Sometimes you write a piece and it sits for a while and you wonder what you will do with it. "The Empty Pot" was written in anticipation of using it for a school production. Then, the opportunity fizzled. Then later in the summer, it was produced by another community theater group and directed by a different group of directors. So, I was not the director for it's premiere performance.
It had been advertised as having flexible casting, but when I went to see it, I was really surprised that the main character was a girl -- not a boy. Other than that substitution, the production was very well done. I just had a hard time adjusting my mind to the concept of that very important character being performed by a girl. I suppose it worked, but the lyrics were problematic. I couldn't tell if they were having her play the character as male or not. They did nothing to disguise her to look like a little boy. If they had, I probably would have accepted it better.
The next summer, I had the chance to produce and direct "The Empty Pot" for my first time. We had a very large cast of 45 children ages 5-14. Some of the older kids were very talented, so, of course, they needed some more challenging material. Obviously, I needed to add some expanded scenes, songs and new characters. The new show also got a new title "A Successor to the Throne."
Directing that production was a very satisfying! It was all volunteer for a church summer theater camp. So many talented parents came out of the woodwork willing to share their skills. We had wonderful parent Group Leaders, Choreographers, Hair Dressers, Seamstresses, Photographers, Make-up Artists and the list goes on. The children were great, too. Even the young children did their best to learn the dances and every word to the songs!
So I guess, technically, I still have yet to direct "The Empty Pot." But I have directed "A Successor to the Throne" multiple times.
It had been advertised as having flexible casting, but when I went to see it, I was really surprised that the main character was a girl -- not a boy. Other than that substitution, the production was very well done. I just had a hard time adjusting my mind to the concept of that very important character being performed by a girl. I suppose it worked, but the lyrics were problematic. I couldn't tell if they were having her play the character as male or not. They did nothing to disguise her to look like a little boy. If they had, I probably would have accepted it better.
The next summer, I had the chance to produce and direct "The Empty Pot" for my first time. We had a very large cast of 45 children ages 5-14. Some of the older kids were very talented, so, of course, they needed some more challenging material. Obviously, I needed to add some expanded scenes, songs and new characters. The new show also got a new title "A Successor to the Throne."
Directing that production was a very satisfying! It was all volunteer for a church summer theater camp. So many talented parents came out of the woodwork willing to share their skills. We had wonderful parent Group Leaders, Choreographers, Hair Dressers, Seamstresses, Photographers, Make-up Artists and the list goes on. The children were great, too. Even the young children did their best to learn the dances and every word to the songs!
So I guess, technically, I still have yet to direct "The Empty Pot." But I have directed "A Successor to the Throne" multiple times.
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