Mobile Shakespeare Unit: day one! In addition to bulk, brawn, and basic acting skills, this Tiffy's gonna need a whole lot of energy for this job. Enter my Get 'Em Girl Blueberry Oatmeal. Let's get this party started right!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
En route to our first venue, I study my crazy call sheet. Entrances, exits, and quick changes for the Mobile Unit are like nothing else, since the performance space changes oh... every single day.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
I arrive at our kick-off venue: the warm and welcoming community center, Charlotte's Place!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Our phenomenal director, Rob Melrose, rallies the troops as we prep for a little rehearsal to get acquainted with the space. (A rare luxury we will only get at the first two venues!)
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Look y'all, our greenroom! Aka some chairs smushed together and curtains to shield our selves whilst we change! Pictured: David Ryan Smith, Christopher Kelly, Ben Mehl, Raffi Barsoumian, and Flor De Liz Perez,
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Ben Mehl getting the giggles during our rehearsal. He plays like 35 awesome characters, 34 1/2 of which happen to be stone cold killers. But really, he's the nicest guy you'll ever meet! The magic of acting.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Our ridiculously talented music director Michael Thurber commandeering my camera for an open-mouthed selfie. Maybe he's yelling my high A at me? I'm gone get it right Michael, I promise!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
The kiddos of this community center waving at all of us. So sweet. Here, I appear to be stoically observing rehearsal. Posing? Noooooo.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Raffi Barsoumian as Pericles, and Flor de Liz Perez as Lychorida, in a storm discussing... well, you'll have to see the show to find out!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Flor de Liz with Geoff Boronda, who never fails to hold it down for us day after day on the production end!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
In case anyone missed it, Flor de Liz is playing the cute chick with the marigolds. I repeat: with the marigolds! And of course, Ben Mehl mustering up his stone cold killer juices.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Talent extraordinaires J.D. Webster and Amanda Quaid grinning beneath the cranes. Don't let these sweet faces fool you. They play some dastardly characters who do some dirty deeds!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
I've always felt that a great stage manager is basically worth their weight in gold. In this sentiment, ours weighs a ton! Our SM Kristen Gibbs juggling a million balls and keeping every single one in the air. (along with our awesome ASM Howie Tilkin.)
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Yours truly rehearsing my Diana bit in the space. You know it's hard out here for a Goddess. Bringing messages in folks' sleep and stuff, with scarves on my face. Whew!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Oh how joyful it was acting amongst the paintings of children. Also, here's a little game called Where's Waldo? Er... I mean, Where's the crazy cute and talented Chris Kelly? I see him!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
The ladies of the Mobile Unit getting ready, it's almost showtime! Moi, Amanda Quaid, and Flor de Liz Perez.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
It was an awesome first show! So awesome, that The Public Theater’s Artistic Director Oskar Eustis embraces us with hugs and tears of joy. Yay!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Me, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, and Flor de Liz all played sisters in a Berkeley Rep/Yale Rep play earlier this year! Sissy Jo came to show some love for our first show. Full circle moments are the best.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
So Raffi... I know you just played Pericles in that show Pericles, and you're probably tired, but it's time for strike! Yep-we Mobile Unit soldiers strike our own set post-show. Full service theatre baby.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Even down to figuring out how the carpet was assembled before we got there. Everyone hit the deck!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
But before we go, Raffi and Chris have a tender moment. Raffi: Wasn't tonight amazing? Chris: No man, YOU were amazing. You. Are. Amazing. Walk in your light. Raffi: Thank you man. Thank you.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Next stop: Lenox Hill Neighborhood House. Stephanie Ybarra, proud producer of the Mobile Unit and Public Theater Director of Special Artistic Projects, giving us our daily 411.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
And on to our green room I go. Aka, a little counter space in an office where I can set down my compact. Yeeesss!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
After spacing rehearsal, a sister needed a burger and a milkshake. And apparently my waiter felt I needed an origami crane, rose, piano, and frog (not pictured here.) I fled the scene. Thanks man, but I got a show to do!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
It was a success! Such a wonderful audience of women. Now we load out. Our lovely assistant producer Roxanna Barrios, hard-working production manager Caity Joy, and the multi-talented David Ryan Smith pushing props like they ain't even tired!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Whatchu know about an elevator camera? Little do they know, I'm watching. I'm always... watching. Bwaaaahahahahahaha.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
It's cold and rainy, and we are happy but tired. The crew packing the van up, and off to our homes we scatter to rest and do it all again tomorrow.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Rested! And ready to go to our next location: Brownsville Recreation Center! How could anyone refuse these faces?
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
In the van. Some people talk. Some people read. Some people grin with really twinkly eyes at the camera lady. This group!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
The crew + the woman without whom we would all be running around confused and naked, our wardrobe master Margaret Lazenby. Shout out to Moria Clinton for our stunning costumes! (and don't fear folks, J.D. does have on clothes under his jacket. Damn tease.)
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Warming up in the Brownsville Rec space as the audience flows in. And what a passionate and very generous audience they would prove to be!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Look who's here? ABC News! Producer Stephanie Ybarra looking lovely even amidst the hubbub, telling the news crew all about the work of the Mobile Unit.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Raffi Barsoumian getting in a little camera time with ABC News before he leaps onto the stage.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Post show love with one of my favorite women, Ms. Alma Hueston. I interviewed her about her life last year, while working as Community Impact Coordinator for the Public Theater's Public Works program--she's an incredible woman who's led an incredible life! Link to her amazing story here: http://publicworksblog.wordpress.com/2013/08/16/alma-hueston/
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Look who else came all the way out to Brownsville to see the show? My classmate from grad school, Eric Gilde, and his gorgeous wife Ellen Adair. Master actors and beautiful people. Watch out for this power couple!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
After every show without fail, we dive headfirst into whatever snacks our company manager-with-the-mostess, Jeff Feola, has provided. Today, it's a "robust snack" day. Oh hell yes, hummus.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Chris Kelly and Amanda Quaid awaiting our big blue chariot. Amanda also looking like she might be about to walk a runway. Werk girl!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
The chariot has arrived. Getting our booties back to The Public, where we'll get out of costume and be dismissed for the day.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
I am SO zonked at the end of day three, that I literally have to order Chinese and eat it lying down in bed. Mobile Unit is not for the weary!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Bam! Back at it! For the next two days we'll be heading to secure facilities so no pics allowed. Me and David Ryan Smith have our game faces on though. Like daddy, like daughter!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Bye bye Manhattan. Hello Brooklyn, and rain on the windowpane.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Today we head to Staten Island, to Faber Park Field House Recreation Center. But if Flor de Liz doesn't get these braids in, we will not be going on! Hurry Flor, we're almost there!
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
: It's blurry, but that sign definitely says "Welcome to Staten Island" For many of us, it was our first time to the borough! Shout out to ASM Howie's forehead in the rearview mirror. That man drives like a soldier.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Talk about a sweet venue. Today is the Mobile Unit's first time to Faber Park Rec Center, but I have a feeling it won't be the last. A beautiful space full of truly warm people.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Fight call! Amanda Quaid roughs up Flor de Liz Perez, and Flor is selling it like it's showtime! #professionalism
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
The audience is arriving. Oh, I'm getting giddy! Shout out to our set designer Wilson Chin for our super classic and beautiful set.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
What a show! A truly great end to our week. But wait, we ain't going nowhere without Snack. Enter David Ryan Smith diggin' in the pita chips.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Time for some debriefing with Stephanie! (When your eye lands on Flor de Liz, you will understand the unparalleled joy we feel about snack time.)
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
Back home at The Public we arrive. It's been a thrilling, challenging, exciting, and heart-full week for the Mobile Unit. Now for a day off so we can be ready to do it all over again next week. Talk about a labor of love.
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others." -Pericles. Love to everyone in Playbill Land from our wild and wacky Mobile Unit crew. It's been great sharing our world with you. This is Tiffany Rachelle Stewart signing off :)
Tiffany Rachelle Stewart
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Rob Melrose directs the free tour that played prisons, homeless shelters, centers for the elderly and other community venues, including the Brownsville Recreation Center in Brooklyn, Fortune Society in Queens and DreamYard Project in the Bronx, throughout the month of October. The production marks the fourth Shakespearean work to tour as part of the Mobile Shakespeare Unit.
Pericles will then play a Nov. 11-30 sit-down run at the Public Theater. The cast includes Raffi Barsoumian (Pericles), Christopher Kelly (Lysimachus, and others), Ben Mehl (Boult, and others), Flor De Liz Perez (Marina, and others), Amanda Quaid (Dionyza, and others), David Ryan Smith (Antiochus, and others), Tiffany Rachelle Stewart (Thaisa, and others) and J.D. Webster (Helicanus, and others).
"Shakespeare's extraordinary story of Pericles’ journey, through loss and redemption, will make a powerful impact on the incredibly diverse audiences who will see the Mobile Shakespeare Unit production," Public artistic director Oskar Eustis said in a statement. "Rob Melrose, the brilliant artistic director of Cutting Ball in San Francisco, is a longtime colleague and friend, and I’m delighted he is making his Public Theater debut at last."
Pericles, according to the Public, is "a tale of riddles, revenge, and perilous adventure. Pericles, one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays in his own time, is the story of a prince whose life is threatened after he solves the puzzle of a murderous king. Forced to flee across the seas, he embarks on an odyssey that will see him fall in love, lose a daughter, and eventually recover everything he thought he’d lost."
Pericles has scenic design by Wilson Chin, costume design by Moria Sine Clinton, music composed by Michael Thurber and movement direction by Christopher Windom.
For tickets phone (212) 967-7555 or visit PublicTheater. The Public Theater is located at 425 Lafayette Street in Manhattan.
