More blocking tonight -- this time with Kevin, the younger of the two Mamillii. He was a bit shy at first, but he catches on quickly. He was also responsible for the best quote of the evening: in reference to Roger, "Yeah, the one with the orange hair."
The first part of II,1 a bit of a headache to get through; in addition to glossing the script for Kevin, we also had a huge number of people milling about (Hermione and two -- soon to be three -- ladies, Mamillius, Leontes and four lords). Confess that I nearly lost my temper at one point when everyone was talking at once and bustling in circles. And MechLab 251 absolutely BITES as a rehearsal space -- there is a big, absolutely immovable table right in the middle of the room. Led to some amusing acrobatics on the part of Leontes and Antigonus as they chose to vault over the table where on the real stage they would have just walked straight through.
But it all turned out well in the end, so that was all right. The second half of II,1 went more smoothly, partly because it has about a third of the people of the first half. Nick Collins' Lord was hilarious -- the epitome of the smooth-talking, self-promoting, kissing-up politician. Antigonus, as a model of reason who does not play these games, is a perfect contrast.
Also got through a couple of the short scenes: Cleomenes and Dion in III,1 and Camillo and Archidamus in I,1. Both turned out very well, with some good cameraderie within each pairing, and active, purposeful movements. Both scenes could easily be boring or blown off; what we've developed should, one hopes, obviate that.
Sent out some rather nattering e-mails this morning about tech stuff -- set design meeting is scheduled for tomorrow. It's not panic time yet, although it is getting to the point where we need to start actively worrying about set, lights, costume, publicity, and so on. Press packets, I am told, are due to go out this week. And we have Autry House for rehearsals now! Also sent out a call for extras. It looks like we'll need no more than three men and three women, at most, to dance and mill about for the sheep-shearing feast, and so far I've already gotten exactly that number of responses (although at this point I don't know who's available when, or precisely when they'll be needed -- except as far as the last rehearsals and the show dates go, of course). If you, gentle reader, are not already involved in the show and are interested in being an extra, let me know.