NOW PLAYING:
THE ROCKAE
Hudson Guild Theatre
441 W. 26th St. (bet. 9th & 10th Aves.), Manhattan
1 to 23rd St; C or E 23rd St.
10/03/07 @ 8:00 p.m.
10/04/07 @ 8:00 p.m.
10/05/07 @ 8:00 p.m.
10/07/07 @ 8:00 p.m.
10/10/07 @ 8:00 p.m.
10/11/07 @ 8:00 p.m.
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In the Q-Box: Cara Reichel
THE ROCKAE: Pent-up King Pentheus takes on Dionysus and his frenzied female fans when the god of wine and theater returns to Thebes. Get ready for moshing Maenads and thrashing catharsis in this rock musical adaptation of Euripides' classic, The Bacchae. Drama Desk-nominated writer Peter Mills fuses the intensity of hard rock with the violence of ancient Greek tragedy.
THE ROCKAE director and producer Cara Reichel steps into the Q-Box to answer our always informative, albeit mostly ridiculous, questions.
As a director, how is directing a musical different than directing a play?
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Usually, when working on a musical, there are many more collaborating artists than when you work on a play. Oftentimes there are multiple writers (composer, lyricist, librettist), as well as a music director and a choreographer -- and everyone has to be working toward the same goals. The director's ability to clearly communicate their vision for a production to everyone on the team is essential to the success of the show. It's the director's job to keep the big picture of the show in mind and make sure all the parts fit together.
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As a director, how do you prepare before taking the helm of a new production?
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Usually, I am working with writers on creating a new musical from the ground up, so prior to the production there have actually been months of work on the script through staged readings and workshops. Additionally, I like to do a lot of research into the historical period of the show, so I can educate myself and figure out what elements will inform the staging of the production. And, of course, there is the basic work of really getting to know the script, the writers' intentions, and what your "take" on the story is, and how you plan to tell it. I don't like to walk into rehearsals with every decision made, but I need to have a strong sense of a starting point and what I want an audience take away from the experience.
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Do you have a particular philosophy when it comes to directing?
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I try to assemble the most enthusiastic, talented, and engaging group of artists I can find to work on a project. Then, I try to balance my vision for the show with being open to all the great ideas they bring into the rehearsal room. Most often, I find that the discoveries made in the rehearsal room or in design meetings are pretty great. So, I guess my philosophy is: Trust in the creativity and talents of your collaborators and don't be afraid to try out ideas and see what happens. At the same time, I really have learned to trust my own intuition and instincts as well and if something isn't sitting right with me, I'm not afraid to make changes.
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What drew you (and Prospect) to this musical and why did you want to produce it?
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THE ROCKAE is an idea that Peter Mills and I have been talking about for several years. We love Euripides' play -- it's one of those that every theater person reads in college at some point -- and since it is about the god of theater, it really speaks to the dramatic experience as a whole. We decided to do the show in May 2007, because we suddenly had an opening in Prospect's schedule for this fall. It was a project we were eager to jump in and write (finally!) so Pete spent all summer working on the music and we just took a chance and jumped in! It has been great fun to create the piece, with many thanks to an amazing team of actors and other artists, and I'm very pleased with what we’ve made.
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How did you get involved with the arts?
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My parents were very pro-active about involving me in music and theater from a young age, and it just kept going from there! I was heavily into theater during my high school years and into college, performing in many shows and eventually directing them, and running a college theater company. Once I graduated from college and became more knowledgeable about the theater industry, I realized it was something I loved and that I might actually be able to do as a career!
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THE STATS:
High school attended: West Rome High School in Rome, Georgia
Favorite Class: Hmmm...English, Band, or Physics. A toss-up.
Next-up on Netflix queue: I'm not on Netflix!
Playing on her iPod right now: I don't have an iPod!
Favorite pizza topping: Pineapple
Last good book she read:
George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones
All-time, hands-down favorite piece of theater: Impossible to answer... Most recent favorite: SPRING AWAKENING!
Crosswords: Love or hate 'em?: Love 'em.
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