Oliver

Oliver – Part I - First Show

I don’t remember how old I was.  Probably, six or seven.  I was in my first live play.  It was the ward roadshow.  I remember I had four lines; “what dost thou mean?” was one of them.  I played the brother to the great Amy Westerby.  I also remember falling in love with the oh-so-lovely Jill Jensen (she was about 18-years old at the time) and Amy Westerby being such a good actress.  I thought she was really mad at me during the performance, but it turns out she was just acting. 

It was an awesome experience, and one that I’ve never forgotten. 

So, in January, in a two-sided attempt to bring me back to the stage and to share with my daughter in the experience of live theater, Amy and I tried out for Oliver at Centerpoint Legacy Theater.

Let me tell you a little bit about Amy.  She’s nine.  When she was two, she would watch the Don Quixote ballet with Baryshnikov over and over again.  She’s loved every dance concert, ballet, musical, play, we’ve ever taken her to.  She loves live shows.  She loves beauty.  It’s something that is part of her.  When I asked her if she wanted to try out for a musical, her answer was a quick and excited “yes”. 

The day of the try out was not surprising at all.  We had a short two lines from the play that we had to perform.  I thought I had mine memorized, and midway through the first sentence, had to ask for the script.  Amy, on the other hand, recited from memory the lines perfectly.  Then we had to sing 16 bars.  I sang my prepared set an octave too high (my nerves kicked in) and Amy sang hers flawlessly. 

We were both called back, and we both made the show.  I was very excited.  Amy was too.

Rehearsals have been long.  Especially the last couple of weeks before the show opened.  There was one day when Amydidn’t have rehearsal, and I asked if she was excited to have a night off.  She said no, confirming to me that this is something she truly loves.

We’ve had a lot of fun together.  She’s made some great friends.  She is awesome on stage.  She is such a great kid.  I love how she approaches new things.  She watches, very intently.  She really listens.  She is a great observer.  She is also shy.  She seems to overcome that shyness, but watching so closely.  Then, when she is ready, she goes for it.  That’s what she’s done in the show, and she has been so beautiful to watch.

She doesn’t tell me too much about how she feels deep down.  I don’t know if she’s had a crush during the show, like I had in my first show.  Not sure if she’s had a magical moment with some of the great actors/actresses in this show.  But I have no doubt she’s made memories that will last her lifetime.

Oliver – Part II – Family Reunion

This show has been so fun, on many levels.  But one that recurred throughout the show, has been reconnecting with old friends in many different ways.  The last show I had performed was 14 years ago in college.  My only show since high school.  Was I a bit rusty?  Yes.  Scared?  Yes.  Unsure of what I was doing?  Yes. 

The first connection I made was through Kelly Griffiths. I knew he was a famous actor at Centerpoint, so I asked him to go to lunch with me and give me some suggestions on trying out for the show.  It was great to reconnect with him, and he was so helpful.  It is amazing how far an encouraging word can go.

Kelly told me the choreographer was Dave Martin’s wife.  I didn’t know Dave too well, but I did know his sister, Krystal, well in high school.  It was very fun to make that connection and to reminisce about asking out Krystal to a school dance.  I even pulled out my guitar to see if I could remember the song I sang to her to ask her to the dance.  I did remember some of the lines.

Then, I connected the dots that the director, Liz Christensen, had done shows with one of my best friends from high school, Brooke Pulver.  I messaged Brooke to ask her to give Liz a kind word for me. 

During try-outs, I saw Stephen McBride.  Stephen McBride is Jon’s dad.  Jon was a good friend in high school.  We did many plays together.  Stephen loves the theater, and we’ve talked a lot about the great friends Jon and I had together, and the great shows that Cottonwood High School put on during those glory years.  I can’t say enough how fun it has been to be in the show with Stephen, and reconnect with Jon, vicariously through his dad.

During the rehearsals, I ran into a few other old friends, Angie Griffiths Call, Megan Smyth, Aaron Smyth and Melissa Woolf Squire.  So fun to see them again and to give them hugs and to share encouragement with each other. 

The last connection I made was the funniest.  When the rehearsals started, we got the cast list, and I saw a name I thought I might have recognized; Rusty Bringhurst.  I knew that name, but the Rusty I knew from way back in elementary school, was certainly not the Rusty in the show.  Then, several weeks after rehearsals had started, Rusty comes running up to me and says, “Mark Gurney from Oakdale Elementary?”  I instantly remembered my very best friend from elementary school.   Okay, so he wasn’t my very best friend from elementary school, but I wish he was.

I’ve loved coming back to the stage.  For the lights and the performance, but even more so for these connections to real humans that I’ve loved and love and am truly grateful for.    For the connections to the past and the new connections I’ve gained through this experience.  One thing I’ve learned through all of this is that the love of theater runs deep, through many, many layers of experiences and friendships.  Thank you, Oliver, for reconnecting me with part of my family.

Oliver – Part II – Being Directed

As I’ve mentioned, the last show I was in was 14 years ago at BYU-Idaho.  It was my last semester before I graduated.  I had done choir every semester, but this last semester I decided to try out for the Music Man.  I was a little unsure of myself, but I was certain of one part I could get.  I was absolutely convinced I would be cast in the quartet.  I had sung all through college.  I knew all the voice/choral conductors at the school. I’d sung with all the best singers at the school.  I had sung in quartets and a’capella groups throughout college and even won awards with them.  I was going to be cast in the quartet. 

After all the try-outs were done, they posted the cast list, and what part did I get?  Tommy Djilas.  I couldn’t believe it.  How could they not cast me for the quartet?  Why would I be cast as Tommy Djilas?  I didn’t know how to dance!  I knew how to sing!  Tommy Djilas dances!  Tommy Djilas doesn’t sing!  I was mad.  What was the director doing?  Did he even listen to my try out?  Did he even know how to correctly cast a show?

Come to find out, the tenor I part went to probably the best singer in the school.  Tenor II went to an art professor who happened to try out for the show.  Baritone went to the son of the theater department chair, and the bass went to arguably the best bass in the school (I can’t sing bass anyway).

I went to rehearsals.  I got over the fact I wasn’t cast in the quartet.  I had a great time.  The show was great, and by the end, I honestly think I was a pretty good Tommy Djilas. 

I learned a valuable lesson through that experience.  Trust in the director.  They see things you don’t see.  They are coming to the table with a different perspective.  They may see things in you that you don’t see in yourself.  They may want to stretch you in ways you haven’t been stretched before.  They may have pressures to do things that maybe don’t make the most sense, but it may give a meaningful experience to somebody that needs it more than you. 

Trust the director.

Sometime later, I was reading in Alma 37:38-45.  It says that the Lord prepared a “director…to show…the course which they should travel.”  “For just as surely as this director did bring our fathers, by following its course, to the promised land, shall the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land…”

Many times in my life, I think I know the best way for me.  But when I’ve had faith that God knows a better way, it’s led me to great things.

Trust the Director.

When I tried out for Oliver, I wouldn’t say I was totally sure of what part I would get.  I was actually quite nervous of whether I would get a part at all.  That’s why I gave references and tried to get friends to put in good words for me.  But there was a part that I knew I could play well; Fagin.  I had played Fagin before, I was quite good at it.  I won awards playing that part.  I was confident in that role. 

When I made call-backs, I read for Fagin, Bumble, Sowerberry, Brownlow and Grimwig.  I basically made call-backs for every adult, male speaking role except for Sykes.  It was exhausting during call-backs, reading for all of these roles.  So exhausting in fact, that when Liz asked me to hurry and come read for Bumble, I actually said to her in passing, “do I really need to do that?  Do you really think I’m a Bumble.” 

After seeing all the other actors during call-backs, I thought I had a chance to be cast as Fagin, and if I wasn’t, I would likely be cast as Sowerberry.  I never thought I would be cast as Bumble.

When Carynn called me to tell us Amy and me made the play, we were beyond excited.  However, I was absolutely floored that I was cast as Bumble.  Of all the characters in the play, Bumble was the last I thought I would be cast as. 

But very quickly, I was reminded of the lesson I had learned 14 years ago.  The director sees things you don’t.  They have different needs.  They must balance so many variables.  They might want to stretch you and/or others in ways they haven’t been stretched before. 

Trust the director.

I trusted Liz and I have had so much fun putting my heart into the role of Bumble.  I’ve tried to stretch myself as an actor and stretch my belly too, as Bumble.  It has been so fun.  I’ve loved playing Bumble.  It has been a rich experience.  Thank you Liz, for seeing things that I can’t see and pointing me to a better place!