[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts theatre interview with Bethesda Rep’s about their latest production of The Rhythm of Mourning at Hollywood Fringe Festival 2024.
I reviewed The Rhythm of Mourning’s first production at The Stomping Ground in May this year and was truly blown away by this perceptive, fascinating analysis of one woman’s journey through her grief.
While the show was being formed Bethesda Rep already had plans to take it to the Fringe and I love that the show had two lives to live already before it had even begun. It’s a beautiful piece and the performances are moving and deeply compelling. It’s set in a dance studio and movement is such an important, poignant part of the story, I hope you choose to see it in these few weeks at this year’s Hollywood Fringe Festival. Fringe gives us all an opportunity to see shows in development, or in versions of themselves on their way to something else. So it’s always a wonderful opportunity to find out more about the how and the why of the creative process. which can be very different from one production to another. Here’s what the good people of Bethesda Rep had to say about The Rhythm of Mourning.
Rhythm of Mourning has five writers, how did this play come about?
We founded our theatre company, Bethesda Repertory Theatre in March of 2023. We had been meeting regularly for a monthly actors’ workshop and Andrew (our Artistic Director and my Cofounder) and I began to feel excited at the prospect of producing theatre for the public. We reached out to our closest artistic friends and colleagues and began gauging their interest in creating an original show. Nate, Mack, and Zoë all expressed interest in writing with Andrew and me and the writing process began from there. We started conceiving the play in March and finished our first rehearsal draft in June of 2023.
You had a short run before fringe, why did you choose to do the play in two different locations?
The play was originally written for the space in mind. Stomping Ground LA had been our creative home for our workshop and we loved the idea of including it as part of the story. Our initial concept, a woman who is an artist, particularly a dancer, arrives at her rehearsal space. She is experiencing some kind of crisis and must confront these feelings in this space, a space that she knows, loves, and feels safe to do so.
We also had high interest in bringing our play to the Hollywood Fringe Festival. I had some experience as an actor in the festival, but this would be the first time producing. As you may know, only theaters and spaces within the Hollywood area “Fringe zone” are eligible to participate, so our move to The Broadwater Main Stage was an assured decision.
These characters and their relationship to each other are so central to the story, how did you cast them?
The casting process was a long one! Our wonderful resident Casting Director, Shelby Mumford, aided us immensely in putting out a casting breakdown and finding some wonderful talent to consider. Andrew and his Co-Director, Adam Holguin, worked closely with Shelby on what they were looking for, emphasizing that these characters are much more than their name or assumed archetype. They were looking for actors who could transcend an idea and embody a whole person with layers and complexity. We also felt that diversity in our cast was necessary and actively prioritized that as well.
How long was the writing and development process?
Three months! March – June 2023. But then of course, throughout the rehearsal processes, and even in the hiatus between productions the writers were consistently meeting to deepen the relationships between The Woman, her grief and her thoughts. Before we started rehearsals in April this year we had written new scenes, monologues, and became a lot more specific about who these people were and what they were going through.
What were the major hurdles in getting the play together?
In a single word: funding. It’s quite a challenge to produce theatre and we have been so fortunate to get a lot of support from our community and our loved ones through crowdfunding campagins. Andrew and I also assembled a wonderful Board to support us in this process as well. A lot of our creative limitations have come down to our funding. We hope to continue creating impactful theatre and in order to do so, need all the support we can get. We also want to be able to properly compensate all the wonderful talent, cast and crew, that have worked with us thus far!
What did you learn about yourself and producing?
I learned that everything worthwhile takes time, patience, and consistency. I’ve learned to ask for help and that no person is a mountain to themselves. We all need each other, and the beauty of theatre-making is that necessary collaboration, and the inspiring art and experience that comes from it, for ourselves and the audience.
in retrospect, would you change anything about the play?
I wish for it to be published. I wish for it to have a longer life, to be produced in other towns and cities and for people who have experienced grief to see it. It’s a story about healing, and I think a lot more people should see it.
Any advice for burgeoning playwrights and producers?
For playwrights, a healthy amount of ego is necessary in your work, but it’s also important to not get too precious about your words. Yes, they are important, and we need them, but there comes a time or two when you should be ready to yield an idea for the sake of the bigger story being told by the director, actors, and designers. We’re all on the same team and we all want to tell a great story.
For producers, it’s definitely important to ask for help and delegate, but also I would say be BOLD. You’re in the position to influence so much, so take that platform and own it. Don’t be afraid to rock the boat. Sometimes it needs to be rocked!
Please add anything you would like to tell your audience about The Rhythm of Mourning.
We have three shows left in Los Angeles. It may be a long time before this beautiful play comes back. Don’t miss it!
Thank you!! The Rhythm of Mourning is playing through June 22.
Tickets:
https://www.hollywoodfringe.org/projects/9624?tab=tickets
Where:
The Broadwater Main Stage
1076 Lillian Way, Los Angeles, CA 90038
When:
Thursday, June 20 at 10:30PM ***Pay What You Can Night: $5/$10/$15
Saturday, June 22 at 5:30PM
Socials:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bethesda.rep?igsh=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bethesda.rep?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Website: Bethesda Repertory Theatre
The Team
Written by Nate Borowski, Andrew Rudy Galindo, Michael William Gomez, Mack Ogden and Zoë Papia.
Directed by Andrew Rudy Galindo and Adam Holguin.
Produced by Sahar Helmy and Kathryn Ludlam.
Casting by Shelby Mumford.
Featuring Bethesda Company members:
Nate Borowski
Andrew Rudy Galindo
Michael William Gomez
Mack Ogden
Zoë Papia
and Michael Thór
Joined by
Max Chester
Evan Lugo
Kimberly Singh
Raul Walder
Sophia Lau
Haley Bronzino
Kendra Chideya
and Megan Peck