Well, dear readers, we’ve done our run-through and survived. Lots of rough spots, but we got through it and while there are plenty of things to clean up and run, it was basically pretty good. There’s still confusion over the last minute cuts, and musical segues are only about a third in place. And, of course, first run-throughs are just rough by their very nature. After we finished, some of us went over to Mel’s Diner and had a most amusing time. We laughed and laughed and just when we thought we could laugh no more, we laughed again. Prior to all that, I had a great night’s sleep, then did the blurb for our new release and all the prep work that needed to be done for the announcement. I had some bacon and eggs, came home, sent everything to our web designer, and then I finally sat on my couch like so much fish to get a little ME time.
Yesterday, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Dumbo, an import from the UK (there is no release date yet for the US). I hadn’t seen Dumbo in years and what a wonderful film it is – in fact, it may be one of my favorites of all the Disney animated films. And one of the reasons for that is what makes it completely unique – there is no villain. And therefore no silly screenwriting 101 obstacles the villain throws in the path or the hero/heroine. Here it’s all character and it’s very touching and funny and winning. It has a perfect running time of sixty-two minutes. The songs are wonderful, and the animation is fantastic. The Blu-Ray itself is something to behold – a totally gorgeous, breathtaking thing of beauty, perfect in every way.
After I got home from the run-through, I had to write yet another strong e-mail having to do with someone else giving actors direction. I was promised it was going to stop and yet it happened again this evening. And one note I was asked to give to an actor is because the actor was given a note by someone other than the director and then the person who gave it didn’t like the result. So, of course, it falls to me to undo it and fix it. It wasn’t broken in the first place. I suspect that if this sort of thing happened in a Broadway production, it would not be tolerated by several unions.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I have to be up very early to announce the latest Kritzerland title at six in the morning.
Today, I shall be up at six to announce, then I’ll try to get two more hours of sleep. Then I shall hopefully print out a lot of orders, and then I shall be on my way to the theater to begin a very long day of work. First we’ll set our sound levels, get the stage set the way we want it, and work on our musical transitions until the cast arrives at two. Then, rather than do the run-through we’d planned where the same mistakes would be made, I’m going to run the most important scenes and drill them, plus run all the entrances and exits several times, then bone up on some of the songs – I feel that will be a much better way to spend our three hours. And then it’s all in the hands of fate. I still don’t think some people on our creative team really understand what a staged reading is, but that’s not my problem. I’m very proud of our company of players, who are giving their all.
Tomorrow I will happily have the day to myself, and then we do our second and final show. We then have a meeting the following morning, and then I’m informing everyone that for the next four weeks I will have no discussion on the show whatsoever. After that, we can begin to fix what we’ve found that doesn’t work. And by then we’ll know if there’s any interest from the producers who see the show.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, announce a CD, print orders, have a rehearsal, and attend our first of two performances. Today’s topic of discussion: Spuds. What are your favorite potato dishes and what are the best potato dishes you’ve ever eaten and where did you eat them? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we gird our loins for our first performance.