Act One

Today we had our first run through of Act I. This is always a little nerve wracking as it is the first time you get real notes from director, choreographer, etc. For a first run through after only 4 days of rehearsal it went amazingly well. Everyone had all lines and songs memorized. No one had to call for a line! That in and of itself is a miracle in live theatre.

It is also fascinating how quickly folks learn new things such as choreography and how well they remember what they are taught. Even the kids (the youngest of which is 7) remember things amazingly well and are able to apply them. I can't express how impressed I am with every one's abilities.

We have changed several things from last years show. Most of it is very small and would go totally unnoticed by the audience who sees it but is big for those of us doing it again and makes it a lot of fun. Most of the changes concerning me have been blocking with a few line delivery changes. All of them work well and of course fit with the overall flow and context of the show. It is mostly a result of those I am now working with and some bad habits I developed over the course of 260+ performances last year.

I am really excited for Cay, Ashlea, and Alayna to get to meet my new friends on tour. They are all really great and we are having a blast so far. It is amazing to me how people from different parts of the country with totally different backgrounds, beliefs, and opinions can come together for a common cause and perform miracles together onstage. Maybe our politicians should take lessons from us actors! Something might actually get done in Washington for a change besides name calling and finger pointing. Enough of that.

We are looking forward to our first day off on Tuesday. I plan on driving up to St. Augustine and spending the day seeing sights, on the beach, and eating sushi while relaxing and preparing for what will be a very intense couple of weeks of rehearsal and tech.