I just got home from the first read-through for Empty Space Productions’ Edward II, and I had a great time!  I’m happy to be working with a bunch of old friends from The Winter’s Tale and The Three Musketeers, and looking forward to working with new people as well.

I already know the show is going to be great.  Even though Edward II is not a comedy, there were lots of laughs throughout the evening, and everyone seems to really be getting along, which is always awesome right at the get-go.  There can often be some apprehension at the start, especially if you don’t know anyone going in!  But luckily there didn’t seem to be any of that… so that’s good!

I’ve got my work cut out for me.  I’ve actually got quite a big part (well, three to be precise, but I’m referring to my main part) and my character, Lancaster, seems to like to use many big words.  I was stumbling over words like “seizeth,” “sepulchre,” and “pliny.”  So any time I stumbled over a word, I made sure to circle it in my script so when I’m reviewing my lines, I can look up the proper pronunciation!

(It’s so embarrassing to mispronounce a word onstage.  While I was directing Curse of the Cobra’s Kiss, I gave one of my actors the wrong pronunciation of “curare” and didn’t realize it until the rehearsal photographer pointed it out to me.  Duh…  Although the most embarrassing mispronunciation was “La Guardia” in Annie Warbucks… jeez.  Anyway, I digress.)

Because I’m playing three different parts, I highlighted my lines in three different colours — yellow for Lancaster, pink for the Bishop of Winchester, and orange for Rice ap Howell.   I can’t decide if I’m being organized or overly anal.  Either way, I’m looking forward to the next rehearsal, and starting to work on developing my characters.  Lots of work to be done, but lots to look forward to!