The start of the Death of Albatross

One of the more fun experiences I've had in my life was writing and producing a 10-minute play as part of Wollongong Workshop Theatre's 24-hour Theatre event a few years back. Yes, 24 hours from "Here are your guidelines" to house lights down, curtain up. While the cast members and director slept, I wrote and wrote. (Houston composed a terrific song in three-part harmony from words I gave him at about 10 p.m.; he finished it before he went to bed, what a legend!) One of the best moments was when I printed out the scripts and arranged them on the coffee table for the cast to find in the morning — like Christmas! It was so exciting to see them there, knowing that in the morning, actors I admired and trusted would make the words come alive. (The performance was, in fact, fantastic, in case you're wondering.)

Tonight I'm getting ready for tomorrow's rehearsal — the first rehearsal — of The Death of Albatross*, the play I've written and am now producing as part of this year's Sydney Fringe Festival. This script took a lot longer than one all-nighter, and its creation included an intensive development process (thanks to the generous folk at Merrigong Theatre Company) and a whole lot of work to prepare the submission to the people at the Fringe, and at its venue, the Seymour Centre. The scripts are printed, and I've just put the big black binder clips on a copy for each actor. The food is prepared, ready to feed hungry and diligent actors for an all-day, all-evening mammoth rehearsal. It feels like the night before Christmas.

Tomorrow the magic starts.

Tomorrow, my play starts to come alive.



*Please go to the play's page on Facebook and "Like" us. It will help us get the word out when your friends, who know you have excellent taste, rush to find out about this new thing you've found. And you will get notifications about things like when tickets go on sale, where you can read/hear interviews and clips, how to arrange your next vacation in the charming town of Albatross — important stuff like that.