Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Godspeed Titanic

I'm scared. We open a massive musical on Wednesday and today was the first time we have ever done the show on the set. First time with costumes. First time with lights. First time with props. First time with the flood effect. First time with microphones and sound effects. A.L.L. I.N. T.H.E. S.A.M.E. *#!*!R.E.H.E.A.R.S.A.L. I turn to my blog for comfort.

We've got one more shot and in tomorrow's first hour of the day, I must do the following...

Finish and submit the playbill to the printer.
Write a press release...and submit it...with a picture.
Sew four Maritime flags (that no longer exist).
Create three Edwardian style phones.
Arrangements four First Class centerpieces for the Captains table.
Adhere dinnerware and table cloths to a 14 foot table...figure how to get the 14 foot table on stage.
Find out where UPS delivered my poker set, my facial hair, my spirit gum and my British flags. How's a girl supposed to do Titanic without facial hair and a few Union Jacks? (According to FedEx, all of them were signed for on the property...but nobody knows where they are.) That's the first hour . . .

We got a lot of help today from my favorite men in the Tuacahn Center Scene Shop and some great parent volunteers. They're all incredible. Still... we've all worked like dogs for the last 48 hours...I re-blocked the entire show WHILE it was going tonight because we did NOT have the luxury of stopping. See, in the Tuacahn OUTDOOR Amphitheatre, you have to program lights in the D.A.R.K. and the window you have, in April-nearly-May, between dark and kids needing to hit curfews on a school night, is like four minutes. God is punishing me for loading in on Sunday...but there was a Martina McBride concert on Saturday night! Her band left their beer in the dressing rooms and I was just about to drink myself into a stupor when I remembered how much I hate beer.

Oh yeah...and I don't drink. But this musical is driving me toward it...at 23 knots, easily.

What do they say about bad dress rehearsals? Good shows? Well this rehearsal was like a sinking ship....I felt like I was drowning...talk about a disaster waiting to happen...this may be the first production of Titanic where everyone survives.

I miss my blog.