Well, dear readers, this is what I woke up to yesterday – two telephonic messages from our leading lady telling me her twisted ankle wasn’t broken (good news) but that it was swollen, and we should discuss strategies for our one and only preview. So, there were two scenes at issue – the opening of act two, Boom Ditty Boom, which she leads for the first verse – I figured out how we’d deal with that, and then her visit to Sadie’s Fur Shop, where there is a lot of physical comedy and a lot of up and down stuff. Frankly, I didn’t want to even think about it. I just figured we’d have another disastrous run-through/preview – there was no way we were going to cancel it. So, I arrived at the theater at five-fifteen to work with Doug Haverty on his patter song. We went through it and got it where it needed to be, energy-wise. Then I put in our young actress into Boom Ditty Boom and told Doug that in his pre-show speech to just lay it out for the audience and why there’d be a different person in that part of the number. And Doug made a suggestion for the fur shop scene – rather than using the upholstered bench thing we use for her to faint on and then keep getting up and down as she keeps sending Sadie to the other room so she can try to find a coat that one of her gang left behind. Because I didn’t think she’d be able to do all the up and down stuff, we used one of our rolling chairs we had for Inside Out, the musical I directed at a theater in Burbank. So, I showed Barbara that she could sit at the top of the scene and just stay in the chair and when Sadie would leave, spin the chair around and check out the coats on the rack behind the chair. We tried it and it worked well and so did the fainting on the chair. Then I ran the complete number of Boom Ditty Boom because it had become so subverted from what I’d staged that it didn’t make any sense anymore. So, we went over the entire number and got it back to what it was. Our young actress picked it up right away, too. Back in the green room, they ran lines for the two scenes that had been total wipeouts the night before. Then everyone came out for their mic checks and we got them adjusted so they were all louder.
Then I went back to the green room and gave a little cheerleading pep talk about having a ton of JEF (Joy, Energy, Fun) and to play the entire show as vaudeville. We had about twenty-five people, which is good for a preview. Then I noticed that the stage right pillars weren’t lit. Our stage manager couldn’t figure it out – they’d worked when she did the pre-show light check, but we couldn’t find the problem. Lighting guy will come and figure it out before tonight.
Doug gave his pre-show speech, and then the short overture began, lights came up to reveal the entire company sitting in chairs, and Doug stood up and delivered the first line, which is something I wrote. In the original and revised versions, there’s no laughs at the beginning of the show and I felt we needed to start off with a couple of big laughs, so I simply came up with something that was funny and I’m happy to say it got the big laugh. Makes all the difference in the world. The opening number went very well and sounded good, mic-wise. There were still some mic issues, but it was yards better than the previous runs. Then the show proper began, and we had us a miracle – the cast pulled together, the first scene finally set up the show the way it needs to be set up, and we got through the first scene relatively unscathed. Fumfers here and there, but good energy throughout – which is what I’ve been stressing – line problems? Mistakes? Embrace them and do whatever you do with energy and fun. And that worked. Without going into too much detail, the show just came together for the first time. Scenes flowed from one to the other, the pace was much better, line flubs were handled with energy, songs went well, the Sadie’s scene not only went well but got applause at the end, so I decided we’d lose the upholstered bench, which I hated, and keep the chair. But the most interesting part was the audience. Because the set up was finally right – the gals remembered all their lines – when stuff is left out, then it just becomes confusing. The audience felt they were part of the show. At several points, they talked back to the actors in fun ways – for example, if there was a line where a character was talking to the audience and said something, they’d respond, and it was hilarious and worked perfectly. First act was one hour twelve minutes, second act was forty-five. We can still tighten the pace of act one, but the show is now under two hours and with intermission will be two-ten. After the show, I had the actors come out. I’d already told them there would be no more notes, that they had to have the JEF and vaudeville playing style and that they now had to own the show and that they were now the directors in terms of letting the audience know what was funny and where to applaud. I was very proud of all of them and so happy it finally resembled the show I wanted. And our twisted ankle leading lady got through the show and frankly you couldn’t even tell she had a problem. And now, we open, and they just have to keep that energy and JEF and vim and verve. After, I stopped at Rite Aid and got some cherry chip ice cream for a treat, then ordered some chicken pasta salad from the California Chicken Café and that came and I ate it all up, then had some of the ice cream – all good.
Earlier, I’d gotten eight hours of sleep, a stinky text that I didn’t care to respond to, dealt with the drama, thought about sticking my head in the oven, watched some irritating videos on YouTube, had two tacos for food, and then got ready and moseyed on over to the theater and the rest you know.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I have to write my opening night thank you cards, which will take a couple of hours, I think, I’ll eat something really light, then I’ll relax, then I’ll shave and shower and then mosey on over to the theater around six. Then we open the show and after there’s a party in the green room. I will, of course, have a full report for you.
Tomorrow, I relax all day, then we play our evening performance, and Sunday is the same but a matinee, which is pretty much sold out. There’s a talkback afterwards. Next week, we’re off, although I suspect we’ll have one or two run-throughs of the show to keep us fresh and on point. Then it’s back to the project with David Wechter. I’m supposed to renew my license on Tuesday, but I think I need to cancel and make an appointment for just before or after Thanksgiving, so I can actually study for the written test and get new glasses.
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, write opening night cards, eat something light, relax, shave and shower, and then attend our opening night. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/Blu and Ray/streaming player? I’ll start – nothing. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had a damn good one and only preview.