10 June 2004
The Mystic
Keith Johnson and I attended the Drama Garage staged reading of The Mystic by Nathan Hong. The Drama Garage series is pretty cool. Its producer (the very hip and cool Maryam Dalan) introduced it as the "premier screenplay showcase," since it produces three mainstage events per year, free, and sponsored by folks who provide lots of swag, giveaways (Keith won the year's subscription to Hollywood Scriptwriter Magazine), food, and drink.
Learned from fellow attendee Joe Gold (who has just wrapped a show at Circle X and who was there with his girlfriend Tammy) that they charge $40 per entry into the "system" and three screenplays are chosen for this full staging. Those that don't make it to that point but are still considered good works are invited to workshop for $200, as having actors give voice to that material would be more of a service than a showcase. Interesting premise. I'm sure I'll go back again and see what else this group has in store.
This particular staged reading was produced by Emil Lin (who also performed), "directed" by Dottie Zold, and featured actors we know and love such as Subhash Mandal, Richard Tatum, and Robert Easton. Actors whose work was new to me, but that I truly enjoyed were Oliver Page, Sara Van Horn (who I brought in for an audition on The Moor, I believe), Jordan Roberts (who I think was once a performer at 15 Minutes of FEM, and April Hong (whose vocal range is brilliant). Highlights came from Subhash Mandal, who brought subtle and solid variances to each of the characters he voiced (which is hard to do), and delightfully talented Richard Tatum, who cracks me up pretty much every time he opens his mouth.
Folks we saw/schmoozed with included the above-mentioned, as well as Tracy Eliott (three times in one week!!), James Hong, and Deb Barylski. Gorgeous over-audience lighting design by someone other than Todd Alter and Twilight Lighting (they're credited in the program, but I'm assured they had NOTHING to do with the lovely lights above the audience that truly were a sight to behold... although candles suspended from fishing line do not like to stay hung. Please remember that, the next time you hang lights ABOVE AUDIENCE MEMBERS this way, whoever you were, who hung these lights--NOT Twilight). Oh, and one minor note: leave the AC on... please. It's June. It's the Woman's Club of Hollywood. It's hot. Poor actors under all those lights! And a major complaint which has absolutely nothing to do with the performance in any way, shape, or form: it was at this show that we witnessed the rudest display of cell phone use DURING a performance. This guy kept his phone on vibrate (yay) but answered it (boo) and spoke in a whisper into the phone from his seat in the audience for three and five minutes at a time FOUR TIMES during the show. Are you KIDDING me?
Okay, got that out of my system. Enjoyed the read more than the material. Really liked seeing some actors (new to me) whose work I will remember (it's ALWAYS good to learn which actors enjoy doing staged readings, since so many directors like doing them before casting their films). A good, hot night. Looking forward to the next Drama Garage reading.
Learned from fellow attendee Joe Gold (who has just wrapped a show at Circle X and who was there with his girlfriend Tammy) that they charge $40 per entry into the "system" and three screenplays are chosen for this full staging. Those that don't make it to that point but are still considered good works are invited to workshop for $200, as having actors give voice to that material would be more of a service than a showcase. Interesting premise. I'm sure I'll go back again and see what else this group has in store.
This particular staged reading was produced by Emil Lin (who also performed), "directed" by Dottie Zold, and featured actors we know and love such as Subhash Mandal, Richard Tatum, and Robert Easton. Actors whose work was new to me, but that I truly enjoyed were Oliver Page, Sara Van Horn (who I brought in for an audition on The Moor, I believe), Jordan Roberts (who I think was once a performer at 15 Minutes of FEM, and April Hong (whose vocal range is brilliant). Highlights came from Subhash Mandal, who brought subtle and solid variances to each of the characters he voiced (which is hard to do), and delightfully talented Richard Tatum, who cracks me up pretty much every time he opens his mouth.
Folks we saw/schmoozed with included the above-mentioned, as well as Tracy Eliott (three times in one week!!), James Hong, and Deb Barylski. Gorgeous over-audience lighting design by someone other than Todd Alter and Twilight Lighting (they're credited in the program, but I'm assured they had NOTHING to do with the lovely lights above the audience that truly were a sight to behold... although candles suspended from fishing line do not like to stay hung. Please remember that, the next time you hang lights ABOVE AUDIENCE MEMBERS this way, whoever you were, who hung these lights--NOT Twilight). Oh, and one minor note: leave the AC on... please. It's June. It's the Woman's Club of Hollywood. It's hot. Poor actors under all those lights! And a major complaint which has absolutely nothing to do with the performance in any way, shape, or form: it was at this show that we witnessed the rudest display of cell phone use DURING a performance. This guy kept his phone on vibrate (yay) but answered it (boo) and spoke in a whisper into the phone from his seat in the audience for three and five minutes at a time FOUR TIMES during the show. Are you KIDDING me?
Okay, got that out of my system. Enjoyed the read more than the material. Really liked seeing some actors (new to me) whose work I will remember (it's ALWAYS good to learn which actors enjoy doing staged readings, since so many directors like doing them before casting their films). A good, hot night. Looking forward to the next Drama Garage reading.
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