Well, dear readers, we had us a pretty trying first preview, mostly due to the projections – one of the two computers used to run them would not work properly no matter what was tried. We don’t know if it was shut down incorrectly or what, and there was no way to figure it out because the gal who oversaw that and the set is unavailable anymore. In the end, at 8:05 I said to forget it and we’d only have the stage right projections. So, in my curtain speech I told everyone that. Then we began the show, and I knew pretty quickly it wasn’t going to go as smoothly as our best run-throughs. Energy was a bit low through some of it, light cues were off occasionally, and I’m still not thrilled with the lighting in terms of brightness, so the designer will once again re-work stuff. There WERE some fine moments, and the high-energy numbers always land well. We have to sharpen the timing on the two long sketches, and we’re still struggling with sound issues, which we absolutely have to fix. The projections were a mess but I’ll be with the guy who’s doing them at five today to go through all of them so he knows the timing and exactly where to do them. We only had about ten people, which was also irritating. People complain that they can’t afford the ticket price, but when you offer them a free preview, they can’t be bothered. I think the pandemic and the media’s stoking of constant non-stop fear have given people a malaise that they just don’t want to do much of anything. Not in New York, where theater grosses are really healthy. But here? Uh uh. But the folks who were there did seem to enjoy it and laughed and gave large applause to mostly everything. Anyway, it was a frustrating night for me and I gave a few notes after the show and let everyone go. They did manage to get the second computer and projections working before I left, so hopefully they’ll still be working when I get there at five, at which time I’ll also see the adjusted light cues. If I never see another pink light it will be too soon. Otherwise, I came right home after rehearsal, and am now listening to the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and the six CDs of Mozart – currently playing, several horn concertos.
Yesterday was a weird day. I did get eight hours of sleep, maybe more, but very VERY weird and off-putting dreams. Once up, I answered e-mails, had some telephonic calls, then ordered a chopped salad from Stanley’s. That arrived thirty minutes later and was excellent and I ate it out of my new green salad bowl, which replaced the one I broke.
I did some catch up stuff on the computer, then shaved and showered and then I moseyed on over to the mail place, where there were no important envelopes or packages. Then I went to the theater, we got everyone in mics, ascertained that the stage left computer projections were refusing to work, did a sound check with the band and got everything sounding really good, and then spent right up until show time trying to get the damn projections to work. The rest you know.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll probably have another salad for lunch, I’ll do whatever needs doing and then I’ll get ready. I’ll mosey on over to the mail place and hope for the two important envelopes, and then I’ll go to the theater and work with the projection guy so he can learn where and when the images happen. Then we’ll do a sound and projection check, and then hopefully we’ll have a bigger crowd for preview number two. I will, of course, have a full report for you.
Tomorrow is opening night. I’ll spend the day writing thank you notes and relaxing. Then I’ll mosey on over to the theater around six-thirty and make sure all is well and well is all. Then we play our opening night show and hopefully we’ll have a decent crowd for that. Saturday, we play our second show and Sunday is our first matinee. And then Monday and maybe even Tuesday are ME days, to try and get my sanity back.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up when I’m up, do whatever needs doing, eat, get ready, hopefully pick up important envelopes, work on the projections, and then we do our show. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite pieces by Mr. Mozart? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, hoping that we have the right and left sides say hello to each other and that all goes smoothly.