Day 1: As You Like It

Yesterday was our first rehearsal for "As You Like It" and rehearsing once again in the park felt a bit like coming home.
When we first started this crazy experiment that has become the Grassroots Shakespeare Company we took to the free and open space of the public parks out of necessity--we had nowhere else to rehearse and nowhere else to perform, but now we embrace the advantages of public spaces by choice.
We arrived at the park to discover that there was some sort of volleyball tournament happening with two or three volleyball courts set-up all around our usual rehearsal spot.
No matter. We unpacked our set and with volleyball games happening on either side of us, we got down to business blocking our show.
The rehearsal went pretty smoothly, and although we're still in the mode of remembering and rediscovering our old process, we fell into a nice rhythm by the end of the night that we can only hope will continue.
We were also graced by Master Christopher Clark--without whom we would not exist and who has done much to support our company. Chris taught us a bawdy 3/4 jig that we're sure you'll find to be rollicking good fun. (provided we ever get the sequence down)
Between dodging stray volleyballs and the unfortunate dimness after sunset caused by loss of one of our worklights, we managed to make pretty good progess: Our script has been cut down to a lean 75 pages, and we almost met our goal of blocking through 25, but had to end at 22.
Perhaps by the end of May we'll have improved both our diction and our return serves!