Paradox rehearsals I

So yesterday was the first day of rehearsals and read through of my new play Paradox of the Urban Cliche. For me it was an excersise to keep my ego in check. By the end of reading the first act I had given up the battle and accepted the fact that I had written fire!
The actors we selected were truly professional and dare I say, they fucking brought the business! Warner Miller who is playing Ceez, the main character, attacked the role with authenticity and a sensetivity that helped give Ceez the three dimentional aspect Sarah Sidman- the director- and I had been looking for. Azariah Gunn who plays Smiles, at many times during the read pulled tears from the back of my eyes so much so that I had to keep my eyes on the page during her monologues. Authority, played by Sid Williams with what I like to call a jolly intensity, was the expected magnificence and specificity for the skilled actor that I know him to be. Sheldon Best, the young lion, is playing three characters, Dice Dude, Thug and Agent of Authority. He is the perfect utilitarian actor. I just wish I had puppets in my play for him to work. He is that skilled. I am lucky to have him because he will be a star. The design team is utterly professional and I was a bit embarrassed by the corrections of my spelling errors in front of them. Sarah Sidman has been a tireless supporter of the play since it was four poems and then an incomprehensible one-man play that prompted one mentor of mine to sum his criticism as just, "muMs, I hated it." haha.... He hates it no longer. Thank you Sarah.
I took my moment after the read in the bathroom, in the mirror, to pump my fist and congratulate myself for writing my first full length play. And it is good. Ok, now that that is out of the way let's get to work!
To the Artistic Directors and my fellow members of the Labyrith Theater Company, THANK YOU for the opportunity and mostly for believing in this play even when I didn't.

Paradox of the Urban Cliche running in rep with Greg Keller's Dutch Masters at The Cherry Pit Theater May 14th- 30th. For more information go to www.labtheater.org


-goRealer

Location:8th Ave,New York,United States