A Play Comes to Life

Well, it's now the time when all the work on the commission play actually comes to life.

After many discussions with Brian Zoldessy, the director, over casting and design, rehearsals for CLEVELAND HEIGHTS have begun. The cast includes some actors who took part in the various readings/workshops, and some that are new to play. Brian, being familiar with the pool of talent in Cleveland, was given a free hand in selecting the company.

Not able to be in Cleveland, I felt a complete trust that after several days of auditions, he would find just the right group of people to create a family. One of the most difficult challenges of a play like this to make the audience believe these people have a history together. Often they have never met until the first read through, and then there are only a few weeks until they need to convince an audience that they truly are a family. It is the task of the director and cast to go through the play, tell the story of their lives and begin to demonstrate a familiarity that gives the impression of lifetimes shared.

Brian and I have discussed carefully what kind of clothes they would wear in the different period as well as what music they would listen to. Then Brian, with his designers, created the living room of our family home. We needed a design that allowed freedom of movement, but that would include the clutter of a home that has seen many events. This is the location of the play, but more importantly, the center of family life. Indeed, people fall in love, grow old, fight, pass on, in this very room. It must feel real, lived in, specific to this group of people, but universal enough that anyone from Cleveland or any city could know that house, those people.
I feel strongly we're on our way to achieving that goal.

As I'm currently acting in a show, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST with Lynn Redgrave, I have missed the start of rehearsals, but I’ll travel to Cleveland the week of February 22 to collaborate on the final part of the long journey….from interviews to readings to production!

I'm so excited, like I know you are, to experience the world we created together. And I really feel that the JCC community created this play with me. Honestly, I might not have entered this world, this history, without Seth's and Anne's belief that I was the writer to be involved. Then, as I have written, I was immensely impressed and moved by your stories. I tried to do them justice.

I think, together, we have made an entertaining, thought provoking drama. I hope I'll see you there in a few weeks to share the experience.

Cleveland Embraces Second Draft

Recently I returned to Cleveland for the second workshop/reading of The Mandel JCC commissioned play, now entitled Cleveland Heights. Not a fancy title, but I thought evocative of what the name of that area strived for. Part of Cleveland, yet separate. Perhaps something loftier? Hence the Heights. And certainly as the play has continued to be worked on, focused and shaped, it examines generations of Cleveland natives who are at once part of tradition and yet are moving forward.

Like Cleveland itself, my fictional family must struggle with economic hardship, a changing society and new challenges to their way of life. We assembled almost all of the same cast members from the previous reading, and in some ways it was like a family re-union. We now feel very attached to the work, and the actors felt a sort of ownership of their characters.

Seth Gordon again directed, and once again we delved into who these characters are, what are their goals, what do they settle for as the country changes. We really had a productive two days, having discussions of how to make the play the best it can be. And again, I was amazed at how open everyone was to make last minute changes. I felt very safe to allow a free ranging discussion, and all the actors could make suggestions for cuts or line changes.

Before the actual public reading, I toured the theater at the CCC, and was quite impressed with the space. Brian Zoldessy, a cast member during the readings, is now taking on the role of director of the upcoming production. We had a great discussion about designing the show and how it would fit in this particular space, as well as possible casting. We both ended up very excited and can hardly wait till February when rehearsals start.

The public reading in the evening had an audience twice the size of the previous one, with a number of repeat attendees. I was greatly relieved that at the talk back that followed the reading, all felt the play had grown. And in particular, the emotional punch of the play had deepened. People connected even more with the characters, and it was nice to feel that all looked forward to seeing it fully produced. The whole feel of the evening was one of encouragement and excitement. I generally assume things will go badly, that's my nature. What a pleasant surprise to have the reading exceed all expectations. The audience even complimented the cookies served after. It doesn't get better than that!

Only two and a half months till I return, when The Mandel JCC and Cleveland and you will see the final effort of a year's work, a full production of a totally original play created from the lives of Clevelanders. I only hope there won't be too much snow.

First Draft a Success!

Well, the day finally came to hear the first draft of the commissioned play (which still as of this date doesn't have a title, I'm taking suggestions). I was naturally nervous. I usually hear the first draft in my living room, gathering a few friends so I could have the play read in a hopefully stress free non-judgmental environment. But in June I was facing a table of actors (some of which I knew from my FusionFest reading the month before). Anne and Seth had also gathered a few supportive theater artists from the Cleveland community. We read the play, and much to my and others' relief, it sounded pretty good.

The humor came through, which is especially important to me when dealing with darker, more serious themes. And the actors really dived in, committing themselves to the parts. After the reading was completed, we had a sort of very loose talk, the actors and observers giving feedback, which was very helpful. Some things came out, like a character in the second act not really paying off. And, of course, there were many suggestions for cuts and clarifications.

I asked Seth, the director of this reading process, if he thought I should try for as many changes as possible overnight. He told me he had faith that the actors could, in the words of Tim Gunn on Project Runway, "make it work'. So over night I made many changes, a few drastic.

The next morning we handed out changes, new pages, and the news that one actress had her character cut from the play. She was now an onstage presence, her lines gone, or transferred to another character. We read this new version, and all agreed it played much better. Characters revealed more, there was amplification of the past of these characters, and conflicts were sharpened. All were happy with the changes and ready to try it out in front of a small audience that night.

We read it that evening at JCC, a small group of people which included some I had previously interviewed, as well as a few JCC regular theater-goers attended. It played quite well, the audience very supportive. They were questions afterwards about specific lines, references to Cleveland and Jewish history (all of which I took in and changed), but mostly, there was a very positive response.

What a relief! The months of work had now become public and we at the JCC felt we had the start of a very exciting play… a play that with this fictional Cleveland Heights family could reflect the rich history and culture of Cleveland in the 20th century.

There will be another reading in late fall, and I ask all who can to join us for the next public hearing of the play. It will reflect the JCC audience's comments, good and bad.

The next stage of the journey to production is just a few months away.

Back in Cleveland

I had the opportunity to return to Cleveland last month, this time working on a new play for FusionFest at the Cleveland Play House. It was a great chance to encounter some of Cleveland's theater groups and artists. I got to work with some terrific Cleveland actors, all of whom I'd work with again in a heartbeat. I hope some of them are free for the various readings and, hopefully, the full production on the JCC’s commissioned play.

Seth Gordon and I also had time to meet, have a meal, and generally talk about theater, most especially the JCC project. I was particularly happy that some of the people I interviewed, either on the phone or during my March trip to Cleveland, came to the play reading at CPH. Bob Gries, Roe Green and some other JCC members all added their input and encouragement.

I also got to walk around University Circle (will they EVER finish that road?), and do more in-town research at the Historical Society on the history of Jewish Cleveland. Now it has become time to dive in and actually write a first draft. And so I have. I finished the first act just yesterday and have moved on to the second half. And if all goes as planned, I will be back to your city the last week of June to hear the draft of the play with some of you in the audience.

I'm a bit hesitant. Remember it's a new play… and new territory for me. The play concerns a fictional Cleveland family of three generations, from their being immigrants at the end of the 19th century to about 1976. The first act stays in 1946 and is set in a living room in a home in Cleveland Heights. The family has a successful business in the garment trade, a powerful economic force, along with the steel industry, in Cleveland for most of the 20th century. But more important, the garment industry was a Jewish industry, and it was fueled by Jewish families and powered by the drive and focus of those families to carve a place in this country while never losing sight of their heritage, their traditions, and their generosity.

Well, back to work.

Welcome to My Blog!

Being new to the "blogosphere", I approached the idea of writing something for the internet with trepidation. I have an irrational fear of technology, don't own a cell phone, I'm a dyed in the wool Ludditte. And, since I live in New York, and wish to share my process of this exciting project, and since I cannot physically come to everyone's living room (though I've come to a few, you know who you are), I have overcome my phobias and started this blog.

In case you don't know, or haven't met me (though I feel like I've met half the population of Northern Ohio) I'm a playwright. Born in New Jersey, raised on the East Coast, I went to the Mid West for college. Northwestern University, where my commencement speaker was fellow alumni Charleton Heston. I was deeply saddened by his death last week. I mean the man wore cowboy boots when he handed me my diploma. He in some way, set me on my path to Cleveland and writing this new play. Since those early days, I have had a career in the theater, where I worked with among many others, including Seth Gordon of the Cleveland Play House, on the development of many new plays, my own and other writers'. I have always admired Seth, he has continually shown great taste and insight, and it was he who approached me to work on this endeavor.

The JCC, a wonderful organization, contacted me on Seth's recommendation to see if I would like to write a new play focusing on the Jewish community in Cleveland. Its rich history, its culture, the countless stories of families and individuals that made Cleveland into the thriving, important city it is. I was very intrigued, but as I've said, not being a resident (though I have worked as an actor at the Cleveland Play House years ago), Anne DesRosiers, Seth and I decided the best way to start was to speak directly to you, the members of the community. Meetings were set up. In February I did five days of interviews, meeting people in their homes, at the JCC, at the Cleveland historical society. Again and again, I was overwhelmed by the generous amount of time people gave me to tell their stories. Again and again I was deeply moved by the stories they told. Stories of great struggle, of love, of tragedy. And they re-enforced my feeling that Cleveland was a city teeming with drama, ripe for a play that could try and capture the depth of Jewish life. I toured the city itself, helped by the wonderful Sean Martin of the Western Reserve Historical Society. I got a running commentary as we viewed the old Jewish neighborhoods, the temples, the factories, the schools. I was given so much material to do research with, personal biographies and family histories. Books on the dynamic Rabbi Silver, on architecture, on the garment trade, on life in Cleveland over two hundred years.
It was amazing.

Now I begin my own personal journey, to take all this in, to process it, to begin to write the play. And to share that journey with you. I will continue to speak to many, by phone interviews or by letter, or dare I say it, e-mail. I know it will be a wonderful experience, thanks to the people of Cleveland and the JCC.

Till next blog........