this is the director speaking

Isaac Walters suggested a blog for Nosferatu, and I think it's a good idea. It's a nice way of documenting the process, especially when the process is particularly insane as it is here. If the show turns out to be a disaster we can at least look back and see where it all went wrong. And if it gets a few more people to come to the show, then, voila!

My idea for the show was inspired by the work of Katie Mitchell, a Scottish director who specializes in mixed-media. We saw a production of hers, Some Trace of Her, at the London National while on Study Abroad with UVU students this past summer. I didn't actually love the show, but I loved the idea of it. Conceptually, I thought it was daring. Mixed media is all the rage. Basically, I'm just hopping that bandwagon.

I love Halloween, and I love Nosferatu. I like the idea of mixing our footage with the existing stock - I've never seen that done before. I also think it's a wonderful education for our students to understand the workings of film. Even if it's super cheesy, over-acted, 1922 film-making. I guess that's part of the fun. I keep telling them in rehearsal to make everything bigger! More cartoonish! Every time I tell them to overdo their faces a little part of the Meisner angel on my shoulder dies. These are words I never thought I would say. It's fun to see them respond.

It's also tricky working without a traditional script. Basically, our script consists of storyboards from the film. We follow them very closely so we can recreate the original shots and blocking. It can be a little tedious, all this copying. I worry that the actors feel mechanized. But they seem to be having fun. Who knows what they are saying about me in the hallway when we aren't using them. It's a great cast. I'm excited to see the show.

I will try to be faithful in recounting rehearsals. But you should know right up front: so far, so wacky.