Last week Santa Monica Playhouse presented the opening night of Murder Ballard after a string of unfortunate events very nearly derailed the production. Originally set to open in May, in a theater in Long Beach, the cast and crew of the Mid-World Players found themselves homeless when that venue unexpectedly closed.
Jesse Seann Atkinson, Artistic Director of Mid-World Players, began a frantic search to find an alternative location. Thankfully after a few weeks of non-stop cold calling, Santa Monica Playhouse responded positively and a new date was officially confirmed.
"The only drawback was that it didn’t provide regular rehearsal space. Plus, with the change in date and new location, some of the cast and crew couldn’t make it," Atkinson said, adding, "It was like starting again, including trying to find a lead performer."
Atkinson made his apartment available in Downtown Los Angeles for rehearsal for four nights every week. However, as he says, losing a lead performer is not easy to overcome, so with the new opening date fast approaching, Assistant Director Jess Be stepped in.
"I’d worked with them [the Mid-World Players] many times in the past, in roles in dramatic productions, but I’d certainly never performed in a musical," said Be. "We had to put together a live band to perform the songs and we really only had time for a handful of run-throughs."
Atkinson describes the story as a love triangle gone wrong. "Murder Ballad centers on Sara [the role Be now plays]. She’s a wealthy uptown girl who seems to have everything, but she has a downtown past that lingers enticingly and dangerously in front of her."
Sadly however, that wasn’t the end of the string of mishaps to befall the musical. Maybe someone unwittingly whispered the name of The Scottish Play during an early rehearsal.
Tragically, one of the principal cast members had to deal with a death in the family and another was struck down with an illness that prevented him from rehearsing for a week. "It was slowly beginning to look like it wasn’t meant to be," said Atkinson.
Despite these and all the other setbacks, Atkinson and his Mid-World Players partner, Jennifer Harmon – who also stars in the show – persevered and led the cast and crew to deliver on the promised open date of June 17, with the opening night being a massive success.
"Opening night was incredible," said Harmon, adding, "It was marvelous to see so many theatergoers come out to support us. Just a few weeks ago, we had no venue, but through our relentless efforts, unwavering commitment and a fortunate turn of events, we managed to create an unforgettable opening night at Santa Monica Playhouse. The audience showered the cast and crew with enthusiastic applause as the final curtain fell, evoking an incredible sense of satisfaction."
Santa Monica Playhouse describes itself as a non-profit, professional intimate theater and educational conservatory. It was established in 1960 and according to the website, it "is the only theatre of its kind to have produced continuously for over half a century, without compromising the true spirit of the European Repertory theatre" having presented nearly 20,000 actual performances for close to two million audience members.
Evelyn Rudie, Co-Artistic Director of Santa Monica Playhouse, said, "We’re excited and pleased to welcome the guest production Murder Ballad and the Mid-World Players to our boards."
Rudie herself was a child actor and has starred in movies with the likes of Lauren Bacall and Fred Astaire. She even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, located at the corner of Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave.
Santa Monica Playhouse (https://www.santamonicaplayhouse.com) is at 1211 4th Street, Santa Monica. Tickets are available through Eventbrite or on the door and the show runs until July 3, 2023.
