Well, dear readers, we had us another run-through and for the first time I really began to get a sense of the show and the fun and the pace. The first two scenes were actually great and most of act one, save for a stop for a scene set, went really well and our new actress is really coming along – she’s doing amazingly well, off book for both acts, but still getting lines and blocking into her bones. Act one ran fifty-five minutes. Act two, forty-five. The main thing to work right now is that everyone is playing the same show. Right now, certain scenes lack the energy needed – the acting is fine, it’s just a bit more vocal energy even though everyone will be miked. Act two wasn’t quite as smooth, but that’s got a huge chunk and song that involves are new actress and she’s still getting secure in it. Considering she joined us on Tuesday, it’s pretty astonishing. Performances are starting to blossom and a few of the scene shifts worked great – if we can get them all to work great, that’s what we need. One note about the scene shifts that I gave was that you can’t just come on carrying a table or a chaise or moving a unit – you have to have character and personality when doing it. The first act “ballet” is working great, the second act “ballet” not so much. I just keep tinkering and I’ll continue to do so until it feels right and does what I want it to do. The music is now set in stone, but I keep changing one aspect of it – I moved that aspect upstage and that plays better, and then I scrunched all who are involved, very close to each other and that finally began to look amusing. So, we’ll run it tonight before we begin. But all in all, I was pretty pleased. Now, if we can just avoid the danger zone we’re about to enter – where something new is added every day – lights, sound, costumes, and the band – we can’t let any of that slow us up or drag us backwards. There are still some things to work out in terms of quick changes and traffic backstage, but little by little, it’s being worked out. After rehearsal, I came home – I had a little chicken pasta salad from my earlier meal from California Chicken Café – one breast and wing earlier – so I ate that, which wasn’t quite enough so I have some California Roll on its way to me – should be here shortly.
Prior to all that, I got eight and a half hours of sleep, got up, answered e-mails and texts, I was sent a photo of the stage floor, which now looks like actual wood – it looks great – I had my breast and wing, very good, I showered, and then I went to the bank briefly, stopped at the mail place but there was nothing there, and then I went to the theater to work with our new actress. I had her run all her scenes and just gave her some general pointers in terms of style. I gave out some notes, we ran a couple of things, and then we did the run-through and here we are.
Today, I’ll be up when I’m up, I’ll do whatever needs doing, I’ll eat something light but amusing, I’ll shave and shower, then I’ll mosey on over to the theater around five and run stuff with whoever’s there. Then at seven we’ll begin our second to last run-through until tech. After that, I’ll come right home.
Tomorrow, I should hopefully dry tech the show with our lighting folks, then we’ll do a run-through with a light-over. Saturday, we do a run-through at ten, then work problem areas for ninety minutes, then a meal break (Dino’s Pizza), then our cue to cue. Sunday, we do a run-through at eleven with costumes, work problem areas, then have our stizprobe. Monday’s off, then it’s an invited dress, two previews, and we open and hope for the best.
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, shave and shower, go to the theater and run stuff, do a run-through, and then come home and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What are the most astonishing stage sets you’ve ever seen? And what were your favorite sets that maybe weren’t astonishing but which you thought were perfection. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to finally be getting a sense of what the show can be.