June 18, 2005
The Ford Center sits above the Hilton Theatre, where Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is currently running for eight shows a week. The Lennon gang has been rehearsing in the larger of two rooms on the third floor. Throughout last week, in the smaller room next door, auditions were being held for the latest Andrew Lloyd Webber musical imported from London. Most of our people knew the people running the musical and half the talent that was auditioning, too. I imagine all of us felt relieved to be on the working side of the fence rather than out in the auditioning wilderness. Nevertheless, actors will often audition for upcoming productions even though they're currently employed, since no show is guaranteed to stay open. Plus there are television and film opportunities that come up often. I didn't think much about it at the time, but looking back, the presence of this other production affected the energy in our room to a degree. I wonder if our gang envied those who were going to get to work on a piece that is already a proven success in London's West End, as opposed to sticking their necks out in a brand new project? Nah, probably not.
Friday was our last day at the Ford Center, and Saturday the company resumed working at the Roundabout Theatre Company on 45th St. While a lot of great work has been done here, the room is small, old and beat up. A nitty gritty atmosphere prevails, one which, it turns out, is suitable for the current mood of the show. A week ago, all of us were feeling high. We feel we've finally hit our stride with the new script and are once again going down the right road. All are pleased with the new lines and songs. The cast are all very capable of lighting up whatever they're given. But now we're in crunch mode. No room for whimsical euphoria, this is serious gametime. Humor and morale are at an all time high, but so is concentration and creative debate. Opinions are passionate and ideas are explored fearlessly. Producers and promoters are working at a fever pace to advance the ever-looming opening date.
But without a doubt, the man with the toughest job of all is creator, writer, director and firefighter Don Scardino. All year long, Don has spent his every waking minute bending over backwards, maintaining the integrity of his creative vision while satisfying the demands of the producers, the backers and Yoko Ono. The pressure from all sides is enough to drive a lesser man over sanity's edge. Rarely if ever does his stack blow, and even when it does, you wouldn't notice it if you weren't looking. The only visible sign is a front section of his sandy blonde hair that's gone white. But it doesn't look bad. It looks experienced.
Walking back to the bus terminal after today's work, Will and I took a detour down 44th st, where a giant picture of John Lennon hangs high above the Broadhurst Theatre, right next door to the Shubert, home of Monty Python's Spamalot. The crew is busy loading in the rigs. At the entrance to the Broadhurst is a large lobbycard with Lennon's credits, featuring the names of all the castmembers, including mine. It's getting real.