[Chicago Slices raw: New Tuners Workshop]

NEW TUNERS/SCHOOLBOARD SHUFFLE Theater company practicing ten minute musical tuners. School board is the subject matter, and students in the New Tuners Workshop write the musicals in conjunction with feedback from the actors. Actors are involved with all levels of script production.

00:00Copy video clip URL New Tuners in full run through of four 10-minute original musicals.

01:08Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing.

02:13Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Continue rehearsal. Actors sing about Jason ruining Jennifer’s life for wearing a dress to the prom and Jennifer dumping punch on him.

04:27Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Rehearsal continues.

06:26Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Rehearsal continues.

07:12Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Jason questions what “normal” is.

08:39Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Rehearsal continues.

10:33Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Rehearsal continues.

11:23Copy video clip URL First play ends. Various moments from rehearsal of the second musical comedy.

12:30Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Rehearsal continues.

14:02Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Rehearsal continues.

15:44Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Rehearsal continues.

16:48Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Rehearsal continues.

18:01Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Rehearsal continues.

19:00Copy video clip URL Rehearsal begins for the 10-minute musical Rosie.

19:29Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Rehearsal continues.

21:47Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Rehearsal continues.

22:54Copy video clip URL B-roll of the team in theater seats watching rehearsal.

23:10Copy video clip URL Rehearsal continues on stage.

23:47Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing.

24:17Copy video clip URL Backstage interview with the cast. They introduce themselves: Rosemarie Casas, Kirsten Diefendorf, Lucinda Johnston, Matt Fahey. They explain the concept: first time authors write a 10-minute musical centered around the theme of issues related to a rural school board. They say the first run through went well, no one had to stop for lines.

26:28Copy video clip URL The actors make it clear that they are the actors, others have written the musicals. The show begins this weekend. Today is only the first run through, there’s a lot of work to be done.

27:24Copy video clip URL Fahey says he’s with New Tuners because he gets to explore the collaborative process a little differently than at other theaters. Casas joined the theater because they hired her. Diefendorf performs at the theater for the challenge and training. Johnston says she’s here because it’s a job and adds that adapting to the changes that come in rehearsal to rehearsal is the most frustrating part of this experience.

30:12Copy video clip URL Fahey says he likes the experience because he is in on the creative process from the beginning. This kind of short form musical by first time authors has not been done before in the region. The actors were cast before a script was written so the writers wrote stories and characters tailored for the actors. The actors had input in the creation of  the stories.

31:38Copy video clip URL The actors say that the theme for the shows were decided by the New Tuners project in Los Angeles.

32:00Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Continued discussion about the New Tuners project. The idea of a 10-minute musical is only 3 years old, but New Tuners has been around a lot longer.

33:01Copy video clip URL Some of the actors share stories of funny things that have happened during rehearsals: one accidentally burped during her song. An actor spontaneously dances for camera.

33:40Copy video clip URL The guitarist, Rob Zettel, talks about how he got the job.

34:02Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Zettel continues talking about his role in the show and how it is different from the music shows he gives in that now he has to play something of a character on stage while playing the accompanying music.

34:33Copy video clip URL The actors talk about the challenges of musical theater. You have to make the song work within the scene and character.

35:40Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. The actors talk about which songs are their favorite.

36:37Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Videographer asks about the double use of two characters in the first musical. The actors explain that the two characters have four actors playing them to signify the character in past and present tense.

36:58Copy video clip URL The actors tell where they are from: Fahey, Indiana; Johnston; Dallas and Wisconsin; Rosemarie is from Chicago and adds she is scarred for life because as a child she was an audience member of the Bozo the Clown show and the Ringmaster thought she was a boy. Diefendorf is from Upstate New York.

41:08Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Diefendorf says she enjoyed New Tuners for the diversity the stories and characters offer.

42:45Copy video clip URL Alan Chambers, dramaturg and artistic coordinator of the 10-minute musical project, introduces himself.

43:00Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Chambers notes that he is responsible for liaison between the writing teams and the production team, and brings all the components together.

44:19Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Chambers continues that audiences can expect to see a show in different stages of development each time they arrive. Audiences will see staged readings, sit down readings, a 10-minute musical or a full length world premiere.

45:54Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Interview with Ruth Higgins, producer and General Manager talking about the history and mission of New Tuners. They want to develop Midwest writers and showcase new talent. She says the tradition of musical theater is in the East. A lot now is coming from the West. She wants to develop talent in the Midwest.

48:03Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Higgins talks about the pride in accomplishing so much as producer: fifty premieres with first time writers.

49:14Copy video clip URL In the theater, the actors and production team coordinate the arrangement of program.

49:48Copy video clip URL Zettel promotes his band’s upcoming show to camera.

51:47Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Actors backstage as rehearsal is about to continue. They comment on what they think about when backstage about to go on: “I need water.” “I shouldn’t have had that Diet Coke; I’ll burp.” “I have to go to the bathroom.”

53:05Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing.

54:42Copy video clip URL Actors on stage rehearsing the musical.

55:18Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Actors on stage rehearsing the musical.

58:20Copy video clip URL Piano player plays. Dramaturg rehearses the introduction. Actors on stage rehearsing the musical.

59:36Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Actors on stage rehearsing the musical.

1:01:02Copy video clip URL Many video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing.

1:02:12Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Actors on stage rehearsing the musical.

1:02:15Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Actors on stage rehearsing the musical.

1:03:36Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Actors on stage rehearsing the musical.

1:06:05Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Actors on stage rehearsing the musical.

1:09:55Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Actors backstage after rehearsal. They prepare to take the stage for another run through.

1:11:11Copy video clip URL Casas on stage running through a song.

1:12:12Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing.

1:13:08Copy video clip URL Casas finishes her song.

1:15:15Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Actors on stage rehearsing the musical.

1:17:17Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Actors on stage rehearsing the musical.

1:18:45Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Actors on stage rehearsing the musical.

1:19:28Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Actors on stage rehearsing the musical. Focus on the accompanying pianist and tilt up to stage.

1:20:57Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Actors on stage rehearsing the musical.

1:21:54Copy video clip URL Video drop outs. Stop/re-start digitizing. Actors on stage rehearsing the musical.

1:23:16Copy video clip URL END