Rattlestick, week #1

Alice here.

I just finished week #1 of my first assistant directing assigement. I have been in rehearsals for GEOMETRY OF FIRE a new play by Stephen Belber, directed by Lucie Tiberghien, at the Rattlestick Theater.

Even though the play has been developed at Sundance and New York Stage and Film, Steve has been in rehearsal, doing extensive rewrites all week. It's been a real crash course for me in script development. We sit around the table, read a scene, and then start questioning 1) the timeline and 2) the who-knows-what-when aspects. Real nuts and bolts stuff, but with a play that is happening now, and about the Iraq war, Steve wants to be careful--this is a topic that a lot of people know a lot about. It matters greatly if our Iraq vet, Mel, joined the marines in 2001 after 9/11 or in 2004 after Bush was re-elected or in 2005 when the surge appeared to be a disaster.

Steve has also rewritten large chunks of one character, Cynthia. Cynthia (and the other 3 females roles) are all played by Jennifer Mudge, a longtime Belber collaborator. Steve is trying to give Cynthia a richer and more detailed backstory and journey through the play, without it seeming hamhanded.

I'm surprised by how much input from the actors affects the script, and how willing Steve is completely rewrite scenes. It's been an exciting first week, and we haven't even stood up yet.