Poetry & Blindfolds

As I ramp up towards the public readthrough/workshop for Draft 4 of the “The Observatory”, featuring many friends from many areas of that business called show, I am trying to figure out the best way to produce the thing (provided the workshop reveals the piece to be produce-worthy).  My own opinion is the work is quite worthy, and a significant departure from my last two plays, “Remote” and “The Tearful Assassin”, to warrant mounting for the stage.  What sets “The Observatory” apart is that it could be read or interpreted at least two very significantly different ways – either as a straightforward comedy/drama/tragedy or the imagination of a mind gone a little crazy.  And, while thinking about the play’s possible production, I realize I may have to do it fairly quickly to have the show up and over by October 2010, as there may be a fairly consuming project on the horizon.

The Museum of Science and Industry, easily my favorite museum in Chicago, is holding some sort of odd contest looking for a what amounts to a live-in exhibit for one full month.  The chosen candidate would live within the walls of the museum for a full month, learning all about what goes on and what will go on.  Upon hearing of this just recently, I made a mad dash for the computer to work on the necessitated essay, video, application and waiver forms.  I figure I’m an excellent candidate, as I see the potential and the problems of being a 24/7 inhabitant of a museum and still want to do it.

A colleague of mine, who knows I smoke, asked me how I could handle being in a non-smoking facility that long.  I confess I’m not sure.  She advised that, if nothing else, I could become an exhibit for detox, with signs on the glass box in which I would be contained bearing such legends as “hasn’t smoked in 5 days – beware.”

This thrilling and off-putting immersion would begin in the middle of October 2010, which is why my mind is swirling with ways to produce “The Observatory” prior to that time.  I figure, if the workshop goes well and I am not sent back to the drawing board, auditions could happen in a couple of weeks.  A strong, six-week rehearsal period could follow, which would still leave a four-week run prior to my disappearance into the museum.  Since I would not know until October if I was chosen (among how many, I don’t know), delaying the play’s production wouldn’t serve anyone’s interests – well, mainly mine, if I were to direct and/or be in the thing. 

And all this hinges on whether or not I could find a suitable venue.  I’m quite fond of the Charnel House, the place where I pretended to be an actor for last year’s “The Woman In Black”, due to its proximity to my own house as well as the unusual décor of the place (it was previously a funeral home) that would compliment the isolationist approach the play requires.  Barring that, there’s probably some others – Viaduct, The Theater Building, Stage Left – that I might be able to work something out. 

So, until next Friday’s workshop, I am in a holding pattern, occupying myself with gardening, home improvement and thinking of what else to do.