LONDON 2010: WEEK ONE

Welcome to the first 2010 London blog for this semester. I am warning everyone that this first blog is a long one. We packed in alot during our first week. We are all tired but happy!!!! Before I give you details of our first week in London I want to officially do a blog welcome to the American Theatre Arts students from Rose Bruford College in Sidcup, UK who will be spending the year studying at Saint Mary's University. They arrived at Minneapolis on August 25 where Peter Snell, Lindsay Christensen, and I picked them up. Welcome Charlotte, Stephen, Elle, Matt, Danielle, Billy, Bryony, and Este (l to r in photo above). After arrival we were starving so I took everyone to Buca for a nice family-style Italian meal. We were lucky to have been able to dine with the Pope. See photos below. After a two hour ride back to Winona they were able to settle into their dorm rooms.

On Thursday Peter, Lindsay, and Krista show them around campus and took them shopping to help them settle in. On Friday Drs. Michael and Katie Flanagan and their son Tim graciously took all of us out on the Mississippi in two boats after we had a cookout at Dr. Bouler's house. We thought we would introduce them to life on the river right away. On Saturday we all went to see Picasso at the Lapine Agile at the Commonweal Theatre in Lansboro, MN where we got to meet and speak to the actors after the performance. On Sunday I left for Rhode Island where I spent a day and a half saying goodbye to family and friends before I left for London on August 31st. I arrive in London on September 1st and the adventure began!

SMU STUDENTS ARRIVE IN LONDON:

On September 2nd Darrell and Marie arrived and stayed at the Piccadilly Hostel for two nights before we could get into our flats on Sept 4th. I met them at the hostel and we walked around London. I took them to one of my favorite cheap Italian restaurants, Pollo Bar, for some pasta.

The next evening we went to see the Broadway production of Hair which was closing the next day. A great show. Darrell and Marie went up on stage at the end of the show and throughout the show Darrell and I were mocked because of our hair or lack there of....my moustach also was referred to a number of times

Darrell and Marie on stage at finale of Hair

While we were entertaining ourselves the rest of the Saint Mary's students were making their way to London. Some from Minneapolis where Jake got to ride in Business class after he was given a ticket, had it taken away and was given it back again! A whole other group were meeting in Ottawa, Canada where they were flying Air Canada to London. Matt Gorgone's flight from Boston was cancelled, not because of Hurricane Earl, but because the plane had mechanical difficulty. He missed the Ottawa flight and had to leave the next morning. Everyone arrived Saturday morning and Matt on Saturday evening.

David Dean who thought he was flying solo found many of his classmates at the Minneapolis airport who were on his flight.

Once the students arrived at Heathrow they took the Underground to Baron's Court Tube Station which is the one closest to their flats. Darrell, Marie, and I were waiting there for their arrival to take them to the flats. Here are some of them on their journey to Baron's Court.

Annie, Jarod, Regina

Maggie, Greg, Joanna arrive at Baron's Court

Rick and Tom

Ryan sits and waits for others to arrive.

Marie taking the tube in with Darrell after they arrived.

Marie and I having coffee and waiting for students to arrive at Baron's Court

Our first meeting in the Flats

Darrell outside the entrance to the flats.

So before I took them touring to keep everyone awake until bedtime (this is necessary to get our body clocks in sinc with the time change) I gave the students their food stipend and we all went grocery shopping. Below is the result of Darrell's home made pizza...I was pretty impressed. He actually even made his own pizza dough. I, however, never got a piece. Oh, well!

TOURING AROUND LONDON ON ARRIVAL DAY:

I didnt' feel like walking everyone around so we drove around in this red, Ferrari limo.

ONLY KIDDING! I wish we were driving around in this. No we took the Underground! We got our Oyster cards (our three month pass for the Tube) and were on our way. Along the way I was teaching the students how to navigate the Underground system which is pretty easy.

Josh's paper is announcing the Tube Strike that we encountered on Monday and Tuesday. On Monday we had to go to The Globe and on Tuesday we needed to take the train to Rose Bruford in Sidcup. More on that later.

Trafalgar Square - Photo by Ryan

We went to Big Ben, Embankment, Charing Cross, Trafalgar Square, Saint Martins-of-the-Fields crypt where I treated everyone to tea and my favorite, bread and butter pudding with custard.

Rick being a tourist!The Millenium Bridge at Sunset: See it really didn't get blown up in the last Harry Potter movie!

Bread and Butter Pudding with Hot Custard at The Crypt!

On Sunday we went to the classroom which is right at the end of the student's street. First day of class was Monday. In theatre in London Class Heather, Mike, and Jarod presented on the Globe Theatre and The Merry Wives of Winsor that we attended that night. In the Page to Stage class Tom and Josh presented on Henry IV, Part I which we saw yesterday evening(Saturday).

Classroom

On Tuesday morning we had to get on the 9:26 train at Charing Cross to Sidcup for the two classes at Rose Bruford. We all got up very early to get there because we didn't know what the strike situation was going to be. A lot of the lines were completely closed. However, the District Line which the student take to get to Charing Cross and the Northern Line which I have to take were both running. My line however didn't stop at Charing Cross. That tube station and Embankment were closed. I had to walk from Leicester Square. Students got to Embankment. Needless to say we were really early at the station and waited for a good hour and a half. We had time to get breakfast, read the paper, shop, and chill. We made it to Sidcup on time. I met the first year ATA's that I will be teaching beginning this week and actually gave a short class on the Guthrie and American Regional Theatres. They were going to see the Tony Kushner One Acts at the Tricycle Theatre that were performed at the Guthrie two summers ago. The SMU students had their Global Issues class with Steven Dykes and Acting the British Approach class with Tony James. We then made it back for our first rehearsal at the Drill Hall where we had a read through of God's Country which we are performing Oct. 19 -23 and in Dublin November 29th and 30th at the Smock Alley Studio Theatre.

Heather and Anna are being cool for school.

Regina and Jarod waiting for the train to Sidcup.

THE GLOBE AND THE MERRY WIVES OF WINSOR AND THE RAIN!!!!!

The Globe

Monday Night's Performance...we stood as Groundlings

We arrived early 5:30 again to avoid the strike which started at 5:00pm. We wanted to be first in line so we could be the first ones in and rush the stage so we could lean on it for the whole performance see that we would be standing for three hours. We loved the show. However, it began to rain during the performance and the Groundlings are not covered and we cannot use umbrellas as they would block the view so we got drenched. We also had to walk to Embankment in the pouring rain to try to get a tube ride home or catch a bus a Charing Cross. We were all luck and got on a tube that was working. We are discussing both Globe Productions in class tomorrow. It will be nice to compare the two Falstaffs from both productions.

We are at the beginning of the queque...

Still waiting.

Waiting in another line to get into the Yard.

The set for The Merry Wives of Winsor

Matt is very excited for the show to begin...I think that is why he is smiling.

Annie and David are jumping for joy to see their first play in Londo

Michael is all wet!

REHEARSALS:

We began rehearsals on Tuesday at the Drill Hall with a readthrough. It is Sunday now and I have managed to block the entire show except for the last couple of pages. We ran out of time today. Students are doing well so far. On Monday we will go to TARA ARTS STUDIO and look at and rehearse a little in the space before we go see Billy Elliot. The cast also met Laurence and Shane, two British actors who are part of the cast for God's Country. We had a terrific first week of rehearsals.

Students waiting to get into the rehearsal space.

Michael, the Stage Manager, and Heather, the Asst. Stage Manager

David Dean teaching stage combat moves for Act II

Jake on a break!

CAMBRIDGE:

Our first of four Friday day trips was to Cambridge where we had a guided tour from Ian, a Scot. He was a terrific tour guide. As part of the tour we went into King's College which architecturally is incredible. After the tour we ate at The Eagle Pub, the oldest pub in Cambridge and went punting in the punt boats. It rained a little in the morning but then cleared up just in time for us to enjoy the boat ride! Some took the boats out on their own and others opted for a guided tour. Enjoy the photos!

King's College courtyard.

Ian the Scot

Ian, Annie, Mike, and Marie

Touring King's College in the rain!!! ugh!

The Eagle Pub, Cambridges oldest pub. It is also haunted. The top window must be left open always. The ghost likes it open! It is written in the least that the window has to stay open. We all had lunch here. Maggie and I had steak and ale pie! Really good!

Maggie and Josh

Michael eating one of Sir Issac Newton's apples! So he claims!

Is that a chair leg in Henry VIII's hand? Yep it is. A Cambridge College prank!

Punting boats!

Photo by Jake

Marie, Heather, Anna, Jake, Ryan, and myself went on a guided tour lead by George who was quite the character. Lots of fun!

Rick the punter!

Greg the Punter! Is Maggie not enjoying it??????

Josh the Punter!

No Comment!

Marie and George.

THE WEEK OF SHAKESPEARE CONTINUES:

On Friday night after we returned from Cambridge, Greg, Maggie, Matt, Josh, and I went to Tara Studios to see a production of The People's Romeo. It was Romeo and Juliet in Bangladesh and in English. The actress playing Juliet was fantastic! Also great music. The story was told by 3 actors and two musicians. It was press night and we got to meet the cast and diretor. We also had a chance to look at the space that we will be doing God's Country in.

Students with Jonathan Kennedy, Executive Director of Tara Arts


Some of the students went to go see a Thursday matinee of Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim at Regent's Park. Here is a picture of the set.

THE GLOBE: HENRY IV, PART I

On Saturday evening we went to see our second production at the Globe, Henry IV, Part I. Again most of us got there early to be first in line. All along the Thames Southbank the The Mayor's Thames Festival was going on. Lots of entertainment (the students enjoyed a Korean Mime Troupe), food(we all had fudge and other goodies), and even got some shopping in. The play was wonderful! Very funny and we had a great spot right up front! It is worth waiting.

Matt in front of St. Paul's Cathedral and Millenium Bridge

Waiting to get into the Yard

Rick, David, Tom, Matt, Ryan, Mike, Darrell, Joanna

The Gallery is covered with Coats of Arms....

The Set

The group in front of The Globe stage


Well it has been a long week and this has been a long blog! We have had mostly good times this week. We received some bad news on our way back from Cambridge. Ryan's grandmother passed away. We all want to send our sympathies, thoughts and prayers to Ryan and his family. We are thinking of you. Some good news. Today was Rick's 21st Birthday! Happy Birthday Rick from all of us! Hope you have a great birthday in London! Until the next blog tata....become a follower and you will be notified as to when I post something. I will try to do one every week.

Gary

The Last Week of My Summer Visit - July 2010

The last week of my summer visit to London in July was busy! I saw a few shows: Enron was fantastic. It was directed by Rubert Goold who is becoming my favorite director here in London. It is ashame that the show did not last more than two weeks on Broadway. Wall Street wasn't going to support this piece! He is being considered run either the National Theatre or The Royal Shakespeare Company. Smokey Joe's Cafe at the Landor Theatre above the Landor Pub was a wonderful piece of theatre. The space is small but the staging was excellent. I remember many years ago seeing a great production of Into the Woods in that space. I also booked tickets for the Theatre in London class to see Closer Than Ever on Oct. 9th at the Landor. I heard that the night before I went Andrew Lloyd Webber attended a performance there and really wants to see the show go on. I know it was extended for another week. Tonight I went to see Wolfboy an 85 minute musical at the Trafalgar Studio. A bizarre piece to say the least. Different music and lots of blood! It closes tomorrow night! Mike, my landlord, did a super job with the lighting! He has just met with Kevin Spacey to light a show that will be done in the tunnels near Waterloo Station. Exciting! I also saw La Bete as I mentioned in the last blog. A poster for it is below.

St. Paul's Cathedral
















I spent 30 pounds between the show ticket and popcorn and soda to see Inception at the Odeon in Leicester Square. Great movie not worth 30 pounds...hahaha. Never again!

I auditioned Shareen's friend, Shane, and casted him in God's Country. Just had a picture of Shareen and Shane here, and it got deleted. I will post them later. It is late Friday night, and I have to pack and leave in the morning for the States! Sorry guys!

On Sunday I was invited to a wonderful lunch over at Joyce Rae' s house. Joyce is an agent here in London and the wife of our former lighting designer, Roger Frith, who died unexpectedly last year. We miss him dearly. Also at the luncheon was Jonathan and Alise Kennedy. Jonathan is the Executive Director of Tara Arts where we are doing our play. His wife, Alise, does wardrobe for the Royal Ballet and just returned from a tour of China and Barcelona. The other two guests were Kate Williams and her daughter Kelly. Kelly is an agent and works with Joyce. Kate is an actress who has just finished filming her final episodes on the English soap opera, Eastenders. She is also well-know to the British public for her TV series Love Thy Neighbor which was the show that America's All in the Family was based on. She played the wife. We had a great discussion about how TV and film has changed both as far as writing the shows and the acting. Interesting topic! Pretty depressing actually....If you see me, I will explain more. Below is a picture of Kate, Joyce, and Jonathan.

I booked all the day trips this week and a few more shows for us to see in the fall. Looking forward to getting back to Winona to finish up the preparations for the London semester and to get ready to welcome 8 students from Rose Bruford College who will be spending a year at Saint Mary's studying theatre. I will keep you posted!

Kate Williams, Joyce Rae, and Johnathan Kennedy.

First Blog of the 2010 Semester....July

Well here is the beginning of the 2010 London Blog. This semester we have 18 student from Saint Mary's University studying in London for the Fall Semester. We will be performing the play, God's Country by Steven Dietz at Tara Studio in Earlsfield October 19 -23. Fly over and catch the show!

I have been in London for almost two weeks getting things ready for the semester. I have rented the student flats, auditioned two British actors for the play, set up daytrips, and purchased tickets for a number of the plays we will be seeing.

The Globe Theatre is where we will be seeing The Merry Wives of Winsor and Henry IV, Part 1. At the National Theatre (Pictured above) we will be seeing Hamlet.

In the West End I have purchased a number of tickets. We will see War Horse another National Theatre production at The New London Theatre. This is a production we have gone to the past two years. I am really excited that it is still playing.

I heard that it is getting ready to go to Broadway! The West End musical we will see for Theatre in London class is Billy Elliot . For the Page to Stage class I booked Arthur Miller's All My Sons starring David Suchet and Zoe Wanamaker. Also for the Page to Stage class I booked tickets for Deathtrap with Jonathan Groff from Spring Awakening and Glee.

Also purchased tickets for the Sondheim musical, Passion at the Donmar Warehouse and Athol Fugard, the South African playwright's play, Train Driver at the Hamstead Theatre. Fugard will also be directing this production. The last play I booked is a new play, entitled Tribes at the Royal Court Theatre. The rest of the shows we will see I will book after the semester begins. There are always new shows coming into London.

In addition to going to the theatre I have booked two theatre tours. The first is a theatrical tour of the Drury Lane Theatre, the oldest theatre in London. This has been a very popular tour with our students in the past. I also booked a private backstage tour of the National Theatre with Tim Blazdell a friend and Associate Designer at the National. We did this fantastic tour two years ago. I am really excited that we got to book it early.

The daytrips that I will book this week are to Cambridge, Blenheim Palace, Bath, and Canterbury. Our long weekend in Scotland will be booked during the semester.

While here for the three weeks I have auditioned two British actors to be part of our play, God's Country. One is a student who studied at Saint Mary's this past year, Laurence Greiner and the other is Shane Nippard. We welcome them to the cast! I have also been making arrangements to take our show to Dublin, Ireland at the end of the London semester and just before we do the two-week acting program at The Gaiety School of Acting.

While in London I managed to see the Broadway production of Hair, Sondheim's Assassins, La Bete, with one of my favorite actors, Mark Rylance, David Hyde-Pierce from Fraiser, and Joanna Lumley of the Ab Fab TV series. I plan on seeing Enron and Wolfboy, the lighting design is by my dear friend Mike Robertson who is also my landlord!

Well that is all for now. Weather here in London has been terrific! Subscribe to the blog if you haven't done so already and you will be notified everytime I post something new. I usually do a blog a week once the semester begins! Enjoy the rest of the summer!