Jerry Rapier, director: Dave Evanoff (musical director), Cynthia Fleming (choreographer) and I have been spending quite a bit of time together. We've met several times to be sure we're on the same page as we head into rehearsal. Standard stuff.
The twist is this - we're actually holding a series of pre-rehearsal rehearsals, just the three of us, to map out the show. Why? Because GO, DOG. GO! is anything but standard stuff. My approach to directing is usually text-based. But that doesn't work so well with a stage adaptation of a book containing about 75 words!
It's energizing to have to work differently, to have to think of the spectacle first. Every day I see Keven Myhre's amazing set and props evolving and I can't help but smile. Smile, smile, smile. I have never smiled so much preparing for a show.
The prospect of creating childhood memories of such a beloved story for kids while recreating childhood memories for their parents and grandparents just makes me, well, smile.
I'm all kinds of giddy to spend the next three weeks creating our living pop-up book and even more so for you to spend the month of December inside it!
David Evanoff, musical director: The music for GO, DOG. GO!, while child-like or rather, cartoon-like is fun for kids and adults. It’s a great cross section of silent movie music, jazz, swing and classic show biz. It never stops! Once the show begins, the roller coaster of music starts and doesn't end until final bows. For this reason I've decided to bring in some computer assistance. I'll be playing along with my computer. Every aspect of the music is still very live, tempo and dynamics change as I need them to, because of a very sophisticated computer system. This also allows me to play many different instruments during the course of the show. I'll be playing keyboards, accordion, drums, piano and even my cell phone!
For the Salt Lake Acting Company’s production of GO, DOG. GO! I've put together my own arrangements of the music. I wanted the music to have a much bigger presence that just that of a solo piano. It now sounds like a cartoon score, full of all of the fun kids and big kids would expect from a play about dogs!
Bow, wow, wow!
Cynthia Fleming, choreographer: After a week of meeting with Jerry and Dave I’m now ready to choreograph. When I think about the choreography in GO, DOG. GO! two words come to mind: stylized and synchronized. I inherently know what those words mean, but I thought it might be fun to know the definition.
Synchronized – to cause to occur or operate with exact coincidence in time or rate. The first number I’m working on is called Introductions, it’s where the stage will be filled with a rush of black and white dogs on scooters. My goal is that our actors will operate the scooters with exact coincidence, hence GO, DOG. GO! Synchronized Scooter Ballet will be born.
Stylized – to design in or cause to conform to a particular style, as of representation or treatment in art; conventionalize. The next number is Hattie’s waltz. Hattie is a beautiful pink dog that reappears in the course of the play wearing a different hat. She has a feminine sensibility to her, her waltz will be designed to the particular style of ballet. She will bourrée, passé, pas de chat and jeté into our hearts. What else will you see? Dogs in trees snapping their fingers to a jazzy 50’s beat, a conga line, tap dancing on bubble wrap and there’s more……..but I’ve got to get back to work.
