Last Wednesday found me at an evening rehearsal of Flipside. The play is just days away and a lot of anxious energy abounds. Warm-up unfolded as usual… lots of ululating and other voice work. I also noted the lighting, which was very, very cool and conveys the overall mood of the play. There was an amalgamation of blue, purple, and magenta undertones almost… somewhat dark, but not too heavy with mood. I’m not a lighting expert or anything… but whenever I watch films or attend a theatrical production I always pay attention to lighting and colors. These elements, while seemingly insignificant, are a huge component on the stage’s visual design and the overall theme of the content being performed. It literally paints the stage like water colors on a canvas. French auteur Catherine Breillat’s knack for being obsessive about color and lighting in her films and watching the movie, The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover while not theater per se, did play a huge role in my keen eye for realizing the importance of  stage/film lighting and the richness of the colors used on a set. The decision to seemingly use a lot of blue/purplish undertones lends to Flipside‘s predominantly urban setting and gritty dialogue.

During this particular evening, I also got to hear another song, while the cast rehearsed the “Bad Mother” scene. Actor, Taneisha Duggan (with vocal back-up from Julia Rosenblatt and Cindy Martinez), belted out a tune of the same title, The song was very bluesy and its beat seemed to draw elements from the musical stylings of Amy Winehouse. I was definitely impressed with Taneisha’s vocal prowess and the song. There was some discussion about the song’s tempo needing to be raised to help round it out. Of course, the cast went over my favorite song (that has found a nice, cushy spot in my head)- On The Flipside of Things. Notably, Cindy’s spoken-word performance his carried through with a very Floetry-like beat. The music I’m hearing, is definitely soundtrack worthy… and I look forward to seeing everything come together in its entirety!

While the actors (and director) have definitely become a bit more self-contained as the opening date looms just on the cusp, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention what great camaraderie, which I’d imagine helps take the edge off a little bit as everyone gets into gear.

In a shocking development, this past Wednesday night also marked the very first time I’ve ever heard Ricky, the sound technician, speak! It was nothing short of a miracle, because this happened when he spoke… I swear it did…