Cast Member Blog - Daniel Johnston

Two posts in one day? I know, that's cray-cray...err crazy. Sorry, I got a little excited. Anyway we have so many things coming up, we didn't want to hold on to anything, so you're getting a Super Friday Twofer. In today's second (but not in our hearts) blog, Daniel tells us all about the recent designer run, rehearsals, and having our designers as our first audience. Plus, he uses the word "hitherto". Because he's a baller.

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Hello, my name is Daniel Johnston and I play Joseph Pitt in the Student Arts Collective’s production of Angels in America. Last Saturday was our designer run. For those of you who don’t know what that is, a designer run is when the folks who will be designing the show (i.e. Props Designer, Costume Designer, Set Designer, etc.) come and watch a full run through of the play to get a better idea of the show; having seen the run through, the designers can then begin to bring their visions to life.

It was also incredibly helpful for the actors because it was their first full run of the show. Hitherto, rehearsals have been scene specific so that, as actors, we could really dig in and find the true meaning of each scene. I, personally, was having some difficulty beginning a scene that is an immediate follow up to something tragic or joyous that had just occurred. However, upon having a full run through and going from scene to scene, the emotions were able to build throughout the entire piece and I feel confident now that I will no longer have these difficulties.

But enough about me . . . this designer run was made all the more empowering by the support of our designers in the audience, and my fellow actors. Everyone’s energy was so high, and everyone had such great expectations. There was no “phoning in,” as some may say. Everyone gave their all, whether they were on stage or supporting from the audience.

I truly can not wait to run through this show again, and I especially can not wait to see what beautiful things our designers have in mind for us. Whatever these visisions are, I know they will be powerful and moving, just like Angels in America.

Director Blog - Where We Are

Today we have something extra special for you, blogfriends. Student Arts Collective's Producing Artistic Director and the incredibly talented Director of our upcoming staging of Angels in America, Susan Kramer. Sue has taken time out of her busy schedule to write a special note to key us into where both she and the play are, now less than a month until opening night. Read on for her beautiful words.

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And here we are. Back. Our blog is alive, breathing, full of color again. It was time.

And so, now? Now, in our 15th Season, we bravely mount Tony Kushner's ANGELS IN AMERICA.

I have wanted to contribute to this blog since we resuscitated, jump started it... but I seemed to hit the wall. Writers' block.

Until I saw the images here, on this blog, taken during our ANGELS IN AMERICA Designer Run.

And I was left completely, unabashedly... breathless. Breathless.

Suddenly I am no longer speechless. My voice unleashed, inside this blogplace.

Wondering about--and asking you, too--to imagine this collection of actors, this collection of artists, who entered the process from all corners, all walked in imagining this experience would be like none other.

I'm still thrown back to our auditions, callbacks, the choosing of artists. Somehow, it seems, we all ran feverishly toward this text, this play, at this time.

But now, four weeks until opening night, after living with the text for months, we know. Something has changed. The Earth has shifted. And without noticing--until now--somehow this production dances and rests and breathes into something more huge than we've ever, ever known. ANGELS IN AMERICA.

All of us have been swept away by a much greater journey than any one of us knew... or dreamed of. Into the past, the history, these lives... so much research, so much reaching out... to learn about everything inside Kushner's text! Layers upon layers of questions bring even more magic; the NEW questioning. Not just WHAT, HOW it was in 1985... but WHY?! And inside the NOW. Why NOW???

This journey, with these artists... no doors will be left unopened. We stand collectively with cleavers held high, ripping, tearing away at all doors and passages previously nailed shut, barred, slamming... hacking away! Reaching INSIDE THE TRUTH!!! Only then can we fly inside, roll around in it, dance in it, scream, cry, hold it close, hold each other close... and sing inside it all!!! And only THEN? Tell YOU the truth.

The artists in the powerful images posted here... the eyes, the hands, the faces... we are clearly preparing for this, our message. And within this heart, I can see now, we are exactly where we should be. Right now. If these images are taken from a Designer Run... imagine, JUST IMAGINE what another 3 weeks will bring!

That kind of magic is unspeakable. Immeasurable. And this very journey could only be explored with the open hearts and souls belonging to this cast and the artists, our designers.

Within my next post, I will write about the many, many beautiful folks who have helped pave they way, deeper inside the core of this project, across America... from Baltimore, New York, Boston, Chicago, New Mexico, to L.A. That will be my next post... THAT journey!!!

But for now... This is about giving it a name... and I will ask you to please, in this time, in this place, help me honor the artists who are living inside this production of ANGELS IN AMERICA. It is with absolute pride I work beside each of them. What a privilege and honor. A gift.