As we approach the new year's weekend, all of us pray that 1996 may bring us light, laughter, and great compassion. And a successful run of JOAN would be nice too.
We're very happy that we've been included in both PERFORMINK and in WINDY CITY TIMES' 1995 "best of" or "kudos" lists summarizing the year in Chicago theatre. Our costume designer, Margaret Morettini, has also been commended for her splended JOAN designs. This author's single favorite comment by Larry Bommer, writing for the WINDY CITY TIMES, in the lead paragraph of a section called "Special Recognition:" "To Eric Lane Barnes, Chuck Larkin, Christopher Moore and Douglas Wood (note: Barnes, Larkin, and Wood also write musicals in Chicago). These prolific gay composers have made significant contributions, both in new works and arrangements and in the creative climate that all their good work creates."
John 1:1
All of us in the Pope Joan Company wish you a blessed Christmas.
Business dominates the news this week. We're working very hard to get all the necessary contract work completed before everyone leaves town for the holidays.
NOTE: The box office at the Mercury Theatre will be open for sale of POPE JOAN tickets on JANUARY 19, 1996 -- not January 2, as previously reported. Their phone number will be (312) 325-1700.
Today, Bill Zwecker, the popular Chicago Sun-Times columnist, scooped the news about the February 18th opening at the Mercury. Guess we're official.
As we move through the stress of the holidays: peace on earth; good will to all people. Still can't improve on that.
WE FINALLY ANNOUNCE, WITH GREAT JOY:
With God's grace -- plus the talent and persistence of our company manger, Will Hepp, who deserves a hundred percent of the credit for the deal-making -- the first commercial production of POPE JOAN will open in Chicago as planned!
POPE JOAN will open on February 18, 1996 at the Mercury Theatre, 3745 North Southport, Chicago, Illinois 60613. The Mercury's telephone is (312) 325-1700. Previews will begin on Valentine's Day. The box office will open and tickets will go on sale on January 2, 1996.
The Mercury is a brand-new, gorgeous, state-of-the-art theatre -- I'll be giving you many more details about it as the weeks pass -- and we're very proud that POPE JOAN will open the space. If you know where the Music Box Theatre (showing art films/foreign films/Chicago Film Festival) is on Southport, we're just a few doors north of that, on the same side of the street. We're also excited that from the Mercury's lobby, one can walk into Strega Nona (a creative new Italian restaurant) and Cullen's Pub and Grill (a gorgeous, upscale Irish pub). Parking will be available, of course. So, if you wish, an entire evening -- from a pre-show dinner to an after-theatre cocktail -- can be enjoyed without going back out into the cold!
Can't say it enough: thank you, Will Hepp, intrepid Pope Joan Company manager. Your name is legend in this writer's book of theatrical negotiations already.
As Chicago blankets under a lovely pre-holiday snow, it's fun to report a very cool preproduction detail.
World-famous Chicago photographer Victor Skrebneski has agreed to shoot the poster for POPE JOAN (and will be shooting Elizabeth Laidlaw this Friday)! You may have seen Skrebneski's famous line of photography-based posters for the Chicago Film Festival -- they're utterly gorgeous individual works of art. We're happy that we'll be able to make copies of the poster available for sale at the show as well. Skrebneski's posters have been valued in this town as art for many years, and we're deeply privileged that he'll be helping us create this unique blend of art and marketing for the show.
In contrast to last week's tome, this week is short and sweet:
Welcome to Daniel Stetzel, who has accepted the position of Musical Director for the Pope Joan Company! You'll be reading more about Dan in the coming weeks, of course. But by way of introduction: Dan and Christopher Moore have a happy history of musical work together, including the Jeff Citation winning SON OF FIRE. Dan has a long history of professional musical direction history himself. His latest achievement: a Jeff nomination this year (up against Gino!) for musical direction of THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND at the Apple Tree in the 'burbs. We're blessed to have Dan's talent and energy -- and damn lucky he hadn't signed his next contract when we called! (Thank you, Goddess.)
Also, in answer to many web readers' requests, Christopher Moore took some time from his rewrites on JOAN and his work on FRANKENSTEIN to share his thoughts on WRITING THE SCORE OF POPE JOAN. He hopes this will answer many questions he's received from readers in the last few weeks, and looks forward to any further questions and reactions.
And anybody who's ready for the holidays obviously has far too much time on their hands -- that's all I'll say.
You might as well brew a cup of tea and bring up an afghan, because there's lots to chat about. And at least in Chicago, the rain that blew my $3 umbrella to shreds just changed to snow.
No, I can't name the theatre. But all's well. All's well. Contracts are being written and rewritten. If you're inclined to a trip to Chicago in mid-February (now there's a touristy idea!), you can count on finding POPE JOAN playing in town. And that's that.
To that end, the company had a party yesterday. (We ARE inclined to celebrate at the drop of a hat, but that's a charming quality about us, really). And to celebrate our beloved Michael's birthday. (There were candles reading "25" on his cake -- candles used for all guests who do not further specify. And they apply aptly to his ageless majesty.) And what a chorus to sing "Happy Birthday."
Let me introduce you to some people at the party, and say some goodbyes and hellos to the Pope Joan Company members in the process.
Christopher Moore was there, of course. He came in from Ragdale, the writer's retreat where he's been working on the first draft of his next musical, FRANKENSTEIN. A lovely detail about the party was that it was synchronous with the second anniversary of POPE JOAN, which was first written at Ragdale during Chris' first visit there. It's a magical place full of rising energy, and the music pouring from him there is magic.
Gino De Luca was also there, but it was a sad and unexpected goodbye to him. Gino's decided to take a very lucrative contract with the City of Chicago as assistant musical director of their musical operations at Navy Pier. He's finishing the arrangements before he leaves us, of course. And we're currently negotiating for our new musical director, who I hope to tell you about next week. (Hint: we hope that the talented man who did the Jeff Citation-winning SON OF FIRE will join us!).
We said goodbye to a lot of original Bailiwick company members who have accepted other jobs. (See what singing "Thousand Years From Now" at the Jeffs seemed to seed ... backhandedly, Chicago's biggest audition!) Candy Johnson (who is forever remembered for giving great face) is pooped and doesn't want to do six shows a week. She's worked back-to-back shows forever, and she's taking some vacation time with her best love. Matt Shea, sweet tenor comic, is moving on to featured role in an imminent commercial remounting of Eric Lane Barnes' FAIRY TALES. Michael Camp is excited to be doing his first chorus role in ANNIE GET YOUR GUN for Pheasant Run. Ann Tolpegin is donning yet another nun's habit in SOUND OF MUSIC at Pheasant Run. George Keating is returning to New York for the remounting of his featured role in SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK. And Dina Joy Bird has been called to New York to stand by for CAROUSEL. We are so proud of the accomplishments of these talented Ensemble members! As we told them as they left -- they have our blessings and good wishes. It goes to show you -- when you cast solo-calibre artists in the Ensemble, other directors will see what you've seen and snatch them up. What felt wonderful, in every case, was each person's sincere expression of love and loss. Being in the Pope Joan Company is a life-changing experience for an actor.
Now -- here's are our happy helloes. We're welcoming some awesomely talented artists to the company in a variety of roles. Cast in the critical role of Louis is New York actor Scott Brush. Scott is not only a killer baritone with cut in his voice to die for -- he's a huge, muscled man who makes the classic "stage picture" with our six-foot Elizabeth Laidlaw, who plays Joan. Everyone else cast lives and works in Chicago regularly. We're thrilled to have Ken Baker, who will be creating the role of Anastasius. Chicago newcomer Jay Aubrey will initiate the role of the Holy Ghost (character description: well ... He's God) in its full singing rewrite. Joining us in the Ensemble are Amy Armstrong, Sara Minton, Neda Spears (who went on in the repertory production as an understudy), Seema Sueko, Joshua Sutcliffe, and Pete Thelan (who WOULD have gone on in the repertory production if it had run one more week -- poetic justic at last!). You'll be meeting all these folks -- plus original repertory cast members Mary Beidler (Martine), Adam Davis (Ensemble), David Gethmanm (Ensemble), Matt McDonald (Nicholas), David Peryam (Ensemble), Ron Sherry (Lucius), and Cecily Strong (Young Joan/and now ... Joan's Daughter) -- in biographical sections with pictures -- just as soon as those darn actors get me their bios and the latest resume pics "I'm going to get reshot next week, Susan."
Thanks for reading. Have another cup of tea with me, and we'll all relax!
Felix founded the Trinitarians, a religious order, "for the redemtion of Christian captives." Died in 1213. Don't you love early Christian PR? Hello, Islamic captive. Not only do you get to be in an 11th century POW camp -- you get to listen to those silly folks pressure you to give up your own faith and culture. And they made him a saint for it ...?
GOOD NEWS -- which will hopefully become VERY, VERY GOOD NEWS when the paperwork is signed this week--
At long last, the Pope Joan Company has a home that will allow us to remount the show in February! Will Hepp, our company manager, prudently tells he'll strangle me if I blow the news prematurely, so I can't tell you the theatre's name yet, but ...
It's new, but within a restored architectural setting that gives the structure itself an older feel that works perfectly with the show;
It's JUST big enough -- three hundred something seats -- so the show will overwhelm the space, rather than the other way around;
It has a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system that makes our techies drool;
Connected to the theatre, on its left, is a popular new Italian restaurant; to its right, a lovely upscale Irish pub -- great for entertainment package evenings;
It's a modified proscenium, which our director and movement director adore;
And we all just loved it, the moment we crossed the threshold.
Chicagoans may be able to infer which theatre I'm talking about; out-of-towners may not be aware of its existence.
And next week, with the Goddess' grace, I'll be able to tell you it's a signed deal.
Final casting is underway, now that we know where we're headed, and the company is changing. A very wonderful thing for many of the original "award winning" ensemble members is that many of them have received offers from other companies for larger roles. Our attitude: that's exactly the way it should be. When we cast solo-caliber artists in the ensemble, other people are going to see that they're terrific too. So we're saying goodbye to some of them and welcoming new artists to take their places. Next week, I'll give you an official "Who's Who."
And next Sunday, November 26th, is a Holy Day of Obligation for the Pope Joan Company -- it's our dear Michael Butler's birthday! We're going to celebrate with a potluck supper at my place.
Thanksgiving is Thursday. Thank you, Goddess, for all your blessings and guidance to the Joan company this year. Stay with us, Girl. We need you.
The Jeff Awards, of course. Thank you Goddess, for your great blessings. And what a night of drama in the best Chicago theatre tradition! And the best one of my life as Christopher Moore's agent and friend. In a sentence, the Pope Joan Company went from "who ARE those noisy people at the three tables in the corner?" to "OH ... THAT's who those people are."
The evening began with an astounding original song written by the team doing "Ms. Cinderella" in town now: "How lucky we are to be able to be doing what we love." And that's how it felt when we watched Christopher, Gino, and David Zak (the Bailiwick Repertory original director) applauded by the entire theatre community for their nominations as the program began.
I'm selfishly skipping over the parts of the night that don't pertain to Pope Joan, of course. Otherwise I'd write a small book on the Chicago theatre season.
The first award given was for Musical Direction, and our own Gino was nominated for his superlative work in the original production. We were disappointed when he didn't win, but we had to acknowledge that the first of many nods to "Forever Plaid" was well-deserved -- it's been justifiably lauded for its impeccable musical sound, night after night, for well over a year.
Best New Work was next -- always a tricky category. Competition in a town that does as much diverse new work as this one is always "anything can happen day." When Christopher Moore's name was announced for "Pope Joan," the company -- and the entire audience -- went wild. Chris gave a beautiful speech that acknowledged Bailiwick (one of the mothers of original work in our town), his partner and chosen family, and our dear Michael Butler "who changed my life the day he optioned my play." He spoke of Michael's and his vision of the purpose of theatre: to change the world, of course.
Then the Pope Joan Company performed "A Thousand Years From Now." I wrote you last week about the "firsts" involved. Well, they succeeded gloriously. Came to the edgei of the proscenium and showed the "708ers" (suburbanite theatregoers who wouldn't have ventured to the "dangerous" urban Bailiwick) just what immense impact this show has. And the black-tie, veddy-veddy-dignified-doncha-know audience went wild.
The company did the only logical thing possible: they collectively went to the lobby for a drink and a smoke. We figured the evening was over. As we giddily drifted back into the theatre (presuming we'd see the same old standbys collect the final awards), we heard "Best Director -- David Zak." Best production -- a TIE! -- "Pope Joan" ties with "Hello Dolly!" (which was budgeted at ten kajillion more dollars than us and done by the oldest pillars of the commercial community).
And in one glorious, light-filled night, Chicago theatrical powers that be discovered, sitting in one audience, just what an incredible hit the city has on its hands. If we'd scripted it out for a classic theatrical movie, we couldn't have done it better.
Suffice to say, "what a difference a day makes." Negotiations for space continue, but have shifted in character. Three Jeffs have a certain objective value. Just what is that value? To be answered at the negotiation table this week. I love this business. I really do.
As I write, Christopher Moore is rehearsing Elizabeth Laidlaw (Joan) and members of the Ensemble for their performance of "A Thousand Years From Now" at the Jeff Awards this evening. Besides the obvious excitment and the cut-to-the-chase questions (Did we win? Which award(s)?), there are two Chicago theatre firsts happening tonight. This will be the first time that a full production numbers has been done at the Jeffs (traditionally, a solo or duet has been the excerpt), and this will be the first time that an entirely non-Union group of actors will perform for Actors' Equity and the Jeff Committee (no union actors in this particular number). Pretty cool.
Saturday and Sunday, bundled up against the first cold days of the Chicago winter in an underheated rehearsal space (future renters beware!) at the Organic Theatre, we heard more than sixty awesome Chicago actors audition for Louis, Anastasius, the Holy Ghost, and the Ensemble. Callbacks for the Holy Ghost were this auditor's favorite. There I got to see Angela Allyn, our movement director, put the eight actors who had made it through the first cut through their paces. Since the Holy Ghost isn't going to fly, she explained, he has to "float" (move forward without appearing to have any weight) and drift (same movement backwards) in a non-corporeal manner. And I was amazed (after she explained how it was done) to see the men -- including one six feet tall with a huge barrel chest -- become weightless in space. The look of Pope Joan is going to be awesome because of Angela's talent and ability to communicate movement possibilities to actors more clearly than anyone I've ever seen.
And wish us luck tonight. No matter what happens, it's going to be exciting. The Jeff Awards are the Cannes Film Festival of the theatre scene. Everybody's there and everybody's making a deal. With dinner, drinks, dancing, and silly plastic statutes. I love theatre.
Gee, the clock is ticking, Pope Joan venue lottery fans. We've got a deal on the table and we haven't been blown out of the water yet. And another, that would allow us a slightly later start. This is a great goodness of the Goddess, and we heartily thank Her. A signed deal memo would be nice by the end of the week, thank you, Lady.
Nonetheless, in the great spiritual tradition of stepping off the cliff into the air, Equity and non-Equity auditions are going ahead this Saturday and Sunday. I can't wait. I LOVE auditions. The group coming in to sing for us is an awesome pool of Chicago talent -- and that's just the folks we called. Per Union rules, we have no idea who the Equity people will be who made appointments, but we're looking forward to the surprise. We have three inches of resumes and photos of people we couldn't call because we knew we didn't have roles for their age/type. I wish we had a thousand contracts to hand out, because the positive energy coming from the Chicago theatre community buoys us up with great joy and hope.
And Mr. Butler asked us to post a sign at auditions that he was really, really dedicated to Chicago theatre because he was giving up a huge tennis tournament to spend two days listening to singers. (He's HALF kidding. He loves auditions and actors as much as I do. But I also personally believe that if he could do casting from astride a horse, he would.)
Not really, but it should be. A memorial for Jeff Hagedorn, the beloved Chicago playwright who died a few weeks ago, will be held this Friday (October 27th) at Sheffield's in Chicago from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Sheffield's is where many of Jeff's plays made their debut and enjoyed long runs. The place positively throbs with his presence. Fans and friends are all welcome. And if you knew Jeff, you KNOW he'll be checking attendance figures!
Back to Joan.
SPACE! To cut to the chase: we don't have any yet and this stinks. Our latest deal on the table fell apart on Friday. The theatre in question decided to take an alternative offer. Unfortunately for us, the inexperienced people in charge -- who had the decision-making power there -- believed that a competing out-of-town producer could guarantee them a five-month run of an untried product in their space. I won't say what product, because I don't believe in trashing other people's projects. (But apart from Miss Close in Sunset, I wouldn't guarantee you five months of ANYTHING in Chicago right now. Dumb kids.)
So I'm back on the phone, big-time. I know that the Goddess closes one door to open another -- the right one. And it would be very, very helpful if She'd put a big neon sign around the right one this week. If that sounds like a prayer, it's because it is. We'll keep you posted.
And I WILL post the Joan recording schedule next week. Promise.
It's been a wild, productive pre-production week.
The best news is that we've laid down a preliminary rehearsal schedule for February that includes recording dates for the Chicago production! Christopher Moore and Gino De Luca have laid down the specs for what will be recorded, and it looks like we've proposed a terrific play list. (Next week, when I've typed it up all "pretty," we'll share it with you on this site, along with the rehearsal schedule. It will be another look at the tremendous organization underlying the infrastructure of an undertaking of this size.)
We're also happy to report that negotiations are proceeding beautifully with Actors Equity of Chicago. The delicate dance of union and non-union theatre continues -- productively in this town, I think. I'll say this for Chicago Equity -- they're extremely practical. It's in everybody's interest for us to have open communication and a positive, non-adversarial relationship. And they've really untangled some conundrums (conundra?) this week that it'd take a cocktail or two in a quiet bistro to get me to reveal.
Another fascinating note: the resumes are pouring into the Pope Joan office. More experienced actors and actresses than we can possibly even audition -- and these are only the non-union candidates. To this writer and ex-actress, now in her late forties, the observable change in the skill set among young Chicago actresses is the addition of stage combat. (In my training days, "ladies" didn't learn combat, doncha know. We learned to faint.) These young women wield swords, daggers, and do hand-to-hand -- which we need in POPE JOAN. Cool evolution, don't you think?
Contract negotiations for the space proceed well, but we all know that you never sign a contract during a Mercury retrograde -- it'll fall apart. And it'll take us another week or so to work out the details anyway.
Here's some headlines, though, that have come from the negotiating process. On the advice of our astrologer, Laurie Brady (and in consultation with the League of Chicago Theatres, who advised us that there's no opening in conflict), we've decided to push our February opening back to the 18th of the month. What this does is create both a little more window for the Chicago snows to subside (a real threat for pre-spring openings in the Windy City which affects business) and gives us a little window in which to record the soundtrack for the show.
Yes, we've been listening to you. EVERYBODY's asking for the soundtrack, and we're busy crunching numbers to see if we can't get it recorded before the show opens. Stay tuned here for specific news about how you can order the soundtrack from the Chicago POPE JOAN!
It's been weeks since we've spoken about the space question, and we're getting down to the wire. (Only EVERYTHING is contingent upon WHICH space, of course.) And here's the scoop, as we run into the home stretch of negotiating and decision-making.
The playwright and this writer made ourselves crazy last week. We seriously inspected the 2500-seat theatre adjacent to the Bismarck Hotel downtown -- a former 1926-vintage, Orpheum Circuit vaudeville palace with perfect acoustics. We just can't afford to risk such a huge place our first time out commercially. Nonetheless -- for old deco/acoustic theatre fans -- take note of The Palace in Chicago -- it's a traditional proscenium dream, if you have lots and lots (and lots) of money to spend.
Yes, it looks like the deal I spoke to you about for months regarding the new Chicago theatre space under construction is thoroughly moribund. Only signed confidentiality agreements -- and the knowledge that karma is -- prevent me from launching into a libelous tirade!
And the good news is that we're closing in on a real deal with a real space at a real price. Contracts in hand, negotiations in process.
May it be so, angels.
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