Successful Hong Kong Tour of Orpheus X

Looking back on the tour, some interesting numbers stick out in my mind. A cast and crew totaling 20 plus Rob’s wife, Pam Orchard, traveled to Hong Kong. 4 got sick, 3 got lost, 2 got engaged (Congrats! to Wendy Richman (Violist) and Tim Feeney (percussionist)) and 1 proud and relieved company manager. We performed 4 performances at the 1,181-seat Lyric Theatre that was over 90% sold. We traveled a distance of 19,960 miles from Boston to Hong Kong and back. We spent 35 hours on the airplane in addition to 15 hours of layovers.

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Final Performance and a fond farewell to Hong Kong

My day began getting Robert Woodruff off to the airport for his flight back to NYC. Despite all the logistical concerns one has when touring internationally, this was by far the most fascinating tour that I have worked on as a company manager. As I sat in the audience for our final performance, I glanced around and saw many young Hong Kong Chinese. Many watched with mouth agape…the performance and the music taking them on the amazing journey in the world of Orpheus X.

Opening Night of Orpheus X in Hong Kong

Tonight we opened and presented our first performance of Orpheus X to the people of Hong Kong. Playing to a very full house, the cast and band were in fine form. Despite the I-Beam not dropping due to a hydraulic problem, the set and video images looked amazing on the stage of The Lyric. The audience was enraptured. There was only one curtain call and polite applause, but we were told by the Festival staff that this is acceptable norm. Hong Kong Chinese are not known for several curtain calls and standing ovations. But we were told that there were many positive responses to the performance, the acting and the music. I wish I spoke or understood the language, so I could eavesdrop on people to gather their response as they left the theatre.

Orpheus X at the Hong Kong Arts Festival

After long flights, the cast and crew of Orpheus X, have arrived safely to Hong Kong. The company flew from San Francisco after the workshop performance at the University of California at Davis. This performance was well attended and received an enthusiastic response from those in attendance. Buoyed by this performance, we were looking forward to performing it for the people of Hong Kong.

Edinburgh X – 8/29

8/29

Our final night, and a great show, I think, the scenes really came alive.

So, after two weeks of effort, travel, adjustment, and bonding

Edinburgh X – 8/28

8/28

Each night our stage manager Amy James calls us to the green room at 7:20, to meet and talk about any problems from the previous nights performance. Days can be full of distractions in a scenic European Capital like Edinburgh.

Edinburgh X – 8/27

8/27

The past year I was living in abroad at the American Academy in Rome, making visual art. So this is my first public performance in over a year. Back onstage with such amazing singer/performers as Rinde and Susan is a pretty great way for me to get back in touch with my warrior instincts, my inner stage animal.

Edinburgh X – 8/26

8/26

Opening night, and our hard work seems to have paid off—we gave a terrific performance; the audience was a bit reserved, but there were cheers at the end. Robert joined us onstage for the bows—he’s leaving us in the morning, flying out to rehearse the San Francisco Opera in the Philip Glass opera “Appomattox”, which he is directing. The American ambassador threw a cast party for all three American Companies

Edinburgh X – 8/25

8/25

We’ve gotten about 1/3 through the piece, but we are behind schedule and need more tech time. Robert sounded the alarm to the Festival Director that we need to begin earlier tomorrow, at 8am.

Edinburgh X – 8/24

8/24

We walked the Royal Mile today, the main artery of the “Fringe” Festival. “Orpheus X” is part of the Edinburgh International Festival, not the Fringe. The “Fringe” has long become the huge, the ersatz mainstream of this mainstream (since 1947) Festival. The streets are full of buskers vying for attention, handing out postcards in creative ways (like lying in a coffin), flyers pasted everywhere, live music. It reminds me of performing in Provincetown in the summer—in order to get an audience you have to snag them in the street and seduce them with snippets, your costume, postcard, charm.