Open Rehearsal: The Court Theatre Blog
August 19, 2009
Artists playing artists
The first two days of rehearsal for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom have been a blast and everyone is excited about diving into the world of the blues and 1920’s Chicago. In any rehearsal room, the line between actor and character often can often become indistinct, but Ma Rainey in particular breeds a dynamic in the rehearsal room that is in many ways strikingly similar to that in the play. Much of the play takes place in the band room where the members of Ma’s band rehearse (or avoid rehearsing) before the recording session. They are artists preparing for their performance just like the actors in Court’s show, and this similarity of circumstance makes it especially easy for the world of the play to melt into the reality of the rehearsal room. The actors tease other with the same language that their characters use, and I caught Greta (Ma Rainey) already playing the mom as she tackled the dirty dishes in the sink. It will be interesting to see how not only the scenes develop as the actors get on their feet, but also how the relationships and language of the play continue to influence the vibe during rehearsal.
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