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Yesterday was the day people either love or fear or despise.I’m not talking about just the potential cast.No….the directors feel a few of those emotions as well.Let’s start with me. I pick the musical–in this case Singing in the Rain— I start researching. I spend time with the vision and the main plot of the story. I look for inspiration from other productions and photos and images from the time…

If You Don’t Stand Up For Yourself No One Will

Recently a friend of mine updated her blog and started it with something like this, “I’m writing in my blog…is that even a thing anymore?” I will admit, I’m slow to follow the crowd. I waited until people didn’t really read blogs anymore to start mine. I waited until the craze of YouTube died down to start my own channel…you name it…I probably waited too long. In thinking about my weaknesses—I…

Something “Wicked” This Way Comes

Have you ever heard that “nothing is original anymore”? I sometimes think that is true in theater as well. Or maybe we follow, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” instead. Since “Wicked” came to stage there has been a serious trend to COPY the success of the skeleton of musicals, I.E. the rap of Hamilton lead to more rap in musicals…Jersey Boys led to Motown and much more. I admit at one time I saw…

Do You Believe in Miracles?

I do. I believe in imagination, dreaming, and love at first sight. I love cheesy Hallmark movies– movies–eveneven if there is fake snow. But none of that really involves a miracle. When I was younger, I believed that miracles were something that rarely happened. I thought that they occurred in Bible times–but rarely any more. The older that I get, I realize that sometimes miracles are all around…

Did that Really Just Happen?

I’m not sure why I have fallen away from my schedule to write once a week. Every week I think about what I would say to you, my readers–then before you know it–the week is over and I didn’t write. I feel so busy. I’m not sure if it is because I am older or that the COVID hiatus took more out of me than I knew? Or maybe it is that Overshadowed lost many of their volunteers during the “break” and I…

In Moments of Loss

Why is it that I have stories dancing around in my head, but the process is so difficult to put down on paper? They dance and swirl and, in my head, are so vivid and meaningful…and then I put my computer in front of me and all creativity stops. I read a little, dream a little, watch things on TV, and try again. Sometimes I repeat that step over and over until I can crank out one scene or…

More Than the Words on the Page

Opening night is four days away! Thank you, God! Wow! What a battle it has been this summer! Battle for time. Battle for actors to fill the roles. Battle for production staff and team…well, the list could go on. But here we are. Four days away. I’m thinking about time a lot lately. Maybe because Sunday was the 21st anniversary of September 11th and the horrific events of that day only took 103…

It has been a whirlwind summer. Every week I think, “I want to write about this.” And every week I cannot seem to scrape together the time to write even a few sentences. I’m not sure why….I mean, it doesn’t feel excessively more busy than summers BEFORE COVID and yet every time I sat down to work on the play I was writing for this fall-something big would happen that needed my attention. We went…

The Second Rule of the Effective Speaker

When I was a freshman taking beginning speech we all had to memorize “The Ten Rules of Effective Speaking.” When we talked about it last year I’m sure I said that I didn’t really appreciate those rules in speech class and certainly didn’t really understand them. I do now. I want to be effective in my speech. I want people to listen to me and I want my words to matter. Is it possible? I think it…

The Importance of Theater Camp or What Mary Poppins Taught Me

Several years ago we mounted the very large full-scaled production of Mary Poppins on our regular stage. It was a large, full of special effects, show that pushed us to be better that we were. Flash forward several years and I decided that I wanted to do a theater camp that didn’t need much work costume or set wise since we all ready had both from the full production that we had produced several…

“Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep”

Did you ever say this prayer when you were younger? “Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should did before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” As a child I was full of worry and anxiety. My parents would take Bible verses and paste them on the doors and mirrors to remind me that God is in control and that worry is a sin. Knowing that it is a sin doesn’t…

Why Do You Watch What You Do? Part Two.

“Why, if you are interested in the country only for the sake of painting it, you’ll never learn to see the country.” “No, You’re forgetting,” said the Spirit. “That’s not how you began. Light itself was your first love: you loved paint only as a means of telling about light.” “Oh, that was ages ago,” said the Ghost. “One grows out of that. Of course, you haven’t seen my later works. One becomes…

What in the World Are You Watching These Days?

Did you ever sing this song when you were younger? “Oh be careful little eyes, what you seeOh be careful little eyes, what you seeFor the Father up above is looking down in tender loveSo be careful little eyes, what you see.“ I’m not exactly sure who wrote the song, but I do believe that it is wrapped in wise advice. Entertainment has many options for you to consider. Many of them are filled with…

How is Your Audition Process Different From Professionals or Is It?

We filmed this almost a month ago, but when I watched this last night I was struck with how appropriate it was for my week. Those of you who follow me on instagram (rebahervas.direct.plan.read) know that the audition process grieves me. Yes, it acutally makes me sick. It isn’t just a process for me. I feel the emotions of those of you who audition. I cheer for you, I want you to fit the part and…

Love God. Love Others.

Many of you know that the catch phrase of Overshadowed Theatrical Productions is “Theater With a Difference.” There are many things that make us “different.” At the top of that list is that we don’t produce and perform primarily for entertainment. We perform because our God is a creator and has given us the means to tell stories. Some of these stories entertain, but many of them inspire or point…

Everyone of Us Can Be Great

Everyone of us has a reason that we do or do not go see a show or concert or recital. That’s fair. Time is precious. Why waste it with something that you have no interest in seeing? Is it possible, though, that we miss rare opportunities to better ourselves or to learn something that will make us better people by removing a prejudice and seeing something that we thought might not interest us? I…