by Mikel Rouse
We had our first dress rehearsal for Dennis Cleveland on Friday. What a sight. I'm so tempted to post photos of the cast, but I don't want to give up the ghost, so to speak. This was our last dress rehearsal and then we opened on Saturday. I'm still so pleased by the character of this Toronto cast and so grateful for how well everyone is getting along. We've had some minor bumps in the road (to be expected with a show with so many moving parts) that involved a lot of waiting around, not unlike a film shoot. Through it all, everyone has remained upbeat and positive.
 Dennis Cleveland Highschool Class of 2008
There are so many factors to keep track of with Dennis Cleveland. Yes, it's a live show that's performed on stage. but it's also an optical and aural illusion. And we're upping the bombardment of TV by having multiple views on the television monitors so you have multiple perspectives of the show. The video crew and camera crew are constantly trying to capture shots of the performers and audience to create a visual field to accompany the music. There are so many factors that have to combine correctly for the entire effect to work. It looks like a free-for-all but it's anything but. It's a very structured work from beginning to end.
We got all the monitors in the air yesterday and I can't believe what a wonderful job James Cameron has done with this set. Very simple and elegant but so perfectly suited to the scale of the room. And Jason Boyd, our lighting designer, has managed to highlight the best elements of the design. When I saw the set lit for the first time I was blown away.
 Sound Check for Dennis Cleveland
In a lot of ways, Chris Ericson, our sound designer, has the toughest job. I've been working with Chris since 2005 when we first build The End Of Cinematics together. He never fails to knock me out, and this show is no exception. But his job is made even more complex by the need to integrate the talk show hosts roaming mic with the other amplified elements of the show. We'll know we've got it down when he brings out his framed photo of Chuck Norris.
Mikel Rouse is a New York-based composer, director, performer and recording artist hailed as “a composer many believe to be the best of his generation.” (NY Times 2002) His works include 25 records, 7 films (including Funding and Music For Minorities), and a trilogy of media operas: Failing Kansas, Dennis Cleveland and The End Of Cinematics. More information is available at www.mikelrouse.com. |
