"Amahl and the Night Visitors" went very well! We only got to do three of the four performances because of THE GREAT BLIZZARD OF 2010, and, unfortunately, the cancelled performance was the last one, so all of our costumes, makeup, personal items, etc. were stranded at the theater until we could dig ourselves out and go and claim them.
It was a REALLY fun group to work with, and a little anti-climatic to not have an "all out, don't-have-to-save-the-voice-for-more-performances-so-let-her-rip" final show. We didn't really get a sense of closure either...I ran into Karen, who played mother as I was leaving with my stuff, and she was on her way in to get her things. Quick hug in the parking lot, and "you were AWESOME", and that was it. I didn't have a chance to see my fellow kings, or the girl playing Amahl, or any of the shepherds again.
I'm sure most of us will work together again someday, and there's always Facebook, but I'm seriously reconsidering doing theater in the winter...all of that work for three performances just doesn't cut it!
One of the highlights of the whole experience, though, was after what ended up being the final show...a little six year old boy came up to me, and he was carrying something. It turned out to be a box, with licorice inside, and he was wearing beads. If you know the show, "This is My Box" is my character's big number, and this little kid knew the song, knew the show, and had his own Kaspar box! His mom and grandmother came up a few seconds later, and asked if I would take a picture with him (like they even had to ask...!), and I got to sign his program, too. That's the kind of thing that makes all the time, and all the effort, and all the craziness worth it!
Here's a photo from the show:
Between weekend performances for "Amahl", I started working with Ashland Productions on "Bye Bye Birdie". It was extremely strange to be performing one show, and starting to develop a character for another. I don't know how "real" actors do it...it's quite a mind game!
"Birdie" is going to be COMPLETELY amazing, and I'm intimidated as HELL working with this group. It doesn't help that they'd already been in rehearsals for two weeks by the time I was able to join them! Shana, with whom I share a bunch of scenes, was already off book for several of them by the time I was begining to write down my blocking...oy!
One of my first nights there, I had a choreography rehearsal for "Put on a Happy Face". The teenagers in the show (who are UNBELIEVABLY excellent!), were rehearsing the telephone song, and my jaw hit the floor as soon as they started. Kayla, the choreographer (who's very young, and very energetic!) had them holding receivers attached to elastic bands tied to their feet. They were strumming the elastic like violas, throwing them back and forth in time to the music, looping them around their knees and making "v's" with them, and GENERALLY looking like they'd been working the number since August (as opposed to, say, a few days ago...). Wow!
We're rapidly progressing (too rapidly for my personal comfort, but "that's show business"...!). We were "off book" (no scripts) for act I last week, and block all of act II next Tuesday, then have a few days off for the new year's weekend. When we come back, we'll be learning all of the choreography for act II, polishing up the blocking from next week, getting the songs learned, and memorizing.
I'm just glad it's FINALLY winter break, and things can slow down a little bit for this slightly overwhelmed OLD man!!!
Here's hoping YOU'VE had a little bit of "theatricality" (the good kind...not the bad...) in YOUR life recently!!!!
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