Well, dear readers, it is late, I am exhausted, and yet the notes must be written – so it is written, so it shall be done. However, I’ll be brief since I really need to get some sleep. So it is written, so it shall be done. Yesterday was a long, exhausting day filled with a lot o’ stuff. I got up early, did the two-mile jog, answered e-mails, paper blocked everything that was left, then visited the theater to scope out the sound system, which will work fine for this reading. I then went to rehearsal. We began with the three very big sequences that were left. They went pretty smoothly, but still took ninety minutes instead of the hour I was hoping they’d take. Then we took a ten, after which we began assembling the show. I must say, it came together shockingly well for a stumble through. Oh, there were lots of rough entrances and exits, a few forgotten blocking things, and we were assigning the few read stage directions as we stumbled through. But the “staging” or shape of the thing was looking very good and if we can just get it to where everyone is comfortable and on their game, it should go pretty smoothly. A few of the songs really need rehearsing, too. We got through all of act one – we have to go back and fix two little things, but act one is basically in good shape. I then suggested that we make some internal cuts in almost every scene in the act – just losing two lines here, four lines there – tightening up the flab. And there’s one song (and its reprise) that just stops the show cold and not in the right way, unfortunately. The co-author wants it cut, and I pretty much concur, so we’ll be dealing with that tomorrow.
After the rehearsal, a few of us went back to Genghis Cohen for another splendiferous meal. After that, home I came. Was I then able to rest and relax? Of course not. I had to then spend almost four hours dealing with the next Kritzerland project. As I mentioned, the master is sounding very good, but I was not happy with the sequence, so I watched the movie, which actually was not that much help, since the music in the film is edited weirdly and all patched together, with a lot of repeated cues. But I was able to get a sense of a new shape for the sequence and by the end of the four hours I’d completely changed everything – the order, editing several cues together (originally 24 cues, now 16) and I think the whole thing will now play beautifully. I sent the editing road map to the mastering guy and I’m hoping it will be done by the time I get home tomorrow night. Hence, we’re not quite ready to announce the title yet, but will be any day now.
I will say again, our cast is wonderful – very hard workers, fast learners, and they’re a pleasure to work with. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I am exhausted and it is late and I need my beauty sleep. So it is written, so it shall be done.
Today, we will begin with the assembly of act two. That should go a little quicker than act one, since the act is a good twenty-five minutes shorter. Once we’re through with that, rather than try to shove a run-through in, I’m going to drill the four big numbers several times so that everyone is really comfortable and sharp, then while the music team runs the problem songs, I’ll work on scenes and performances. Obviously, there isn’t time to do every scene, but I’ll do the really important ones and hopefully whatever direction I need to give in those scenes will inform all the other scenes. Fortunately, everything is on the right track.
Tomorrow, of course, we must do a full-out run-through with no stops. After, I’ll have about thirty minutes to address problems. Then we do another full-out run on Monday afternoon, and then it’s show time on Monday night. Whew!
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, hopefully do a jog, rehearse, and then some of us will be going out to sup after the rehearsal. Today’s topic of discussion: For what occasion did you look that absolute best you ever looked – attire, hair, everything just perfect? And what was the most embarrassing outfit you ever wore? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we? So it is written, so it shall be done.