Why am I adapting and directing this new stage version of "The Last Unicorn?"
Time to get a little personal, and consequently maybe slightly weird.
Like so many of you, the first time I encountered the story of "The Last Unicorn" was via the animated version as a kid. I grew up in Raleigh, NC, and we'd often visit my grandparents in nearby Pinehurst. A frequent activity while visiting was heading down the street to the mom-n-pop video rental place and picking up a movie or two to watch. For a while, I would always insist on the animated version of "The Last Unicorn" being one of them- I'd watch it over and over again. When I was in my early teens, I had a life-changing moment when I found out that there was a NOVEL on which the movie was based (I was a voracious reader of fantasy novels back then; I was kind of stupefied that I had never found the novel before). So I devoured that, and it's been one of my favorite books ever since; I've owned several copies of it (including one that I loaned to a famous director...who never gave it back. She knows who she is. It's ok, I bought another copy. Eventually.) I remember being tremendously excited when, as a freshman in high school, I found a VHS copy of the movie version for sale while I was in Toronto. So the story and its characters have been with me most of my life- certainly as far back as I can remember. I really connected with a lot of the themes even as a kid- I knew a lot about what it was like to want to be spectacular but to sometimes fall short (like Schmendrick, and even poor Mommy Fortuna). I understood what it was like to feel uncomfortable in my own skin, like Amalthea. That theme of transformation has always been an important part of stories that compel me- whether The Last Unicorn, the ORIGINAL version of The Little Mermaid, Swan Lake, or even werewolf movies (which I also find awesome.) I later went on to appreciate many other works by Peter S. Beagle- but "The Last Unicorn" is special to me. It's a story that won't leave me alone- as a director I feel like it's something I almost have to get out of my system before I move on to other projects. Not that this won't be a pleasure to direct- I am obsessed with this story and can't wait to share it with everyone on stage, (i.e., on my turf as a theatre artist). Also, it's a great chance to connect with other people who love this story as much as I do- I will probably be at most of the performances, and I would love to speak with any and all of you to whom this great story means as much as it does to me.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
It's a fella's prerogative to change his mind...
....ah, rewrites. As we've been working to make this new adaptation of "The Last Unicorn" as strong as possible in the past few months, we've found that many of the choices I made in previous drafts have had to fall by the wayside. I thought I'd mention one of the biggies here so you aren't too shocked when you see it:
We've decided we want the same actress to play both Amalthea and the Unicorn.
I know, I know- I had planned on them being played by different actresses. In fact, you may recall I did an entire post explaining in detail why that was a good idea. Well, several rewrites and table reads later I've come to a different point of view. I think that it helps the audience (especially audience members who aren't as familiar with the story) to be following one actress as the protagonist across the entire performance. It gives the Unicorn a stronger emotional arc and makes the audience more invested in their journey if they don't have to overcome that mental hurdle of having a completely different body playing the role for most of Act 2. Having one actress play both has its own challenges -we now have a pretty fast quick change to pull off near the end of the show, for one- but one of the benefits is we get to further utilize the talents of ensemble member Kyla Embrey- who I already knew was going to be a fabulous Amalthea, but am now pleased to announce will be playing both roles. Yay Kyla!
Another change- we have completed casting for "Unicorn," and I'm very pleased with the team we've assembled. One post on this blog discussed mask design for Mommy Fortuna. Originally I had thought that we weren't going to find an age-appropriate actress for the role- in fact, we may have wound up with one of the talented but decidedly twentysomething ladies of our ensemble in the role- thus the mask. I was delighted to have some fantastic age-appropriate ladies audition, and now that one of them has joined the cast as Mommy Fortuna, I'm thinking the mask is less necessary. Haven't made the decision for sure, yet, but I think we'll figure it out pretty quickly in rehearsals.
What can I say? It's a fella's prerogative to change his mind. : - )
We've decided we want the same actress to play both Amalthea and the Unicorn.
I know, I know- I had planned on them being played by different actresses. In fact, you may recall I did an entire post explaining in detail why that was a good idea. Well, several rewrites and table reads later I've come to a different point of view. I think that it helps the audience (especially audience members who aren't as familiar with the story) to be following one actress as the protagonist across the entire performance. It gives the Unicorn a stronger emotional arc and makes the audience more invested in their journey if they don't have to overcome that mental hurdle of having a completely different body playing the role for most of Act 2. Having one actress play both has its own challenges -we now have a pretty fast quick change to pull off near the end of the show, for one- but one of the benefits is we get to further utilize the talents of ensemble member Kyla Embrey- who I already knew was going to be a fabulous Amalthea, but am now pleased to announce will be playing both roles. Yay Kyla!
Another change- we have completed casting for "Unicorn," and I'm very pleased with the team we've assembled. One post on this blog discussed mask design for Mommy Fortuna. Originally I had thought that we weren't going to find an age-appropriate actress for the role- in fact, we may have wound up with one of the talented but decidedly twentysomething ladies of our ensemble in the role- thus the mask. I was delighted to have some fantastic age-appropriate ladies audition, and now that one of them has joined the cast as Mommy Fortuna, I'm thinking the mask is less necessary. Haven't made the decision for sure, yet, but I think we'll figure it out pretty quickly in rehearsals.
What can I say? It's a fella's prerogative to change his mind. : - )
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Inspirational Music, part 5: The Hazards of Love
I just wanted to take a moment to celebrate some music that I've been listening a lot to lately, especially as I head into final rewrites for the show and seek inspiration for stage pictures, etc: the new album by The Decemberists, The Hazards of Love.
What can I say? I'd never really listened to the band at all, but I heard this album reviewed on NPR, and it sounded kind of neat, so I went on youtube and listened to some of the full tracks that people had posted. Finally, I bought the album* at Border's** and have been listening to it pretty obsessively over the last month or so.
It's a concept album- probably one of the reasons I'm so into it is that it tells a cool fantasy story that involves shapeshifting (like The Last Unicorn!). In this case, the heroine of the story, Margaret, is riding in the forest when she encounters a snow white faun, wounded and trapped in the underbrush. She tries to free it, but the faun transforms into a handsome young man, and they, um...(blushes). So it turns out she gets pregnant, and she wanders into the forest to find the young man again. They meet and set up house together in a one of the forest bowers- but complications ensue. The reason the man is a shapeshifter is that he's the adopted 'son' of the Forest Queen- a Titiania-like force of nature that has absolute dominion over the forest. She's also fiercely jealous and overprotective of him and sees Margaret as a threat. In order to get her out of the way, she enlists the help of the Rake- a wandering womanizer, rapist and child murderer (he killed his three kids after his wife died because they were making it too difficult for him to put the moves on the ladies. He's not very nice in other words) who is only too glad to despoil and destroy our heroine. So the shapeshifter guy has to cross a terribly dangerous river to rescue his true love. Here are some tracks for you to listen to, with a bit of explanation about each. If you like what you hear, I strongly encourage you to download the album- we should use our cash to encourage this band to make more art like this!
First, the song The Wanting Comes in Waves- it's a conversation song between William, the shapeshifter, and his 'mother' the Forest Queen. The refrain of it actually gets me a little weepy, and it's a pretty cool tune that forwards the plot- he basically tries to bargain with his mother to be allowed at least one night of happiness with his love.
Second, the Rake's Song- this is the song the villain sings that introduces us to him. It's a lot of fun and also horrifying at the same time.
Third, the Queen's Rebuke. This is the first song I ever heard from this album, and it's AWESOME. The group got a guest artist (Shara Worden, of My Brightest Diamond) to sing the character, and she really gets to kick some ass during this song. It also fooled me- it made me think this band was really metal sounding, but apparently this is an unusual sound for them. In this song, the Queen appears to talk with the Rake once he's kidnapped Margaret.
OK, last one I promise- Annan Water. Remember that dangerous river I told you about- in the Queen's Rebuke the Queen works magic to get the Rake and Margaret across, but William is still stuck without a way to cross- and apparently this river is SUPER dangerous- like so full of rapids and whirlpools that there's no way to safely cross through conventional methods. So William sings this song in which he bargains with the river- telling the river that if it will calm and allow him to pass, he'll allow the river to claim him after he saves his true love. And the river hears him and agrees. This song gets me choked up a bit too- the part where he actually prays ("And if you calm...and let me pass...") is really pretty.
So that's all I'll post here, but I really encourage you to check it out- there's more awesomeness on this album than can be contained in a single blog post.
P.S.- tickets to "The Last Unicorn" went on sale July 15th. To reserve tickets either buy online at www.prometheantheatre.org or call (773) 305-2897!
*Music executives: my story is why you are idiots for being overly restrictive and litigious about posting of songs online....in this case my ability to listen online led to me paying you money!
**who are discontinuing CD sales! Stupid move, Border's, no more of my money will you get!
What can I say? I'd never really listened to the band at all, but I heard this album reviewed on NPR, and it sounded kind of neat, so I went on youtube and listened to some of the full tracks that people had posted. Finally, I bought the album* at Border's** and have been listening to it pretty obsessively over the last month or so.
It's a concept album- probably one of the reasons I'm so into it is that it tells a cool fantasy story that involves shapeshifting (like The Last Unicorn!). In this case, the heroine of the story, Margaret, is riding in the forest when she encounters a snow white faun, wounded and trapped in the underbrush. She tries to free it, but the faun transforms into a handsome young man, and they, um...(blushes). So it turns out she gets pregnant, and she wanders into the forest to find the young man again. They meet and set up house together in a one of the forest bowers- but complications ensue. The reason the man is a shapeshifter is that he's the adopted 'son' of the Forest Queen- a Titiania-like force of nature that has absolute dominion over the forest. She's also fiercely jealous and overprotective of him and sees Margaret as a threat. In order to get her out of the way, she enlists the help of the Rake- a wandering womanizer, rapist and child murderer (he killed his three kids after his wife died because they were making it too difficult for him to put the moves on the ladies. He's not very nice in other words) who is only too glad to despoil and destroy our heroine. So the shapeshifter guy has to cross a terribly dangerous river to rescue his true love. Here are some tracks for you to listen to, with a bit of explanation about each. If you like what you hear, I strongly encourage you to download the album- we should use our cash to encourage this band to make more art like this!
First, the song The Wanting Comes in Waves- it's a conversation song between William, the shapeshifter, and his 'mother' the Forest Queen. The refrain of it actually gets me a little weepy, and it's a pretty cool tune that forwards the plot- he basically tries to bargain with his mother to be allowed at least one night of happiness with his love.
Second, the Rake's Song- this is the song the villain sings that introduces us to him. It's a lot of fun and also horrifying at the same time.
Third, the Queen's Rebuke. This is the first song I ever heard from this album, and it's AWESOME. The group got a guest artist (Shara Worden, of My Brightest Diamond) to sing the character, and she really gets to kick some ass during this song. It also fooled me- it made me think this band was really metal sounding, but apparently this is an unusual sound for them. In this song, the Queen appears to talk with the Rake once he's kidnapped Margaret.
OK, last one I promise- Annan Water. Remember that dangerous river I told you about- in the Queen's Rebuke the Queen works magic to get the Rake and Margaret across, but William is still stuck without a way to cross- and apparently this river is SUPER dangerous- like so full of rapids and whirlpools that there's no way to safely cross through conventional methods. So William sings this song in which he bargains with the river- telling the river that if it will calm and allow him to pass, he'll allow the river to claim him after he saves his true love. And the river hears him and agrees. This song gets me choked up a bit too- the part where he actually prays ("And if you calm...and let me pass...") is really pretty.
So that's all I'll post here, but I really encourage you to check it out- there's more awesomeness on this album than can be contained in a single blog post.
P.S.- tickets to "The Last Unicorn" went on sale July 15th. To reserve tickets either buy online at www.prometheantheatre.org or call (773) 305-2897!
*Music executives: my story is why you are idiots for being overly restrictive and litigious about posting of songs online....in this case my ability to listen online led to me paying you money!
**who are discontinuing CD sales! Stupid move, Border's, no more of my money will you get!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Why I'm not a photographer, the sequel.
Would you like to see the mask I made for Mommy Fortuna? Of course you would. Sorry the photos came out so blurry! The mask is actually a lot more purple than in these pictures. The idea I'm playing with currently is that each of the three older magic users in the play will go masked- Mommy Fortuna's dominant mask color would be a deep purple, Mabruk's mask would be a deep green, and Nikos's mask (due to connection with Schmendrick) would be some kind of blue. We'll see how that develops. We had auditions this past weekend, and the downside of building a mask before you cast a show is that the actress you find might not necessarily be able to wear it. Well, if that's the case, I'll just make a new one- and I'll have a pretty cool extra witch mask. In the meantime, enjoy the photos!
Also...tickets go on sale for "The Last Unicorn" tomorrow! I know the show's not till October, but I wanted people who might want to plan to travel to see the show- especially when Peter S. Beagle's there opening weekend on 10/17 and 10/18- to be able to plan way in advance. Speaking of which- those two performances are likely to fill up pretty fast. If you're planning on seeing Peter at the show you ought to get tickets to those performances soon.
Also...tickets go on sale for "The Last Unicorn" tomorrow! I know the show's not till October, but I wanted people who might want to plan to travel to see the show- especially when Peter S. Beagle's there opening weekend on 10/17 and 10/18- to be able to plan way in advance. Speaking of which- those two performances are likely to fill up pretty fast. If you're planning on seeing Peter at the show you ought to get tickets to those performances soon.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Bwahahaha!
Hi everyone. Sorry I'm so sluggish about posting- things have started to get really busy on my end. We had another reading of the script last night, and I got some good feedback as I head into what will probably be my last rewrite of the script. We're also having auditions this weekend (interested Chicago actors, check the Promethean website for details!). I'm hoping to step up my posting frequency soon, but in the mean time, here's a little video courtesy of Adult Swim that almost made me spray my computer screen. Enjoy!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Building an FAQ
One thing I've been thinking about as we get ready for "The Last Unicorn" is what information people who might be interested in seeing the show would need to know if they visited our website. With that in mind I've been working on an FAQ to add to the site. Take a look- do any of you have questions about the show that aren't being answered here?
FAQ for The Last Unicorn
“The Last Unicorn?” What the heck is this?
This is a staged adaptation of “The Last Unicorn,” the beloved fantasy novel by Peter S. Beagle, adapted to the stage by Ed Rutherford and presented by Promethean Theatre Ensemble.
“The Last Unicorn.” You mean the animated movie?
Nope. The animated version was an adaptation of the novel as well. Peter S. Beagle wrote the screenplay for that, so it is a well done and fairly faithful screen adaptation, but it is distinct from the novel. This is a stage adaptation of the novel and doesn’t draw on the movie version at all.
Why are you doing this adaptation?
Our adapter and director, Ed Rutherford, is a fanatic for this story. He loves it, thinks you would love it, and wants anyone and everyone to experience it. Since he’s a theatre artist, his preferred way to share this story with everyone is through live performance. The script he has developed is also an excellent fit with our company’s mission.
Is it true that Peter S. Beagle is coming to see the show?
Yes! We’ve already made arrangements for him to attend opening weekend. He will be at the opening night performance, Saturday 10/17 at 8 p.m., and at the Sunday 3 p.m. matinee the next day (10/18). He’ll also participate in a post show discussion
I want to find out more about the original story. How do I buy the book (or the movie)?
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Please click here for more information on ordering books or DVDs.
How did you get permission to do this?
This production is being offered as a one-time event by special arrangement with Conlan Press and with Peter S. Beagle’s approval.
Can I license a production?
UPDATED- Yes, this is now possible! If you are interested please email lastunicornchicago@yahoo.com.
Let’s talk nuts and bolts. How long is the show?
The show runs about two hours and thirty minutes (subject to change- we haven‘t finished rehearsals yet!), including a fifteen minute intermission about halfway through.
When are performances?
The show runs from October 16-November 14, with performances Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. Official opening is on Saturday 10/17 at 8 p.m., so there is no Saturday matinee that day.
How can I get tickets?
Starting July 15, you can go here to buy tickets online. You can also make a reservation by phone by calling (773) 305-2897. Please wait until July 15- we can’t honor phone reservations made prior to that date.
Where is the performance space?
City Lit is located at 1020 W Bryn Mawr Ave in Chicago, on the 2nd floor of Edgewater Presbyterian Church.
How do we get to your performance space?
The venue is very accessible to public transportation; the Bryn Mawr Red Line el stop is only a couple of blocks away, and the Sheridan and Broadway bus lines make stops near the venue as well. The venue is very close to the Bryn Mawr exit on Lake Shore Drive too. Parking in the immediate area of the theatre is metered and can be difficult to find; for those who are driving, we recommend the following options:
-Look for parking in the residential area west of Broadway. Parking there is free and relatively easy to find, and it’s still a pretty short walk east to the theatre.
-For evening performances only, valet parking is available across the street through Francesca’s, the Italian restaurant across the street at 1039 W. Bryn Mawr. Their fee is $8; let them know you’re there to see a show at City Lit Theater. While their food is excellent and we highly recommend them, dining at their restaurant isn’t required. Make sure you pick your car up before 11 p.m.
Unicorns? This is a kid’s show, right?
No! This piece (and its humor) is designed for grownups to enjoy, with grownup themes and ideas. It isn’t children’s theatre.
But is it still appropriate for my kids?
We welcome kids, but they must have their own ticket and be able to behave appropriately during the show. As far as potentially offensive content goes: the d-word and the h-word do get used a few times, and some of the scenes (with the Harpy or the Red Bull, for example) may be a little intense or violent for very young children. Otherwise it’s pretty kid-safe.
This project is beyond awesome. I want to support it. How can I help out?
We hope you’ll consider Adopting a Unicorn. (more on this in a later post!)
FAQ for The Last Unicorn
“The Last Unicorn?” What the heck is this?
This is a staged adaptation of “The Last Unicorn,” the beloved fantasy novel by Peter S. Beagle, adapted to the stage by Ed Rutherford and presented by Promethean Theatre Ensemble.
“The Last Unicorn.” You mean the animated movie?
Nope. The animated version was an adaptation of the novel as well. Peter S. Beagle wrote the screenplay for that, so it is a well done and fairly faithful screen adaptation, but it is distinct from the novel. This is a stage adaptation of the novel and doesn’t draw on the movie version at all.
Why are you doing this adaptation?
Our adapter and director, Ed Rutherford, is a fanatic for this story. He loves it, thinks you would love it, and wants anyone and everyone to experience it. Since he’s a theatre artist, his preferred way to share this story with everyone is through live performance. The script he has developed is also an excellent fit with our company’s mission.
Is it true that Peter S. Beagle is coming to see the show?
Yes! We’ve already made arrangements for him to attend opening weekend. He will be at the opening night performance, Saturday 10/17 at 8 p.m., and at the Sunday 3 p.m. matinee the next day (10/18). He’ll also participate in a post show discussion
I want to find out more about the original story. How do I buy the book (or the movie)?
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Please click here for more information on ordering books or DVDs.
How did you get permission to do this?
This production is being offered as a one-time event by special arrangement with Conlan Press and with Peter S. Beagle’s approval.
Can I license a production?
UPDATED- Yes, this is now possible! If you are interested please email lastunicornchicago@yahoo.com.
Let’s talk nuts and bolts. How long is the show?
The show runs about two hours and thirty minutes (subject to change- we haven‘t finished rehearsals yet!), including a fifteen minute intermission about halfway through.
When are performances?
The show runs from October 16-November 14, with performances Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. Official opening is on Saturday 10/17 at 8 p.m., so there is no Saturday matinee that day.
How can I get tickets?
Starting July 15, you can go here to buy tickets online. You can also make a reservation by phone by calling (773) 305-2897. Please wait until July 15- we can’t honor phone reservations made prior to that date.
Where is the performance space?
City Lit is located at 1020 W Bryn Mawr Ave in Chicago, on the 2nd floor of Edgewater Presbyterian Church.
How do we get to your performance space?
The venue is very accessible to public transportation; the Bryn Mawr Red Line el stop is only a couple of blocks away, and the Sheridan and Broadway bus lines make stops near the venue as well. The venue is very close to the Bryn Mawr exit on Lake Shore Drive too. Parking in the immediate area of the theatre is metered and can be difficult to find; for those who are driving, we recommend the following options:
-Look for parking in the residential area west of Broadway. Parking there is free and relatively easy to find, and it’s still a pretty short walk east to the theatre.
-For evening performances only, valet parking is available across the street through Francesca’s, the Italian restaurant across the street at 1039 W. Bryn Mawr. Their fee is $8; let them know you’re there to see a show at City Lit Theater. While their food is excellent and we highly recommend them, dining at their restaurant isn’t required. Make sure you pick your car up before 11 p.m.
Unicorns? This is a kid’s show, right?
No! This piece (and its humor) is designed for grownups to enjoy, with grownup themes and ideas. It isn’t children’s theatre.
But is it still appropriate for my kids?
We welcome kids, but they must have their own ticket and be able to behave appropriately during the show. As far as potentially offensive content goes: the d-word and the h-word do get used a few times, and some of the scenes (with the Harpy or the Red Bull, for example) may be a little intense or violent for very young children. Otherwise it’s pretty kid-safe.
This project is beyond awesome. I want to support it. How can I help out?
We hope you’ll consider Adopting a Unicorn. (more on this in a later post!)
Sunday, June 14, 2009
A leetle announcement....
Hey everyone,
Sorry it's been a while since the last post. I've been helping to get Measure for Measure closed first. Also, this past weekend we had auditions to figure out who in Promethean's ensemble is going to be in The Last Unicorn. And we've decided! Without further ado, let me introduce you to...
Kyla Embrey- she'll be playing Amalthea and others.
Derek Jarvis- he'll be playing Captain Cully and others.
Nick Lake- he'll be playing Schmendrick.
Brian Pastor- he'll be playing Lir and others.
They and approximately ten other awesome actor/storytellers (auditions in July!) will be helping tell this great story. Stay tuned for more info!
Sorry it's been a while since the last post. I've been helping to get Measure for Measure closed first. Also, this past weekend we had auditions to figure out who in Promethean's ensemble is going to be in The Last Unicorn. And we've decided! Without further ado, let me introduce you to...
Kyla Embrey- she'll be playing Amalthea and others.
Derek Jarvis- he'll be playing Captain Cully and others.
Nick Lake- he'll be playing Schmendrick.
Brian Pastor- he'll be playing Lir and others.
They and approximately ten other awesome actor/storytellers (auditions in July!) will be helping tell this great story. Stay tuned for more info!
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