I Must Be Out Of My Mind

Back in September, just before SHR:L opened, the building manager and I exchanged words.  I then had a little hissy fit and swore I'd never work in the Barn as long as that person was in charge.  Well, RLT's group managed to talk me into sticking with the final show I'd committed to, on the condition that said manager stayed out of my path.  This has worked, tho it's only been two days...

Anyway, A few weeks ago the group finds themselves short a Stage Manager.  Well, heck... It's a small space.  There can't be that much.  I can call cues.  I just need some help getting things organized so it'll run smoothly.  The group's SM Extraordinaire, DP (heh, sounds kinky...) who is unavailable to commit to the run, is available to help get me organized.  God bless America - I may be able to pull this off.  DP, you are my savior! 

Oh, and there is a spot in the script where we need an off-stage, female voice.  Well, I'm sitting right next to the microphone.  I make the phone ring.  I've already executed the light cue.  Okay, I can read the lines.  WTF do you mean I have to have a NE/Maine accent?  What does that sound like?  It's really easy for me to pick up a southern twang, or a Wisconsin tone, but Maine?  I'll have to work on that.  There is a character in the show that has the accent the whole time - I sound nothing like him.  8-/

So I'm stage managing, designing and running lights, and providing the off-stage voice.  I hadn't read the whole script until last week (something not entirely unusual), however my light cues and lines are set and fine.  What do you mean we don't have a script with sound cues?  Nowhere?  We just have the recordings, but we have no idea where in the script the cues are supposed to come?  So last night we're going basically from cue to cue, and marking where the sound cues come along.  I think we've really got the timing down.  The levels sounded pretty good.  Now we just have to pull it all together.

Did I mention that when I did the light cues, I didn't have a set?  Well, that made things interesting.  I have a porch light - it's hung in the hallway instead of over the porch.  Eh... I can move the instrument.  The heart attack special is on the wrong side of the stage.  D'oh!  I have a painted drop depicting the view out the window that has no light on it at all.  The ghost lights are too bright, as are the warmers.  The washes look fantastic, and the colors are perfect.  Yeah, they're the same colors I used for SHR:L.  Thank you to the designers who were between my shows for not touching anything.  :-)

Let's not forget, that between September and now, not only did my gall bladder self-destruct, but I took a job that's not so local.  My evening commute went from 30 mins to a minimum of 90 mins.  And that's on a good day....

Who'da Thunk?

I just received word that I was nominated for Best Lighting Design for a show I worked on earlier this year.  This is incredible.  There were eight shows to choose from and five were chosen.  Were the three not chosen really that bad where I'd be in the running?  Here's an outline of how my work on that show (RH), and the one I was already committed to (FP), went.

Fri 3/26: Rcvd call - please help w/RH

Mon 3/29: FP prod mtg

Wed 3/31: View run of act I - RH

Thur 4/1: View run of act II - RH

Fri 4/2: FP Tech

Sat 4/3: FP set move in, RH Tech

Sun 4/4: FP Q2Q, RH write basic cues

Mon 4/5: FP Tech Run

Tues 4/6: FP Tech Run

Wed 4/7: FP Tech Run

Thur 4/8: FP Preview

Fri 4/9: FP Show

Sat 4/10: RH Tech (day), FP Show (eve)

Sun 4/11: FP Show

Mon 4/12: RH Tech Run

Tue 4/13: RH Tech Run

Wed 4/14: RH Tech Run

Thur 4/15: FP Brush Up (RH preview - did not attend)

Fri 4/16: FP Show (RH opens - did not attend)

Sat 4/17: FP Show (RH show - did not attend)

Sun 4/18: FP Show (RH show - did not attend)

Let's not forget all the Dr appts etc from having totaled my car a few weeks before, plus the health scare from Dec...  There was one more weekend of FP, and two more weekends of RH.  I did finally see RH on closing night.  I really didn't have time to ensure that RH was the quality I wanted and it deserved.  The Dir, being an LD himself, said he was fine with what I managed to pull together.  Not knowing him very well, I was never sure if he was telling me what I wanted to hear or not.  Either way, I told him he was more than welcome to adjust/add/subtract cues etc as he saw necessary. 

Then I hear today my show has been nominated for Best Lighting Design.  Really?  I mean, I understand that there were eight shows the group did.  Of those eight, the Board of Directors picked five.  So the odds are pretty good.  Regardless, it's very cool.  I'll have to work on my speech: "It's an honor just to be nominated.  The other LD's put a lot more work and thought into their projects than I had the opportunity to, and there's no question in my mind that XXX deserved the win.  Congrats to XXX!"  

I Really Enjoyed Myself!

Okay, maybe I overreacted a little.  A LITTLE.  I'm still disappointed that I didn't work on the show, but at the same time, I think it was a blessing in disguise. The cast and the orchestra were just fantastic. It was obvious that they put in a tremendous amount of work.  I was so impressed with Eva and Che.  They were very strong, passionate, and had a great dynamic.  Once the sound guy had his issues under control, the show was incredibly well balanced.  I surprised myself in that I remembered every single word in the show.  It's been over 10 years since I've listened to the soundtrack, and I still knew the entire show.  It was hard not to sing along...  :-)

And now for the reason I was so paranoid...  Had I been working on this show, you would have read about the following on a daily basis, and it would really be clear why I'm such a PIA sometimes.

The set and the lights - wow.  Where to begin...  Let's start with the set.

The set did nothing to accent the show.  It was this gigantic wall with a balcony in 5 feet in the air, center stage, and an archway underneath.  Otherwise, gigantic pink wall.  Yes, pink.  Not pale pink.  MAGENTA.  I might have a sweater that color, but wow.  Apparently it started out fire engine red.  40 feet wide by 12 feet tall - that's a lot of red.  When repainted, it was baby pink.  As soon as the lights hit it, the audience was blind and you couldn't see the cast.  So it ended up magenta.  On the far left and far right sides of the stage were two video screens.  They were different sizes and hung unevenly.  Plus, the projectors were off cycle.  When you wanted the slides to be the same, they were off by one.  The set distracted more from the show than it enhanced.  It was awkward and huge and magenta.

Now the lighting....

I have a lot of respect for the lighting designer.  As difficult as he can be to get along with, the quality of his work is impressive.  He'll use every instrument in all possible capacities to give you a beautiful show with great moments.  Then there was this production.

Take almost everything I just said and throw it out the window.  Every instrument was used.  It's hard to light someone who is 10 feet in the air when you have an 11.5 foot ceiling.  I get all that.  The wash was pretty even.  Other than that, there was nothing spectacular about this design.

In place of spotlights, he either used a general wash or a moving light.  I found the moving lights more distracting than a spot.  When a spot comes on it's terribly obvious and is expected to move with the actor.  But the moving lights that were used were part of the wash.  They were not sharp focused, the intensity was the same as the rest of the instruments, and were the same color as the wash.  Most people wouldn't notice it move, but I did and it was annoying.  It looked like something was wrong.  The wash colors also seemed dull.  Part of that may have to do with the set changing colors three times the week before they opened.  However, changing gel is no sweat.  The looks seemed gray and uninspiring.  Rainbow High could have had all sorts of bright colors and changes.  It didn't.

This show screams for dramatic lighting changes.  There was not one change that I would consider dramatic.  Toward the end of the show there was one bump with the orchestra that seemed dim and slow.  Looked more like a late cue than anything else.  I went in expecting dramatic side lighting, unique looks for each scene, intense changes with the music and movement of the cast...  I got nothin'.  Talk about disappointing.  It's possible the problems with the set had an adverse affect on the design - that's happened on more than one occasion.  It's also possible that the Director didn't want dramatic lighting.  Whatever the reason...  The set and lights did nothing to enhance the production.  If I had been in the cast or orchestra, I would have been greatly irritated.  They didn't work their butts off for 3 months to have to perform with the crap they were given.

Hence the bit of relief I had after the show.  I didn't work on it, so I wasn't spending weeks upset by how poor the show was from a technical perspective.  I also had a chance to speak with a handful of the board members.  They seemed very interested in my reaction and what I would have done differently.  So in hindsight, it's a good thing I didn't work on the show.  Altho if I had, and had any influence over how it was executed, the end product would have been much different.  Plus I prob would have stressed myself out, and had more than one person want to push me off the light bridge as I point out what needs to be fixed.

Even with all the aspects that really needed a makeover, the cast and orchestra were still fantastic.  I really hope patrons walked out of there having enjoyed a good show and didn't notice as many of the issues as I did.  I've now got to dig out my soundtrack so I can listen to it in the car.  No, not the Madonna version...

Now Is Not The Time To Get Emotional

I'm really going to try and not show that I'm upset tonight.

I've been working with this one theater group for 22 years.  For the first time ever, I've wanted to help on a production and there's no place for me.  Even when they needed help in a pinch this weekend, they call the chick that's due to give birth in eight weeks rather than call me.

When I first realized I wasn't going to be working on this production, I was extremely upset.  I tried to think of reasons why...  Everyone on the planet knows that stupid crap irritates me.  Lately there's been a lot of things happening in the theater world which could have been prevented if people just thought one step ahead.  I hadn't been very shy about this stuff, so I think that may have been a reason why they don't want me involved in this production.

Anyway, I'd started to get over it and was pretty much ready to forget about the whole thing, when I heard about who was helping out backstage this weekend.  Then it started all over again.

I'm actually surprised at how upset I am about this.  I'll probably never know the real reason why.  Could be that I just didn't show up at move in, so they thought I wasn't interested.  Tho I'd been talking about it with the producer a few months before, so he knew.  I also made it known a few days later that I wanted to help anywhere it was needed.  I know they're busy and probably didn't think about it.  Or, I'm right.  I'm too much of a PIA to deal with.  Who knows.

I'd already arranged to see the show with co-workers tonight. After finding out about how the backstage coverage was handled for this weekend, I'm now wishing I didn't.  At the same time, I know a handful of people in the cast that I get along with well.  Or at least I *think* I get along with well.  I also know the show is going to be fantastic.  It just really sucks that I'm not part of it, even in some little way.

Oh well.  Gotta stop the pity party and not let it show I'm upset.  Suck it up.  Be an actress...  Ha.  Now that's funny.

Love This...

The theater group's resident photographer took pictures the Thursday before we opened.  This is my favorite shot.

Aww... Isn't He Cute!?!

Saturday night we were certain we were going to have a better show.  It didn't come without visitors and threats tho.

Before we opened the house, I needed to have a conversation with the director.  I spoke with his wife first and she gave her blessing.  The conversation went something like this:

"Mr. Director, if you get on headset ONE MORE TIME during the show, I will strangle you with the cord.  Understand?"

"Well, I... uh... well...  I'm taping the show the next two nights anyway, so I won't be able to."

"Excellent.  <peck on the cheek>  I love you, Mr. Director.  I'm glad I won't have to kill you."

At the end of the night, I did not have to kill him.

The show did go much smoother, thankfully.  However no one was very happy with our uninvited guest.  A little gray field mouse decided to join us.  He'd already been evicted from the theater three times.  At intermission he was back, cleaning up the crumbs people left on the floor.  Most of the audience was unaware of his presence.  The service dog that was accompanying his master was very aware tho.  Puppy was so good.  He didn't move from his master's feet, but his ears were up and his eyes followed that little mouse all over the place. 

As we were getting ready to close the doors for the start of the second act, our little mouse buddy took off into the theater.  No longer content to be in the lobby by himself, he joined the audience.  Of the audience members that knew about Mr. Mouse, only four left at intermission.  When the show was over and the audience had left, I was heading out and stopped in the lobby - I don't remember why.  Mr. Mouse was sitting in the middle of the floor, munching away on crumbs.  There were about five of us standing around watching him.  He'd run around us like we weren't there.  If we chased him he'd take off, otherwise he was a mini vacuum. 

Mouse - 1
Theater staff - 0

Who's Steering This Ship?

Wow.  I'm not sure what else to say.  Wow...

We did our first full run of the show on Thursday.  We had an audience on Friday.  I think we goofed up the timing on almost every cue, except for the final blackout before going home...  Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad, but 'clusterf*ck' would be a good description.  There is so much going on technically, most of which happens simultaneously, that we'd execute one thing, and while trying to figure out what we messed up we'd miss executing the next thing.  All of us were under a lot of strain - we're not used to being this disorganized on opening night.  To add to the tension, the director would get on headset when something was wrong.  Do you really think we can't tell the curtain is caught on something?  Our wonderful SM caught the brunt of all this.  God love her, she didn't kill anyone,  she didn't alienate anyone, and we got thru the whole thing without stopping.

The audience - while noticing that some things were probably not correct, didn't really seem to mind.  They only see what you show them.  Tho they did giggle at every blackout where they heard wheels squeaking. 

By the time opening night's show was over, we were ready for champagne.  The cast is out in the lobby with the director, being introduced to the audience, and we're back in the prop room throwing one back.  We were laughing at what went horribly wrong, and for those of us who couldn't see what happened in certain places, the sound guy and I were able to give vivid detail.

We finally wander to the lobby, just as the director was wrapping up his speech.  While we got cheers from the cast, all we could do is laugh/cry.  They introduced our SM, and I jumped up and down.  They introduced me, and she jumped up and down.  It was very funny.

Next stop: The Mouse is in the House!

When Hell Week Really Is Hell

Ok, so I never really did a plot.  I used the house hang and tweaked it.  Of course even if I had done a plot, the majority of it would have changed, since the set didn't end up like we thought it would.  I had to fight for dark time, tho the people assembling the set had bigger issues than I did. 

There are two revolves - they didn't work as they should.  We're using two curtains besides the main drape, they're loud, difficult to access, and a challenge to pull smoothly.  We have NO running crew.  This show needs running crew.  The cast is being asked to do a lot of the changes - something that shouldn't have been necessary - but there seems to be a big problem finding running crew.  The set changes and curtain pulls have to be choreographed and very detailed for those doing them.  This show is much more complex in that regard than 90% of the shows this group typically does.  I've worked on productions like this with other groups, however the other groups have more stage time to prepare and have the manpower to make them work.  This show was kind of eye opening for everyone with this group. 

All that said...  My director is doing way too much.  He designed the set, and because things needed fixing he spent a lot of time working there.There were a whole bunch of little things that needed to be addressed, so he was being pulled in all sorts of directions.   It doesn't help tho, that he really wasn't sure what/when/how things would work until we got in the theater, leaving us all with unanswered questions and no time to really hammer it out.

My stage manager is an amazing person.  She's trying to execute all these things and with them not working, us being unsure of the timing, no help, and everyone being tired and frustrated, she's managed to keep her cool.  She did scare us last night tho, when she climbed a ladder after the run and nearly passed out, paint bucket in hand.  It doesn't help that our ASM is a controlling bitch either.  She's going around demanding things that while are needed at some point, aren't needed now.  The set changes need to be ironed out.  Once that happens, then I'll tell you where a light cue is that is completely unrelated to any set changes anywhere.

I wish I'd had the time to blog more earlier this week.  So much fun stuff has happened, but between work and the show I've been too busy, and completely exhausted.  Hoping to change that. 

Still Haven't Done The Plot

That's right!  I still haven't done it.  We move into the theater on Sunday.  I'm sure the city would be very happy to have it before then. Tho I'd really rather nap...

Catching Up... Or Not

I am surprised how much I miss Forever Plaid.  I still wake up with the songs going thru my head.  I know this will pass, but it's still sad.  And happy. And sad.

I attended the design run for show #3 last night.  It's a really cute show.  Some of the characters are a stitch.  There is a girl in the cast, probably 9 or 10 years old that is just adorable.  She kept bringing me props to look at and chatting away.  This will be a fun group.

Now if I can just survive the next two weeks.  We move in to the theater on Sunday morning, not Monday eve like I originally thought.  I got home last night just before 11p, but it took me an hour to wind down.  I am wiped out this morning.  I sat in the car in the parking lot for 10 mins before coming in to work.  Gah.  I thought I was catching up on my rest, but it seems like my schedule is catching up with me.  I've still got to get the plot done, I'm going to see DC United play tonight and Saturday, and I still need to keep my day job. Knock on wood - I haven't had a migraine (that wasn't hormonal or weather related) in 2 months.  Yippee!

One More For The Books

What a fun weekend of shows...  We had an absolutely amazing time working on Forever Plaid (ie: show #1).  I think Saturday night's performance was the best one we had all run.  It was sad to take it apart Sunday eve.  So many patrons asked if we would bring it back, bring it to a retirement home, something.  The response was fantastic.  Even if I got to the theater and was crabby & tired, I always left with a smile.  Knowing that what you're doing is such and integral part of the whole project and having it go so well is a wonderful feeling.

Show #2 (The Rabbit Hole) is still running.  I'm hoping to go see it this weekend.  If I can't get there, then I won't get to see it at all.  Show #3 (I Remember Mama) starts tomorrow night with a design run and we move into the theater on Monday.  I really need to think about getting that plot done.  The City should have had it weeks ago...

This past Saturday did end up being a very lazy day.  I dragged my butt out of bed around 9ish, to move to the couch.  My alarm went off at 530p so I could get in the shower and go to the theater.  I think I got up once to pee and get some food.  Even the cat was happy.

Sunday morning I was tending to Mr. Blondie, who was recovering from tending to his parent's yard.  In order to keep his father from using the heavy equipment (the man's not a puppy anymore) he took care of it.  He aerated the whole yard, planted seed, then tilled an area for a bed big enough for a dozen azalea bushes with hosta's mixed in.  Needless to say, Mr. Blondie was a bit sore.  Heating pads, Ben Gay, Advil, oh my.

Once I got him settled, I went to breakfast then to the theater.  Around the time we were done with strike and headed to the cast party, I checked in on him.  He was up and moving - very good.  After the party I had him meet me at the grocery store.  (I love that HT is open 24hrs!)  While we were there, the storms that had torn up Mississippi were on top of us.  Not as severe, but certainly strong.  $427 later...  (okay, with coupons and my store card only $208 came out of my account.  WIN)  ...we were ready to head home.  We put all the perishables in my car.  Amazingly, there was room.  It was still pouring, but the temp was pretty warm and there was no wind, so it was tolerable.  Got everything soaked, but eh... it's water.  We ain't gonna melt.

Today, I do not have to be in a theater.  Wednesday, I'm going to a soccer game.  Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun - layzee daze!  I really should get that plot done tho...

Weekend 2 - Complete

We had some really great performances this weekend.  The audiences were fantastic too!  Saturday night - SOLD OUT!  Love it!  I did get a chance to catch up on sleep, but spent most of the weekend just intolerably cranky.  Poor Mr. Blondie - I've barely seen him over the last three weeks and when we do have a chance to see each other I'm Super Bitch.  Ugh... 

We have one number in the show that requires audience participation.  The guys are playing 'Heart and Soul' on the piano, and they pull someone out of the audience to play with them.  We always have a plant in the audience just in case we don't have a volunteer.  Friday night our costumer's Mom was in the house.  She's kinda crazy, but used to be in musical theater when she was younger, so the guys pull her up for this number.  She played it perfectly.  After two versus on the piano, one of the actors pulls her from the piano to dance.  (This is all part of their blocking.)  She goes off into this soft-shoe routine that was just hilarious.  As the number comes to an end, she does a Bugs Bunny/Warner Bros exit off SL.  We were crying we were laughing so hard.  How the guys were able to keep their composure to finish the number was amazing.  We pulled her back on stage to finish the scene (we give her gifts) and escort her back to her seat.  She just had a grand old time.  I wish we'd caught it on video.

We did get a fantastic review from showbizradio.net.  I was thrilled.  Tech usually only gets mentioned when something is wrong.  I was elated to see that lighting got mentioned positively!  I can't say that show #2 will earn the same recognition, but one can hope.  Now that I've got both shows open and running, I have to get to work on the plot for #3.  


No rest for the weary! 

PS: I know I've said this before...  I whine about being exhausted.  I get grumpy and difficult.   But the positive vibes from the audience are irreplaceable.  It makes the whole thing worth it when you have a show that you know the audience enjoyed.  I can't see most of the audience from my spot on stage, but I see a few.  When they're laughing so hard their eyes are tearing, you remember why you kill yourself to do your best. 

What Was I Thinking?

Is it nap time yet?

The show I'm in tech for right now is looking very good.  It's not there yet, but I should be able to wrap it up tonight.  Well, I don't have an option... Today is the last day I can be there.  A handful of things got resolved last night, so it shouldn't be difficult.  I just wish I could snap my fingers to make it happen, rather than putting out the effort.

I really can't whine about it either.  The production staff for this show is being run ragged.  I'm betting the producer will have a bazooka on her shoulder tonight.  She'll use it too.

As I'm sitting here trying to describe what the last few days have been like, I struggle putting it into words.  I must be tired.  I never have this problem.

Oh, here's a funny...  A buddy of mine put this as his FB status: 'Dolphins are just gay sharks.'  To which my response was, 'If dolphins are gay sharks, what are gay Jets?  Is the mambo at the gym more glittery?'  His only response, 'Oh Blondie... (sigh)'  LOL!

Okay yeah... sleep is in order.  After work, after tech tonight...

Forever Plaid: Weekend One

We really had a great opening weekend.  It didn't come without it's share of issues, but everyone was happy.  Including the audience.

Friday was basically issue free.  We always like that.  I got to see a friend (who is related to a member of the cast) for the first time in forever.  We had been talking on FB, and he'd recently bought an iPad.  So I made him bring it to the show.  What a neat toy!  I can't stand Mr. Blondie's touch screen phone, but I do love this iPad.  Aside from the coolness factor, I don't have a reason to get one.  But should that change, I'll have one in a heartbeat!

Saturday was fun.  Spent the morning working on show #2.  Cues are written, a fix list is started, and I'm outta here.  Then I headed downtown for a free speech forum that was sponsored by the radio station I listen to.  I got to meet some very nice people, but most of what I heard was a repeat of what I listen to daily.  Tho it's definitely nice to be surrounded by like-thinking people.  By the time I got done there, I had just enough time to run home, inhale a piece of pizza and dart to the theater.

When I got there, the director for show #3 was there.  He had called earlier in the day and mentioned he had paint chips to show me.  By the time I got done speaking with him, my brain was on overload.  What show are we doing?  I'm clearly doing to much.

Again, the show went great.  The audience loved it, the guys had a lot of energy, and the props chick brought rice crispy treats made with fruity pebbles.  What more could you want?

Now we get to Sunday...  Mr. Blondie and I go to our favorite breakfast place, then head to a new grocery store in our neighborhood that opened a few days ago.  The place was a mad house.  Since they're open 24hrs (I love Harris Teeter) we should have gone another time.  We ended up pushing the clock, so I had Mr. Blondie drop me at the theater.  I didn't have time to run home and get my usual black shirt that was in the dryer.  The shirt I was wearing was a dark rust color.  That'll do.  It's a little low cut, but not so much that it was inappropriate for the show.

The guys have bottles of water strategically placed around the stage.  There's no intermission.  They sing non-stop for 90 minutes.  So the water is a necessity.  At some point during the Ed Sullivan number, one of the water bottles gets knocked over.  I guess the lid wasn't on well, or it wasn't a sippy cup, cuz it left a puddle DSL.  My little window is USL, so I didn't see it.  There's a song where the guys are dancing and pass out on the floor.  When one of the guys sat on the stool by my window instead of lying on the floor, I knew something was wrong.  He mouthed 'spill'.  I leaned over, and Lake Michigan has formed DSL.

Brain goes into warp speed - we gotta clean this up fast.  I execute the next cue, then go flying back to the dressing room to grab paper towels.  I get back to the light board with a few seconds to spare before executing the next cue.  Then I wait a few pages for the appropriate time to run out there.  This particular scene is pretty dim.  The guys have just run off stage to put on their new jackets, and their lines are coming from off stage.  Paper towels in hand, I go darting around the corner and start wiping up the floor.  I clearly do not have enough paper towels for the job, so I'm trying to push the water off stage under a set piece.  I'm also diligently listening to the lines, as I have a cue before they come back on.  I hear that we're getting close to the next cue, I run back to the light board just in time to execute the cue accurately.  Phew.

The floor is not exactly dry, but it's better.  Then I realize I'd left the paper towels on the floor next to the set piece rather than grabbing them as I ran off.  Crap!  Oh well.  When the show is over I go back out with more paper towels and finish cleaning.

Afterwords I'm talking to a friend who was in the house.  "Nice rack!"  I blushed and thanked him.  It wasn't until about a half hour later it hit me...  (Shut up, I'm a blonde.)  When I was wiping up the water, I was facing the audience.  With the ambient light on my ghost white skin, they got a view of the girls that was never intended for their entertainment.  Well, variety shows are a theme in this show, and I definitely gave it some variety!  D'oh!

Did I mention that the Mayor of Gaithersburg was in the house with his wife?  Yeah...

Let's Open This Monster!

Wednesday eve I came to the conclusion that there was no way I was going to get done unless I had all day to work on stage.  I was struggling with how I was going to get everything done and not collapse somewhere.  At 5a Thursday morning I had a splitting headache.  That's it.  Not going to work.  I took some good drugs and went back to sleep.  I woke up again around 11a feeling pretty good.

Went to First Watch for breakfast, then by the RMT Bay to pick up some supplies, then to the theater.  I received an email that our producer was suffering from some major dizzy spells that were making her nauseous.  I replied to her email telling her to stay home and take care of herself.  At the same time tho, she was my help.  Crap.

I turned the gears up a notch and was climbing and running cable, blah blah blah for three hours straight when guess who shows up...  The producer!  (And her husband)  First thing I said was, "You BITCH!  You are supposed to be at home, in bed, taking care of yourself!"  Then I look at her husband and introduce myself.  LOL!  Her husband said she was feeling much better than earlier in the day.  I thanked him for being there and driving.  He is a lighting guy, so I had him help me a bit.

The director arrived around 530p, and by 6p we were blasting thru cues, adding specials and doing some fine focusing.  As we wrapped up I kept checking the time.  I told our producer that I'd be ready to open the house at 730p.  Rock on!

730p the house opens.  I'm starving and sweating like a pig.  I brought an extra change of clothes with me, and our AD brought me dinner.  I'd soaked my head and scrunched my hair.  I'm now sitting in the middle of the floor in the green room eating my dinner.  The producer sticks her head in - we're ready to go, everyone is seated.  I asked what time it was.  745p.  I have 15 mins to relax.  Then she says we were supposed to start the show at 730p, not 8p.  WHAT?!?  SHIT!  I grab my clean shirt, ripping the dirty one off as I run into the dressing/bathroom.  Pee fast, put clean shirt on, flush.  Refill water bottle and run to my spot on stage. 

My little area is very, well... little.  I have a tall skinny end-table that has the monitor on it.  The light board is on a rolling TV tray-like shelf about the size of a music stand.  With about a two inch gap between myself and the light board, the curtain behind me is touching my back.  Just before we started I bend over to make sure there's nothing on the floor I can trip over.  The sound guy, not realizing I was there, tried to determine why there was a bulge in the curtain.  It was my ass.  I've been goosed in a theater before, but this was new.  LOL!  I jumped and then started laughing.  He was a bit embarrassed.

The preview went off without much of a hitch.  The guys sounded good, the orchestra was together, and most of my light cues were accurate.  There's still a lot of fixing to do, but they're little things that only myself and the WATCH judges will notice.  About halfway thru the show (85mins - no intermission) my feet started falling asleep.  I'm trying to keep moving without being too distracting so I can keep the circulation going.  Tonight I'll have a stool, which should help.

In the meantime I get an email from the director of the show that opens next week.  Since last Friday was mostly useless, I'll be there tomorrow morning to write cues and finish up the focus.  I just wish I could keep my eyes open.  I'm so freakin' exhausted.  A co-worker this morning said something about it.  Not hi, hello, how are ya.  More like "You look like shit.  When was the last time you got some rest?"  Yup.  That pretty much sums it up.

If you're in the neighborhood, come see what I've put all this work into.  It's a really fun show.  Wear plaid.

Tech... Tech... Tech...

The last few days at The Barn are getting progressively better.  Yesterday we ran almost the whole show with light cues and some sound.  It's going to be great when it's finished. We just gotta finish it.

This show is another example of why I need to make the effort to get things done ahead of time.  I'm cramming now to get thing accomplished.  It sucks not having much help.  However it will all get done.

Yesterday started out rough.  I'd decided the day before that I was only going to work half a day so I could get some quality alone time in the theater.  Ran by R&R to pick up gel and a motor for the mirror ball.  Mr. Blondie had a migraine the night before and was still feeling the affects.  So after I left R&R I went to his office to switch cars.  His a/c doesn't work. 

I get to The Barn and discover I have everything except the gel.  I'd left that in the trunk.  This is now the second time I've gone out of my way to get gel, just to find I'd left it somewhere.  Demmit. 

When I checked in with the front desk at The Barn, I'm chatting a little with the gal at the desk.  Ticket sales are looking good.  She says it looks like we'll have a nice group for Thursday.  Um, Thursday?  Apparently we're having a preview audience.  Really?  Am I that asleep at the switch that I missed this memo?  I realize it's not supposed to be a perfect show - it's our final dress.  However, that changes the urgency of getting things accomplished.  To us it basically feels like we lost a day. 

So I've managed to keep my cool and not completely freak when I start wrapping up the conversation to head upstairs.  She asks me how things are coming - slow, but we're getting there.  Help should start trickling in over the next hour so we should be able to get a lot done.  She stops mid breath to look at the calendar.  There is a class scheduled from 330p - 5p in the theater.  WHAT?!?  Now I'm really panicking, and still trying not to shoot the messenger.   I tell her that it was our understanding that we would have the space to ourselves this entire week, anytime.  She looks at one calendar - nothing on it but us.  Then another calendar shows the class.  She says she'll move the class to a different area of The Barn.  I tell her that I'm happy (I use that word loosely) to call off the troops - the last thing I need is the theater manager ripping into me about bumping another group.  She assured me that it wouldn't be a problem and he wouldn't give me trouble.

Background: I told the theater manager two months ago that we always seem to have conflicting reports regarding when we have the space and when we don't.  I mentioned that there was more than one calendar, and he berated me for even suggesting it.  Well, here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about.  I'm trying not to sound upset or shoot the messenger, but at the same time give me a break.  At this point I know more about how that facility is run than he does, and it's his full time job. Ugh.

The run went well.  Some of the cues looked horrendous, but some were completely fantastic.  I still have a ton of work to do, so I'm going to the theater right after work.  In the meantime, I've got my eyes closed as I type.  I'm hurting...

Sometimes I'm Too Much Of A Softie

The last few days have not been as horrible as I thought they would be.  I was able to get naps in every day, and most of the time I remembered to eat.  Yesterdays goals were not accomplished well at all.  I called R&R around 11a to place my gel orders for SSS and RMT.  They close at 530p, and since I leave work at 4p, I shouldn't have any trouble getting there before they close.

I left work right on time.  It's 14 miles from my office, to R&R. Taking the beltway is the quickest way, and I avoid the traffic lights, so that's how I went.  It took me an hour and twenty minutes to get from my office, to the exit I needed.  KILL ME NOW.  Yes, it was nice outside and I had the top down.  That was a definite bonus.  But my left knee is PISSED off.  I didn't get out of first gear until I was a mile from the exit I needed.  INSANE.  There was a tractor trailer behind me, and the sound of his engine drowned out any hope of listening to music unless I put the top up, which I wasn't willing to do.
 
As soon as I exited the beltway, I called R&R.  The guy was kind enough to wait for me - thank you!!   I take my gel, and go get food.  Ihop.  It ain't classy, but it's cheap, yummy, and since I didn't get a nap it was a nice break.

Once at the theater I started cutting gel.  The lights are all rough focused - all I needed to do was switch out the gel and write basic cues.  I was almost done cutting the first color when a very nice gentleman who was probably in his mid to late 80's arrived.  He'd been helping earlier in the day with a set for either the same show I was working on, or the one acts... not sure which.  Anyway, he'd lost his date book.  This date book is his life.  I appreciate this, as my Crackberry has attempted data suicide a number of times.

I stopped what I was doing and helped him look for it.  As we are looking, he mentions that he has an appointment to take his cat to the vet the next day and isn't sure of the time.  Since the phone number to the place is also in this book, it really needed to be found.  The whole time we were looking we were swapping kitty baby stories.  After about a half hour of searching, we finally found it.  He was thrilled, and I could get back to work.

He sat down and we kept talking while I finished cutting gel.  (I only tried to take my fingertip off once, and I didn't even draw blood.  WAHOO!)  Then I grabbed the rolling step ladder stool thing and started swapping gel.  He sat there and we talked the entire time.  I'm almost done with all the gel when he gets into this really deep story about a cat he had a long time ago.  I'm looking at the clock - it's 9p.  I've got to get these cues written, and the only way to do that is to desert this guy for the booth.

Next thing I know, he's getting physically upset about this previous cat and the fact that his current cat now is older and is going in for a large number of tests to make sure she's okay.  He tells me how he's on a fixed income (which I figured...) and how he made an arrangement with the bank that if he gets over-drawn they'll give him a cushion.  The approximate costs of these tests were upwards of $500.  He was going to spend the money to make sure his baby was okay, no question there... but it was going to take him a while to get caught up with the bank.

By now he's in tears.  Um yeah, that's great - I have cues to write...  No, I can't just walk away.  So I keep talking to him trying to calm him down.  After he's gone thru half a roll of paper towels, he decides that it's late and he should get going.  He bids his farewell, and mentions he'll be back the next morning to help again.

I feel so bad for this guy, but at the same time I'm relieved.  I can get some work done!  Then my phone beeps.  It's 1030p.  I have gotten almost nothing accomplished, and if I don't go home now, there's no way I'll be getting up for work the next morning.  CRAP!

I'm not supposed to be back to SSS for another week and a half, since I have the RMT show opening in a week.  I told the director &amp; producer I'd have rough cues done.  I don't have JACK done.  So tonight I head to RMT to get as much work done as possible.  Depending upon what my schedule is like for Sat and Sun, I may be able to squeeze some SSS time in.  I'm praying now that I can get a very good handle on the RMT show tonight, have a super smooth Q2Q on Sunday eve, and spend some time Monday eve at SSS.  If all else fails, I'll open RMT's show next Friday and spend Saturday during the day at SSS - which I was hoping to avoid.  Only time will tell.

Some days I wish I could say no.  Some days I wish I could just walk away in the middle of a non-evil conversation.  Other days I'm glad to be busy and happy that I have a heart.  Now if I can just keep it all going...

I've Officially Lost It

So yeah... I'm helping out this other group.  The next three weeks I will be in some theater every day.  I'm only on day 3, and I'm already wiped out.  It doesn't help that I started off poorly - Monday night at the Designers Meeting I probably drank a pitcher of iced tea, then when I got home I took my morning meds instead of my evening meds.  Between the caffeine in the tea and the stimulants in my morning meds, I didn't sleep well.  Yesterday I ran errands at lunch, was at the theater in the evening...  Never did get my nap, and I didn't really eat.  Breakfast: Hot choco.  Lunch: Banana.  Dinner: McD's #2 w/Coke.  Before bed: a scoop of Brownie Batter ice cream.  Yeah, that's healthy... I am so wiped out right now, and it's only 815a.  I've had a headache for the last two days, so this morning we're starting off with an Excedrin breakfast.  Wahoo!

All that aside, the shows are going to be great.  I'm going to survive the next three weeks without breaking a car, losing my day job, or severely destroying my health, demmit!  I miss Mr. Blondie and the kitty babies greatly, but I'll make it up to them.

Wanna see some good community theater?  Drop me a line.  I'll hook you up.  :-)

It's Good To Feel Needed

Well, my year didn't exactly start out as planned.
January was to be quiet.
February - A few rehearsals, a few meetings, lots of planning and drawing.
March - Design & run a 4 week show.
April - Design & run a 4 week show.
May - Design & run a 2 week show.
Between the closing of one show and the opening of the next I have anywhere from 4 to 7 days.  By May 16, I'd be done and ready to enjoy the next few months of peace.

Obviously, things didn't exactly go that way.
January - filled with doctor's appointments.  Physical Therapy, Orthopedic Surgeon, Gastroenterologists, blood work, x-rays, blood work, CT scans, colonoscopy, blood work.  Every other day I was at a hospital or doctor's office.
February  - mixture of the same medical issues, with a handful of production meetings, planning, and another stint in the hospital due to the failed attempt at sleep driving on the highway in rush hour traffic.  This caused me to drop the March show.  I'm still pissed about that.
March - more doctor visits and blood work, but not as frequent.  The last two weeks in March have become filled with production meetings and rehearsals.  I'm back on my schedule and Lord willing, will complete it without further interruption.

Today I receive an email from a director who is working with the group I was supposed to be lighting right now.  His show goes up mid April.  Needs an LD.  Hmm... With the guilt I feel for having to drop the last one, I'd really like to help.  However, I have three days available next week, and three days available between when my April show opens and when he has his first audience.  That's not much time.  However...  If the lights remain in the ceiling from the show I didn't do, it'll take no time to re-aim a couple specials and write cues.  Provided of course the new show's set isn't too much different. 

In the middle of looking at my calendar to determine if it was really worth it to try and help this guy out, my brain just stopped.  WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU THINKING?  I know...  I've been very sick, I totaled my car, I barely have the energy to walk up the steps to my apartment.  I have to hang and focus the April show myself, and his show may require the same.  I haven't been awake for more than 9 hours without a 2 hour nap since November.  Did I reply back to Mr. Director with the few dates I had open?  Yup. There's no better time than now to get myself back into shape!

Right?

(chirp...  chirp...)
 

Riiiiiigghhht....  Lunatic.  But I'm a happy lunatic.

West Side Story - Weekend 3

Yo Murphy!  Did you really have to resurface on Friday the 13th?  Thanks.  Thanks very much.

Friday morning I had physical therapy with a new PT.  She rocked.  If I can get all my remaining appts with her, I might be a little more optimistic.  I felt great after.  Work was easy, so Friday was a good day.

Then I arrived at the theater.  I walk in at 7p and head up to the light board.  I'm not there 2 seconds when Robert Jones comes upstairs.  The SM was looking for me - 'I wish she would call if she were going to be late'.  Um, I'm at the light board, dude.  Whatever...  I start going thru the light cues.  Something doesn't look right.  The city tech says no one was in the theater, and aside from powering up the board, no one touched anything.  :-/  Things don't look right.  After going thru the first 30 cues I realized the moving lights are misbehaving.  They are going haywire.  The colors are wrong, they're making all sorts of noise, they're not aimed in the correct place.  Crap.  I power down the board and restart it.  Now it's worse.  I can't get them to reset, I can't get the lamp to come on, I can't get anything to work. 

Now I'm starting to really cuss.  The city tech is showing me how to do a global reset of the movers - nothing is working.  It's 7:35 - we have to open the house.  I said if you guys don't mind me flashing lights all over the place, go ahead.  So they opened.  I tried calling Joe - no answer on his cell.  I call his home number.  His wife answered - I apologize for bothering them and ask if he's available.  I tell him what's happening, and what we tried.  He walks me thru a couple other things.  Nothing is working.  He gets on his cell and calls Shaffer - another city tech very familiar with the board - and has him come in to look at it.  (Joe lives on the other side of the planet, Shaffer around the block.)  About the time Shaffer shows up, Joe suggests that we reset the dimmer pack.  I've got the city tech on headset, my cell with Joe on his home phone, Shaffer standing behind me, Joe is also on his cell talking with ETC, and the city tech is on his cell with Kim (boss man).  People are suggesting - maybe this happened, maybe that happened - I finally say "I don't give a fuck what may have happened, just help me figure out how to fix it!"  Ok, maybe that was repeated more than once...  I just remember hearing my spot op say 'man, she's going off...'  :-)

We cut power to the dimmers that work the movers.  I power down the board for the third time.  Everything comes back up and I just let it sit for a second before I start going thru cues.  Cue 10.  Cue 17.  Cue 19.  They're working again.  I go thru the bulk of the cues in the first act, it's working.  Thank god.  Our convoluted circle of communication is terminated and all is well.  It's 7:50.  Plenty of time to spare before curtain. Just before we take the house to half, the SM says one of the instruments we use as a street light got bumped and was facing the complete wrong direction.  We have a scene where there are 5 groups in their own special, and this instrument is in the same area.  She is worried that this particular scene is going to be awkward.  I said no, we are using different instruments for that scene.  She kept pushing - are you sure?  I turned to her and said I'm positive.  She said you'd better be.

The first act runs well.  Every time we get to a cue that involves a moving light, I hold my breath.  During a quiet moment of the balcony scene, I execute a cue and one of the moving lights makes this horrendous clacking noise.  Don't start, please?  Have you not tortured me enough?  It's Friday the 13th.  I get it.  But can ya stop now please?  Nothing else unusual happened during the first act with regard to the moving lights.

Oh, BTW - the scene with the specials that the SM was all worried about - flawless.  We use a different instrument for that scene.  The light comes up, just as it should.  I said, "Oh look, they're lit..." with as much dripping sarcasm as I could muster.  No response.  Heh.  I look over at the city tech - he's got his headset mic off trying not to laugh out loud.

I love the spot op who took over for me when I started running the board.  She's great.  She's touched a spotlight once in her life.  Instead of closing the fader, she shrinks the circle.  When it doesn't go out, she swings the spot around til it's on the top of the wall back near us - but not before swooping it thru the audience.  A few seconds later, she finds the fader and turns it off.  Ugh. 

I haven't seen the second act for a while, so if there were little irritating lighting issues they were never resolved.  Now I get to watch the second act, cuz like I have to.  There was one scene that really bugged me, so I made a note.  But all in all the second act was fine.  The audience loved it.  Yippee!

Kim comes by the theater during the second act.  After the show he shows me what I need to do should this lovely event ever happen again.  The cast is heading to Gordon Biersch...  and while I live three blocks from there, I decide I'd better head home.

I return to the theater Saturday; making sure I get there extra early to make sure everything works.  Smooth as silk.  Excellent.  I fix the one cue in the second act that was bugging me from the night before.  I head down to the lobby to schmooze with audience members I knew (Kharfen Cookies!  YUMMY!  You rock Mr.  Kharfen.  I love your cookies - but I love you more!!!)  I attempt to bribe the producer for a ticket for my husband - we're sold out and she has a stash she keeps for emergencies - like WATCH judges who didn't make their reservations...  I try to pay her for it, she won't take my money.  :-/  I thank her profusely.

Earlier in the day I get a text from my buddy Brian.  He's doing Arsenic at the Arts Barn.  He's in the first 10 mins of the show, then you don't see him again until curtain call.  He said he was going to do his scene, then come to Rockville to see as much as he could of West Side.  Dude, you're crazy.  I told him we were sold out, but that he could come up to the bridge and watch.  I warned a couple people who would be up there that he might come by.  Do you know he did?  OMG...  I couldn't believe it.  LOL!  He watched about 2/3 of the first act, and hung around at intermission.  When they flashed the house lights, he went back to Gaithersburg.  He got back with 10 mins before curtain call.  One of the other cast members said 'dude, where were you?'  His response, 'Out.'  LOL!

The lighting is working fine.  It's so hot in the booth that if I wore make up it would be melting off.  There is one scene in the first act that the SM always calls late.  We got to that scene and I pushed the button at the correct time.  She was not happy.  We get to the end of Maria and she tries to call the spot out before the end of the song again.  I interrupted just before the spot op took the light out.  I really wanted to say 'are you ever going to learn when the song ends?'  but I didn't.  At intermission the Prod and Choreo came up to me thrilled that the cue was run on time.  Choreo said there was another in the second act that is always late.  Since I don't remember the scene well I executed the cue when she called it, but also figured out where it's supposed to be.  So it'll be correct for the matinee.

Speaking of matinee's...  It's 12:50p.  I'm supposed to be at the theater at 1p.  I'm not dressed yet.  Guess I should get working on that.  Enjoy the day.  It's the first sunny day here in over a week.  I almost forgot what a sunny day looked like...