The Bloody Doors Off

It’s less than a week before the staged readings take place.

I sat in on the rehearsal again today. I’d added 3 pages earlier in the week. Expanded the ending. I think it plays much better now.

One of our actors is 10 years old; she’s amazing. Her mother was there to pick her up after the rehearsal and told me she’d read the new pages, and it made her cry (in a good way). Getting feedback like that, it floored me. Yes, I am hoping the story resonates, but to be told that by a neutral party? Wow.

On my way home, I crumbled a little bit. Because yes, this is almost over. A week from now and I’ll be wondering what’s next. Will I be working on expanding this further? Will I be satisfied and put it to rest (or, gasp, try to get it published)? (Chances are, it’ll be the former.) I’m already thinking about the story, and how I found so much more to tell since it was dramaturged in November. Deep down, I suspect there’s more narrative to mine.

I’m going to ask Ron (my dramaturge) if he’d consider continuing working with me on this afterwards. If I ever had the opportunity to produce this, I’d ask Jaclyn to direct it as well. I see her vision in the script reading, and love what she brought to the table. And I take it as a compliment when she said earlier today, “I so want to block this out”.