Well, dear readers, working with tracks is not so easy. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, working with tracks is not so easy. First of all, our sound operator is just starting to learn the show, so there was a lot of figuring out how to cue the tracks, but some are played way too fast, some too slow. The plan was a complete run-through, but we had an actor not arrive until seven-forty, so we just drilled a couple of numbers, then started round eight, stopping occasionally to deal with the tracks. Surprisingly, even with the track issues and people calling for lines and not much pace, the act only ran an hour and fifteen. So, I suspect when it’s smooth and tight, it will run an hour, which is what I want. I took a snack break – clam chowder and a baked potato – very good, both. Where was I? Oh yeah, our rehearsal. I spent the last thirty minutes working with the actors and running stuff and doing some actual directing. I suspect we’re not going to have any truly smooth run-throughs until our musical director returns next Tuesday. But we’ll get everything as smooth and tight as we possibly can. We were joined by our stage manager, and I’d say we really lucked out – he’s young but very focused and he’ll be with us at every rehearsal, which is great. After rehearsal, I came right home, ordered food, and then put on some Ormandy doing Wagner orchestral bits – lovely. Prior to that, I got about six hours of sleep, answered e-mails, and then she of the Evil Eye arrived and I went on my merry way and met up with Robert Yacko for our usual breakfast. That was fun. Then I went to Macy’s and did a return, after which I did a quick visit to the ATM. Then I came home, had some back and forths with the set designer, but I was still pretty zoned out from lack of sleep. I listened to music and relaxed, then shaved and showered. Then I moseyed on over to the theater and got my laptop set up along with my speakers. I did a few tests, and the volume was fine. Our costume designer was there taking measurements. Everyone seemed in good spirits and as rough as it was, we all had a good time. When the cast aren’t onstage, they watch the scenes, which is nice, as the actors get some laughs. Everyone was off book for the first time, so lots of calls for lines, but hopefully as we keep running, they’ll start connecting the dots. And here we are, with the luscious Liebestod, clearly the inspiration for the classic makeover scene in Vertigo, where James Stewart finally recreates his dead romantic obsession.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, and hopefully I’ll have had a really good night’s sleep, I’ll make sure the eBook of Vegas Can Be Murder is live (I put it up on Amazon last evening), so if anyone wants to read it before getting the actual book, there it will be. I’ll eat something light, I’ll shower, and then I’ll mosey on over to the theater. Richard Allen will be joining us on piano – he won’t have had time to look at the score, but he’s a very good sight reader, and it sure will be easier than the tracks. We’ll run act two, I’ll do detail work, and if there’s time left, I’ll continue doing detail work on act one’s scenes. Then I’ll come home and watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow we’re back with tracks and what I hope will be a full-on run-through. Friday, we’re off, Saturday we have an evening rehearsal and most of the set should be done and up by then, Sunday is our designer run in the evening, and then Monday we’re off.
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, make sure the ebook of Vegas Can Be Murder is up, I’ll eat something light, I’ll shower, then we’ll have our rehearsal, do detail work, then I’ll come home and watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy we made it through using tracks. Barely.