Well, dear readers, we played the first of our two What If fundraiser shows last night and I’m here to tell you that the cast was flawless – not a single flubbed lyric. Such pros – they did their homework so that only having three short rehearsals was never a problem. I’m going to tighten a few things for tonight, but it was a grand and very funny show. I will admit that I was a little flummoxed because I hadn’t tested the mic before doing my opening remarks and because the speakers are so poorly placed halfway back in the theater and facing not the audience in either direction, but each other, I could not hear myself at all, so I kept asking if the thing was on. We’d done a sound check and I really should have sat in the front of the theater because the mic may as well have not been on up there, because the first three rows are in FRONT of the speakers and so not hearing that sound come out. It was fine for mid-house and back of house. So, I’ll come in at seven tonight and see if we can boost it a bit for the front. Biggest ovation of the evening – Peyton Kirkner singing my song Annie – getting every laugh and just wowing everyone, and that was while being under the weather still. Nobody knew it. But everyone got great applause, the What If parodies worked as the always do, and the regular songs were all great, but would have been greater had I not been flummoxed in my opening remarks, so much so that I forgot to set up that there were not only What If parodies, but normal songs, too. So, when the first of those happened, I could sense confusion. I forgot to mention that Amy Adams did costumes. So, after intermission I told the audience those things. I’ll hopefully not be flummoxed tonight.
After the show, there were lovely comments from the audience members. After that, Laura, Doug, and I went to the Coral Café for some food – I’d only eaten a mini-cup cake earlier. I had my usual chicken fried steak – good, but not great – I think I have to not have it later at night – the good chef works earlier, which is when I’ve had the best chicken fried steaks. We had fun gabbing, and then I came right home.
Prior to all that, I got eight hours of something – not always sleep, as my brain was in active mode. Once up, I answered e-mails, had some telephonic conversations, found out the story on the frame rate problem on the transfer, which will be fixed, and then I went and picked up some packages, and bought the cast some cupcakes. I came back home, listened to music, relaxed and rested my voice, and then I shaved and showered and moseyed on over to the theater. My sound guy from Vitello’s met us there, got the mic all set up and levels set, and then he left and we ran a few things, including all the group numbers to get the cast used to the stage. And then it was show time, and the rest you know.
Today, I’ll sleep in again, then I’ll relax and rest my voice, hopefully pick up some packages, eat something light to tide me over until after the show, and then I’ll mosey on over to the theater and arrive by six-thirty. We’ll do a quick sound check to see if we can raise the level a bit for the front of house, then we play our second performance. After, we’ll take the cast out for a bite to eat, since they worked their little butt cheeks off.
Tomorrow, I have some catching up to do on my other project, I’ll do some work at the piano, but mostly I need to relax and get my brain on track for The Man Who Came to Dinner rehearsals. The weekend is all about that, and then come Monday we begin the Dinner adventure.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, sleep in, relax and rest my voice, hopefully pick up packages, eat something light, get ready, do a quick sound check, and then we play our second performance. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite pies these days? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy that we had a pretty great first What If show and looking forward to tonight’s show.