We raised $3,000 through this campaign, our entire run is sold out, and opening night hasn't even started yet. Not bad for this writer/producer's first time.

All of us at the Ruby Lounge want to thank you for your support. It was only through your combined contributions that we were able to make budget and be sure everyone gets paid. We're all deeply proud of this original, bold feminist work, and the preview audiences seemed to like it as well.

If you couldn't get in to see our show, please be assured that this was only ever intended as a workshop run. The cast and crew have proven that we have a great script, it works as a great show, and we can make money. We're now ideally placed to do something bigger and better. I don't know where or when, but I hope you'll be there to see it.

Until then, all of us at the Ruby Lounge are in your debt. Please continue to support local works of original theatre.

Regards from the Ruby Lounge,

 

As I type this, the cast and crew are running through the tech rehearsal. This seems as good a time as any to spotlight our wonderful stage manager.

When I first met Crystal Lemons, she was auditioning for a totally different show that I wrote. A few weeks later, Crystal answered my want ad for a stage manager -- it seemed that she was perfectly happy to work with me before we had even traded a dozen words, but I was happy to take her on as a stage manager if she was willing and able to take the job.

Little did this first-time producer know just how crucial it is to have a strong stage manager. I was even more surprised to learn that Crystal had recently been voted Best Stage Manager at Twilight Theatre, and for good reason!


Crystal didn't just show up at the end for tech rehearsals and showtimes -- no, she was there at EVERY SINGLE REHEARSAL. Crystal did a fantastic job of sending notes, looking after the script, and keeping a rehearsal schedule. She kept us all on the same page, which was invaluable while the show and the script were constantly in flux.

Moreover, Crystal always came with snacks and water on hand. We spent so much time in rehearsal for this extremely physical production that we all appreciated the little bit of energy to keep us going. That's exactly the kind of little consideration that makes Crystal so good at what she does, in addition to her reliability and work ethic.

Crystal was a steady presence in a tumultuous creative process. A strong, reassuring   for everyone in the cast and crew. She was the backbone of this whole rehearsal process and we would've been totally lost without her.

Regards from the Ruby Lounge,

--William

P.S. You can see Crystal on the stage for Spider Drive: A Noir Rock Musical, playing at Headwaters Theatre on March 23rd-31st. Crystal is in the ensemble, and also plays a small yet crucial and dangerous supporting role. Check out TorchsongEntertainment.com for more details.

Emma is a relative newcomer to the Portland scene, but she's left a huge and immediate impression. In only a few short years, I've seen Emma play tragedy and comedy; male roles, female roles, and even a dog. Her versatility and dedication impressed me so much that I invited her into the cast of a staged reading for my Shakespearean adaptation of The Princess Bride (you heard me). Emma played the role of Westley, and she crushed it.

I already had a ton of respect for Emma as a performer, but then she signed on for Ruby Lounge and I got to see her process up close. Her dedication and work ethic are extraordinary. It's truly staggering how she explores her characters in such detail. She would improv scenes for Nimbus and Sterling, cranking out enough great lines of dialogue for me to write a whole short play around either character. Moreover, she immediately zeroed in on the neuroses and emotional baggage that power both characters -- that made a huge and positive impact on how I wrote them and she performed them.

It's been a true privilege to watch Emma grow as an actor over the course of this rehearsal process. She's such a dedicated professional, so bright and intelligent, and so much fun to be around that the ensemble is much stronger because she's a part of it.

Regards from the Ruby Lounge,

 

Maya Seidel has the distinction of being the only member in this cast to have performed a Ruby Lounge monologue before this production. In fact, she's one of the very first actors to have ever read from this script.

I first met Maya several years ago through a mutual friend in Portland theatre -- the two of them were coworkers with Camp Fire at the time. Through these connections, Maya had been cast in a couple of shows and we had met in passing on a few occasions. Flash forward to 2015, when I wanted a Ruby Lounge monologue submitted for a variety show at Post5 and I needed an actor who was game for it. Maya was gracious enough to answer the call, and chose to read for Sterling on the stage.

Cut to late 2017, when Sarah and I were recruiting for this cast. Bless her heart, Maya still had an interest in the Ruby Lounge and she was quick to send over a resume. It turns out that Sarah had also come to know Maya through their work together at Camp Fire, so we were both eager to bring Maya on board.

In this production, Maya portrays Jody Stanton and Dayna, two roles that I never would have dreamed could be compatible. Yet Maya has an eccentric kind of energy that serves her very well in both roles. Maya is a trained dancer and a highly experienced clown, so she has a natural talent for physical comedy. More importantly, she has the extraordinary ability to speak volumes about her character through movements and posture. Though of course it helps that she can literally speak volumes -- her voice can go from zero to ear-splitting in no time flat, with results that are either heartbreaking (as with Dayna) or hilarious (as with Jody).

It's a testament to Maya's ability as an actor that she's far more amiable than either character. Behind the scenes, she's wonderfully sweet and soft-spoken. She's been a strong nurturing presence for the cast and crew, always ready with a sympathetic ear and some home-baked goods to get us through rehearsal. What's more, she stepped up in a huge way to be our dance captain, helping our cast stretch and run choreography when Rachel isn't in attendance.

Maya has been an early supporter of the Ruby Lounge, and I'm deeply grateful that she kept the faith long enough to see it through to opening night. She helped to develop the characters in her own unique way, bringing a physical dimension like I could never possibly write. She also had the remarkable comic timing to help the audience laugh without demeaning the characters. She is truly a singular talent, and I'll be deeply disappointed if we don't see more of her on the stage after this.

Regards from the Ruby Lounge,

--William

I first met Kylie Rose on the set of Enso Theatre's Pride and Prejudice: An Adaptation -- I was the house manager and Kylie stole the entire show with her bubbly, energetic, laugh-out-loud portrayal of Lydia Bennett. I worked with Kylie for another Enso production a year later -- for The Romeo and Juliet Project, she was the house manager and I worked concessions.

I would also meet Kylie working as a puppeteer and ensemble member (Funhouse Lounge), a concessions manager (CoHo), a dialect coach (Defunkt), and even a co-artistic director (alongside our own Sarah Marie Andrews of Crave Theatre). I never forgot Kylie's ability to dominate the stage with humor and effervecense, but I had seen her in enough offstage "business" roles to know that she had far more to offer as a performer.

When Sarah brought Kylie onto the project, I was thrilled and relieved beyond words. Especially given the role she'd be playing.

Kelly was designed to be the de facto ambassador of the Ruby Lounge. Her role among her Ruby Lounge coworkers and her history with the establishment made her ideally suited to introduce the audience to the Ruby and its inhabitants.

This is a hugely important character, one that the audience would be spending a great deal of time with. Kylie, Sarah, and I spent many long hours developing Kelly into someone all three of us could be proud of. In the end, Kylie makes for a wonderfully charismatic emcee, and I know the audience is going to love her.

Regards from the Ruby Lounge,

--William

As I type this, we're in the middle of the last dance rehearsal for the show. So this seems like a good time to talk about our choreography.

Writing a show about strippers, I always knew that dancing and disrobing were issues that needed to be addressed. It was always very important to me that this could never be done in a way that felt degrading or demeaning. The actors had to feel safe and sexually empowered at all times. And as the writer, the only way I could be sure that happened was to take it out of my hands entirely.

I was so lucky that Sarah brought on Rachel as our choreographer, and all three of us were on the same page pretty much immediately. From start to finish, Rachel's primary rule was "Do whatever makes you feel sexy." She's done so much to make our actors look amazing and feel powerful.

In many ways, Rachel is sort of our "second-unit" director. The dance sequences are practically their own show, every bit as demanding and intensive as the monologues themselves. Rachel and Sarah have done a stellar job working in tandem, helping to develop the characters and sculpt the show.

The dance sequences are a huge draw for the show, and I'm continually impressed with the moves and performances that Rachel has coaxed from our actors. This show is going to be so much more spectacular for the work she put into it.

Regards from the Ruby Lounge,

 

I only met Heidi a few years ago, but it feels like we've known each other for decades. Onstage, she's broken my heart and busted my sides countless times. Offstage, we've had countless amazing discussions about movies, history, economics, philosophy, social justice, etc.

Though Heidi is a highly accomplished actress, she has a whole separate career working with women, minorities, and our local sex industry. She's devoted so much of her time and effort toward making the world a better place that she's gotten very choosy with her theatrical projects. As a direct result, it's been far too long since she was last seen on the stage.

Here, Heidi plays the role of Tessa, and she was a natural fit for the de facto den mother of the Ruby Lounge. As for Diamynd, Heidi's other role, she did a fantastic job of diving right into what is easily our most broken character. These two roles are quite possibly the most draining in the entire play, and it speaks to Heidi's talent and endurance that she made both characters leap off the page with such aplomb.

I've never seen Heidi give anything less than a hundred percent to anything she sets her mind to, and this play is no exception. Heidi has been a powerful presence for the cast to lean on, and it meant so much to me as a first-time writer/producer that I could lean on her as well. Between her separate careers as an actor, a former sex worker, and a social activist, Heidi brings years of experience that this project couldn't possibly have done without.

Heidi has been a vocal and zealous advocate for greater social equality in the world at large and in local theatre. To have her cooperation and her approval for this project has been a great blessing.

Regards from the Ruby Lounge,

--William

Taylor first came to my attention with Stupid Kids at Post5. It was a heartwrenching ensemble piece in which Taylor played a deceptively sweet cheerleader archetype, caught between social pressures and her own budding identity. If that sounds boring, it's because I'd have to go through the whole play to adequately describe all the themes and conflicts involved, and the mountains of layers that Taylor brought to her character.

The next time I saw Taylor on the stage, she was playing the title role in Tom(boy) Sawyer. It was a very liberal adaptation of the Mark Twain classic, set in the 1980s Pacific Northwest with a gender-swapped lead. Yet Taylor did a stellar job portraying the adventurous spirit, the youthful defiance, and the mean mean pride that made the character so iconic.

Putting these two performances together, I got a very clear picture of a multitalented performer with zero fear. Here's an immensely talented and gorgeous young woman with a magnetic stage presence, equally capable as an ensemble player or as a titular lead. She was clearly willing and able to bare her body and soul onstage as part of some bold and incisive new work.

In short, she's exactly the kind of performer I wanted in this cast. And from the moment she agreed to take part (which she did with immediate and overwhelming enthusiasm), Taylor has exceeded all my wildest expectations.

Taylor plays Riley and Adri, twin roles that were always designed as a set. One of them is the club's resident domme, yet the monologue shows her at her most vulnerable. The other one is sweet and submissive onstage, and then we see her spitting fire and brimstone offstage.

In rehearsals, Taylor has shown the terrifying ability to conjure vast quantities of emotional pain, marshaling them in such a way that she becomes a force of nature unto herself. These two characters were always intended to be dynamic, but Taylor has taken them to greater highs and deeper lows than I could've ever dreamed of.

The play as a whole was always intended to be sexy, funny, heartbreaking, and thought-provoking in turns. Taylor's performance alone will accomplish all of the above.

Regards from the Ruby Lounge,

 

I first met Bryn through a mutual friend a couple of years ago. She wasn't an actor then, just dating one. Then she gave it a try for herself and Bryn turned out to be a natural.

Bryn has the kind of larger-than-life personality that belongs on a stage. She has a unique and quirky presence, coupled with boundless energy and a total lack of shame. All of this adds up to a gifted comedian who makes an instant and lasting impression.

Perhaps more importantly, Bryn is all heart. She is so sweet, so caring, and so adorable that she immediately made friends with everyone in the cast. And she endears herself to the audience just as easily.

Bryn took on the role of Bianca, making the role funnier and more sweet than I ever could have done on my own. Her second role is Mallory -- a character who (by design) is so far removed from my own personality that I had no idea what to do with her. But Bryn picked up on the character right away and showed me how to write her.

Bryn has been a constant ray of sunshine throughout this whole hectic rehearsal process. In a play that deals with some deep subject matter, we needed someone who could bring comic relief in a way that augmented the end result without diminishing or trivializing the subject. And Bryn totally nailed it.

From the Ruby Lounge had to be directed by a woman. This was not negotiable. No way in hell did I want my empowering all-female show about strippers to be written, produced, and directed entirely by men.

Given the raw and sensitive topics I wanted to talk about, in addition to the possibility of onstage nudity, it was imperative to find a director who could create a safe and nurturing space for the women of the cast. Most importantly, the script needed a strong, intelligent, outspoken woman who could watch my blind spots and call me on my ignorance. I could only go so far in the creation of a brutally honest work of feminism -- I had to find a female director who was willing and able to take it the rest of the way.

Enter Sarah Marie Andrews.

Sarah has spent the past several years working in various capacities for Post5, Milagro, and Imago, among other companies throughout town. She even co-founded Crave Theatre -- for the company's inaugural show, Sarah directed Todd van Voris in the spellbinding one-man show, Thom Pain.

From the day she signed on, Sarah has shown strength, wisdom, and experience well beyond her years. She's been a first-rate advocate for the cast, ensuring that every actress feels safe and empowered. She's been a firm yet innovative and constructive collaborator in the process of developing the script. Her even keel and years of experience were invaluable for this first-time producer. Plus, the flyer design she put together is simply awesome.

As a creative partner in staging Ruby Lounge, Sarah is everything I ever needed and more. I'm indebted to her for everything she's done to develop this project into the bold and incisive work of feminist theatre we both knew it could be. It's been a true inspiration watching her in rehearsal, coaxing fantastic performances and breakthroughs out of the cast. I can't wait for you all to see it, and I hope you'll be there to support Sarah's work in the future. (Keep an eye on Crave Theatre!)

Regards from the Ruby Lounge,

--William

Two weeks until opening, and I'd be lying to say we're not feeling the pressure. It's been a crazy process, developing the script as we rehearse. Luckily, all of the trial and error has resulted in a far superior script, and I think we're finally closing in on the final draft. Especially since the actors are all feeling the pressure to memorize their lines.

The actors are all holding themselves to very high standards. We all remain committed to producing a powerful work of feminist theatre, telling raw and honest stories that we need to see more of on the stage. We've all gotten deeply attached to these characters and we want what's best for them. To that end, the cast and crew have had a lot of fun getting into the costumes and dance moves of the characters.

Rehearsals are now just as devoted to the dance scenes as they are to the monologues. And now, the actors are rehearsing I'm their shoes and costumes, which is crucial.

Time grows short, but we're all keeping up. Can't wait to see you opening night. In the meantime, please keep circulating the links.

Regards from the Ruby Lounge,

 

Of all the colorful and compelling characters in this play, the first one I ever cast was the Ruby Lounge itself.

As with any character, the Ruby has its own arc that unfolds over the course of the play. As with any strip club, the Ruby has its own culture and quirks. The Ruby Lounge had to be a space that felt lived-in, with affectionate detail tucked into every corner and stories indelibly printed onto every wall. It needs an intimacy suited for a strip club, but also suited for keeping attention focused on the characters.

I didn't even know it when I first wrote the play, but I was looking for the steep and thorny way to heaven.

Co-proprieters Myrrh Larsen and Megan Skye Hale have done a fantastic job cultivating the faux-speakeasy brand of this performance space. S+T is a place where you never know what's on the drink menu or what's going to be onstage, only that it's going to be made from the kind of magic that won't be found anywhere else. The building itself is decorated with a distinctly modern flair, though the building itself is a century old, which makes for a distinct and fascinating blend of old Portland history with new Portland style.

I couldn't imagine the world premiere of "From the Ruby Lounge" happening anywhere else. And last night, we finally got our first rehearsal in the space.

We were rehearsing a particular scene in which the entire cast came up onstage, and the air was electric. In that moment, in that space, the actors perfectly embodied The Women From the Ruby Lounge. Being there at S+T, it felt like a crucial and indispensable piece of the show had finally come into place. The steep and thorny way to heaven had finally accepted its part in our ensemble.

We can't wait to see you all there. In the meantime, please keep circulating the links and letting everyone know about our crowdfunding campaign.

Regards from the Ruby Lounge,

--William

Another week of rehearsal just wrapped. We've spent days bonding over these characters, talking and debating at great length about our own problems and what the characters are going through. And after so many rewrites and improv experiments, we've got the monologues themselves pretty well nailed down. The script is finally at a point where the actors can start memorizing their lines and getting into their specific characters. Everyone involved is thrilled with this development.

Now we move to the transitions in between monologues. In the case of this particular project, the transitions are worth their own separate play. The monologues show the characters in their offstage lives, while the transitions show the characters in their onstage "stripper" personas. The transitions are the scenes of music and dancing, when we really get to see what the characters (and the actors) can do onstage.

The actors are all eager to rise to the challenge. They've been working hard in their off hours -- and entirely of their own volition! -- practicing yoga, belly dancing, pole dancing, etc. On top of that, they've been scouring the internet, looking for the perfect songs to represent their characters as dancers.

From start to finish, there has been a clear focus on making this an empowering experience. The central question has always been "What makes you feel sexy and powerful and in  ?" Then we find the moves, the music, and the costume to answer that question while serving what each character needs.

Rachael Brown -- our fabulous choreographer -- has been kept in the loop this whole time we've been developing the characters, and she's very excited to finally work with our actors. From the outset, this project was designed as a showcase for local female talent in the Portland theatre community, showing what they can really do as actors and dancers. The choreography work has only just started, and we're already well on our way toward building a showcase that all of these women can be proud of.

Regards from the Ruby Lounge,

--William

Greetings from the Ruby Lounge!

Today ends our very first week of rehearsals, and our very first week of crowdfunding! To those of you who came on so early, we're all deeply grateful to have your support.

The ongoing flu epidemic made things tough behind the scenes, I'm sorry to say. Rehearsal attendance was spotty, but morale is unwavering. The actors are dedicated to putting on the best show possible, and they're all having a lot of fun with the characters.

Right now, we're in the final stages of workshopping the script. It's a steady process of tweaking the script, as each new draft leads to new discoveries worth putting into the next draft. For huge chunks at a time, the actors even go off-script and completely improvise a scene -- we've made quite a few breakthroughs that way. That said, we hope to have the script nailed down next week so the actors can get to memorizing their lines post-haste.

This was always meant to be a collaborative process, and it's staggering what ideas are being generated by all these incredible women in a room together with the freedom to be totally open and honest. As the playwright, I can barely keep up with all the fantastic dialogue they're giving me to play with. (Luckily, Sarah's a big believer in bringing a camera to rehearsals, so the ability to transcribe the recordings helps a lot.) I couldn't be more proud of their work toward crafting these bold and compelling stories centered around credible female characters within an honest portrayal of the local strip club industry.

But of course that's just the script. Starting next week, we'll be moving on to costuming and choreography. The cast will also have to find ideas for songs to dance to -- that's going to be especially important.

In the meantime, please don't forget to buy your tickets at https://www.artful.ly/store/events/14132. And please share the link of the crowdfunding campaign if you haven't already -- nearly a full month left and we're 16 percent of the way to goal as of this writing! Thanks again! Please keep spreading the word and stay in touch.

Regards from the Ruby Lounge,

--William