Day Three: Another Rainy One

Thursday, May 29

The routine in Prague has been to stay up late with the company, hanging out together, and trying to meet people in Prague that may be interested in seeing our show. At earliest, I've gotten to sleep around 2AM, which means my mornings have been virtually non-existent. I'm usually one of the first ones up in the apartment around 11AM, and then I still have to be quiet to respect other people sleeping, so I may either write or go for a walk before showering and setting about my day in the afternoon.

It's also been fairly damp and cool, and this was perhaps more true than ever day three. We weren't really obliged to go out exploring much in the nasty weather. Around 3:30 I left with Jake and Samantha to go see some nearby gardens, but they were closed, or so the guard told us rather obtusely. Then we changed course and stopped in two churches, including the grand St. Nicholas Church at the heart of Lesser Town. This time I did pay for the ticket to walk around inside a bit more. Of particular interest in this church were the statues, which reminded me a bit of those ringing St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican; however, there was a much darker tinge to their apparent messages. Many of the figures portrayed appeared to be killing or walking over someone as triumphant, if perhaps also malevolent, figures overpowering the devil or devil-influenced humans. These victims had traits, if subtle, like pointy ears that seemed to denote that they were evil figures themselves.

After the church, I parted ways with Jake and Samantha, and I met Sofia across the street at our theater, where we saw another of the Fringe shows: The Engagement. The team from that production had come to see our show the day before, and we felt obliged to return the favor. It was a fun little play about a couple that decides to get married, and the bride is immediately thrust into a gameshow setting where the host quizzes her on the strength of their relationship, often testing her with answers provided by the groom in advance. While it felt disjointed at times and needed a bit more work, the couple was really charming and gave us characters to care about in a fascinating setup that had a lot of potential. I expect they will grow though, as they shared after the show, this was their first production as a company, so they're still figuring things out a bit.

By that time, we needed to prepare for our own show, and our audience for night three was by far the best yet. I had issues with my guitar staying in tune, which is tough to handle in the hot humid room we're in, especially given how much I strum the guitar and am liable to pull the strings out of tune. The pre-show improvisation I did was the best yet, as verified by the cast, who told me after the show they felt really great about going into the show after my opening. As soon as we started the show proper, I could feel my strings had pulled out a bit, but I'm on stage the whole time, and there is no good moment to tune. I tried listening to my arpeggios (when you break up the notes in a chord by each string) to hear which notes were a little sharp or flat, and then I tweaked it over the course of the show. I certainly felt better about it the second half of the show, and my playing followed that form, but when that stuff happens, it's easy to lose concentration. I didn't feel it was my strongest show, but I was happy to hear the cast hadn't noticed my discomfort and really enjoyed the performance. They definitely felt it was our best show, even if I'd liked the night before more. I was happy to receive the compliments from both them and some audience members, who included other Fringe performers.
We stayed after our show to see the group after ours, which had gotten rave reviews for their work at other festivals around the world, and whom we'd had great interaction with outside the show. They did a piece set in Fascist Italy based on the film Una Giornata Particolare, but the trademark of the show was their use of chalk to draw the space. They began with an old radio clip bringing us into the scene while they drew windows on the black walls of the theater, and over the course of the show, they added to the ambience, drawing a telephone when one rang and a phonograph when one started playing, or erasing and re-drawing a window when it was opened to let drawn cigarette smoke flow out the window. It was an ingenious use of space that captured my imagination and made the room wholly theirs, while the acting was also compelling and reeled me into the story.

The night concluded again at the Fringe Bar, where it was funk and soul night, and our company ruled the dance floor. The Fringe staff was taking videos of the dancing all night, so who knows what will happen with that.

FYI: Theater In Asylum is blogging our trip with lots of pictures and video as well, including links to our reviews–which have all come in really positive. Check that out here: http://www.theaterinasylum.com/news.html

Day Two: Castles & Parks

Wednesday, May 28

My second day in Prague I'd planned to get in some real tourist adventures. Frankie and Sofia, who play Lorca and the Dancer in the show, were both interested in visiting the palace on the hill overlooking the town, and we made plans to leave around noon. However, following our long night, where nobody got to sleep till after 4:30, it wasn't until 11:00 that myself and some of the others started moving.

At that point I got a shower and attempted to eat some cereal, which I'd bought at the grocery store the previous day. Unfortunately, I'd done a poor job purchasing milk from the two full aisles allocated to that–there were another two just for yogurt. They all looked pretty much the same to me, although I knew they must have been different, and I when I poured it into my cereal I discovered I'd gotten something that more closely resembled runny yogurt or buttermilk.

Thoroughly bummed out, I dashed out to another local grocery two blocks away and was more successful this go-round in purchasing something I wanted. It did make it easier that there were only two options at the little local market.

By 12:30 I was ready to go, but Frankie was still taking his time, and while we waited for a little while, eventually he just told Sofia and I to take off without him and he'd check out the palace complex another day.

While I spent the past several months being diligent in my research of destinations and activities for the latter half of the trip with my mom, I had done hardly any tourist reading about Prague, so I had no idea what to expect. After climbing the gentle staircase up the hill for some 1/4 mile–I imagine this might have slowed down any rebellions back in the day–we got to enjoy the brilliant view overlooking the city for a brief moment before it started raining, which got people to scatter for various indoor locations. With no particular destination in mind, we just followed the herds and ended up at St. Vitus Cathedral.

I've visited enough of these majestic palaces to god through my previous excursions that I don't think I'm as overwhelmed as I once was walking in or feel the need to spend too much time investigating, but it was gorgeous nonetheless. It'll never get old seeing what craftsmanship when into these grand edifices, from the soaring arched hallways to the intricate stained glass windows and unique gargoyles spitting water from the sides of the building.

Ascending the long staircase to the hillside castle.

Starbucks always finds a way.

Gates to the castle/cathedral complex

Quite violent themes–like I said about rebellion up the hill?

St. Vitus Cathedral

Our visit was also shortened by the fact that 2/3 of the cathedral was roped off to ticketed viewers only, and we didn't feel compelled to spend the fee. This was true of most other buildings we saw atop the hill, and while I was prepared to buy a ticket, nothing was so apparently moving as to make us want to buy one. Instead, we stopped at a cafe, where Sofia could get some tea to soothe her soar throat, and we trekked further up to the top of the hill, walking back through the great park around Petřín Hill to the apartment.

There is only one set of keys to each of the two apartments we're sharing, and we knew we'd gotten back before the others would be, so we decided to grab some late lunch/early dinner at a nearby restaurant. Sofia had suggested soup, and I recommended we get some Goulash, one of the popular local dishes, which was just perfect for our cool damp day. By the time we finished, it was time to head back to the apartment to prepare for the show, and we ran into the key-holding members of our party on the street just as we were walking up to the place.

Night two of the show went even better than night one. I felt like we had little spots we'd wanted to fix, and being attentive to them, we were able to put on a crisper performance. I heard after the show that we'd run a few minutes longer, which is of some concern at the festival given the strict timing for all the shows using the shared theater space, but we were able to strike our set even faster than the previous night. We were out of the space in no time. As Frankie said after the show, there was more acting going on, so the piece was breathing with us, and that will often lead to stretching the pace.

Following the show, we went back to the apartment briefly to eat dinner before heading out to a bar. It was the company's intention to hit some gay clubs this evening. I was the only straight male in our crew, which comprised four gay men and two women, one of whom was Sofia, who chose to stay at home and rest. I can't say I was up for very much, but I didn't want to miss out on any great experiences or stories in Prague, so I tagged along.

Of course, it took a tram, a subway, and a short walk to do so, but we eventually ended up at a small smokey bar, which we'd been tipped off about by someone who came to see the show. Said man was there and congratulated us again on a great performance, and we did a little promotion with the other patrons, whom he'd already convinced to see the show. After one beer, I was ready to go home though, and as the rest of the crew prepared to hit up the gay clubs, I took directions and a key back to the apartment. However, when I approached the subway station, I found it was locked. I wasn't surprised. It was 1:30AM after all, but I was suddenly stranded in an unfamiliar location in a country where I didn't speak the language.

I racked my mind for ideas. I wondered if I could find a map to orient myself and walk it back. I didn't see any though, and while I'd heard taxis are notoriously overpriced here, I felt that was my best option. I quickly found one and asked to head towards one of the tourist locations near our apartment, figuring I'd walk another five minutes or so from there. When he crossed the bridge in front of Frank Gehry's Dancing House, I was re-oriented though, and I redirected him to just leave me at the foot of the next bridge down river, Most Legií, which was a short block from the apartment.

I made it back just fine, and needless to say, I was happy to be "home" after my unintentional adventure. It did make things interesting though, and the cab, which cost about $10 with tip, was definitely worth it to save me from any further adventure.

Walking through the park.

The tall TV tower at the top of Petřín Hill.

Looking across the park to St. Vitus Cathedral.

 

A tram up the hill.

Prague...

Day One: A Long Journey To Opening Night

Church Of St. Nicholas, in the heart of Lesser Town outside our theater in Prague.

Monday, May 26 / Tuesday, May 27

Following the wedding weekend, which was really tremendous, I had another of my long travel days. This one ended up going some 38 hours, but I've found it's amazing what your body can do when you put your mind to staying awake and you spend a large amount of that time sitting and resting, even when you're not sleeping.

First up, I bussed out of Philly at 10AM. I got back to my apartment in New York around 12:30PM, and I realized I'd left my rain jacket in Philadelphia, so I ran over to REI and picked one up on sale. I'd read the forecast, and it appeared that it would be rainy a good chunk of the week in Prague, so this was definitely a priority. Around 2:15 I rode the subway out to JFK airport, cruising through the check-in and security, leaving me some two and a half hours to wait before boarding my flight.

I'd intentionally wanted to arrive well in advance because traveling with a guitar is always a bit of a burden. I was able to speak to the desk attendants before the flight though, and they told me I could get on during pre-board. I was the first one on, and the flight attendants were generous in accommodating my instrument by letting me stow it in the closet at the front of the plane. The overhead compartments were, as I feared, too small.

Save for the scant 10 inches or so of leg room, the flight was easy. We arrived at 9:55AM in Prague, twenty minutes before our anticipated 10:15 arrival. Customs asked no questions and let me right though. Luggage was already on the conveyer belt from my flight when I reached it, and I soon hopped in a cab to the apartment where the company was staying.

If there was a hiccup, it was that I forgot to write down the apartment number, so once I got in the building I had no idea which door to knock on. I hung out in the empty lobby for about five minutes hoping to hear signs of English indicating where the company was staying.  Eventually a man who only spoke Czech came out and we tried to reconcile our languages until I heard him say something along the lines of "comme si comme ça," which I understood to be, "some here some there." We then knocked on the doors he seemed to indicate, and the second one opened to our company manager, Samantha.

After putting down my things in the apartment, Samantha walked with me to the grocery store, and I was able to get some food. I bought some Kielbasa and chips, which I ate back at the apartment and then took a nap a much-needed for about 90 minutes. We then walked through the rain–where my new jacket did a better job than my old one would have–to the theater for seven hours of tech rehearsal, dress run, and the first performance. It was tiring, and I was ready to fall asleep before we started our first run, but with each show I got more and more energy. Adrenaline is a wonderful thing. In fact, by the time we got to the bar after the show and started dancing, I had as much energy as I had all day.

The show itself got an extended standing ovation. The audience applauded for a good long while before the rest of the cast got that they were supposed to come out for a second bow. We all felt there was room for improvement, but it was a great first show and wonderful welcome to Prague.

Peering into the theater, Studio Rubin, from the bar outside.

Samantha looks over the stage while it is being set up for the first time prior to our tech rehearsal. 

Rehearsing a scene during tech: Dalí (left) and Lorca (right), played by Jake Lasser and Frankie Alicea have one of their many arguments on stage, while Sofia, the dancer looks on.

I got a few minutes to walk around near the theater in between runs. I went over to the Karluv Most (Charles Bridge.) This is looking up the Vltava towards the Most Legii, the bridge right outside our apartment.

The St. Vitus Cathedral and surrounding castle on the hill overlooking Lesser Town.

Tourists cross the Karluv Most.

Heading back towards St. Nicholas Church.

Prologue: Adventures With Theater

The cast and crew of ¡Olé! in Prague following our opening night performance.

The story of my latest adventure abroad begins with an unforeseen Facebook message last December from a stranger named Katie Palmer. she claimed to have gotten my name from and old acquaintance of mine at NYU, a percussionist and former peer whom I'd played a few musical theater shows with. Apparently Katie and her company, Theater In Asylum, were taking their latest production to Prague, and they need a guitarist.

For about two minutes I was over the moon, and then I read the dates. They would be departing Friday, May 23rd and staying in Prague for the Fringe Festival for another week and a half. If I had one set of commitment in 2014, it was that first weekend. My one and only sister had, after all, booked her wedding for that time nearly a year before. I called home to my father, somewhat deflated, to report the new that almost was. He offered little consolation. I knew what I had to do.

Later over the holidays, I let slip to my sister and her fiancee, Zoe and Alex, that I'd turned down my latest opportunity to travel for them. Alex even responded; perhaps facetiously, I should go to Prague and skip the wedding, but at that point the deal was done, or so I thought. In mid-January I got another message from Katie.

It seemed my peer had spoken quite highly of me because the company came back calling for an audition with the thought that they might be able to work something out. It seemed the performances didn't begin till Tuesday, May 27, and it could be possible for me to join the company later.

When I got this second chance I didn't tell anybody. I was nervous I'd jinx it, but I got to practicing. I was determined to nail the audition. It was a Flamenco-inspired production about a supposed romance between famed Spanish poet Federico García Lorca and painter Salvador Dalí, so I prepared Capricho Árabe, a great classical guitar piece by the late 19th century Spanish nationalist composer Francisco Tárrega, which I'd originally purchased the music for and studied in Italy.

I felt an immediate connection without he company, represented by Katie, co-artistic director Paul Bedard, and music director Randall Benchiak. While they wouldn't say one way or another, I came out of the audition feeling I'd got it. Paul in particular was enamored with the piece I'd prepared, and he expressed an interest in incorporation it into the show. A few days later they told me I'd got it for certain, and they'd work around the wedding.

Needless to say, I was overjoyed. My trips abroad have been some of the happiest times of my life, and here I had an opportunity to combine it with work. Not only was I going to perform music in Europe, but I was able to fly out of the destination of my choice. I immediately saw the chance to visit some of the wine producers whom I work with at Moore Brothers, and my mom decided to join me for this latter part of the trip through Germany and culminating in Amsterdam.

While we worked briefly together on a fundraiser performance in New York in March, I did not start meeting in earnest with Theater In Asylum until Monday, May 19 for four days of 10-hour rehearsals the week before leaving. While that may sound like a lot, and it certainly was wearing over time, the process was not at all stressful. In fact, it was a joy to work with the young company re-developing this piece, which they'd previously performed in a few iterations, and I felt my skill set as both a classically trained guitarist and composer/improviser with lots of theater experience, was uniquely suited to the role.

In the show I play an ageless Spanish demi-god who contently watches and musically interjects in Dalí and Lorca's fated narrative. As Paul and I discussed my character, the on-stage guitarist had seen this story play out many times before over the centuries through other vessels, and it was my job, along "the dancer"–my fellow demigod, who is only recently ageless and still figuring out her new role in the world–to push the narrative along, both backwards and forwards to different time in Dalí and Lorca's lives.

While the show ha been performed several times before, the script was revised an cut to create a more cohesive narrative that also fit the strict technical requirements of the festival. We had a fixed amount of time in the theater, with shows booked immediately before and after us; although apparently the festival liked us so much as to book us prime time in the same space each night, which was not true of most shows. This new production gave me a chance to discover my part within the show and not be bound to what Randall had done with it before.

It looked to be a great week spent with a bunch of people I enjoyed collaborating with, and I looked forward to the opportunity to work with them on future projects.