Midnight Madness - Damn I love these kids
So, Clue was this past weekend. It was a glorious clusterfuck, which I expected after 5 years of not shadowcasting it, but everyone knew their part, and the audience had a good time, so I consider it a success. So much so, that I can see it becoming an annual thing for us in November. That, or Hedwig. If they give us a choice in the future, I'll opt for Hedwig as it's easier to stage without blocking rehearsals, and then opt for Clue in the Jan- April quarter.
We had 4 Rocky Shows in a week (5 if you count the earlier DesPlaines show, which I do since I had to sell kits and do cleanup). Everyone stepped up in an amazing way. I'd run down the list of each individual person and their efforts, but I have to say that every single MM member was exceptional this time around. I've gotten quite spoiled by my cast as, even when it looks like things are going to blow up in our faces and it's going to be a big failure, everyone comes together and does their thing and does it well. We were talking at the rehearsal we had before the Halloween shows about Rocky "anxiety" dreams. Mine is almost always the same one. We're performing for the first time with no notice and no rehearsals or casting at a new theater, and the print/cut of Rocky is different (usually, it's a remake too - not even the same on screen cast). I'm stressed to fuckall about it and yet everyone does a spectacular job and the show is awesome. Even my subconscious knows that in the end, the MM kids will excel.
It's really by design though that we have the cast we do. Over the past half dozen years the cast execs/leaders have really made an effort to cultivate the cast and shape it into what it is. We've discouraged drama queens and nipped most bullshit in the bud before it has a chance to blossom. The execs have done this Rodeo / Circus before, and we usually know within a show or two whether someone is going to work with the cast... usually even before that - we have about a 20% follow through with everyone that applies. They think it's going to be a "show up and mess around" deal, and we shed light on the fact that it's a hell of a lot of work to do Rocky - at least, Good Rocky. We still do have a lot of fun - ask every last MM member and they'll tell you it's fun. It's even in our Cast Constitution, if you find that you’re not having fun anymore, consider taking a leave, or leaving the cast. Which is how we lose many/most of our longtime (more than a couple of years) members. They find they're not having fun anymore, or something else is more fun/important to them, and we wish them well as they move on. Thing is, every time we lose a couple-few, a crop of newbies seems to come in and they do a bang up job (I wish we could give them more time in their primary goal roles right off the bat, but a large cast with a once a month show hinders that). It's also fun for the Old Timers to see too, as there's nothing more rejuvenating or encouraging for us than to see the show/movie through the eyes of the younglings.
I know I said I wasn't going to single anyone out, but I do have to give much/most of the credit to Sarah. She's been our staging manager for several years now and that "cultivating" I described - a lot of that is due to her. She works tirelessly making sure everyone is in line, people know their parts and have costumes, and rehearse and grow, and whack them with a stick (or, spray them with a bottle ;-) when they get lazy or step out of line (even me - if you guys think I "escape" the wrath of Sarah when Imma Bad Cast Member, you're sadly mistaken). Dozens and dozens of emails and texts and phone calls a month to do that. She processes and posts all of the pictures too and that in itself is a HUGE job. You guys all see the 15 or 20 pictures from me and her and George in a few posts per show/month - but she has to sift through the 600-1200 pictures per show that George and I dump on her, and process the final shots, to get that end result of the handful of pictures that makes us look good. Earlier this year, I won the Boss Award for Rocky. Even though it was for efforts and accomplishments for the National Rocky scene, it just would not have been possible without my cast, or Sarah. The job she and the kids to with the cast makes me look good. For the most part, I'm a very hands off leader, only stepping in when I feel it's necessary, but that wouldn't be possible if we didn't have so may talented and wonderful people doing their part. It also has allowed me over the years to take the time to do things on a multi cast/national level, because I know they got it covered and the month to month shows with go off smoothly. Even on the local CRHAP level, Sarah is the one that organizes the annual bowling and picnic events. Without her, those important multicast group events would have died long ago. Honestly and frankly, if it wasn't for the great people we've had with MM over the last 15 years, I would have given up and left it all back in the 90's (likely in '98, after we lost the 400 / Village North).
Most of all Sarah keeps me sane. October 2012 was a VERY rough month for me personally, for reasons that I'll get into here later this week, but she took the personal crap life has thrown at me/us and dealt with all of it in addition to making sure the MM shows ran and came off without a hitch (frankly, the Rocky shows were pretty much the ONLY good thing to happen to me in October). Sure, we argue about stuff (I'd say the majority of arguments or heated discussions we have about things are mostly Rocky based). We try to avoid talking about Rocky much in our personal lives/time, but sometimes stuff just needs to get done (and, for those of you that think / believe I automatically back her on everything, you're also sadly mistaken - she will tell you that's not the case - and many of the MM execs and cast will too). It's just that most of the stuff, by the time it goes "public", has already made it through several filters / levels and it may *seem* like we agree, but many things never make it beyond discussion among the cast leaders. We vet and think most things through long before anyone else sees them. It's one of the reasons we all seem to be in agreement almost all of the time - by the time it's beyond the 2-7 of us (numbers vary depending on how important the decision is, or how much we feel all of us need to discuss or talk about something), it has been thoroughly worked over and out. Sarah, George, Chris, Bones, Mom Elaine, and Monika - they are my trusted advisors and strength to keep doing this.
So, long story short (too late). The reason I'm still her and still doing this - the wonderful cast of super hard working kids, and most of all Sarah. THEY are the ones that deserve the credit. Their dedication and hard work for very little "glory" is amazing, and I'm super proud and honored to be a part of this cast. You Guys make me fly.
We had 4 Rocky Shows in a week (5 if you count the earlier DesPlaines show, which I do since I had to sell kits and do cleanup). Everyone stepped up in an amazing way. I'd run down the list of each individual person and their efforts, but I have to say that every single MM member was exceptional this time around. I've gotten quite spoiled by my cast as, even when it looks like things are going to blow up in our faces and it's going to be a big failure, everyone comes together and does their thing and does it well. We were talking at the rehearsal we had before the Halloween shows about Rocky "anxiety" dreams. Mine is almost always the same one. We're performing for the first time with no notice and no rehearsals or casting at a new theater, and the print/cut of Rocky is different (usually, it's a remake too - not even the same on screen cast). I'm stressed to fuckall about it and yet everyone does a spectacular job and the show is awesome. Even my subconscious knows that in the end, the MM kids will excel.
It's really by design though that we have the cast we do. Over the past half dozen years the cast execs/leaders have really made an effort to cultivate the cast and shape it into what it is. We've discouraged drama queens and nipped most bullshit in the bud before it has a chance to blossom. The execs have done this Rodeo / Circus before, and we usually know within a show or two whether someone is going to work with the cast... usually even before that - we have about a 20% follow through with everyone that applies. They think it's going to be a "show up and mess around" deal, and we shed light on the fact that it's a hell of a lot of work to do Rocky - at least, Good Rocky. We still do have a lot of fun - ask every last MM member and they'll tell you it's fun. It's even in our Cast Constitution, if you find that you’re not having fun anymore, consider taking a leave, or leaving the cast. Which is how we lose many/most of our longtime (more than a couple of years) members. They find they're not having fun anymore, or something else is more fun/important to them, and we wish them well as they move on. Thing is, every time we lose a couple-few, a crop of newbies seems to come in and they do a bang up job (I wish we could give them more time in their primary goal roles right off the bat, but a large cast with a once a month show hinders that). It's also fun for the Old Timers to see too, as there's nothing more rejuvenating or encouraging for us than to see the show/movie through the eyes of the younglings.
I know I said I wasn't going to single anyone out, but I do have to give much/most of the credit to Sarah. She's been our staging manager for several years now and that "cultivating" I described - a lot of that is due to her. She works tirelessly making sure everyone is in line, people know their parts and have costumes, and rehearse and grow, and whack them with a stick (or, spray them with a bottle ;-) when they get lazy or step out of line (even me - if you guys think I "escape" the wrath of Sarah when Imma Bad Cast Member, you're sadly mistaken). Dozens and dozens of emails and texts and phone calls a month to do that. She processes and posts all of the pictures too and that in itself is a HUGE job. You guys all see the 15 or 20 pictures from me and her and George in a few posts per show/month - but she has to sift through the 600-1200 pictures per show that George and I dump on her, and process the final shots, to get that end result of the handful of pictures that makes us look good. Earlier this year, I won the Boss Award for Rocky. Even though it was for efforts and accomplishments for the National Rocky scene, it just would not have been possible without my cast, or Sarah. The job she and the kids to with the cast makes me look good. For the most part, I'm a very hands off leader, only stepping in when I feel it's necessary, but that wouldn't be possible if we didn't have so may talented and wonderful people doing their part. It also has allowed me over the years to take the time to do things on a multi cast/national level, because I know they got it covered and the month to month shows with go off smoothly. Even on the local CRHAP level, Sarah is the one that organizes the annual bowling and picnic events. Without her, those important multicast group events would have died long ago. Honestly and frankly, if it wasn't for the great people we've had with MM over the last 15 years, I would have given up and left it all back in the 90's (likely in '98, after we lost the 400 / Village North).
Most of all Sarah keeps me sane. October 2012 was a VERY rough month for me personally, for reasons that I'll get into here later this week, but she took the personal crap life has thrown at me/us and dealt with all of it in addition to making sure the MM shows ran and came off without a hitch (frankly, the Rocky shows were pretty much the ONLY good thing to happen to me in October). Sure, we argue about stuff (I'd say the majority of arguments or heated discussions we have about things are mostly Rocky based). We try to avoid talking about Rocky much in our personal lives/time, but sometimes stuff just needs to get done (and, for those of you that think / believe I automatically back her on everything, you're also sadly mistaken - she will tell you that's not the case - and many of the MM execs and cast will too). It's just that most of the stuff, by the time it goes "public", has already made it through several filters / levels and it may *seem* like we agree, but many things never make it beyond discussion among the cast leaders. We vet and think most things through long before anyone else sees them. It's one of the reasons we all seem to be in agreement almost all of the time - by the time it's beyond the 2-7 of us (numbers vary depending on how important the decision is, or how much we feel all of us need to discuss or talk about something), it has been thoroughly worked over and out. Sarah, George, Chris, Bones, Mom Elaine, and Monika - they are my trusted advisors and strength to keep doing this.
So, long story short (too late). The reason I'm still her and still doing this - the wonderful cast of super hard working kids, and most of all Sarah. THEY are the ones that deserve the credit. Their dedication and hard work for very little "glory" is amazing, and I'm super proud and honored to be a part of this cast. You Guys make me fly.