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Show Is truth dawning? Left to right: Goodies Karri Hays, Bob Toy and Timothy Schomburg ponders the twists in "own Moench I the plot of potboiler "Deadwood Dick." I The drama is behind the scenes as Deadwood City faces opening night by ROBIN MOENCH Record copy editor What makes a Park City melodrama run? Well, in the case of Park City Performances' "Deadwood Dick," it's the job of director Richard Scott and his assistant, Mitzi Ashton, to get the show on the right track. Then character questions and technical problems are hashed out in rehearsal a long string of run-throughs run-throughs in which the actors learn lines by flubbing them, corrected by a prompter with a copy of the script, and work out their blocking (movement across the stage) while technicians experiment with lighting and sound. The fledgling show tests its wings ' on dress rehearsal night, when players in full costume run word perfect (they hope) through their parts, the stage furniture, painted sets and props are in place ( usually) and the technical cues (with few exceptions) are in order. At least, that's how it went more : or less, considerably less or more, , (in the words of a character, Judge Nix) at the "Deadwood Dick" dress rehearsal the night before the show opened last weekend. To give you a taste of pre opening night excitement (and silliness), here's a little of what went on just before the lights went up. ' ' "Whoa, Sea. Biscuit, whoa," laughs Jim Black (he plays the bartender) as a sound track of whinnying, snorting horses thunders unexpectantly from the loud speaker. speak-er. The actors, in costume, begin to gather in the auditorium of the Egyptian as the crew up in the technician's booth at the back of the theater fine tune their light and sound magic. Rows of stained glass pharaohs hood the house lights along tne walls. If they're excited, they don't show it. On stage, Frank Harris (the sheriff) peruses his script under the "Mantrap Saloon" sign (with backward Ns) that has been added since the last rehearsal. There's also a new "Secret Panel" (with backward N) sign on stage right. Jackie Toy (Lily Blossom, a heroine) rushes from the exit. "Frank, you did such a good job cleaning the theater... I had a red plastic bag with a pair of suede boots..." She searches, unsucessful-ly, unsucessful-ly, under the seats in the first few rows. Connie Jean Boyle, in her Teetotal Annie getup complete with "Down With Demon Rum" button, eases off her unfamiliar costume pumps in the center stage and takes a seat. Director Richard Scott cradles a moose head (part of the set), settling it in a prime seat on the aisle. "Enjoy the show," he says, giving it a pat. He disappears backstage, reappearing reap-pearing to call up to the tech booth, "Frank, do you have the keys to the office? Look for the little box of blanks in the desk... Mitzi, whose holster is this?" Mitzi's out of sight in the tech booth, too. It's Mitzi's holster, and Bob Toy (the hero, Ned Harris) offers to put a few holes in it to make it fit his waist "Is this your favorite holster?" hol-ster?" "I like it When he has another thought. "Can you take it off, put it on another belt? Wait, I'll come up." He vanishes from center stage! "Richard, the office is open and there's no sign of blanks..." calls Frank. . From backstage, "shucks.. .shucks." Tim Schomburg (another hero,. Bill) appears from the basement dressing mom. a stuhbled beard drawn on his lace with charcoal. "Ijonks good," says Connie. Tim; "Do 1 look scuzzy now? The Park Record (promotional photograph) made me look like a baby-face kid from New York." He's in his good-guy ensemble of buckskin jacket and round-crown hat, rifle in hand. Roxanne Shapiro (who's onstage during the entire play, tickling the ivories) emerges from the wings. Tim: "Roxanne kinda looks like Miss Kitty in 'Gunsmoke'... Hey, Miss Kitty, you lookin' for the marshal?" She's a saloonkeeper in net stockings, choker, lacey blue garter. Roxanne and Kate McCutchan (who helped arrange the, old-time piano score) put their heads together. "Richard," wonders Roxanne, "is there any reason why you took the top off the piano?" "I took it off to put it back on," he explains. "Oh. Because I can't play it that way." "Mitzi, is it OK to put blanks in this gun?" Richard asks the darkness at the back of the house. "Does it work?" "Richard," comes the reply, "do you know how to hook up the headset in this sound room?" Richard loads the revolver with ; blanks-"OK, folks, watch this" and clicks off a few ear-splitting shots. Karri Hays (Rose Blossom, another an-other heroine) dances by in her costume and spreads its skirt to show Richard. "I think I'm gonna come up tomorrow and paint a border around that window," muses Roxanne. , "Everything on that set is so dark." "So tell me, do you come here often?" Jim takes a seat beside the moose head. " "You guys do not have steps for your entrances on that platform." It was .jettisoned out the back door by players from the opera, "Tosca." "Don't worry, we're gonna get' you a rope..." It's a good drop from platform to floor. Richard's joking, of course. "Blackman Redburn, I presume," says Julie Bruff (Calamity Jane) as Clayton Maw, dressed in villain's black and clutching a whip, comes in from the street. He's been delayed by traffic from the ParkWest concert. , "Julie looks so cute." Roxanne whispers to Connie and Anita Coletti (Piano Annie). Carol Menconi walks by. "Hey, you guys... I think Carol deserves a big hand for the costumes," Anita shouts. Yeaaa, the players yell. As Roxanne takes her seat at the upright piano and begins to play, the chorus gravitates to the stage and starts to warm up, singing scales ("Faster," urges Roxanne). The lights switch on and off just testing as 16 or so real estate agents, housewives, students, photographers actors athletes, run tnrough a spirited "Deadwood City," belting out "pit of the wild frontier" with plenty of pit. Richard, in a final pep talk: "Anybody have costume problems?" prob-lems?" Julie, laughing: "Five pounds." "You can have five of mine. What we're gonna do, we're not gonna put blanks in your guns. Shots will come from offstage... "Everybody looks a little disappointed. "Tonight we're gonna run it just like a show... no lines, nobody on book at all. . . those who enter and exit left of stage, we've eot an OSHA-guaranteed stepladder there, no problem. .you climb right up... we'll do our best to get a frame for the window..." "Levolors,' somebody calls out. "Beige, of course. Any questions? OK, same energy as last night, keep it up.. .let's go, have a good show." The lights go down. "Who's this sweet young thing?" someone gives the moose a final pat. Tonight the only audience eyes the show with something that looks like approval. but tomorrow... "OK , let s go! Places!'.' |