(Kiped from an email I sent to the cast of "GMIKFTH" regarding my present experience with the good teens performing in CHS's version of "KFH". Mention anything in regards to things like "profound affect" or that it's "Dripping with sentiment"? I'll kill ya. I swear. I'm a ninja)
Good Morning, Friends. This may seem a lil' longish, so forgiveness please. If you just want the itty-bitty, scroll to the bitty bottom. It's technically an invite. But an invite...with a story:
As most of y'all know, I'm helping with a High School production of "Kung Fu Hamlet" at CHS in Circle Pines. The genesis of this stems from when my friend, Actor/Director TLC (Who directed "Loot" at TRP, and I've worked for him in other productions nigh on 5-6 years) saw us do "KFH" in January '06. When he got asked to direct Centennial's Spring show he thought "What about 'KFH'?" Well, it fell through and they ended up doing "Mad Woman of Chaillot" or some s#it and the project got tabled.
Fast forward to March-y March of this year and it all ends up falling into place. He asks me to be the Fight choreographer...which I thought was kinda strange since- #1) I feel like I'm one of the less-talented/skilled martial artist's to ever have worked for No Refunds and #2? (Which Chowie is probably thinking "Doesn't #2 means POOP?!") I've never 'Ographed anything before. Much less at a high school. So, I bugged Chowie and Matt for the "KFH" DVD. Watched it. Wrote down the blocking. And made that the abridged outline of my work. That's right. Suck it. I bogarted approximately 80% of the blocking, with some amendments in regards to the more advanced techniques and to make up for the fact that Polonius has not two. Not three. But six monks. Almost all women. More on that in a sec.
(Here is where I insert a humble apology to the cast. The high school show, coupled with our show/the fundraiser/and a 40+ hour work week...Not to mention trying to squeeze in occasional face time w/the lady friend has turned me into a greater flibbertigibbet than normal...forgive me. My mind has become fractured. Like a Phillip K. Dick character. If you read that sort of thing. If you can READ!)
So. The kids. And the show. The meat and gristle of this message. And other frass.
-The biggest one, was trying not to swear. Much.
-None of them have had martial arts training. Our original "Hamlet" had like 2 years of Tung Soo Do when he was 10 or 11, but he up and got kicked out of his house and had to transfer schools. This was week #2 of rehearsals, and we'd already blocked 3/4th's of his fights
-Being that they had no martial arts training, I had to do a rudimentary boot camp showing them the basic "flavor" of the arts which are martial. This included having them stretch daily (Even when I'm not there. I told the SM that she was the movement coach) Deep stances. Closed fists. Head up (Tall guys are all STOOPING! Don't STOOP! HORSEBACK STANCE!)
-Making sure my "Bad-A$$-Lady-Monks" (The "B.A.L.M.'s") don't say "Sorry" (I banned the word from fight rehearsals) That they stop smiling/giggling ("Ladies? I need your 'Mean face'...Katryn? Stop it. Stop....no...stop giggling! You HATE Hamlet!") And that they are less than two feet away when they "hit" someone. ("Dani? I don't know much, but I'm pretty sure your punch didn't land from way back there. Stop giggling!")
-Teaching the two "Best Friends since 2nd Grade" Laertes and Ophelia pak sao (A feat I'm actually quite tickled about. They are so gung-ho, it warms the heart. It helps that I told our SM, again, to make them practice-every. Day. And then found out they did anyway outside of rehearsals, in the band equipment room where no one was watching)
-Enduring being called "Mr. "
-Telling "Yummy"-"Good intensity, Yummy" (These kids with there nicknames. Bless his heart, the most awkward kid ever he's working so hard)
-Being an innovator and re-casting Hamlet with a woman. ("Ashley". A dancer. She gets crabby when I ask her to turn her foot a certain way. "That's NOT how I was trained".)
-Explaining to them that "No, I've never killed someone with karate" and that "Yes, I've seriously injured people with karate"
-Enduring (again) Ashley's litany of commentary/questions ("How old are you?"/"Why do you have facial hair? Are you TRYING to grow a beard?"/"Is your nose broken? It looks crooked"/"My boyfriend does NOT look like Sanjaya...he's Mormon!"/"I'm sore"/"I'm tired"/"Why would you ever want to learn that?!?" That last question is my favorite, as it came after I explained "Tiger Claw" and how it could feasibly rend flesh.) And the best bit? She's doing every thing I ask. Great success.
-Discussing Prom, then showing them my old Prom pics and having them (The whole frickin' cast and Terry) stay after rehearsal one night while I told them Prom horror stories. I've never had a rapt audience like that.
-And the really best bit? Is watching it all start to come together. They're really working hard. And I think having a lot of fun. All thanks to a goofy lil' idea hatched by Chowie/Matt/and Gabe-pril
So here's the deal- Next Thursday, May 10th they open and it's the only day I can go- 7:30 pm. If you'd like to go as well, I'd like the company. Tickets are $4-$6 (I know. I haven't seen ticket prices that low in the 9-odd years I've been working in TC theatres)
Thanks for your support and dealing with my frass. And I hope you can make it.
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