Back from our designer run-through, which went pretty well, which I think surprised the designers. Some energy and focus problems, but we have time to work all that stuff, and everyone is still getting used to playing our new space.
However, the evening had an emotional ending to it, which I've known was probably coming, but really didn't want it to. We've had to make the decision to replace one of our actresses - a VERY difficult decision as a) I adore her, and I've really enjoyed working with her and she's a terrific actress, and b) it's going to be very potentially enervating for the company, as they, too, all adore her. But it's become increasingly apparent that she was not going to be able to sing her role - she just can't hear the pitches consistently - one day she'll sort of get it, the next day she'll be completely off, and it just wasn't going to get better. Worse, we'd never know and she'd never know whether it was going to be okay. I talked to her about it a few days ago, and the real bottom line is, as difficult as this was for her, she did not want to get up in front of three hundred people and sing in the wrong key.
I'm off to eat now, and to ponder the replacement, which has to be swift.
