A little bit stir crazy...

I like it when I am busy, busy, busy. I think that is my preferred state of being. It gets challenging, because when I am busy it means I can't always do everything I'd like because of commitments and such, but I recognize it totally is my naturally preferred state of being. So, this summer, I deliberately took time off. I didn't enter anything for the Fringe. I turned down a couple of opportunities for the Fringe and I was determined to not do anything between Whorehouse and Rabbit Hole (other than normal AD duties). So here I am, anxiously awaiting Fringe because I need to be doing something and at least I can watch shows and enjoy them and be doing something. I do have a design meeting with my set designer next week for Rabbit Hole and that is exciting, but I am going a little crazy here. There are things I want to do around the house, but every time I start one I get interrupted repeatedly by the warring tribes of Oliver and Gibson. Next week when they are in camp I will get a better handle on those projects.

This is actually how I get over-committed. I get stir crazy and then I commit to multiple projects yet to start and then when they do I am swamped. I have to learn to wait it out, because in a few weeks school will start and so will my class at the Uni and we will have to get a move on with Rabbit Hole and the new season for Walterdale and it will all start rolling along.

A SOLD OUT Run...

Feels pretty good. I am so very happy for Walterdale and my cast and for me, because I want to share in the joy of the full houses! We ran out of hairspray so I bought more today and will take it in tonight. I am very, very glad I bought MY tickets early!

Review of Whorehouse - Nothing to write home about...

Well, we got a review. It isn't great, but it isn't terrible. Some of the criticisms are more related to the script and you can't really do much about that. I also think, based on the specific criticism, that the reviewer came to Opening night as I think we have since worked out the balance and timing issues with the band and singers. We had a few glitches on Opening Night in that regard. We made a conscious decision not to mic and I still think that is right for the space, but it certainly made balance a bigger challenge.

A review is what it is. Whorehouse does not have the conventional Musical Theatre Arc so it challenges expectations. I, too, prefer the second act, but for reasons that are intangible. As with all reviews - I analyze and learn from them, but take them with a grain of salt. They are, after all, only one person's opinion of a show they saw on one particular night and by no means do they reflect everyone's reactions.

http://vueweekly.com/arts/story/bigger_is_better1/

Reunions and Opening Weekends...

The show (The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas) opened this weekend. It has been a fabulous first half of the run as all five of our shows have SOLD OUT. You always want the show to be successful, but I try not to focus on that as a measuring stick. Instead I tried to focus on making the show really good, and fun and to promote it as best I could so that we could get people out to see it. It is so gratifying to see the audiences come out and to see them be so appreciative. I saw the show Opening and then returned yesterday afternoon for the Sunday afternoon. On Opening we had a nice strong show but I knew the cast was a little nervous and tentative... they have certainly loosened up and are sinking their teeth in with confidence and pure enjoyment - it is so nice to see the show grow without seeing it go off the rails!

Also this weekend I had my 25th High School Reunion. For the two previous reunions I was Chair (10th) and heavily involved (20th) but for this one I could not put as much time in. I was involved in all the discussions and passed along information and handled Facebook and the nametags but that was about all. But you know, since this was our third, we actually kind of know what we are doing so I will take credit for groundwork... Anyhow, the weekend was a lot of fun. I unfortunately was a bit sick (still am) but I managed to get sleep deprived in any case. I loved seeing and visiting with everyone. I always feel blessed that we had the class that we did. I know not everyone has a Grad Class that they actually like and stay connected with - but I did and I am grateful. Already there is talk of the 'the next one' (a good sign) and that makes me happy.

Opening Night - SOLD OUT

Those are lovely words to see when you go to the Tix on the Square Website. I know that we have quite a few comps tonight, but even with that, Opening Night usually has about 80-90 people. Sold Out means we will have 143! Yee Haw! I am excited for my cast and crew. They have had two lovely Preview audiences in which to get used to audience reactions and to work out the bugs in scene and costume changes. I look forward to seeing the show again and hope I can relax on their behalf and just enjoy! It's the kind of show that demands a big house, so let's hope tonight is not a fluke and the run does well. I promise enthusiasm and a dedicated and talented cast dressed in fabulous costumes on a gorgeous set...

Final Dress

Last night was our Final Dress. It's all there. I had picky little notes, but that's it - all we need is an audience. Today we clean and do some stuff where we need to tweak lights and sound, and then tomorrow is a day of rest and we have our first Preview on Monday. Here we go! Yee Haw!

2 Weeks to Opening Night

Whorehouse is moving along. We are in great shape. There is some tightening in a few crunchy places, but generally it is small potatoes. Now we are waiting on the other details, the completion of the set, the acquisition of all the show props, the lights, the costumes and the make-up. We add the musicians on Sunday at the Sitz Probe which will be fun. Dry Tech happens on Monday night (no rest for me or the rest of the Production Team, but the cast gets a night off!), and we begin a 2 night process of Q2Q on Tuesday. We have done our work on the acting, singing and dancing and now we have to be patient while the technical elements get incorporated. I am anxious and nervous and excited. It's all about how close it will look to the picture in my head. I have a great team, so I have great expectations about how that will all turn out.

We have had a few issues - illnesses, work issues, lates, the usual - we are dealing with it all and it seems to be that a calm head and good preparation is working miracles to solve everything as it comes. Let's hope that all the illness is over and done with and that no more unexpected work emergencies pop up! I do feel that everyone is invested in the show and that is half the battle!

Fabulous Rehearsal Last Night... Now if I Could Just Sleep...

We had a great rehearsal last night for Best Little Whorehouse. It was a stumble of Act Two and it was really in pretty good shape. There were a couple bumps but we are still 3 weeks out from Opening so those will get cleaner as we keep working. Then we taught the Aggie Song/Dance to our two new Aggies. I am so happy we solved that problem. Injuries scare me. The last thing I want is for an actor to get injured, but we needed the bodies for the dance. The 2 new guys picked it up fast and we have another hour tonight to clean it and again we have 3 weeks to Opening.

Now if only I could sleep. I have screwed up my sleep pattern because my brain isn't shutting off when I get home. I am either buzzing with thoughts of the Whorehouse or of LOST - sometimes both. Two nights ago I dreamt I was directing a hybrid LOST/Whorehouse travelling show (don't ask for details, but Matthew Fox was delightful to work with and Terry O'Quinn was a bit of a diva)... Anyhow, I couldn't fall asleep until 3 AM and then I was dead this morning. I have to get it to shift back and soon. It is not convenient.

My Life is Either at the Zoo or in a Whorehouse Right now...

And I am not talking metaphorically!

I had a planning meeting this morning with the other Camp Counsellors for the "Acting Like Animals" Camp that I will be working at this summer at the Zoo. It was fun. We had one of the counsellors from last year there and he gave great input and the girls seem fun and enthusiastic and I think we will all work together well. I am excited about this and need to get to work on the plays for the camp. I have the stories and resources, now I have to write the scripts.

I am also at a very important phase in Whorehouse rehearsals. Last night we started putting the pieces together. We have everything choreographed and blocked and last night we stumbled Act One. It was choppy, especially in between scenes, but it is all there and now I can clean it. I am a little stressed about injuries because I don't want to have anyone hurt, but we have a plan to help avoid that and still keep the integrity of the number. Speaking of the dance - it is so good. I find it hard to believe that they learned all that so recently. We have some work to do, but not as much as we could have. It was nice for everyone to see what has been done - since I work in pieces this was the first time some people saw any scenes outside the ones they are actually in. It was great to hear the laughter and applause from the cast in the house for the cast on the stage. Lovely, lovely, lovely!

Moving forward in great strides...

Ahhhhh....

It is so nice to finally feel like we are moving forward. We had some solid chunks of the script completed but this week with the addition of choreography and the availability of certain key actors increasing we have just been moving along. I am finally moving at the pace I like and I am liking what I see. It is also echoed by the move into the space. There is certainly something about being in the theatre feeling like *bang*, now we're moving!

We are a week and a half from having everything blocked and choreographed and then we have a delightful amount of time to clean and make this baby sparkle! Very, very fun!

Now, if only I could fix the issues I have with people who show up late, or read the schedule wrong and don't show up at all, or get sick (don't get sick, people!), or get injured (don't get injured people!) then I would be totally happy.

Trying not to be so cranky...

I am trying, really, to not be so cranky. I think once I am caught up on sleep I will be able to let it all go. People are people and it ain't my job to fix them - just live with them...

On the upside - EXCELLENT REHEARSAL TONIGHT for SIDE STEP! Much joy in the building and watching and my cast rocks the house! Love the show now that choreography is started. I feel like we are moving along!

Getting Level

Despite lingering tiredness, we had a great rehearsal last night. The first real scene of the play (the one that starts the present day action) wasn't working as I originally blocked it. Part of it was just getting everyone used to the dynamics and part of it was that I had some over-choreographed sections that weren't working. We pulled in the 4 ladies we needed and they had so obviously done the homework I had assigned them and it now is working so much better. I am so anxious to get to next week when we will have everyone and we can really jump into work on the show. So far it has been like little jig-saw puzzle pieces, but tonight we start choreography and I am excited to grab big handfuls of the play and put it all together! I am really enjoying having Stacey there as Assistant Director. She is sharp and has an eye that complements my own so I think it is a good team at the table. After so many years of not having an assistant director I am finding that they are a very valuable thing to have. I am glad that I went with my instinct and asked her!

I am also feeling more level, less tired and actually did some cleaning today. My house has been sorely neglected as of late and I need to get on top of the mess! Purging of toys and clothes and other junk will follow next week!

Burning the candle at both ends...

This past week I have been out every night for either From Cradle to Stage or Whorehouse. Rehearsals, Production Meetings and Opening night loaded up my nights. I unfortunately combined that with having really full days as well as I supervised field trips for both boys and did Child Check. Monday was free in the day but I had a bit of running around to do - last minute gift buying, some props to acquire, that sort of thing. Anyhow, it all caught up with me and I was so delighted to get to sleep in this morning. I don't feel 100%, but I am getting there. I will know for sure when my left eyelid stops twitching.

In any case, the Opening for From Cradle to Stage went well. I hope that the audiences are what they deserve. It is a strong evening of theatre and I am so pleased with how tight all three pieces are. I know that there will be some people who prefer one show or the other, but I also am confident that it will not all be the same show. I think that speaks to the strength of the evening. Truly there is something for everyone. I am glad I will get to see it again on Closing Night. I look forward to seeing how it has grown.

I am looking forward to disconnecting a bit this weekend. The boys have no piano lesson tomorrow and due to horrible schedules there is no Whorehouse rehearsal on Sunday so I am off duty until Monday night. I shall certainly appreciate the family time.

Countdown...

I always say this to myself: once this is done, I will have so much more time, and I always hope that it will be true. Let's hope I stick to my resolve to not audition for any Fringe thing and to just be the audience this summer. I am looking forward to seeing Uncle Robert's Funeral, Kiss Within a Kiss and Sea of Green onstage and I am also looking forward to them being done so that I can focus on Whorehouse exclusively. I have found a way to compartmentalize so that I feel I am in the right place both physically and mentally. So anyhow, I am in countdown again for one thing or another - juggling parenthood and theatre and writing and ADing and all that stuff, knowing that there will always be the next thing and the countdown is completely a way to fool myself!

Today I looked into what I need to do to return to work as a teacher in the Fall if I so choose. I am not sure what I want to do as I am busy as it is, but it might be good to have the option to sub and get back in there that way. I know that there are not a lot of people who have my bag of tricks with regards to subjects who are subbing so I might be able to book some work here and there and maybe that would be good OR there might be a part-time position that would work nicely for us. I don't know - it's early days.

Beautiful Music...

Yesterday was Mother's Day. I was treated to a lovely breakfast prepared by my husband and cards and gifts created by my children. As well, Mark's gifts were Nathan Fillion themed (Season 1 of Castle, a Nikki Heat book, and the Dr. Horrible DVD). It was a lovely morning. Then I tripped off to the theatre for a check-in with the One-Acts and a little photocopying and then to Alex Taylor for Whorehouse musical rehearsal. Oh my! The cast sounds so good! They worked on Side Step and Hard Candy Christmas, two of my favorite songs from the show. First time working on both and both were so good. No one will be able to complain about the music in this show, that's for sure, not when they sound like that!! I will have to make sure that my direction maintains the promise of their voices.

Rehearsal High!

We had a fabulous rehearsal tonight for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. We basically stumbled about 2/5 of the play and we have only been at this for about 2 and a half weeks. The cast is so sharp and fun. I am having a blast. We still have some choreography to fill in the blanks, but it was nice to feel that we are on the right track so early! Right now we are missing a few people due to conflicts, so when we fill in the cast members and the choreo it is going to sing! Yippee! Or should I say Yee Haw!?

Scheduling Nightmares....

Well, I got the Whorehouse Schedule done, and then problems rolled in. Part of it was a miscommunication about available dates from certain people, part of it was a misinterpretation on my part, part of it was people finding new conflicts after the fact. It is what happens with a cast of 31 people and a production team which has two key members working on different shows that run very closely in time to ours. It's a 2000 piece Jig-saw puzzle to begin with so I didn't expect it to be easy. I did expect it to be easier than it was and is.

I am confident that the show will be good and that it will come together, it is just that everyone has to realize that the 'ideal' situation with regards to scheduling is not going to be possible and that we will get it done in a different way. Trust me, if I had my druthers, we would be working chronologically with choreo at the beginning of the rehearsal period and with built in review. That is not in any way possible so I will make it work. I have done shows with kids with schedules that were just as bad so I can make this work!

So, let's hope this current schedule works with no major issues. I am anxious for June when it is the only thing on my plate!

Pain in the Neck...

My seized neck is putting a real cramp in my style. I have been functioning pretty good with it - getting the things done that I needed to get done, but oh it hurts. Luckily I have been able to find positions where I can sleep, but if I shift too suddenly in the night it isn't fun. Leads to me sleeping in a very tense state. I will continue to medicate and hopefully the muscle will relax soon.

Last night I had a great blocking session for Whorehouse. It is picky work fitting together the bits and pieces of the opening sequence, but we got it mapped out and when we revisit it we will add more characterization and colour and choreography to give it more zing! The cast sounds wonderful. I went on Sunday to the music rehearsal just to hear them and they sound so good and it isn't even the whole bunch of them. We will definitely have a great sound - yee haw! It's nice to have a show where all the soloists can sing well and all the ensemble can sing well (indeed, pretty much anyone in this cast could handle a solo and sound terrific). You don't have any weak spots that way! The schedule it almost done and it ain't perfect but it will get the show done and has room for fixing and tweaking. I think we shall be good with it.

Too Busy to Write Anything!

This weekend I was so busy I haven't had time to update anything. We had auditions for The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas at Walterdale and I have been rehearsing for On The Wire when I wasn't at the auditions. It will be a great show based on the awesome turn-out we had. Tonight I had the Q 2 Q and final dress for On the Wire. It's in great shape especially considering we hadn't run it since Sunday. It will be nice to have an audience to keep us on our toes tomorrow night! 8 p.m. at Fort Edmonton Park - I think there are still a few tickets left!

Filling Up the Days...

Yesterday was quite busy for me and this past week, in general, I have spent arranging meetings and planning and recording rehearsals for the various projects I have coming up. I have two current projects on-the-go. The first being the Directing/Dramaturgy of Uncle Robert's Funeral which will be read at From Cradle to Stage in May at Walterdale. It is a nice project, which does not require a ton of time on my part at this point in time because the playwright is currently working on re-writes. We had a few reads and discussion and she went away to rewrite and we come back together on next Sunday to do the same with the next draft. The other project is the one that kind of fell into my lap. A friend passed a long a message that a group was looking for a 40+ actress to play an 'aging starlet' for a play being produced at the Selkirk Hotel in Fort Edmonton Park. The dates looked good considering my other obligations and it was to be a paid gig (how cool would that be?) so I sent in my resume and head shot and schedule. I was fully prepared to be asked to audition (or not, if they had someone else) but sight unseen I was offered the role. We had a great read-through yesterday - lots of laughs - and the schedule is indeed very forgiving! I am really looking forward to this. I know the rest of the cast, but the director is new to me, but the atmosphere was really fun. It is also the kind of role I love - lots of different accents and a little bit of singing and very stylized in a 1930s kind of way. It will only be 3 shows, but that is cool - I have the most fun during the process! It is called On the Wire and was written by Nick Green.

When that wraps up we will head right into The Best Little Whorehouse. I still would like more men to sign up (and women too - the more the merrier). I need more guys than people might realize. They seem to think it is all about the girls in the Whorehouse... yikes!