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February 13, 2015:

THE FIRST PREVIEW

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, it’s almost two in the morning, I’m exhausted having only gotten three hours of sleep thanks to an allergy attack, plus a long day of going and doing and also doing and going, so I shan’t tarry or dally but instead shall write these here notes in a hurry.  To begin at the end, we survived our first preview.  We had a pretty good-sized house of nice folks.  We worked stuff from six to seven, changed up three light cues and then were ready to begin.

The new opening light cue, which leaves just a smidgeon of light on the stage worked perfectly and everyone got right to their chairs and seated quickly.  The music for the opening began and I knew right away the tempo was too slow – first time it’s happened, actually.  So, that got us off on the wrong foot, at least for me, but the audience gave the number hefty mitts so that was nice.  Given the slower pace, the first scene was a little under energy, but just a smidgeon, smidgeon being a running word in today’s notes apparently.  The second song also seemed a smidgeon slow, and the third song did, too.  After that, all the tempos were correct.  There were almost no fumfers and everyone was picking up their cues so that was fun.  It wasn’t the most demonstrative audience in terms of laughs, but their applause was earned and loud and sustained for every single number.  We had one technical mishap in act one thanks to the stage manager not having done a test with her computer before the show, which she’ll now always do.  We use one track in the show, a rap thing, and she wasn’t set up for it and the poor cast was stuck trying to improv around it – they actually did very well, but it was our musical director who saved the day, when he just played it on the piano.  The stage manager felt really bad about it, but these things happen, although this particular thing will not happen again.  I felt some of the comedy timing was a bit off or ragged, but they now have to get used to the new energy in the room, the audience.  But there were wonderful moments throughout and our ladies were all terrific and loveable, and they’re starting to figure out when the energy is flagging and just automatically picking it up, which is what we want.

Act two was smoother sailing and there are three show-stopping songs in a row and those did indeed get their hefty mitts – one of them, sung by our young cast member Adrienne Visnic, “I Don’t Say Anything” actually got the loudest and longest applause of the evening.  They had to hold for a very long time.  There were still two act two changes that have to move more quickly, but the show, like clockwork, ran exactly two hours including the intermission, even with the technical problem in act one.

I gave only a handful of notes after, including the tempo notes to our MD.  We also had Michael Lamont with us taking our production photographs, so I’ll be able to post some of those when I get them today. Then Doug and I and our stage manager went to the Coral Café, where I had eggs benedict.  Then I came right home.

Prior to all that, I got my three hours of sleep, stayed in bed until my allergy subsided after I took a Claritan-D, but by then it was too late to get anymore sleep.  I got up, got dressed and had to go to Millikin Middle School to see Little Shop of Horrors.  The girl playing Audrey is Alexa Giraudon, who I met a year ago (along with her mom and sister) when they did a play with Doug Haverty.  We’ve all become friends.  I only saw act one, as they were taking a ninety-minute break between acts.  For a middle school thing it was very good.  Alexa was also very good on Somewhere That’s Green.  After that, I went and had a cup of soup and a grilled cheese and bacon sandwich, picked up no mail whatsoever and came home.  I did stuff on the computer until it was time to leave for the theater.

Today, I’m sleeping in as late as I can.  Then I’ll do some stuff, and then we’ll have our second preview.  We’ll convene at six to run some music things and the two changes that need to happen faster.  We’re supposed to have a similar sized house, too, so that will be nice.   I think we’ll go out and get a bite after the show, which I always enjoy doing.

Tomorrow is, of course, our opening night, and I’ll relax until it’s time to go.  Sunday we have a matinee and an understudy on, so I’ll be there for that.  Then next week is all Kritzerland stuff for our next show.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, hopefully arise after a good night’s beauty sleep, do stuff, then attend our second preview.  Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/Blu and Ray player?  I’ll start – CD, nothing.  Blu-ray, I’m All Right, Jack.  Your turn.  Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy our first preview is behind us and went so smoothly.

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