Well, dear readers, our second rehearsal was fun. We reviewed everything, then I let some people go and we then taught some songs involving four people, then three, then two, then solos. So, other than songs involving our leading man, our cast pretty much knows everything now, so that’s good. The energy is wonderful and everyone is so willing, and we’re laughing a lot, too, which is how I like the rehearsal room. I will say, the school is having an issue and the smaller theater, where are for the music rehearsals, is freezing, like less than sixty degrees, and this school is now so inept they can’t seem to fix it. Today is our last day in there and the main stage, where all our other rehearsals occur, is thankfully warmer. It’s ridiculous.
Yesterday began with a bit of drama with the Asian actress we JUST cast dropping out because she didn’t realize this was a community college production and that she’d be working with students who weren’t at her level. To say I found this off-putting would be a huge understatement and I let her know it in no uncertain terms. I wasn’t exactly secretive about where the show was taking place, nor was I secretive that most of the company was students. Anyway, it is what it is, so I’ve been scrambling to find a replacement and at this point part of me wants to hire an Asian-looking Hispanic gal and then when the inevitable outrage occurs I can just post the long, long list of Asian actresses who didn’t want to do the show. We’ll see what happens today, but I have to have an actress by Monday and that’s all there is to that.
Then in the things to come department, I went to Grant Geissman’s and we had a nice chat and I’ll have some news to share very soon. After that, I picked up a couple of packages, then came home. I didn’t have much time here as I had to hie myself to a two o’clock production meeting. We discussed everything about the show and how and when things would happen, then I got a breakfast burrito from the food truck, then ate it whilst sitting with my set designer, going over the looks for every scene so that I know how the big moving stair/platform units are set for each scene – that way I can plan how they move and I know where to stage each scene. He’s going to send me photos of each change and that way I’ll have them with me as a reference.
Then we had our rehearsal, I came back to the Valley, stopped at Gelson’s and got a little mac-and-cheese, a little potato salad, and a cucumber roll, came home and ate them all up – all very good. I caught up on e-mails, had a long and good telephonic conversation, another conversation with a potential actress replacement, and then it was time to write these here notes.
Today, I have some banking to do, I have to make sure we find our replacement actress, I’m actually going to cast the Christmas Kritzerland show now, I’ll try and finish the second set of liner notes and then we have a four to seven rehearsal. After that, Richard Allen and I will go sup, probably at the House of Pies or someplace like that.
Tomorrow I do a show order and write commentary, finish liner notes, and I have to try and relax as much as I can. Sunday is more of the same, but also a possible two-hour rehearsal with Robert Yacko for his show. And then more relaxing, if possible. Monday we begin staging the show. I don’t ever do read-throughs, they simply do not interest me. I just get everyone on their feet and we start at the top of the show and just go, go, go. Prior to us starting to block we have a show-and-tell with the set, lighting, and costume folks, so I do enjoy those. And that’s the week, basically – rehearsals every evening, with my days so full it will be amazing if I can get everything done, some of which has to do with the news I’ll be sharing.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, bank, hopefully pick up packages, replace the actress, cast the Christmas Kritzerland, finish liner notes, rehearse, and sup. 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, the next Kritzerland release, which I thought was going to be the show title but which now looks like it may be the film title – but maybe both if we want to release two at once. Blu-ray, who has time? Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, wishing some actors were not so full of themselves, but happy to have other actors, both students and pros, who are there to do the best they can do and who are willing to do the work and who aren’t looking down their noses at anyone, and looking forward to things to come.