[rocky] Professionalism killed the Rocky star

[jrising]

There was a fantastic discussion at the Rocky party about the state of the cast. The vocal consensus was this:

There's an undercurrent of over-professionalism at the show. In small but definite ways, the drive for professionalism stifles some of the fun of the show and makes working at it a chore. Because the show isn't as much fun, it isn't as good, and the audience has noticed. Both directors, theater 3, and Acid's absence were blamed for these problems.

It's so tough to disentangle real harmful effects from nostalgia. So, tell me: do you agree? Have we gained the world and lost our soul (or raised the bar and broken our backs)? The drive for screen accuracy can push us to do better, but if it drives out jokes and connecting with the audience-- if our performance just duplicates the film-- do we want it? The cast members used to work up the audience waiting outside before the show. Does anyone do that now? We have such a great group, and we can fix these problems, but maybe not without big changes.

Feel free to post anonymously or email me separately.

Comments

[just-al.livejournal.com]

For anyone reading this thread who doesn't know me, allow myself to introduce.... myself

I saw Rocky in Harvard Square for the first time in 1987. Early February, dog assed cold and the cast nearly sold out theatre 1. Never been before only had seen the time warp on MTV once or twice but got dragged by friends and the whole experience just SUCKED ME IN HARD.

Between the audience participation (including the rice, squirt guns etc), and the semi naked women I was hooked, but what REALLY stood out was that the actors were literally the mirror image of the screen. It was totally freaky.

I was still in highschool so I went when I could which wasn't often until the next year when I graduated and I had joined the cast on Halloween 1988.

The cast was ran by one person, no preshow coordinator, and no other authority figure except a technical director who just basically made sure that the very, very small tech crew had their shit setup on time and the right things happened without the tekkies getting under foot.

That person was Mimi and damn at times did I hate her. I was just trying to have fun, contribute and hopefully get laid and if I fucked up at ALL she just LOWERED THE BOOM.

After a while though, I never fucked up and I was so invested with pride in what the cast accomplished that I was ready to lower the boom, not that I had one, on anyone who fucked up or worst, phoned in a show.

See, back then, we believed we were the best rocky cast in the country. Not because we were superior, not because we were better actors and tekkies, but simply because we wanted to put on the best show in the country and we were wiling to do what it took to make that happen.

Mimi in her heyday was the best director to ever step foot in the harvard square theatre, but eventually she lost her way and was forced out.

Directors came and went after that. But the standard that was set by Mimi and the people who followed her leadership remained.

I have been a tekkie at the show, headed up lights, played 2 different parts and even directed so I've seen a bit of it all.

When I was on lights we took great pride in being a better crew than props. Props took pride in being a better crew than lights (but they were wrong)

The actors took pride in their screen accuracy and their costumes but also brought CHARACTER to their performances. Just take a look at Arthur the next time you see him play brad and you will see a consumate professional who is still having a GREAT TIME and entertaining the shit out of the audience.

As a director I was the one who instituted rolling auditions. I took a lot of shit from my friends for the results from time to time. It was worth it however because we had KICKASSED actors on stage.

When I joined the show, all the props fit in a steamer trunk and the "lights" fit in 2 stolen milk crates and that included the floor lights and extension cords.

The Full Body Cast has come a long way since then. People come and, yes, people go, but the attitude and the professionalism remain. You can be professional and have fun. Hell, putting on the best show you can to give the best product to your consumers should be fun or why are you doing it for free?

I've rambled quite a bit, but maybe I made a point in there somewhere. Maybe I should try to go to sleep.

[jrising.livejournal.com]

This was great to read. I'd heard about that time in FBC's history before, but never in that detail.

Based on people's comments, I'm convinced that professionalism alone is not the problem at all. Being professional should mean taking pride in doing everything possible to put on a good show.

I think one difference is that we don't consider ourselves the best in the country any more, although I've never seen better. But because that's the perception, we aren't shooting for the sky in our effort, so we end up focusing on what won't lower the boom on our heads.

[asavitzk.livejournal.com]

A large percentage of our cast is new and by that I mean they've been around less than 3 years or so. A large percentage of us has also not been to many conventions or other casts' performances so it's hard for them to think we're the best but it should also be hard for them to NOT think we're the best - they just don't know.

*I* think we're the best. I have to. And most times I think I'm right too. But there's no point in getting everyone together for a big cumbaya and tell them we're the best because that would be empty. They have to go to other shows and find out for themselves. I would think that with so many of us performing with other casts that word would trickle down but oh well.