Sep 5, 20132 min read

The Drunken City

Show postcard artwork inspired by the actual actors cast in this production!

It takes a lot of people to put on a theater show. It also takes a lot of focus, talent, hard work and a central vision to make it memorable. I’m assistant directing The Drunken City at Renegade Theatre Experiment in San Jose and with opening night being only two days away, I can’t help but acknowledge that some of the people involved in the production have lived with this script longer than me, and some others will continue to live with it after it opens (ahem- the actors, stage manager…).

The cast and crew of The Drunken City | Production staff of Renegade Theatre Experiement. Missing Max Tachis, Sara Luna from the cast.

I started this trip a few months ago when director, Jeffrey Lo, asked if I would be interested in trying on a new hat. The hat being, assistant directing a stage production. I’m all for learning new things, especially if it’ll help me appreciate the hard work other people do. Hard work is artwork.

Here’s a blurb about the show:

Take three brides-to-be, one handsome stranger and an entire evening’s worth of glittery pink cocktails, and you’ve got the intoxicatingly entertaining modern romantic comedy The Drunken City. Written by Adam Bock (The Receptionist), this story of an epic pre-wedding bar crawl turned life-changing night centers around three women who must contend with their true feelings about their impending nuptials. Can a drunken party night gone hilariously wrong actually prove to be a new beginning for these ladies in the city that never sleeps?

I rarely get the chance to watch actors work. “But you’re an actor, you see it all the time.”, you say. Yeah, I suppose so, but having a physical difference to the work really does give it a new perspective. This production was a treat because of my relationship with members of the team. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with many of them in other shows, but as an actor.