Thanks to the cast of "It Runs in the Family"
Well, as promised a few days ago, I'm gonna tell you guys a bit today about how It Runs in the Family, my directoral debut at the Thibodaux Playhouse, worked out. I've been performing with the Playhouse on and off since 1997, and in 2003 I joined the board of directors. I wrote The 3-D Radio Show, I assistant directed Mr. 80% and I've been in the cast and crew of nearly two dozen plays. But I've never directed before. Here, in words and pictures, is this little adventure:
I first read the script about a year ago when we were discussing which plays we'd put on this season, and I loved it immediately. In fact, the first time I read it I thought my dilemma would be not knowing which role I wanted to audition for, because there were so many good ones. That conundrum, obviously, was resolved when some of the board members (to whom I had expressed my interest in directing) asked if I'd be interested in directing a show this season, and if so, which one?
We held auditions back in February, and at first there were a few parts I was still iffy on, but in the end, the group we put together was phenomenal. In order of appearance on stage were:
Nick Guillot -- Dr. David Mortimore
This was Nicks' first play, not just with the Playhouse, but ever -- and I'll admit now that the show is over that I almost didn't cast him as David because of that. David was our lead, and I was a bit nervous about casting a brand new performer in that role. But his audition was far and away better than anyone else's, and remembering how I wound up with a lead in the first show I was ever in waaaaay back in college, I decided to give him a chance. One of the smartest things I ever did. Nick was fantastic, and no one could believe he was a first-time actor.
Dwayne Matherne -- Dr. Mike Connolly
Dwayne had done some performances with his church before, but this was his first time at the Thibodaux Playhouse, and he took to his role as the young Dr. Connolly like a fish to water. Dwayne was marvelous as the lighthearted, fun-loving, cross-dressing doctor. Working with him was a blast.
Michelle Becnel -- Rosemary Mortimore
Michelle had worked with us before, briefly, on Mr. 80%, but had to drop out of the production, so this was her first time on stage at the Thibodaux Playhouse. As David's long-suffering wife, Rosemary, she brought an air of class and maturity to the set that helped elevate the whole play.
Troy Plaisance -- Dr. Hubert Bonney
Ah, my good friend Troy Plaisance. When I was still undecided about David, I almost offered the part to Troy. I didn't, though, because I knew he would be a solid David, but he'd be a MAGNIFICENT Hubert. I was right. Hubert was the goofy sidekick to David, a browbeaten doctor who winds up in over his head but ends up on top when all is said and done. It's a funny, funny role, the sort of character you just HAVE to root for. This was the fourth show Troy and I were involved with together, and I may be biased, but I think this is the best performance yet... and judging by the applause he got every night, the audience thought so too.
Ronée Garcia Bourgeois -- Matron
Ronée, as most people who read this blog know, is one of my dearest friends, and when I found out I was going to get to direct, I knew right away I wanted her to try out. I was surprised, though, when before even auditions she told me she had her eye not on one of the leads, but on the Matron part. She was thirsting for the comedic, slapstick role, and I knew she could do it. Fortunately, she gave the best audition for it as well. Then, when our regular stage manager Sherry Thibodeaux told us she'd have to skip the first week of performances due to a long-scheduled vacation, Ronée stepped up and did THAT job the first week as well. Ronée not only is my good friend and agent, but also the director of my own 3-D Radio Show and last fall's Mr. 80%, and it's no exaggeration to say that I learned so much about what it takes to direct from her. I never could have made it without you, Ronée. Thanks. Love you, hon.
Denis Ricou -- Sir Willoughby Drake
Turnout for auditions was pretty good -- I wound up having to turn away some talented actors just because there weren't enough parts to go around. But after I'd selected the roles, there still wasn't anyone quite right for the part of Sir Willoughby Drake, the pompous Board Member that lords it over David during the show. Ronée saved me again, suggesting I call this guy she'd worked with in the last play. Denis turned out not only to be perfect for the part, but a great guy and a lot of fun to hang around with as well. I hope to get to face off with him on stage someday.
Jeanne Fritsche -- Jane Tate
I'd heard of Jeanne through mutual friends before this show, but except for briefly congratulating her on a good performance after seeing her in I Take This Man, I hadn't met her before. I knew early, though, she was my choice for Nurse Tate. She has the sort of cool wit and cute smile that made her the hands-on favorite for the role. She performed it wonderfully.
Reivin Johnson -- Sister
I'd worked with Reivin once before, in last summer's The Pajama Game -- even got to perform a duet with her that was a lot of fun. She was a natural for the Sister part -- a character that was trying to remain cheerful even as things around her went screwy. She's very talented, very funny, and I hope she graces our stage again and again.
Michael Cato -- Leslie
This was my third time working with Cato, after The Fantasticks and Mr. 80%, and he was an early frontrunner for Leslie. He's got real acting chops, fitting in well with the young punk character and getting bonus points for the willingness to adapt as the role requires (specifically mutilating his hairstyle). Plus it was fun seeing him working with Troy again -- last time they were partners pretending to be gay to get an apartment, this time Cato thought Troy was his father. Adaptivity, man. Fun stuff.
Arthur LeJeune Jr. -- Sergeant
Arthur was another of our new performers, and a young one at that, but he was great as the police sergeant. His accent was spot-on and he frequently showed up some of his more experienced comerades by getting his lines memorized early and performing other feats of thespianism quite impressive in someone of his age. He's going to grow into a great performer, and I'm glad I got to be there while he was still starting.
Steve Babin -- Bill
Steve, an LSU transplant, did an amazing, scene-stealing turn as Bill, the old man whose eccentric antics turned an already stressful day for David and Hubert into a near-disaster time and again... making the audience laugh even harder time and again. Steve had the closest near-disaster on the show at the audience dress rehearsal when his wheelchair nearly tipped over and spilled him onto the stage, but he bounced back like a pro. He's one of the funniest people we could have had, and he's one of the reasons, even after seeing the show rehearsed a billion times, I was still laughing when the audience got there.
Lauren Erwin -- Mother
It's funny that our youngest played the oldest character in the cast, Dr. Bonney's mother, but Lauren's audition made her a natural for the role. Her mannerisms and the voice she affected were exactly what I wanted, and there's no age problem that can't be fixed with enough makeup. As the rehearsals progressed and I saw her wearing Broadway t-shirts and heard her discussing musicals and plays, I knew that this was a girl serious about her theater. I hope she stays with us at the Playhouse for some time.
Heather Petit
Although my sister couldn't join us on-stage this time, she managed to help us out in the light booth. I always enjoy doing plays with Heather, although I'll deny it if you tell her, and having her on a set always makes it more fun for me. I'm glad she was there.
The rehearsal process had its ups and downs, as they all do, but the final performances were just up, up, up. With audiences in the 90s and 100s the first weekend, except for a 64-person house on Saturday, I was feeling good. Those are good numbers for a non-musical in our theater. I couldn't have dreamed how well word of mouth would spread, though -- the second weekend topped 100 easily the first two nights, and on the Sunday the 200-seat theater sold out. I got more compliments and comments on this than on any show I can remember, all of them good. And I told everyone who complimented me the same thing -- I started with a good script and I had a GREAT cast. I couldn't go wrong.
Here's a few more photos from the rehearsals:
Our Set, The Doctor's Common Room:
The Mural of London (Courtesy of Ronée):
"Father Christmas"
"Palpitations in the Corridor"
"Gout or Piles, Take Your Pick"
"How the Hell Did He Get a Hold of a Double Decker Bus?"
"He's Just Gone and Kicked Me in the Goolies"
"I'll 'Leslie Darling' HIM!"
"I Think It's Just Struck!"
"Is That the Wife?"
"Are Those Balloons Up Top?"
"Nobody Told Me You'd Be Questioning the Other Matron"
"The Third Session"
"What's Matron Doing Upside-Down in a Wheelchair?"
"I'm Dr. Bonney's Mother"
And finally, this wonderful cast with their goofy director:
At the cast party, I was presented with a director's gift, a lovely leatherbound notebook engraved "Blake M. Petit -- Director" and a pen with my initials. I was touched.
After I opened the gift, I talked briefly about how I was dragged to my first audition back in college, kicking and screaming, afraid of getting out there on stage and looking foolish. But once I did that first show, I was hooked. I kept coming back again and again. It's been nine years since then and I'm still coming back. I sort of feel that way again -- directing is an entirely different feeling than acting. You don't get the immediate rush you do on the stage, but the rewards of seeing the cast come together so well and realize the vision you put together... it's a whole different kind of magic. And I know it's something I'm going to want to do again. I'm just glad I was so lucky as to have this cast, this script, this experience the first time I sat in that chair. Thanks, guys. It was amazing.
I first read the script about a year ago when we were discussing which plays we'd put on this season, and I loved it immediately. In fact, the first time I read it I thought my dilemma would be not knowing which role I wanted to audition for, because there were so many good ones. That conundrum, obviously, was resolved when some of the board members (to whom I had expressed my interest in directing) asked if I'd be interested in directing a show this season, and if so, which one?
We held auditions back in February, and at first there were a few parts I was still iffy on, but in the end, the group we put together was phenomenal. In order of appearance on stage were:
Nick Guillot -- Dr. David Mortimore
This was Nicks' first play, not just with the Playhouse, but ever -- and I'll admit now that the show is over that I almost didn't cast him as David because of that. David was our lead, and I was a bit nervous about casting a brand new performer in that role. But his audition was far and away better than anyone else's, and remembering how I wound up with a lead in the first show I was ever in waaaaay back in college, I decided to give him a chance. One of the smartest things I ever did. Nick was fantastic, and no one could believe he was a first-time actor.
Dwayne Matherne -- Dr. Mike Connolly
Dwayne had done some performances with his church before, but this was his first time at the Thibodaux Playhouse, and he took to his role as the young Dr. Connolly like a fish to water. Dwayne was marvelous as the lighthearted, fun-loving, cross-dressing doctor. Working with him was a blast.
Michelle Becnel -- Rosemary Mortimore
Michelle had worked with us before, briefly, on Mr. 80%, but had to drop out of the production, so this was her first time on stage at the Thibodaux Playhouse. As David's long-suffering wife, Rosemary, she brought an air of class and maturity to the set that helped elevate the whole play.
Troy Plaisance -- Dr. Hubert Bonney
Ah, my good friend Troy Plaisance. When I was still undecided about David, I almost offered the part to Troy. I didn't, though, because I knew he would be a solid David, but he'd be a MAGNIFICENT Hubert. I was right. Hubert was the goofy sidekick to David, a browbeaten doctor who winds up in over his head but ends up on top when all is said and done. It's a funny, funny role, the sort of character you just HAVE to root for. This was the fourth show Troy and I were involved with together, and I may be biased, but I think this is the best performance yet... and judging by the applause he got every night, the audience thought so too.
Ronée Garcia Bourgeois -- Matron
Ronée, as most people who read this blog know, is one of my dearest friends, and when I found out I was going to get to direct, I knew right away I wanted her to try out. I was surprised, though, when before even auditions she told me she had her eye not on one of the leads, but on the Matron part. She was thirsting for the comedic, slapstick role, and I knew she could do it. Fortunately, she gave the best audition for it as well. Then, when our regular stage manager Sherry Thibodeaux told us she'd have to skip the first week of performances due to a long-scheduled vacation, Ronée stepped up and did THAT job the first week as well. Ronée not only is my good friend and agent, but also the director of my own 3-D Radio Show and last fall's Mr. 80%, and it's no exaggeration to say that I learned so much about what it takes to direct from her. I never could have made it without you, Ronée. Thanks. Love you, hon.
Denis Ricou -- Sir Willoughby Drake
Turnout for auditions was pretty good -- I wound up having to turn away some talented actors just because there weren't enough parts to go around. But after I'd selected the roles, there still wasn't anyone quite right for the part of Sir Willoughby Drake, the pompous Board Member that lords it over David during the show. Ronée saved me again, suggesting I call this guy she'd worked with in the last play. Denis turned out not only to be perfect for the part, but a great guy and a lot of fun to hang around with as well. I hope to get to face off with him on stage someday.
Jeanne Fritsche -- Jane Tate
I'd heard of Jeanne through mutual friends before this show, but except for briefly congratulating her on a good performance after seeing her in I Take This Man, I hadn't met her before. I knew early, though, she was my choice for Nurse Tate. She has the sort of cool wit and cute smile that made her the hands-on favorite for the role. She performed it wonderfully.
Reivin Johnson -- Sister
I'd worked with Reivin once before, in last summer's The Pajama Game -- even got to perform a duet with her that was a lot of fun. She was a natural for the Sister part -- a character that was trying to remain cheerful even as things around her went screwy. She's very talented, very funny, and I hope she graces our stage again and again.
Michael Cato -- Leslie
This was my third time working with Cato, after The Fantasticks and Mr. 80%, and he was an early frontrunner for Leslie. He's got real acting chops, fitting in well with the young punk character and getting bonus points for the willingness to adapt as the role requires (specifically mutilating his hairstyle). Plus it was fun seeing him working with Troy again -- last time they were partners pretending to be gay to get an apartment, this time Cato thought Troy was his father. Adaptivity, man. Fun stuff.
Arthur LeJeune Jr. -- Sergeant
Arthur was another of our new performers, and a young one at that, but he was great as the police sergeant. His accent was spot-on and he frequently showed up some of his more experienced comerades by getting his lines memorized early and performing other feats of thespianism quite impressive in someone of his age. He's going to grow into a great performer, and I'm glad I got to be there while he was still starting.
Steve Babin -- Bill
Steve, an LSU transplant, did an amazing, scene-stealing turn as Bill, the old man whose eccentric antics turned an already stressful day for David and Hubert into a near-disaster time and again... making the audience laugh even harder time and again. Steve had the closest near-disaster on the show at the audience dress rehearsal when his wheelchair nearly tipped over and spilled him onto the stage, but he bounced back like a pro. He's one of the funniest people we could have had, and he's one of the reasons, even after seeing the show rehearsed a billion times, I was still laughing when the audience got there.
Lauren Erwin -- Mother
It's funny that our youngest played the oldest character in the cast, Dr. Bonney's mother, but Lauren's audition made her a natural for the role. Her mannerisms and the voice she affected were exactly what I wanted, and there's no age problem that can't be fixed with enough makeup. As the rehearsals progressed and I saw her wearing Broadway t-shirts and heard her discussing musicals and plays, I knew that this was a girl serious about her theater. I hope she stays with us at the Playhouse for some time.
Heather Petit
Although my sister couldn't join us on-stage this time, she managed to help us out in the light booth. I always enjoy doing plays with Heather, although I'll deny it if you tell her, and having her on a set always makes it more fun for me. I'm glad she was there.
The rehearsal process had its ups and downs, as they all do, but the final performances were just up, up, up. With audiences in the 90s and 100s the first weekend, except for a 64-person house on Saturday, I was feeling good. Those are good numbers for a non-musical in our theater. I couldn't have dreamed how well word of mouth would spread, though -- the second weekend topped 100 easily the first two nights, and on the Sunday the 200-seat theater sold out. I got more compliments and comments on this than on any show I can remember, all of them good. And I told everyone who complimented me the same thing -- I started with a good script and I had a GREAT cast. I couldn't go wrong.
Here's a few more photos from the rehearsals:
Our Set, The Doctor's Common Room:
The Mural of London (Courtesy of Ronée):
"Father Christmas"
"Palpitations in the Corridor"
"Gout or Piles, Take Your Pick"
"How the Hell Did He Get a Hold of a Double Decker Bus?"
"He's Just Gone and Kicked Me in the Goolies"
"I'll 'Leslie Darling' HIM!"
"I Think It's Just Struck!"
"Is That the Wife?"
"Are Those Balloons Up Top?"
"Nobody Told Me You'd Be Questioning the Other Matron"
"The Third Session"
"What's Matron Doing Upside-Down in a Wheelchair?"
"I'm Dr. Bonney's Mother"
And finally, this wonderful cast with their goofy director:
At the cast party, I was presented with a director's gift, a lovely leatherbound notebook engraved "Blake M. Petit -- Director" and a pen with my initials. I was touched.
After I opened the gift, I talked briefly about how I was dragged to my first audition back in college, kicking and screaming, afraid of getting out there on stage and looking foolish. But once I did that first show, I was hooked. I kept coming back again and again. It's been nine years since then and I'm still coming back. I sort of feel that way again -- directing is an entirely different feeling than acting. You don't get the immediate rush you do on the stage, but the rewards of seeing the cast come together so well and realize the vision you put together... it's a whole different kind of magic. And I know it's something I'm going to want to do again. I'm just glad I was so lucky as to have this cast, this script, this experience the first time I sat in that chair. Thanks, guys. It was amazing.