In Discussion with Gregg T. Daniel, Director of Cobb Sherry Netherland, 3/12/2012
While I was familiar with a number of Lee Blessing’s plays (Eleemosynary, A Walk In The Woods), I was not familiar with COBB. A dear friend in Ojai, California, where I’ve directed several plays at Theatre 150, brought COBB to me with the intention of producing it himself. He asked me to play the role of the character, Oscar Charleston in a future production. A few years passed and the production never materialized, how ever, I always thought of the play as highly theatrical. Baseball is such a physical sport. I was intrigued with how to translate that physicality to the stage while telling a fascinating story. “Flawed” Heroes, sports or otherwise seem to dominate the American landscape lately. Think of Tiger Woods, Barry Bonds, Pete Rose, etc. We endow these talented athletes with prestige, power and riches. Yet their public images are frequently at odds with the truth. One of the many things COBB explores is the divide between popular myth versus the truth.
If We Are Women - Director Sherry Netherland Checks In Sherry Netherland, 3/7/2012
If We Are Women is my third main stage production for The Group Rep. My first, Terrence McNally’s Prelude & Liebestod, was a co-directing experience with company member Wayland Pickard, featuring Co-Artistic Director, Larry Eisenberg, as The Conductor. My second project was String of Pearls, by Michele Lowe, an interesting project with 4 actresses playing 27 different characters. Coincidentally, each production was also a repertory project, sharing the stage with another main stage show.
Interesting how things turn out. We should all know by now that we should expect the unexpected. This was the case recently with my involvement with the Group Rep’s production of And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie.
I became a member of The Group Rep in early 2010. Already, my experiences with the company have surpassed what I anticipated I would be doing as an artist.
Next Window Please Building Equity with ReviewersSherry Netherland, 8/23/2011
It is hard for us to resist banking metaphores when writing about our World Premiere production of Doug Haverty’s latest play, Next Window Please, but we won't apologize for the growing interest this play has earned.
On the timely opening of Next Window, Please at the Group RepDoug Haverty, 8/9/2011
When people hear the premise of Next Window, Please many of them say, “Wow. How timely.” And I certainly can’t argue with them, but inside my head I’m thinking, “Yikes, I started this play seven years ago.” Is it possible it’s become more timely while we were developing it? Or are some of the issues just more lime-lighted today?
It started innocently one late, sleepless night. Tossing and turning while my brain whirled around the seed of an idea. Writing a short scene for my theatre company in North Hollywood, The Group Rep. I got out of bed and started writing the scene in my Final Draft program on my lap top. As I finished the rough draft of this short scene, I thought how fun it would be to get other group members involved. At the next Monday Night meeting, I innocently made an announcement. “I’m going to present an evening of short scenes. It’s called, “PUTTING ON YOUR SHORTS.” I invited other group members to join me. I wasn’t sure if anyone would join in so I sat back down. I always get excited by the prospect of getting people involved in activities. I always have. The more people the more fun. Right? But it’s also scarey to put your thoughts and ideas in front of a group of people for fear of being shot down, ridiculed or the worst case scenario, no one interested or showing up. But I figured, well, what do I have to lose? At least I would present an original scene that I wrote and directed.
