Hello! It's been quite a while since I wrote viewtopic.php?f=63&t=68719 for "Once Upon a Mattress." Reading back on it, I realize it is "Chess" that I truly want to direct. And it's going to happen. September 2012. At this stage in the game, being March, I'm tapping people on the shoulders, showing them youtube clips, etc. It is amazing the number of people who know nothing about the show. I live in a small town, 12,000 people. So I am scared. The score is especially difficult, and the vocal ranges phenomenal.

I ran "sound" in one production of it, and it was a terrific play, with only 5 ot 6 instrumentalists. I watched 1/2 of another production (left at intermission and went to a honkey tonk bar to relieve the stress). The 2nd production was a college production, and every song was VERY slow. Very, very, slow. Ugh.

I have basically pre-cast 3 of the major roles, so scared am I of people not showing up for auditions because of the "obscurity" of the play here in backwoods Oregon.

I notice that this play is structured "old style" in that dancers are dancers and singers are singers (not combined like the newer musicals). I am struggling on what scenes to add the dancers, but heck, I still don't have the script yet!

My biggest concern, is the length of the play. Obviously, keeping the music tempo quick has a lot to do with it. But any more advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated. Where to cut, for example.

Talk to you sooner than later! Thanks

If the show's too long for you than do another show. I don't see how it's any different than only displaying part of a work of visual art. You're violating the creators' artistry.

Hope your production goes well though! It's good to see you back around here. I remember you made some great posts. We need more of those nowadays.

I received the scripts. A huge box and all of the scripts are brand new. No eraser marks, nothing.

And the cost just for royalties and rentals? $5,600? Ridiculous.

I live in a town of 12,000 people: The most populated town within 100 miles. I have run sound and lights for this production in the early 1990's but I have now read the (new?) script and it looks like everything has changed. People are talking Russian and Hungarian. I don't ever remember Florences' father in the picture, but there he is. And SINGING IN HUNGARIAN! I have read the forums, but didn't really underststand that they had changed the script entirely. Have they changed the script? Or have my previous directors adapted it? I don't remember ever doing the first three scenes in Act II. I don't ever remembering anyone speaking Russian or Hungarian. Previously we did it in a "black box" theater with only 5 musicians.

My God! How am I to do this musical?

Samuel French does not want us to change the sex of any of the characters but I was at least hoping to change the sex of Molokov to a female. Why do they write Musicals with so many men in them when it is so hard to find men? Women want to be in musicals. Women are abundant. Ugh. They want 2 copies of our programs sent to them to verify everything.

Our whole season has been predicated on the fact that we will do Chess. I'm frightened because this is a HUGE undertaking. I mean, it's hard enough to find the people to do a Musical in the first place: Conductor, Orchestra, Vocal Director, Choreographer, Costumes, Light Operator, Sound Operator, Stage Hands, Props.... We might have to stop this whole process and do "Aresinic and Old Lace" instead. I mean, the script is really difficult now. Much more than I remember.

It is so much more than I can handle. I love the music and have listened to my CD of it for years and years. How does one do it in a small town? You can reply here, or write to me at scottsimmonsprocessor@hotmail.com and give me your secrets. We have a meeting in a few days with the Board of Directors, so a prompt reply is certainly encouraged.

There are a few extremely knowledgeable members of this forum who have been done the show, know a lot about the different versions of the show, etc. I've seen them share what changes they were able to make, etc. Not sure if they still come to the forums, though.

With my limited knowledge, it sounds like you got the "Broadway" version of the show, which is very different than the London version.

Here are a couple threads where people discuss the differences between the versions and what they did in their productions, etc:

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=61169

storyofchess.blogspot.com/2006/11/broadway-what-went-wrong.html

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=75336

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=61154

viewtopic.php?f=17&t=76434

Wow! Thank you. But if I omit the father returning scene, won't Sam Fremch rus to put a restraining order on us? The contravt wants us to send tjem 2 copies of the friggin program! Sorry for misspellings
Using Android and have fat fingers.

It's amazing to watch the show My chess. Really ultimate show because all the dancers were performed superb on the stage.Nice to watch it, I am waiting for the next version of it.

Cancelled. Could not get enough leaders during the summer for a summer rehearsal.

just posted a reply here and everything went blank hope you got it, cheers.

Did not get your reply.