Well, there's no turning back now!

Andy Quiroga & Kathleen Robiou
study the script. 

A week and a half into the rehearsal process for my new play, I'm beginnig to get excited about its potential. Which is good, considering how frightened I am to let anybody see it. This is the first play I have ever written. I've always wanted to do this, but stopped myself from trying 'cause I was terrified of failing at it. But, as my wife Katie (The Naked Stage's Artistic Director), and I were contemplating this Fall slot we had reserved at the Pelican Theatre, I decided it was a perfect opportunity to finally face my fears. Being the ambitious artist that I am, however, I thought the show should be more of a fulfilling experience for the audience, and the artists involved, than just "a new play by an amateur playwright." And I think I've come up with something pretty cool. I just hope the process doesn't kill me before it gets to Opening Night. It probablty will kill me. I'm producing, directing, writing, designing and acting, and THAT... is really stupid. (Perhaps I should have called the play Hubris: The Embarissing, Self-Imposed Collapse of an Artistic Idiot.)

 

Jake Tompkins

Thankfully, I have assembled an amazing team of artists. Andy Quiroga, Kathleen Robiou, Victor Rodriguez, Stephanie Meskauskas, Ricardo Redd, Shawn Burgess, Jake Tompkins and Kaitlin Sarnacki. So far, this has been one of the most positive and creatively satisfying experiences of my career, and I am happy to be sharing it with all these people. The script has gone through 9 revisions already. It was going down a terrible path until Katie read it and set me straight. She is one of the most intelligent artists I know and I am truly blessed to have her at my side. John Manzelli (The third co-founder of the Naked Stage, along with Katie and myself) was also invaluable to the trimming process. I love collaborating with him. I believe the script is in a pretty good place.

 

Shawn Burgess & Kaitlin Sarnacki

I'm excited to see what happens this week. The set is being built and rehearsals will switch, day to day, between two different casts. There is an experimental element to what we are doing, so I'm sorta "wingin' it" for some of this. It should make for some amazing art. I think. But, what do I know? Nothin'.

 

A Man Puts On A Play opens on November 2nd and runs through the 18th. We play Thursdays through Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm with a brief talk-back session with the actors and me after each Sunday matinee performance. Tickets are $25 for a single seat, $18 for a senior (60+), and $12 for a student (student ID at door). If you'd like to come see the World Premiere of my first effort as a playwright, click the ticket icon to the right of this blog and by your tix TODAY!!!

 

The theatre will only have 36 seats for this production, so get yours now!!!

 

Due to the small size of the space and the amount of noise made by the lobby door, there will be NO LATE ADMITTANCE! So get there on time, or you'll miss out.

 

The Naked Stage performs at the Pelican Theatre on the campus of Barry University.



Ricardo Redd & Stephanie Meskauskas

The Pelican Theatre
11300 NE 2nd Ave
Miami Shores, Fl 33161.

For more information on all things Naked Stage, call Antonio Amadeo at our administrative office at 954-261-1785.

For tickets, click on the ticket icon to the right or call 1-866-81-4111.