Starring Talia Kodesh
Story by Talia Kodesh and Bruce Dennill
Music and lyrics by Bruce Dennill
Directed by Daniel Geddes
Watch the promotional video – from the rehearsal room : https://youtu.be/qnO0W41mQ3I?si=jrhs0udaJksz6iZS
Rehearsals are well underway for the new original pocket musical Actress, which heads to stage at Pieter Toerien’s Studio Theatre at Montecasino from Wednesday 27th September – Sunday 8th October 2023.
Conceived and written by Talia Kodesh and Bruce Dennill, with music by Bruce Dennill, Actress is a musical dramedy; a funny, moving story of a woman trying to define (and succeed in) her different roles – actress, wife, mother, daughter, teacher, and more – while juggling the complexities of all of those responsibilities.
TALIA KODESH Q & A
Taking a break from rehearsals, Talia Kodesh (who plays ‘Actress’) gives us some insight into the show and how it came about.
Q. Although Actress is not strictly biographical, there are elements of your own story in the show. What aspects of the story do you think audiences will relate to – and what do you relate to most in the script?
A. The themes of the show are in fact the most important elements, while the storyline is merely a platform upon which to exhibit these themes. They comprise all basic themes of failure and success, loss and discovery, heartache and triumph and many more. The concept that I perhaps relate to most is that we can and should be able to be vulnerable, and not have to “act” all the time. We are less alone than we think.
Q. You have a wonderful track record in major musicals such as Beauty And The Beast, Rent and Chicago, as well as more intimate pieces like The Last Five Years. How does Actress differ from those bigger shows in terms of what you need to do onstage?
A. So far the major difference is that there is no previous version of this show. No blueprint, prior run or alternate construction. We are creating this piece of theatre from nothing. Every element is brand new. I’ve never had the experience of creating a character from scratch, singing brand new songs and workshopping a piece of theatre… and it is a thrilling experience!
Q. How do you think the songs in the show help take the story further? Is that something you love about musicals in general?
A. If the book and the songs in a musical speak to each other, then yes, it is what I love about musicals. The initial inception of each of Bruce’s songs came from a place of storytelling. Bruce and I would meet, we would write a scene or two and then he would produce a song that spoke directly to the scene that we had just worked on, thus weaving the songs directly into the narrative of the piece.
Q. You took some time off from the stage to have and raise your two young children. How’s it been getting involved in a production again, while still being a mom and more at the same time?
A. It’s certainly a juggle! However, I have the most supportive family, who care deeply for my work. I love that my children are also being exposed to what I used to do before they were born. It has been thrilling working in this way again!
Q. What are your hopes for Actress after this initial run? Can the production travel and tour, and what other audiences would you like to reach?
A. My hope is that this run of Actress is only the beginning! When Bruce and I were writing, we would write with many people in mind and often dream about the day that others would play this role. This musical is not necessarily gender-, genre- or age-specific. It is a story of emotions, thus making it the perfect platform on which other actors can make their mark.
BRUCE DENNILL Q & A
Respected arts writer and singer/songwriter, Bruce Dennill co-wrote Actress with Talia, and also wrote the soundtrack for the musical. He gives us a ‘behind-the-scenes’ glimpse into that process:
Q. Explain the role of collaboration in putting together the script for Actress, which you co-wrote with Talia Kodesh?
A. Writing a script with a partner with an aligned vision for the story makes everything so much easier. Talia had the basics of a story she’d been interested in telling – and acting – for many years, which helped me quickly gain momentum as we started writing. Starting from scratch on your own means having to come up with everything from nothing. With Actress, we knew more or less what we wanted to do from the moment Talia first floated the idea, so it was more a question of staying disciplined – getting some writing done every week until we had a good draft – than needing to cast around for inspiration.
Q. How was the music added to the script? Was it developed separately and then combined with the text?
No – it was actually just an easy, natural thing. Often, at the end of the time we had available for a weekly writing session, we’d intuitively have reached a spot in the story where it felt right to add a song to either support the action or take the characters emotions in a certain direction. And the way it worked out, because the story and its mood at that point were clear in my brain, I was able to go home and write the song that fitted in that slot by the end of the same afternoon. We also received some advice from Bryan Schimmel, who saw an early showcase of the piece and has so much experience as a musical director, about adding an ’11 o’ clock number’ to help bolster the flow. We’re really excited about the results.
Q. Apart from telling the story in a different way, what other effects does the music have in terms of creating atmosphere and mood onstage?
It really helps underline how Actress, the character, is feeling at the moments in the narrative where she sings the songs. Different keys and tempos obviously play a role, but I also had the gift of the wonderful talents of arranger Paul Elliott, whose work on these songs makes them truly soar. Talia also mentioned to me that I had often written the music – more by feel than by design – in a “choreographic” way, meaning that she was able to feel the movement and phrasing in the songs as she danced and sang in character.
Q. As an arts writer, you spend a good deal of your theatre time in the stalls rather than behind the scenes. How did your work as a writer inform how you experienced the various stages of Actress coming together?
Long experience as a reviewer, interviewer, colleague of hundreds of artists and massive fan of the theatre all meant that I had a decent overall idea of what was required to bring a production from basic idea through development to the stage. But even with that in mind, I’ve been amazed by both the range of minutia that goes into building a show block by block and the dedication and focus required by a large number of people to make sure that those blocks fit together well and create the final product we all dreamed of early on. It’s raised my already considerable level of appreciation for what artists do by another few notches!
Q. What do you think are the aspects of Actress that will help the show quickly find its feet as new, original work?
The relatability of the story is the main thing, I think. Although it tells the story of a woman who has to make tough decisions around being an artist as well as a mom, wife and many other roles, the theme – that compromises always need to be made because focusing on one part of our lives to the exclusion of all others is dangerous and potentially damaging to relationships, among other things – applies to all of us. If you feel like you have given up part of yourself to get a job you needed or to enter into a relationship or to have children or to move to a different city or a dozen other similar situations, you’ll get what Actress is going through. That’s why we haven’t given her a name: she is every woman and every person who is watching. The script is also funny and warm and the songs have strong hooks – you should be singing a couple of them as you head into the foyer afterwards!
DANIEL GEDDES Q & A
Director, Daniel Geddes, lets us delve deeper into the rehearsal process of Actress.
Q. As a performer, you have a music-rich CV – playing Elton John, playing piano for Jonathan Roxmouth, singing Simon & Garfunkel, being a one-man Eighties jukebox in Cruise and more. How does that experience affect your direction of a show in which music plays a large role?
A. I think having had such a diverse background in music, it allows me to engage with it from both sides of the fence – seeing the music as it is, but then also how it interacts and drives the storytelling. I think having to act and work in theatrical pieces with music gives you a new perspective on how it can integrate into the action, and often be another character for the performers to work off.
Q. What is your preference – or is it your duty? – when approaching a new script, in terms of shaping and refining the story you are given for maximum impact on stage?
A. I would say it is the duty of the director for sure, but how you approach it would be up to preference. I personally like to think about how the audience is going to ‘see’ the piece. That’s the missing piece from the script – the visual medium. It’s all about asking: how do we show things as opposed to ‘tell’ them? I also like to think about theatrical conventions and devices we can use to integrate all of the performance and narrative elements – what are the games we play, and what are the rules that we let the audience in on? Those, for me, anchor the storytelling and give us a framework to bring the script to life. I always like to think – why theatre and not another medium? And then lean into that.
Q. You have a wonderful creative team on board – Denis Hutchinson on lights, Sarah Roberts designing the set and the costumes, Henry Underhay handling sound design… How do you combine those various ideas and the collective expertise to best support your overall vision for the piece?
A. I think it’s about leaning into all their various expertise. I like it to be a collaborative process, where we share ideas and get input from the various disciplines. I may have some ideas, but those can always be improved, especially with a team like this with so much experience – all they can do is elevate it. It’s also good to have those ideas challenged, to have questions asked. That’s why we have a team.
Q. Actress is a pocket musical; a small, compact show. Does that make directing it any easier than projects with larger casts?
A. I think it presents a different set of challenges, but I wouldn’t say it’s any easier. You have to think out of the box a lot more to solve problems and to still maintain the sense of production value and scale, but not compromise the intimacy and sincerity.
The story of Actress takes place in New York and South Africa, following ‘Actress’ on her journey through stress and success, anger and auditions, triumph and tears, dance and delirium and, perhaps, the possibility of peace. There is also assistance and emotional support from an unexpected source…
It’s a tale that anyone who has ever had to adjust to new expectations in all walks of life – their own or someone else’s – will relate to.
Plus showtunes! Pack your dancing shoes, your Theraband, your passport and your tissues.
Watch the promotional video (from the rehearsal room) for Actress : https://youtu.be/qnO0W41mQ3I?si=jrhs0udaJksz6iZS
Actress is on stage at Pieter Toerien’s Studio Theatre at Montecasino from Wednesday, 27th September – Sunday, 8th October 2023.
Performances run from Wednesdays – Fridays at 19h30, Saturdays at 15h00 & 19h30 and Sundays at 15h00.
Tickets range from R180 – R220.
Pensioner, scholar & student discounts are available.
Bookings are via Webtickets , Pick ‘n Pay Outlets or the Montecasino Theatre Box Office on 011 511 1988.
For Group Bookings, contact Geraldine on email geraldine@montetheatre.co.za or call on 011 511 1988.
Follow Actress on Facebookfor further information: https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550922966583
SHOW CREDITS
Actress stars Talia Kodesh and features Nathan Ro as a mystery character.
Written and conceived by Talia Kodesh and Bruce Dennill.
Directed by Daniel Geddes
Sets and costumes by Sarah Roberts
Lighting design is by Denis Hutchinson
Sound design by Henry Underhay
Original music and lyrics by Bruce Dennill
Musical direction by Bruce Dennill and Paul Elliott
Musical arrangements by Paul Elliott
Actress is proudly produced by Collett Dawson of The CoLab Network.
#ActressTheMusical
