Today’s Date: Monday, July 1 (Canada Day!)

Show Title: Troilus and Cressida

Director: Mili Konceliik

Assistant Directors: Marielle Buxbaum and Austen Bell

Stage Manager: Amy Hartt

Dramaturg: A H. Poma

What we did

We began rehearsal with a big welcome from our Director Mili Koncelik, and an explanation of her direction style incorporating Xenia. After, I, Poma, the dramaturg went over character names and their pronunciations in an I say you say style. Then campers were given their scripts which was met by buzzing excitement. After that, we dove into a first read-through, which was more accurately a stand-through (the campers read and did their instincts of blocking). We took a ten-minute break, and once we were all back Mili and the cast discussed our initial thoughts on the stand-through and then we learned and played what will become our start of rehearsal ritual, an Eastenders edition of Zip-Zap-Zop using our worst imaginable British accents. 

Quick and Quotable

• From the play
  • “Lechery, lechery, still wars and lechery; nothing else holds fashion.” – Thersites

If you ask me, this is the Thesis of the play, it must be represented. 

• From the director
  • You are dragged by a horse … Over yonder!” – Mili

• From the cast
  • “Yea, so who am I?” – Everett
  • “Where is this Hector?” – Phoenix (saying one of his lines) “Right here!” – Willow (Who is playing Hector)

Production Insights 

When Mili spoke about her directing and how it is like the Ancient Greek social law of Xenia, to give hospitality to a Xenos (a guest), I was so interested to see how this reciprocation of collaboration and the passing of responsibility to another would be and the campers have already took it in stride. I can see and feel the excitement for our play to become a reality and am ecstatic to see how everyone grows into this beautifully complicated work.