Most recent thoughts about NL

I've sent out some inquiries about Nunc Licet and producing it for the 2020 Assembly in June, when people from around the world will be in Bryn Athyn.

Well, one of the things I have said is that my interest is to focus only on the directing aspect of producing the show.

I have to confess that producing work is also taking place, but I have been reviewing the script from a director's point of view.

I have found that there are blocking and performance items which were not considered before. In all probability I will transfer those notes over to the next revision of the script.

I want to convey that I have included a plethoria of technical notes in the script, under the presumption that future persons will attempt to produce the show (after I'm gone) and will want to know what my intention, as the writer, was for the production of the show.

Being a theatre technician for many years, I came across some very scant scripts, which basically gave no idea what the writer intended, other than what could be presumed. I wanted to eliminate the presumption for future generations. I think George Bernard Shaw made a comment in that regard that struck home with me.

Anyway, I'm encouraged to shift my attention away from producing on this show and over to the real job of directing. I have no delusions about my abilities as a director, but clearly, I have the most familiarity with this piece and can, without a doubt, offer the most pragmatic approach to bringing the vision of this show to the stage.

So in this regard; the last effort was a reading " script-in-hand". It was a heavily edited version of the script. In that regard, I was not very satisfied with what we presented, but I know we were limited in terms of time and we were not able to present the show as intended. We "were not able" for a variety of reasons, but I do not want to attempt a reading under the conditions we were faced with the last time we presented the play.

I am convinced that the show " as written" works. And after further review, I am even more certain if that. The only variable factor there is the audience's span of attention.

I do believe that; that variable was taken into account when structuring both the text and the blocking, but more than that; the sub-text.

During the last reading, we were not able to address sub-text, let alone craft it's a backdrop to the action or the text delivery. So I am anxious to have the  dictates to freedom to craft those elements that are written into the script. In fact, I have to say, I am unwilling to advance into a production effort without the freedom to craft the performances, without the constraints of time limitations or the imposition of external dictates to edit the script.

As I have said, I think that, on average, a two hour sho is tolerable, but I don't know just how long it takes to deliver the due text with the appropriate pauses, music and blocking. I need to find that out, by directing a fully cast and blocked reading, at the very least.

I'll continue these thoughts later.

AG