State of Mind

You bet your sweet ascot I'm back on stage! 
With actress Amy Lane in SCP's production of Alan 
Ayckbourn's "Woman in Mind." Photo by Tom Killips.
Courtesy and ©Schenectady Civic Players.

Sorry for the lack of posts here lately... I have been too busy preparing for my upcoming play, Woman in Mind, with Schenectady Civic Players. We actually open this Friday, March 15, with an 8 p.m. performance, followed by shows throughout the week and next (final performance is on March 24). If you haven't ordered tickets yet, you can do so on the theater's website.

Working on this play has been quite the process. My character, Andy, is very much "in the head" (to play on words) and there are a couple tricky scenes that I have been learning how to pull off convincingly. Luckily I am working with a great cast and talented production staff. We have all been busy with tech and dress rehearsals over the last few days, which has made for an even more intense schedule.

Before I moved out to the Hudson Valley and Berkshires, I was working at a couple equity theaters in Rochester, New York. I must say that Schenectady Civic Players is every bit as professional from what I have experienced so far. 

Photo ©Jeremy Clowe.

Although technically a community theater, SCP has been around since 1928, operating out of Schenectady's historic Stockade district. The theater is actually a former mid-19th century Masonic temple, so it has a lot of character and plenty of resources (including a vast collection of costumes and props). Now in its 85th season, the theater has produced nearly 450 plays— from recent Broadway hits to classics to avant-garde— I have seen a couple of these shows and have been impressed with the results.

So I'm quite excited about my return to the stage! I am scheduled to appear with the cast and director on WAMC Radio's The Roundtable this Friday to discuss the show— it should be a fun preview to our opening night! You can listen in to the Albany NPR station's segment around 10:30 a.m. on their website.

Ok, it's off to fuss around with tying an ascot for tonight's dress rehearsal... as they say, "the Show" must go on! 

Related Links (updated 3/14/13):

Schenectady Civic Players website

"A 'Mind' of her own," Albany Times Union, March 13, 2013