Well, dear readers, we had our first choreography rehearsal yesterday and it was ever so much fun. We began by showing Cheryl Baxter-Ratliff, our wonderful choreographer, our opening number, which she really liked. Then she got everyone on their feet and began teaching them all the 1960s dances we’re doing in this one big ol’ dance number. We had our drummer with us, too, and Lanny, who’ll be writing the dance music. These kids loved doing this stuff – in the end I think we’re going to go with mostly the gals and maybe just two guys, but we’ll see how it goes when she actually stages it today. While that was going on, our MD was rehearsing solo songs, which we really needed to do. Meanwhile, I also gave positions and rough staging to almost all the solo songs and monologues, so that’s done now.
After all that, we showed Cheryl the quartet song I’d staged but not quite finished. She cleaned that up really well, adding bits and making everything I did really tight, so it’s really cute. There’s a reprise of it in act two that will basically have the same staging with different lyrics. We ran some harmony stuff, cleaned some of that up, and ran a few other solo things – all sounding very good. The spirit of the company is really fun to watch. The four hours really flew by, like a gazelle doing the Frug and the Monkey.
Prior to that, I’d have nine-and-a-half hours of sleep, which was good, and with very nice dreams, too. Once up, I answered e-mails and had some telephonic calls, then I moseyed on over the hill and picked up Lanny and we went to the House of Pies for some lunch. I kept it simple – my nausea was gone, but I wanted to be careful. I had a BLTA but in classic House of Pies lunch chef style, there was no A, which they then brought on the side. I had a few fries with it and a small dinner salad. After, we split a piece of cherry pie with no a la mode, then we went to LACC. I introduced Lanny to everyone.
After the rehearsal, I came right home and did some work on the computer, got some more songs chosen for the Kritzerland show, and we’re STILL waiting on our final guy. If there’s no one by ten, Guy Haines can do two songs and that will be that – it’s so damn annoying. I was frankly ready to just cancel the show at this point. I mean, we begin rehearsals for it next Monday for heaven’s sake. We’ve never been this far behind – it’s kind of outrageous.
Today, we’ll do the Facebook event page for the Kritzerland show no matter what, and I’ll have a little bite to eat before going to rehearsal – ready for something other than the awful lunch chef at House of Pies, so maybe Bird’s or something in Hollywood. Then Cheryl will actually stage the 60s dance number. If we finish it, she’ll move onto the girl trio number and I’ll work with solos and monologues. Happily, the helper is with us as Cheryl’s assistant, so when she can’t be there the helper can and can block in the missing people, who are plentiful and who we won’t really have until Friday morning.
The rest of the week are rehearsals and meals, and I also have to have a work session for the Kritzerland show. We’re doing two songs from the LA show so that part is easy. And our other cast members are doing at least a few things they already know. I’m not quite sure if the What If will be ready on time or if anyone will be able to learn it. We’ll see.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a Facebook event page, eat, rehearse, and come home and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What were your favorite 1960s dances to do? And if you weren’t born then, how many have you actually done? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy we had a fun choreography day.