Rehearsal Update: July 19

So, here we are, roughly a week out from performing for our first audience, and we find ourselves at that crucial point of determining whether or not we have a show. Actors are struggling to rid themselves of their rehearsal scripts while juggling lines, lyrics, and staging (with an occasional waltz step thrown in here and there). Trees of the forest are beginning to look less like cardboard tubing and 2" x 4"s. Certain show props are beginning to replace rehearsal props; however, the afore mentioned golden hippo seems to find ways to make it back onto the stage even though the real "Milky White" has taken shape and is in workable condition - that is, until she blew a wheel last night, oddly enough. Coincidence? Hmmm. . . and we still can't get rid of the glitter.

With all of this being said, we still see how steep the climb is to reach our intended goals for this production. The entire show has been laid out, structurally speaking. The music has been learned, the staging has been given, and most of the scene shifts have been assigned, and so begins the real work - the fine tuning. The time when you take the story off of the page and truly place it on its feet. Rehearsals are long and end late into the evening, which, for many of us, comes after a full day's work already. Patience is an absolute virtue at this point with having to repeat scene work over and over in order to meet the expectations of the director and music director. This is also the time in our rehearsal schedule when we will often revisit many of the things that were learned early in rehearsal - for instance, the music. We do this with the intent to protect the integrity of the body of work - so that moments aren't lost or forgotten while paying attention to other elements, especially when dealing with the technical demands of a show of this caliber. . . let's just say that I'm afraid for Sunday to get here when we tech the entire show. . . will have to make at least two trips to Starbucks that day. Off to rehearsal now. Be sure to check back later to see who survives tech weekend.

-Andy Gosnell
Assistant Director