October 1, 2010

Well folks this is the third attempt at this. Everytime I finish a post and try to do spell check the damn computer goes wonky and I lose the work. I am tired and want to go to sleep. I wanted to fill you in on what has been happening this past month and I did, but I didn't hit save in time! Oh well. Here is the third attempt.

Quickly, the past four weeks have been very intense, lots of rehearsals, lots of learning things about the characters, show, props, sets, people we are working with and each other. We were in New York for the three weeks from 10 am until 6 pm Monday through Saturday. Sammy Dallas Bayes our director and DAR, our musical director kept us very busy learning choreography for the big dances, learning the scenes, the music and the set changes. OY the set changes. Most of the actors have to help move the set pieces.

We had a much deserved day off on September 22 and on September 23 we all flew to Chattanooga, Tennessee for our Tech Week. Tech week is very difficult for actors in that we are no longer the most important thing on the stage. Now we have to add the design team, the sound team, the set team, the prop team, the orchestra and the costumes. Each day brought another piece to the puzzle that is the "Show". We as actors just stand around waiting for the sound man to get rid of the hum in the sound system, waiting for lights to be adjusted or waiting for a set piece to be moved or learning where we go for a quick change during a scene or what the clarinetist will do during the "Bottle Dance"! It is quite exciting to see the show come together in layers like this. Each day brought a new piece to make up the whole. Our cast is very talented and our Tevye, John Preece is exceptional. He is a wonderful colleague. In New York when I had no idea what I was doing, he dragged me around and made sure I was always in the right place. Now we have fun onstage with the lights, costumes and sets! Our Village of Anatevka is really becoming a reality. Each person in the cast is terrific and brings a unique talent to the show. It is a pleasure to work with them and watch them grow as performers. We are so lucky in that we all have wonderful senses of humor and get along very well onstage and off. I think this is very important as our journey is just beginning...on a confined space for several months...the bus.

But I digress. Tonight was opening preview with a live audience. It was a wonderful audience. We made them laugh and cry and we got a standing ovation! I think we have a hit! It was so great to perform for people after all of our hard work. Now we will continue to have fun and create magic every night.

Now I have to go to sleep as I have a 12:30pm rehearsal and another preview tomorrow night.
Good night and sleep well. Will have more to say later....Thanks for listening...