Author Archives: lsegel

At rehearsal tonight for The Glass Menagerie, the actors performed what is called a “stumble through,” in which the show is run without using the scripts.  It continues to be very exciting to watch these four talented performers depend only on themselves and their characterizations, which has been the case all along; they are all very successful. This show is going to be amazing!

The lighting designer, Larry Segel, was in attendance to discuss the lighting for the show, and that was also a treat.  The set design is going to be wonderful, and will help establish the tone of the show.  Without giving too much away, I will say that you will feel like you are present in the lives of these four people.

Let me also say that there are some modern things being blended into the show to give it a contemporary edge while still maintaining the depth and perfection of the play.  Lexi Deschene is doing an incredibly job as director, assisted by Nicholas Meunier. This production will leave you breathless!

Keep a look out for more on The Glass Menagerie presented by the Theatre Company of Saugus, August 9 – 11 & 16 – 18, 2013.  Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30 PM, and Sunday performances are at 2:00, at the East Saugus United Methodist Church.

This is a very exciting rehearsal of The Glass Menagerie, because tonight we are in a different rehearsal space.  The wonderful thing is that the actors are adjusting to it so well, and they are playing the scenes perfectly.

Another wonderful thing I have noticed in tonight’s rehearsal is the way the actors are reacting during certain moments. “Acting is reacting,” right?  For example, there is a wonderful scene between Amanda and Laura, and both actresses do a superb job reacting to each other!

Another scene rehearsed tonight was between the characters of Jim and Laura, in which they discuss their past. To watch scenes such as these develop is such a treat. This plat is so well-written that, as I have said before, the writing lends itself to the performers. These four actors truly understand their roles, and are very dedicated to making this production amazing, which I have no doubt it will be. All I can say is that if these amazing moments make me tear up during the rehearsals, just think what will happen during the actual performances!

Each of the characters in The Glass Menagerie are multifaceted, but do you have a favorite character trait that you are able to explore in your particular role? 

“I think each of the characters have their own way of hiding, so it’s been really interesting to play with what that means in terms of Tom.” 

Does Tom have any traits that remind you of yourself? Do you have any life experiences that you can apply to the character? 

“I think Tom and I are at similar times in our lives; we’re both young adults that are learning to stand on our own two feet, and we’re exploring our identities.” 

What does The Glass Menagerie mean to you as a theatre artist? 

“I love Tennessee Williams as a poet, which is something I have a passion for. He uses words in ways that no other playwright has before.” 

Although you are still in the early phases of the rehearsal process, do you have a favorite moment in the show? 

“I don’t want to give too much away, but I love the opportunities we’ve found for small moments between Tom and Laura, exploring their relationship as siblings and playing around with that brother-sister love.” 

How has your experience with the Theatre Company of Saugus been thus far? 

“I worked with TCS as a youth member a very long time ago, and I’ve had a warm and welcoming return.” 

As a performer, what has been one of your favorite roles to perform? 

“I’ve had the opportunity to play both Louis Ironson and Roy Cohn in Angels in America, and that was a really special experience.” 

How have your previous roles and theatrical experiences prepared you to play such a complex role? 

“I recently received my BFA in Theatre Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University, so I’ve been training for this type of work.” 

What are you most looking forward to in delivering this wonderful piece of theatre on opening night? As a performer, what would you like the audience’s reaction to be? 

“I hope the audience takes away a sense of freedom. I feel like each character is trapped in one way or another, but they’re fighting really hard to find their freedom. I hope the audience can find that within themselves, and maybe remove themselves from whatever situations they may be trapped in.” 

The symbolism in this play is so strong. How do you feel about the way Williams incorporates metaphors? 

“I love it. My favorite metaphor in the play is Malvolio the Magician; I’ll leave it at that because I don’t want to give anything away, but hopefully the audience will be excited for that.” 

How do you feel about being the one character that break the fourth wall and speaks directly to the audience? 

“I am in love with breaking the fourth wall. I love direct address, and Tom can be look at as such a villainous character, but I think in these monologues, Tom gets to unzip himself and find some really vulnerable moments, fingers crossed!”