| PACIFIC OVERTURES |
| Rehearsal Journal Page 3 |
| Friday August 3, 2001 The first part of tonight I rehearsed as one of the American officers who go into the hut with Perry (played by Erwin) during the "Someone in a tree" number. Since I disappear into the hut before the number and only exit after the number, I don't do much during this time. However, this did give me a better opportunity to enjoy Hisato as the old man, Donny Honda as the spritely boy and Don Masuda as the Warrior beneath the house. I must say, the moment that Donny runs on to become the lost youth of the old man is simply MAGIC! Where else but theatre can one find such a moving moment? The second half of the rehearsal tonight was spent choreographing the non-solo parts of "Please Hello!" This number has got to be my favorite! Not just because I'm in it, but because it's a showstopper number! Not only is every single ambassador in it gay, but we get to can-can and literally kick our heels up! What a great number -- thanks largely to the incredible Francis Jue! Wait until you see this one! Tonight, while we were chatting ( I believe during a break) Romar, Hisato and Erwin were demonstrating how they would do their "Sex in the City walk" when they all go to a club. Inspiration struck so I asked Hisato for his camera--which takes mpegs-- and "filmed" their "Calvin Klein Catwalk" along with the now-famous head toss by Alex Hsu! |
| Saturday August 4, 2001 Today Rebecca announced the official understudies. I will be understudying Lord Abe (Leslie called me Friday to offer it to me), while Hisato understudies the Reciter, Erwin understudies Manjiro, David Lamm will be understudying Kayama. We were also introduced to our new swing Rickey Viloria (whom I met at auditions) and Felicia Arikawa who will play Tamate Shortly afterwards, we started with the blocking of our opening number "Advantages." Today we got a good idea of how the folding/sliding screens are employed to "magically" bring people onstage. What an ingenious idea! Again, an idea simply bursting with theatricality! Well, I watched Lawrence Thoo, and I'm glad most of blocking looks like they are mostly in place on the dais! I will have to learn all his fan gestures, though... For lunch most of us went across Willow street. Most of us went into the Pho place while some went for Japanese. We all converged at Baskin-Robbins for dessert afterwards. When we got back, we got treated to a particularly moving piece as Ev Shiro and Don Masuda sing "Is There No Other Way" to Felicia's smooth dancing. I know we all wanted to just cry! As Tamate mimes grabbing the knife from the altar, I couldn't help let out a "DON'T DO IT...!" |
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