Scaling Back

I've talked, practically ad nauseum, in regards to how a director scales back his initial vision of a show over the course of the production. That is still something I wrestle with, and will continue to as I mature as a director.

But this scaling back starts with my whole work/life balance.

I unabashedly HATE my day job. Where previously I was able to distract myself with thoughts of Nuncrackers, and Godspell, and ...Forum, the distinct lack of extra-curricular theatre brings into clear light the fact that I loathe the work I do to support my family. I'm good at it. When it's put to good use by the company, it makes a clear difference in how they get their business done. But when it's not put to good use, and then when it's over-scrutinized by cretinous, insipid morons (a triple redundancy, I realize, but done for effect), there's not anything driving me to do my best. I refuse to give anything other than my best.

That's probably why I've not written here of ATTWN for over a month. I look at previous and current C.A.T. (Conejo Afternoon Theatre) productions, and the lack of resources, coupled with the "meh" level of interest by most involved make it a daunting, up-hill battle.

I trust good material, I really do. Christie's script is sadly dated, as was discovered by the 2005 London production. The sanitization of the script for political correctness is inobtrusive, and I can live with it. But finding ten actors (specifically seven men and three women) who get it and can run with it will be difficult, especially when the leaner, better-written Angel Street is in repertory with us competing for acting resources.

Sigh.

I don't want to (and actually CAN'T) modify the Christie script for ATTWN: it goes against my training and my respect for the author's words. I think infusing the "year later" approach, outlined in previous Blog entries is a GREAT one, almost worthy of it's own script. Having Christie's ten most famous detectives trying to sort out the Indian/Soldier Island murders while under pressure from Scotland Yard and the Ministry of Defense is spectacularly great.

But it's not ATTWN.

I'm in a quandary, and I have to figure out what to do.

So, I'm trying to get myself into a better work situation. If I throw myself into figuring out this ATTWN puzzle, I might be sedated enough to just deal with it.