A WEEK TO SCRAMBLE

It has been a week to scramble.

After holding auditions last Sunday night for Murdering Marlowe, we went to work on making choices on how to cast the show. That is why I've been away this week.

You can go back and forth on what to do about casting a show. We had some fine talent show up and I would say all went well, except for the fact that we didn't have enough men to cover the parts for the play. Damn. Damn. Damn.

So the week was spent making emails and phone calls, trying to find people to fill out the show. I think I hit 1 for 8 from the field. Not my best week in office. The problem is that we're pretty shrewd about casting. This isn't the little league baseball team where everyone gets to play regardless of talent. If you don't fit the part or the play, and I can't wedge you in somehow, we don't do it. That's it.

That's not arrogance. It's a responsibility to the audience that sees the work. It's also a responsibility to the playwright who wrote the piece.

I've had to reschedule a few shows due to that situation. This is because I believe it's important to have the best people you can find on stage. Especially for a show that will be getting a Chicago premiere. That might sound tough but you have to have some guiding principles or standards.

Still, I was encouraged by the auditions, which featured some wonderful women and some energizing men.

Now the trick is finding a way to cast the play, or move on to a new production. I have a few days. The clock is ticking.