As I alluded to in last week’s blog, the first rehearsals with an unfamiliar group of actors are a unique experience. Imagine starting a new job and being expected to immediately connect with your co-workers on a personal level. It’s our job to be able to tap into these emotional places easily and truthfully. However, even the most skilled actor can appreciate a little assistance in connecting with their fellow performers.

Our first week of rehearsal was filled with music and staging. We’ve already learned our vocal parts for the entire show, as well as the staging for most of Act I. That first act was already beginning to take shape when we ran it on Sunday afternoon. The company is showing glimpses of the beautiful work that will be part of our performances– from Peter James Zielinski’s awe-inspiring riffs to Jonathan Rayson’s masterclass in acting when he performs “I Am The One.” But for me, one of the most valuable pieces of this week’s rehearsal took place outside of work: Game Night.

On the evening before our day off, I invited the cast and crew over to my apartment for a relaxing night of food, drink and games. We spent the evening playing two rousing games of Telephone Pictionary (if you don’t know how to play, you can find instructions here: www.greatgroupgames.com/telephone-pictionary.htm.) It’s a very simple game to learn, but a challenging game to master. And the attempts to play it well are almost always hilarious.

You see, games just make you laugh, and last night’s festivities were no exception. I can’t remember the last time I laughed that much (It was probably the last time I hosted a Game Night). And with a show as heavy as Next to Normal can be, it is important to let all of that emotional weight go. The opportunity to relax with these new-found colleagues builds an innate sense of understanding and trust between us that wouldn’t be present if we only discussed the show.

After two rounds of Telephone Pictionary, Conly Basham (our Natalie understudy) shared with the group that she moonlights as a handwriting specialist. She spent the next hour analyzing each of our handwriting, talking about creativity v. structure, optimism v. pessimism and, perhaps most pertinently to Next to Normal, family relationships.

On our very first day of rehearsal, our director Nicole Capri told us “We are defined by our relationships.” Hearing Conly talk about each person’s handwriting, and what it may or may not reflect about their own relationships, was illuminating for our work both onstage and off.

Game Night allowed us to see each other outside of our work environment as more than colleagues – as people. We learned things about our co-workers we wouldn’t know solely discussing our work. And that additional knowledge and compassion will somehow reflect back on what we bring to the stage in next week’s rehearsal.

Mo Brady is originally from Seattle and made his Broadway debut in The Addams Family. He performed in the world premiere of Catch Me If You Can at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, as well as in six additional original productions at the theater. His performances inSeven Brides For Seven Brothers and Hello, Dolly! there won him a “Best of Seattle” Award from Seattle Weekly magazine. He has worked on many developmental productions and world premieres, including Villains Tonight! with Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen for Walt Disney Entertainment, Robin Hood with Martin Charnin and Snapshots with Stephen Schwartz, both at Village Theatre in Seattle. This fall, Mo performed in workshops of two Broadway-bound musicals: The Rhythm Club, directed by Casey Nicolaw, and The Honeymooners, directed by Jerry Mitchell. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Whitman College. Read more at www.mobrady.net.

Hello fans of the Rep! My name is Mo Brady, and I am playing Henry in the upcoming production of Next to Normal. The folks at the Rep have asked me to share some insights on the show from behind the scenes. As a lover of blogs, Twitter, Instagram and all things Internet, I am more than happy to oblige.

Next to Normal is my first show here at the Rep. In fact; it’s my first time ever in Little Rock. Traveling to a new city for a theater job is often a whirlwind. Usually, it involves flying half way across the country to an airport you’ve never been to. From there, you are picked up by someone you’ve never met and then whisked away to an apartment you’ve never seen but is now your temporary home.

Just about twelve hours later, you find yourself at the first rehearsal. Often it’s the first time you’re introduced to much of the cast and production team – people that will become your surrogate family for the run of the show. These first rehearsals usually are full of introductions, discussions of concepts, reviewing of schedules – and today’s first rehearsal was no exception.

However, at today’s rehearsal, I was struck at how grateful everyone was to be working on this show. Nicole Capri, our director, spoke passionately about this play. And she is not alone – Next to Normal is a piece that most actors are passionate about, as well. It’s something about the story – the struggle of a contemporary family, attempting to connect – set to a thrilling rock score that draws in actors, directors and audiences alike.

Next, Nicole leads us on a tour of the The Rep’s building. She points out where to find coffee in the morning (very important), and where we can get a drink after the show (also very important). My favorite part of the tour is seeing the auditorium itself, because it introduces us to the space that we will be sharing with you – the audience. This is the first time I’ve seen the theater, and I am surprised that there are not one, but two balconies. I love this, because it allows us to be closer to you in performances.

Following the tour, we jump into our first music rehearsal. Next to Normal features some beautiful, but complicated melodies. Often, all six actors are singing different words and different notes, all at the same time. It’s a thrilling score to sing – once you’ve learned it. But at first, it can be overwhelming to figure out how the pieces fit together. We learn the basics of two group numbers, knowing that we have a lot of homework tonight to review our newly learned vocal parts.

The full cast rehearsal is followed by a music rehearsal for just Kristin Parker and me. Kristin, who plays Natalie, and I share four brief, but beautiful songs in the show. These songs essentially define our relationship from start to finish, and they’re full of delicious acting nuggets. Last fall, I had the pleasure of auditioning with Kristin, before either of us were cast in the show. In that audition, I was struck at how fearless and open she was. I hoped that we would get to perform this material together. Today, I found myself feeling grateful to be singing with her again.

The most exciting part of my first rehearsal day was the costume fitting. I’m naturally a pretty straight-laced guy, so playing a stoner is a fun acting departure. The first thing I saw on the costume rack was a hoodie, which made me smile. Every time I imagine Henry, I picture him wearing a hoodie. As I tried on the various skinny jeans and porkpie hats, Shelly Hall (our costume designer) and I bounced ideas off of each other – What if we leave this shirt unbuttoned? Do I wear my hair up or down? What about guyliner? It was fun to see how Henry will look, as it will inform how I create the character in tomorrow’s rehearsal and the weeks to follow.

I’ll be posting to the blog each week, to give you the inside scope at how the production is coming together. I look forward to sharing this experience with all of you!

Mo Brady is originally from Seattle and made his Broadway debut in The Addams Family. He performed in the world premiere of Catch Me If You Can at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, as well as in six additional original productions at the theater. His performances in Seven Brides For Seven Brothers and Hello, Dolly!  there won him a “Best of Seattle” Award from Seattle Weekly magazine. He has worked on many developmental productions and world premieres, including Villains Tonight! with Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen for Walt Disney Entertainment, Robin Hood with Martin Charnin and Snapshots with Stephen Schwartz, both at Village Theatre in Seattle. This fall, Mo performed in workshops of two Broadway-bound musicals: The Rhythm Club, directed by Casey Nicolaw, and The Honeymooners, directed by Jerry Mitchell. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Whitman College. Read more at www.mobrady.net. Follow @mo_brady on Twitter.