Happy Thanksgiving!

I arrived in Dayton, Ohio on Sunday for our one week of rehearsals!  We had rehearsals Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and then had Thanksgiving Day off.  Cay and Ashlea drove up from Hendersonville and we spent Thanksgiving together.  NetWorks catered a very nice dinner for everyone in the company and we had a great time relaxing together.  Today we had our final rehearsals before our first performance TOMORROW at 2:00.  So if you add it all up we have had about 40 hours of rehearsal!  That is very little compared to what is typical for a production of this magnitude.  Despite the shortened rehearsal period the show is in great shape and everyone is really enjoying working together.

Most of the cast from last season is returning for this shortened season of 14 weeks (maybe longer if they are able to book some more dates?!).  There are several new additions to our company.  We have 4 new orphans. "July, Kate, Duffy and Tessie" are new this season.  Our orphan "swing/wrangler" is also new this year along with four of the adult cast including a new "Grace."  They are all doing a great job and I am looking forward to getting to know all of them better as the tour goes along.  Our technical staff is mostly returning except for our lead carpenter and electrician which makes it nice since most of them already know the show.  It will definately be nice for me and all of my costume changes.  We have a new Production Stage Manager and a new Company Manager.  They both are really great people and I know they will do a great job.

We will do two "preview" performances tomorrow and then close out in Dayton on Sunday with a matinee before flying to Burlington, VT for our official opening night next Tuesday.  The first three weeks of this season will be difficult as we are in a different city virtually every night but it should also be fun seeing the northeastern part of our great nation during December.

It is hard for me to believe that over two years have passed since I began my "Annie" adventure.  It has been the thrill of a lifetime and I can't wait to see what lies ahead as we continue this amazing journey together.