By Rebecca Wallace
About this blog: I grew up in Menlo Park and have long been involved with both local journalism and local theater. After starting my career as an editorial intern with The Almanac, I was a staff reporter for the Almanac and the San Mateo County Ti...
(More)About this blog: I grew up in Menlo Park and have long been involved with both local journalism and local theater. After starting my career as an editorial intern with The Almanac, I was a staff reporter for the Almanac and the San Mateo County Times, covering local government, cops, health/science and many other beats. In 2005 I made the move to the arts desk at the Palo Alto Weekly. A&E is close to my heart because of my experience in the performing arts. I've been acting and singing in Bay Area theater productions for years, and have played everything from a sassy French boy to a Texas cheerleader. In Ad Libs, I blog about the exhibitions I see, the artists I meet and the intriguing new projects and trends I see in the arts world.
(Hide)View all posts from Rebecca Wallace
For my story this week about TheatreWorks' play "Opus," about life in a string quartet, I chatted with writer Michael Hollinger and cellist/advisor Kris Yenney. It's illuminating to hear about a script forming, especially when the writer is a violist working dissonance and other musical concepts into the language.
Then Kris talked about her art: She coaches actors on how to move with their instruments and mime playing, so they look like real classical musicians.
Kris cracked me up when she said the script was very passionate -- which meant she had to remind the actors that never, even in the heights of anger, would a real musician actually slam his violin down.
Fortunately for the props department, the actors aren't playing heirlooms. ...
To read the rest of this posting, go to
Ad Libs.
