yeah and Carrie moves pretty quickly, so the more storytelling we can do, the better.
Speaker 2:Okay, this is very exciting. I'm getting very. I love it. Yeah, Would you mind talking about the set design for the show Sure?
Speaker 1:sure thing I'm also the set designer for the show.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, so that's fun. You both wear so many hats in this. I had no idea.
Speaker 1:Exactly, yeah. So this one's kind of fun, because I always like to do things that aren't necessarily like realism, like this is a high school. So we're kind of taking things from all the different productions that have gone around and all the different ideations of Carrie. So it's kind of we see a space that could be like after everything's been burnt down and destroyed, and maybe like in the middle. So it's not exactly a high school, but not exactly ruins Whoa. Not exactly ruins and then we have some fun stuff that I won't reveal yet.
Speaker 3:Oh, she wants to hide things Okay.
Speaker 1:But basically the set will also be doing a lot of storytelling okay yeah, this set is definitely a character in itself, I love that yeah.
Speaker 2:Were there any specific challenges in set design that you had to sort of overcome, or was it yes, and we're still about to have to overcome okay, yes because we have a lot of.
Speaker 1:Obviously, Carrie has telekinesis, so that's fun. Obviously, we have the thing that happens at prom that nobody knows about.
Speaker 2:It's a big secret. It's a big secret.
Speaker 1:So it's more like engineering problems, okay, mechanics problems. Yes, and logistics we haven't spaced yet that it's going to be a lot of trial and error, but I'm excited to figure them out and we have a lot of people involved in all the different like theater departments. So we have like an art team, a set team, a construction team, a makeup team, a costume team. So we have like a huge group ready to like battle it out with us.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think our student design team overall is like 13 people split up, just because, like also costume wise, like we've got a lot of blood going on, so we have to have people who are going to be able to take care of that kind of stuff. And then, with hair and makeup, you know, there's not like a heavy amount of makeup because we're doing 70s, but it's very yeah, everyone is going to be hands-on every show, like it's not just like come and do your job and then head out, like this show is actively going to need them to stick around and be doing their work.
Speaker 2:And who are your costume and makeup designers?
Speaker 1:for posterity's sake, yeah sure, for our costume designer is Debbie Horner, which we love, and she's really eating it up and, as I dare I say, I'm a little too much of an iron fist, with historical accuracy especially the 70s, her baby girl.
Speaker 3:I need someone I can trust and she's just been nailing it like it's. We are so like. Our costume rack is sitting in the hallway and every time I walk by it I'm like, oh my God, it looks so good have to check that out.
Speaker 2:Yes, please.
Speaker 3:And then our MUA and hairstylist is Melissa Hogan-Rad. Yes, and then she has her student team as well. That'll be working with them Fantastic. Yeah, and also, I just want to mention that Luke Hogan-Rad is our AD. Oh, yes, our assistant director, director, and yes, and he's been doing a, really. So it's us and the lukes, that's right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, our baby boys so special effects, you mentioned sort of representing certain things. Yeah, with the ensemble and with sort of the movement of the body. Are there things that are represented in other ways?
Speaker 3:yeah, um, we definitely have, uh like the whole telekinesis power happening, um also like using the set pieces to kind of shift into different spaces, um, obviously, but also like not just like literally.
Speaker 3:Oh we're in a home, but, like you know, there's the whole getting locked in the closet thing, but we're not like creating a closet on stage you know, feeling more right, exactly, um, yeah, we kind of have to work with things with like we don't have a large stage where we're going to be able to create two layers where someone can like walk up and put the bucket of blood at the top of the you know gym. So like we kind of have to create with lights. There's going to be a lot of stuff that's going on. Lights is going to really be a big part of the storytelling as well. So it's going to be a lot of tricking. We're also really close. Our audiences literally could touch our actors if they're sitting in the front row. So we have had to do a lot of things where it's like we're kind of tricking their brain and also being really real about like you know what's coming and you know what's happening. So just suspend your disbelief. Yeah, okay, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, I really like that. Thanks, yeah, would you mind talking about the rehearsal process for the show?
Speaker 1:Sure, yeah, it's been fun. It's been because I think our idea of like theater and stuff is not what a lot of people are used to and a lot of people, I don't know guys, come from where like theater is something that's so stressful for people, like they love it so much but like you put yourself through abuse because you love it so much and we're like what if we didn't do that? What if we had fun?
Speaker 3:and some people are like I can't do it and you can kind of see them like having to force themselves to enjoy the process rather than be like I'll enjoy it when I do the work and it's like, well, you're never really gonna learn to enjoy it when I do the work and it's like, well, you're never really going to learn to enjoy it then yeah, so we're just kind of always being like have fun, because my thing is too like as someone who's now in her 30s.
Speaker 3:No, I love my 30s, but the thing is you get burnt out. If that's your process, if you're constantly going to be coming at art like that, you will burn out. And so our goal is, yes, the show we want to hold its integrity and we want it to be a good show. We very much love excellence, but we are not going to expose and abuse our people to get there. And so it's really like, honestly, we have fun when we come in. We do crazy warm-ups. They're weird. It's my favorite thing in the world.
Speaker 3:Yeah, like we did it with Percy too, and that was fun for us because that was our first show directing together, and so we had to learn our process too. And we like to do crazy things because it also gets us out of our head and so, you know, runways Like weird disco music, everyone just go dance like you're at a club, like, and that's what our. You know it's not like everyone. 17,000 jumping jacks, get focused, get ready, take a minute. You know it's not like that, but we still appreciate those things. And so the first couple of weeks was I mean, we are in our fourth week of rehearsals and we just finished music, but that's a lot of music that we got done in a really short amount of time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's mostly music.
Speaker 3:But I like to kind of work that way. That's something that I really took from kevin gassio actually one of the directors here, but he always did the music first, which most shows do, but music first. That way you can have that solid and then go move into the movement of it all. And so it's been really nice, because now we're in the choreography and the staging of things. But you know, we're a shared space, so it's kind of like we're going to do all of this and then it'll probably change once we have our entire set and all the. So it's just been great seeing these kids come to life and, you know, tell a story, but tell it in a way that that is fun for them and us. We want to have a good time too. Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1:And us, we want to have a good time too, yeah absolutely yes, yes.
Speaker 2:Yeah. I really appreciate that, especially when you're working with kids, and especially people in high school, as we've talked about, which can be freaking brutal. Yes, absolutely so. Yeah, I'm glad you guys are creating such a healthy environment.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we always tell them. Like you know, a lot of our kids are also doing multiple things.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, they're really good students they are. Some of them are driving from the OC, so they take a two-hour drive to get here, and we know that they're coming out of that two-hour drive straight into rehearsal. And so it's really important for us that we're one, making a great environment but also being like, hey, you're a person, tell us what you need, tell us what you need as an actor, tell us what you need here, and we'll do our best to achieve that. And then we all have, like we started our rehearsals making a cast um contract of like, these are the things we value as a group, these are the things we want to see, these are the things we want to do for each other and for ourselves, and then we are always committed to that throughout this whole process, and that's something that's always really important for us to do, and they've been upholding it pretty well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's a really smart idea actually. I really like that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's like a classroom contract. Yeah, because it gives you the power. It's your show, it's your journey, it's your process, so why wouldn't you have a voice in it?
Speaker 2:Would you mind talking about some of the things on that contract, sure.
Speaker 1:I mean, I think it's a lot of like how the cast is going to treat each other, how notes are given, like requesting intimacy, coordination. I think those are the kind of things that kind of came up at the beginning.
Speaker 3:And we were like, yes, it's funny because everyone's really like I don't want say anything and all of a sudden they're like wait, I have so many ideas and they had so many, and you're like see, you like to say things? Yeah, I think this show covers harsh topics, covers really important, deep things, that to not have intimacy coordination would be a disservice, and so, luckily, you know, marley's pretty heavily trained in that and I have some training too, and so that's a big part of what they were asking for, you know, and I'm glad that they advocated for themselves of like, yeah, I don't want to be making out with someone I've never talked to.
Speaker 1:Especially in our stage, which is like there's people right there, yeah.
Speaker 3:You're going to turn your head while you're making out and see somebody staring at you and it's going to be your dad and he's going to be like right. Yeah, absolutely. It's like the girl that you're kissing her grandpa, you know. So, yeah, well, at the time, my husband at the time was in the audience, and that's a weird experience because you're like, ah, you know. Or you're like, yeah, my dad when I was 13. That's crazy, that's a crazy thing to go through, that's wild Again.
Speaker 2:you both wear so many hats in this show.
Speaker 3:You know you got to do what you got to do. I love hats. I have a hat collection.
Speaker 2:Wow.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, thank you both so much for joining us here on the show today. Quick question when does your show open and where can people buy tickets for this awesome sounding show?
Speaker 1:Of course it opens October 25th and I think pretty soon the tickets will be released. You can find it on Instagram link in the bio and on the website.
Speaker 3:Yeah, if you go to our website.
Speaker 1:Tickets being released.
Speaker 3:Yeah, if you go to our website, click that ticket that you see like a picture of an image and it'll take you to the tickets on seat yourself. But yeah, I would definitely, especially because we have a run through halloween. Yes, I would definitely get your tickets as soon as you can. We run through november night, also something cool. Special night we have special nights every weekend. So every friday of every weekend we have a special night. So opening night is a prom night, so after the show we'll have prom and a gala here. That's right. And then the second weekend is um halloween costumes because it's the day after ha, right. And then the second weekend is Halloween costumes because it's the day after Halloween. And then the third weekend is 70s night. So, yeah, special little fun things. That is so fun.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, I love that. Thanks, yeah, well, be sure to check out Carrie. October 25th Perfect for Halloween.
Speaker 1:That's right, rookie, rookie, rookie.
Speaker 2:Rookie Rookie. Thank you both so much, thank you. Thank you, if you need insurance, vince will work for you. Vince Polito is a local farmer's insurance agent who wants to help you out. Auto home renters and more. Open, 8 to 5 on all weekdays. Over 35 years experience and licensed in four states. Call now. Over 35 years experience and licensed in four states. Call now. Thanks for listening to Steps to the Stage and now it's time for the curtain call. You can follow us on Spotify, apple, google or any podcasting platform. We have videos up on YouTube and you can visit our website at stepstothestagebuzzsproutcom. And, as always, a special thank you to our audio engineer, joey Rice, and our producer, kirk Lane. Without the two of you, this show would not be possible.
