DREAMS IN THE WITCH HOUSE -The 2 Kesiah Masons

By J David Moeller

Carolyn Klein is Kesiah Mason, the witch. So is Michaela Petro, only Michaela is the understudy. Carolyn is in rehearsals for the Scottish play opening January 2 at Chicago Shakespeare. She must be in rehearsals the final two Sundays of our run, thus giving over the role to Michaela, an equally accomplished actress I appeared with in "The Great God Pan" earlier this year. Carolyn and I were in "Scenes From the Big Picture" just prior to "Dreams..."

"Dreams in the Witch House" closes December 21, 2008.

Carolyn Klein - Witch makeup by Aly Greaves -

Michaela Petro

DREAMS IN THE WITCH HOUSE -Learning the Lines

Probably the easiest dialogue to memorize was evidenced in Mel Brook's "Silent Movie" when he, ingeniously, got "Bip" -the masterwork clown character of world renowned mime Marcel Marceau- to say aloud- the solitary word in the film, "No".

Everyone else has to study. And that means hours of late nights, and coffee, and tugging at hair, and groaning, and thumping the temples, and pacing and repetition of the words the playwright's provided until they become as if casual conversation between the cast members.