Robin Hood: An Understudy's Experience

Ensemble Member Deborah Craft paints a picture of what it was like to go on stage for another actor over Thanksgiving weekend.

Last weekend I had the stressful joy of going up on stage in the roles held by ensemble member Amy Gorelow. You’ll notice that last weekend was indeed Thanksgiving weekend and Amy, being from Atlanta, was away with family – like you do – to celebrate the holiday properly. I was also with family, but they’re in the area, so it all worked out that I was able to go up on stage to play around with this gaggle of goofy performers.

Being an understudy is an experience unlike any other in the theatre. Understudies don’t have the same rehearsal experience the regular actors do and need to pick up what they can on the fly in a way. For me, it’s a stressful position, but also one with the strongest adrenaline kick. It’s steps away from being an actor’s nightmare at all times: it’s kind of thrilling and totally intimidating.

So on Tuesday of last week the cast was called in for a put-in – where I was able to walk the blocking (stage movement) with the other actors and get a feel for speaking my lines against the other actors. I was also in costume for this rehearsal. Amy plays 4 different people in Robin Hood and some of those changes she and Vanessa Hughes have are as fast as any I’ve experienced.

It wasn’t just a rehearsal of the on stage work, but the back stage work too. Every actor in a Piccolo Panto works backstage just as hard as they work on stage handing off props, helping with quick changes, and turning flats in scene changes. The behind the scenes work is as choreographed and blocked as the on stage work, believe me. The rehearsal went well so it was left until Friday – in front of an audience – to see if I really knew the part(s).

I got to the theatre dressing room on Friday and the rest of the cast also started streaming in as usual. Vanessa and I started running lines as we put on our makeup and Ben joined in as well to help remind me that I knew what I was doing. I got into costume, handed off my quick change cheat sheet to Sarah, the ASM (Assistant Stage Manager) to tape to the wall backstage (there’s lots of little cheat sheets on the walls at Piccolo during a Panto – next time you’re there, see if you can spot them!), and at the places call went upstairs to wait my turn.

The next two hours went by in a blur. I went on stage and played to my heart’s content. I have to give credit to Vanessa and the whole cast of Robin Hood for making it all feel so relaxed and easy. If I was in the wrong spot on stage I was gently nudged, if I forgot a line (and I did!) my scene partners picked it up and kept the scene moving. Exhilirating. Scary. Stressful. And absolutely fantastic.

I was schmootzed in the face with whipped cream for the first time, I was the head of a cow for the first time, and I lived and breathed the energy of the audience. Thank you for allowing me to play!

Robin Hood: the Panto! a Must See!

Whether you are the type that likes to research before heading to a show, or if you just want to bask in the loveliness with us, you should check out what critics are saying about Robin Hood: the Panto! Click on the links to see the full reviews.


A "Must See" Show! "Jessica Puller's script...captures the fun-loving spirit of the panto. All the actors throw themselves wholeheartedly into their roles. Amy Gorelow and Vanessa Hughes, the ugly sisters/forest sprites, work together in perfect sync like the best comic duos, and Ben Muller's germophobic villain/Guy of Gisbourne injects just the right amount of wide-eyed crazy into his part. ...the audience was rolling in the aisles from beginning to end."
- Lisa Findley, CenterstageChicago.com

"Really. Go. Take the kids. Take anyone who needs a good laugh. For your helping of holiday cheer, this is the genuine article!"
- Patricia Simms, LaSplash.com


"...the cast excels at driving a sassy pace and playing every moment with gusto. What is even more important is the spot-on improvisation and interaction with the audience that they deliver....memorable moments include Noah Ginex’s magic scene and puppetry design, as well as Vanessa Hughes and Amy Gorelow playing the evil spirits of the Dark Forest, busting out a power ballad just like the 1980’s duo, Heart. But the show really is about the pact between audience and players to have a ridiculous, raucous good time. To that end, bring your friends and family. And watch out for the whipped cream."
-Paige Listerud, Chicagotheatreblog.com



"A Hoot and a Holler!" - Katy Walsh, The Fourth Walsh, ChicagoNow.com

"Performed with unstoppable gusto and unfailing impudence...louder than life and beautifully burlesque." - Lawrence Bommer, SteadstyleChicago.com

Interview with Jessica Puller, author of "Robin Hood: The Panto!"

A couple of weeks ago, Piccolo Ensemble Member Brianna Sloane sat down with playwright Jessica Puller, who wrote this year's hit Robin Hood: the Panto, as well as last year's successful panto, Perseus and Medusa. Here Jessica tells us how she got involved with the Piccolinis and then started writing pantos for the ensemble. She also gives some hints about what you might be seeing on the Piccolo stage next year around this time!





Brianna: How did you originally get involved with Piccolo?

Jessica: That's actually a bit of a funny story. After graduating from college, I was looking to get into theatre administration. I decided to start blindly sending cover letters and resumes out to local theatres. Piccolo was one of the many theatres on my list, so they got my business resume. About two months later, I got an email back from Piccolo. It said something along the lines of, "We found your resume and headshot and were wondering if you'd be interested in auditioning for our production of Sinbad." Well, to this day, I have no headshots, but I thought it sounded like a lot of fun, so I asked to audition! On Monday, I did a monologue for Piccolo. On Tuesday, I was cast as the rear end of a camel. On Wednesday, I started rehearsals. And I've been in love with the company ever since!

B: How long have you been writing plays? What are you working on right now?

J: I think I wrote my first play in fifth grade. It was my attempt at science fiction and was basically, I realized, a spec script for Star Trek: The Next Generation, only with the names of the characters changed. Too bad the show was off the air! After that, I don't think I got very serious about playwriting again until my junior year of college. At the time, I was enrolled in all my serious acting classes, but I applied to, and got into, the Northwestern playwriting program. By the end of the year, I was absolutely in love with playwriting and basically switched my concentration and my energy to playwriting.I have a few current projects up in the air right now. I'm working on an adaptation of The Breadwinner, by Deborah Ellis, for the Citadel Theatre. The Breadwinner is an amazing young adult novel about a young girl living in Afghanistan who has to dress up like a boy in order to go out and earn money for the rest of her family. Adapting it has been an interesting challenge. I love writing adaptations, but I've never written one of a book before. I much prefer mythology. Nevertheless, I've found a way to apply my own, unique style to the dialogue of the novel. I'm really looking forward to seeing how it turns out. At the same time, I'm working on a new piece called The Trojan War...or how one bad apple spoiled the world for a new company called the Inconceivable Theatre. Greek mythology has always been a passion of mine, especially when it's used to examine modern day issues, in this case, war. I can best describe this play as a combination of The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged), No Exit, and A Company of Wayward Saints, with maybe a dash of Kevin Sorbo's Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Finally, I'm also writing a murder mystery dinner for a fundraiser with a theatre group up in Niles, Michigan called The Swansong. All in all, I'm a very busy playwright!

B: What is the most fun about writing Panto?

J: Oh, I absolutely love Panto. I often tell people that it reminds us that in the theatre, it's called a "play" for a reason. I suppose my favorite thing about writing a panto is that I get to work with folktales. They're my favorite kind of play to watch, so therefore, they're my favorite kind of play to write.

B: Is it tricky to adapt a folktale into something like a Panto? Do you find the Panto a rigid or freeing format to write for?

J: I actually enjoy the challenge of adapting a folktale to the Panto format. I think of it like putting together a puzzle. There are all these pieces that need to be included (a shaving cream battle, an old woman played by a man, a scene with magic, etc.) and it's my job to find a folktale that can incorporate all of them. With all plays that I write, I'm an obsessive outliner. I won't begin writing a script until I have all of the scenes mapped out and I know that the beginning, middle, and end are all connected and in place. Writing a Panto just means that when I'm outlining, I have to take an extra step to ensure that all of the pieces are in place. I'm very selective about what stories I choose to work with. Generally, I spend some time on the internet, researching folktales and myths to decide which would best work in the format. Some stories that I absolutely love just won't cut it. Others, that I've never even heard of before, work brilliantly.

B: What is your experience working with the Piccolo directors these last 2 years in the development process we have found together? Or alternately what is it like working with a composer?

J: I love working with Glenn and Brianna on the Panto. The great thing about writing it and producing it pretty much at the same time is that there are three sets of eyes on the script that can see three sets of opportunities. Glenn and Brianna have made such wonderful discoveries that I might have absolutely missed. Likewise, I've been able to come up with some solutions to practical problems. For example, the character of Nestor in last year's show become an entirely different person from the beginning of the process to the end. When I first wrote the script, I pictured Nestor as a sort of Phil Silvers wannabe, a weasely, silly man. By the end of the process, Nestor had become Natasha from Rocky and Bullwinkle, with super powers and a sexy, sleek delivery that was absolutely hilarious. It was beautiful. All three of us, and the brilliant Deborah Craft as well, contributed to the complete transformation of the character.

As for Tyler Beattie (Composer for Robin Hood: The Panto!), he's absolutely amazing. He and I went to Northwestern together, although we never met. I remember seeing some of his work and thinking, "Wow, this guy is good." When I began working on the Panto last year, I knew I needed to find someone to write the songs. I can, and often do, write lyrics, but my musical talents are somewhat limited. On a total whim, I went onto Facebook and looked for Tyler. I found him and sent him a message, asking if he was interested in the project. He said he was! I think I did a happy dance. On Perseus and Medusa, the script was written completely before he wrote the songs. Tyler brilliantly managed to write songs that fit the piece so well, you would never have known. This year, Tyler and I met a few times before I began writing the script, looking for opportunities for music. At the same time, we've also started talking about doing some other collaborations. We both love children's theatre and we both love musicals. I only wish we had met in college!

B: What do you love most about your "Robin Hood"?

J: The cast, of course! They're an incredible group! They're a wonderful group of actors and they've managed to crack me up. And I already know all of the punchlines ahead of time! Without a question, my favorite thing about Robin Hood script itself is the character of Scarlet. She was the very start of the whole story. As I was considering Robin Hood as a possibility for a panto, I started to ask myself questions: Who's the dame?" Maid Marian's nursemaid. "Who's the comic duo?" Little John and Alan-a-Dale (he's always been my favorite Merry Man!). "Who's the good fairy?" That was a question that gave me pause. I thought about it and I thought about it and gradually, the character of Scarlet formed in my head. I enjoy writing spunky female characters, as many of my plays will attest. I think I put a little bit of myself into every character, but Scarlet is the most obvious. I tend to be pretty snarky. I find pleasure in writing adventures I've never had. I have big dreams. All of these elements have been incorporated into Scarlet.

B: What stories are you dreaming of making into Pantos of the future?

J: I've actually collected quite a stockpile of Panto outlines on my computer. I honestly think that I could happily write Pantos for the rest of my life! Right now, I have King Arthur, Puss in Boots, Eros and Psyche, The Snow Queen, and Rumpelstiltskin all sitting on the back burner. Whenever I'm surfing the net and I come upon a story that I think would make a good Panto, I immediately sit down and try to write an outline. The great thing about most of the stories is that any of them could also be written into a children's theatre play with just a few tweaks, so stories that don't make it as Pantos still have life elsewhere.


You can get tickets to Piccolo's annual Holiday Panto, Robin Hood: the Panto! online or by calling the box office at 847-424-0089.