Today’s date: Sunday July 5, 2026
Show title: Antony and Cleopatra
Director: Mili Koncelik
Staff Crew: Analise Toone, Topher Zane (RDAs), Julia Hill, John Spellman (interns)
What we did
We had the joy of another ASC artist in residence attending today’s rehearsal! We finished text work for 5.2 then established blocking. Those not involved in 5.2 ran lines. Topher worked with some of the campers not in 5.2. He then blocked a sequence with Decretus holding their wooden sword. With Cleopatra and Proculeius, he explained a sequence involving a dagger between the two characters, so they are comfortable and familiar with the movements. This was also the first day these campers learned these sequences so it was a mini fight call within blocking rehearsal. After getting the movements in their bodies, the campers practised said sequence over and over before doing a run of it. Mili and Topher worked with Proculeius and Dolabella to stage Proculeius’ exit – a touch on Dolabella’s shoulder as Proculeius goes past him to leave. Then, they worked with Dolabella and Cleopatra to create the moment when he helps her up (by both hands), before Caesar and his train enter. For the moments between Cleopatra and Caesar, Mili consulted Morgan, the visiting AIR, for thoughts. It resulted in a closing of space between Cleopatra and Caesar before Caesar’s exit. For the last bit of rehearsal, they blocked the Clown bringing Cleopatra the figs that conceal the snakes. They also blocked the moment Charmian and Iras help Cleopatra put on her robe, their goodbye and Iras’s death. They determined which way Iras would die (downstage toward the audience and Charmian’s reaction). In the last five of rehearsal, they blocked the moments of Cleopatra applying the asps (snake) to herself and her actual death moment. It involves her “seeing” Antony for the first time since his death, realizing that it’s him, then slowly fading until she actually dies.
Quick and Quotable
- From the play: “Make not your thoughts your prisons.” Caesar, 5.2
- From the director: “The time of universal peace is near.” “You’re having a terrible day, Dolabella.” “Don’t be short. Be tall.” Mili
- From the cast: “DId you just heel-click at me?” Zephyr; “You’re my goat, Dolabella.” Sanchez
Production Insights
Certain scenes come to life when you finally stage it. My favorite ones are when it unfolds into something different than what was visualized. I’ve learned that sometimes the scene can become even better through camper input that the director had not thought of. That aspect is one of my favorite parts of rehearsing a show because the intended result and what the audience sees can sometimes be two different things, which I think is really beautiful.
