Well, dear readers, we’ve survived the first of our long, long tech days and we survived it pretty damn well. When I arrived at nine-thirty, the stage manager and lighting guy were programming in cues. The cast arrived at ten and did as much of a line-through as they could until we began at eleven. We did our first run-through and it ran just what it’s been running, so I’m very happy with the consistency of that. It wasn’t a bad run-through, and there weren’t all that many calls for lines, so that was good. After, I gave some notes, adjusted some stuff for critical light positions, and then the cast took an hour break, while I gave some notes about the lighting. Doug Haverty brought some Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches for the few who stayed and worked. The sandwich was pretty good. When everyone was back, it was time to do our second run-through at three. This was the first time Doug and Adryan, our authors, were seeing any of the show. Since the cast actually had some people to play to, everything perked up and some lovely things happened, so we’ll keep those things and continue to build on them and find more moments like that. The energy was better at the top of the show, and was up and down a bit as we went along. But it was much better and everyone’s finding the rhythm of the show and when it’s all clicking it’s grand fun to watch. One of our actors had to leave just before the end of the run, so her understudy took over. I gave more notes, more lighting notes, and we took a thirty-minute break, after which we ran the first act again. Everyone was pretty tired by then, but the drilling of it is really good, and I told everyone they could mark the singing. This is not an easy show for actors. Many quick changes and the work lights weren’t up yet backstage.
Happily, we have a truly top-notch cast of players and each of them is bringing something special to the table. Our own Sandy Bainum has a difficult job in this, and she’s finding really good and interesting colors to what could be a one-note character in lesser hands. She’s so gorgeous that it’s hard to take your eyes off her. Dana Meller, who I’ve never worked with before, is really good and very creative. Cynthia Ferrer is a total pro and I love working with her. She, too, has a difficult role and she’s really beginning to find what makes her character click and at the second run-through she found some really good comedy moments. Leslie Stevens, whose character has the biggest journey in the show, is a wonderful actor. She has her own way of working, so I just guide and let her find her stuff. But that’s what I pretty much do with everyone in this show, although I’m more specific with the folks who need that. Stephanie Fredericks is fun and sings beautifully and is also finding her rhythm and fun stuff. Adrienne Visnic, who is our youngest cast member (in a role written for someone in their thirties – I really insisted we have someone in their early twenties in the show, and Adrienne just is this character), is also delightful and growing constantly. When you have six women of this caliber it makes one’s job so much easier.
But right now, I’m going into my cutting to the chase mode – if something is bothering me I don’t mince words, I just say what it is and make suggestions on how to adjust it. Right now, there are certain prop things that aren’t working for me because I find them distracting, so we either have to change them or find a way to make them work as they are. And I’m also trying to adjust anything that’s pulling my focus from where it needs to be at any given time, so that what’s happening on stage is never too busy or unfocused. 90% of the time, all six ladies are on stage, and I just have to trust my eyes and clean what’s becoming too much or too busy, so that everyone hears what they need to hear and so the comedy all works cleanly. I know it’s a little frustrating for the cast occasionally to really have to hit solid marks when the lighting is critical, but they’re getting that down and we’ll probably end up spiking those positions – it’s really just the end of acts one and two. We’re all very anxious for our real musicians to join us on Tuesday – that will make all the difference in the world in terms of the show moving right along cohesively.
Our sound guy was with us and watched the run-through, so he knows what has to be done and he’ll be back on Tuesday to hang mics and get everything ready on his end. We wrapped at eight and at first we were going to get something to eat, but I was just too zonked so I came home, had a bagel and some bite-sized candies.
Today, we’re back at ten and will do a cue-to-cue, which should go fairly quickly since she’s already done two run-throughs. She has to learn to anticipate every light cue within numbers, because if you go late then singers are in the dark – so all of those cues have to go a second or two earlier. The other thing that will happen on the cue-to-cue is that the cast has to figure out where they’re doing their quick changes (by quick changes I mean removing a coat or adding a coat or a scarf or whatever). Once we’re done with that, we’ll do our first run-through. Depending on how that goes will determine the rest of the day – we may do a second complete run-through, or I may just do detail and cleaning work – my plan is to get everyone done by six, so they can all have a nice evening and then a day off.
Tomorrow, I would sorely love to have a day off, but alas it is the Robby Awards, and I’m overseeing the show. The helper is finally back in town, so she has to ship out a lot of stuff, including our latest, Ethan. But she also has to do a Costco run for the after party, which she’ll be working. I have to go to the El Portal and set the stage, and then we have a sound check that ends around six-thirty or so. I believe the show is at seven-thirty. Once it begins, then I just sit in the audience and enjoy. Since projects that I was involved in have thirteen nominations I’ll also be biting my fingernails. Tuesday, our dress/tech is during the day, so I’ll have that evening off, which will be very nice. Wednesday is our final dress/tech and that’s in the evening. Thursday and Friday are our two previews, and then we open on Saturday night, with a little party afterwards.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a cue-to-cue, have a run-through, and then possibly have another run-through or just work through stuff. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s free-for-all day, the day in which you dear readers get to make with the topics and we all get to post about them. So, let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy that we survived our first long, long day of tech.