Well, dear readers, it was certainly an interesting rehearsal last night. The lighting designer came and wanted to shoot a run-through. This was actually supposed to happen on Tuesday, so none of us were expecting it and we were still working our way through the show. So, a couple of cast members were upset by it and thought I hid the information or something, but I set them straight. They thought they suddenly had to give a performance, but they didn’t, and I told the lighting guy that it wasn’t going to resemble anything near what we’ll hopefully end up with. He only needs it for blocking, to know how to light the areas, where we need specials, and all that lighting stuff. For me, once I got past how painful it was to trudge through the show this way, it was illuminating on certain levels. The first act was especially rough and took almost ninety minutes, and it is a long act and way too long to support this particular show. Now, when it’s played at the proper pace, I’m hoping it will be an hour and no longer than an hour and five minutes. I believe it can be done. But there’s also one song in act one, which is very song heavy, that has never worked for me – not on the cast album, not where it was in the original production and especially where it is now. It’s sung by two characters who have nothing else whatsoever to do in the show, other than play other characters throughout. It gives them a weight that they haven’t earned. And then two other couples join in and they, too, have not earned the song. While the idea of the song is certainly cute, it’s a one-joke song and that joke is over in the first twenty seconds. I’m not quite ready to cut it yet but it certainly could go and I don’t think anyone would miss it. But if I keep it, I may try to move it slightly and I will give it an entirely different set up so that it at least makes some semblance of sense. We shall see. Act two was as rough as act one, but it only ran forty-eight minutes, so I think that act will actually come in closer to forty-two, which is perfect. We took a break, I chatted with the cast and explained that doing the designer run was as unexpected for me as for them but that I’d found it interesting and useful. Then I made them dive right back into the cleaning and drilling scenes – the rest of act one and that put them right back into fun mode. I especially drilled the final scene of act one that leads to intermission. I had them do it over and over until they saw exactly the way I wanted it paced. They actually loved that process and that’s what we’ll continue doing on Tuesday for act two. Even though I think we should be in run-throughs, drilling is the thing that’s working right now. I asked them to study lines and blocking on their day off, which is – today. Oh, and prior to running it, Cheryl Baxter was there cleaning up her numbers.
Otherwise, it was an okay day. I slept about nine hours with some of the weirdest dreams ever, including an endless dream with some comic thing regarding something called Poochie Pants. Go know. I mean, POOCHIE PANTS? And actually, there is such a thing as poochie pants – I found it on Google. Has anyone ever tried Googling Google? Would that be redundant? I decided to try something new for food, from the nearby Mexican jernt I like, so I tried their taco salad with shredded chicken. It was very good – could have used a bit more guacamole, but I enjoyed it and ate it all up including the shell. Then I answered e-mails, had no telephonic conversations, picked up a package at the mail place – Caress soap – and a little package from my brother, another of his homegrown CDs, songs that he writes and sings. Then I moseyed on over to the theater. The set is almost complete save for some painting and I like it a lot. The rest you know. And I’ll admit to stopping at Yum Yum Donuts for a Yum Yum chocolate buttermilk bar.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, but baby, this is a ME day any way you slice it. If there’s anything to gather up at the mail place, I’ll gather it and if so, I’ll probably stop at Popeye’s for food. But mostly, I think I’ll listen to some damn music, I’ll watch some damn movies, and I’ll relax some damn relaxing.
Tomorrow, we’re back in rehearsal, and we’ll trudge through act two and drill each scene until they understand the pacing of that scene. If we have time, then we’ll go back to act one and I have to set each scene change so that one scene leads directly to the next, seamlessly. Right now, everyone’s kind of just grabbing stuff and moving it, but that won’t work. And we’ll drill as many scenes as we can, just so they’re back in that mode. I’m also asking certain folks to come early to run stuff that’s not working like it should. I’m hoping that on Wednesday we can do a stumble-through without stopping other than calls for lines, but just getting through each act as best we can. Then we can work and drill the problem stuff. Same for Thursday and Friday. Friday, I’ll also be there early to dry tech and the lighting guy will probably play with the lighting during that run. Saturday is our sitzprobe in the morning from ten to twelve and then at one we’ll begin tech and we’ll probably go until ten at night. Sunday we’ll add sound and costumes and see how that goes.
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, pick up mail if there’s any mail to pick up, eat, but mostly I’ll watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What is the weirdest dream you ever had, the one that has stuck with you over the years, and what recurring dreams do you have? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, having had a surprise run-through.