Opening Night.....
Hello everyone. Its been a while. I dont even remember the last time I was able to write in this sucker. Its been a busy few weeks but the end is now in sight. I really dont know where to begin so I guess I'll start in the beginning and give you all a recap of my Hippie Mexicana Experience thus far.
Before the first rehearsal I made lost of phone calls trying to confirm the information given to me. Never talked to the production team and was sending emails to some guy in California for a few weeks. Oops
First rehearsal afternoon the producer gives me a call pissed that the cast hasnt had a weekly schedule distributed. I did have one but it needed to be looked at by the director because of some issues with availability. Run through happens. I show what I have and Barclay (the producer) is a wee bit impressed. Things go good and we move into the rehearsal space for the first week. It was slower than molasses getting the show on its feet. Not enough was scheduled for each night and we ended early every night. Saturdays rehearsal was moved to Sunday so I miss the first run of the show.
Week 2 we schedule a bit more to work per night. things are still slow but working out. No schedule problems really . Only the crazyness of late actors. The record was 1 hour late. Saturday's run...the last day in the space. It becomes a start and stop so I still didnt get a running time of the show. But, we then load every prop into my car and Katies car for the weekend.
Monday- load in day. I miss class to load in but by 2pm the set is only half in so I sit on my ass and do nothing for a few hours. We start rehearsal an hour and a half late. Sound paper tech cancelled. Tuesday cue to cue is scheduled once again we start 1 hour and a half late due to the set designer painting the floor. Wednesday we actually start on time and finish tuesdays work. Then we have a first run with our fist attempt at costumes. Not a dress rehearsal persay but similar. Thursday first preview. All goes well...... we made it with a few things to fix.
However.....previous to this I fought with all the chiefs in the kitchen keeping us from a productive rehearsal, the asshole of a set designer, no sound cues in my script, a producer who doesnt trust me, 2 phone calles a day to props and costumes because they dont have internet, an actor who thinks she needs to have her input on everything and lets nothing go and so so much more. The icing on the cake for me this night was the producer telling the actors they can show up at 5:30 at night for a 7:30 show giving stage management no time backstage (the dressing room) to set up props with out 12 people in a small room. I get pissed because I like my space and ask if I could talk about it with the producer out side. I dont get my way and because I was sleep deprived and sick I break down and cry in the hallway for a good 15 minutes. I gather myself and go back to my job. Barclay doesnt leave it alone and I break down crying again. Im dont with the conversation and begin to walk away when he pipes in "Nicole, you do not walk away from a producer! you can call me a bastard and cuss me out in my face and Ill accept that but you do not walk away from me...Especially if you want a letter of recomendation (never asked for one)." so I turn around and tell him that yes I am pissed that they get 2 hours to prepeare but I get none and that him telling the cast to leave stage management alone and dont get in their way until 6 makes us look like bitches but Im not getting my way so Im done with the situation. I walk away again. I almost left for good but something made me stay. I find myself a corner now that I have been humiliated in front of 2 actors the director and the playwright. a few minutes later Armando (the director) brings me a tissue and I explain the situation and he reasures me that Ive done a fantastic job and that he is on my side. Again, I cry for about 20 minutes this time, collect myself and close up for the night.
Opening night..... 6:10... wheres the sound operator? I dont know and I dont have his number! So, we call the sound designer and he cant come in and no one else knows how to run sound......Well, lets jump on it and Elizabeth (the lx op who would become sound next week when I take over lights) and I start up the program and go at it blindly. We dry tech the show together from 6:30 till 7:14. Yup, its opening night and without any practice we change positions and run a flawless show! only 1 light cue was too early and it was totally my fault.
I think Ive proven myself. And, Barlcay is giving Elizabeth and myself the money he was going to give Craig, the now show!
Before the first rehearsal I made lost of phone calls trying to confirm the information given to me. Never talked to the production team and was sending emails to some guy in California for a few weeks. Oops
First rehearsal afternoon the producer gives me a call pissed that the cast hasnt had a weekly schedule distributed. I did have one but it needed to be looked at by the director because of some issues with availability. Run through happens. I show what I have and Barclay (the producer) is a wee bit impressed. Things go good and we move into the rehearsal space for the first week. It was slower than molasses getting the show on its feet. Not enough was scheduled for each night and we ended early every night. Saturdays rehearsal was moved to Sunday so I miss the first run of the show.
Week 2 we schedule a bit more to work per night. things are still slow but working out. No schedule problems really . Only the crazyness of late actors. The record was 1 hour late. Saturday's run...the last day in the space. It becomes a start and stop so I still didnt get a running time of the show. But, we then load every prop into my car and Katies car for the weekend.
Monday- load in day. I miss class to load in but by 2pm the set is only half in so I sit on my ass and do nothing for a few hours. We start rehearsal an hour and a half late. Sound paper tech cancelled. Tuesday cue to cue is scheduled once again we start 1 hour and a half late due to the set designer painting the floor. Wednesday we actually start on time and finish tuesdays work. Then we have a first run with our fist attempt at costumes. Not a dress rehearsal persay but similar. Thursday first preview. All goes well...... we made it with a few things to fix.
However.....previous to this I fought with all the chiefs in the kitchen keeping us from a productive rehearsal, the asshole of a set designer, no sound cues in my script, a producer who doesnt trust me, 2 phone calles a day to props and costumes because they dont have internet, an actor who thinks she needs to have her input on everything and lets nothing go and so so much more. The icing on the cake for me this night was the producer telling the actors they can show up at 5:30 at night for a 7:30 show giving stage management no time backstage (the dressing room) to set up props with out 12 people in a small room. I get pissed because I like my space and ask if I could talk about it with the producer out side. I dont get my way and because I was sleep deprived and sick I break down and cry in the hallway for a good 15 minutes. I gather myself and go back to my job. Barclay doesnt leave it alone and I break down crying again. Im dont with the conversation and begin to walk away when he pipes in "Nicole, you do not walk away from a producer! you can call me a bastard and cuss me out in my face and Ill accept that but you do not walk away from me...Especially if you want a letter of recomendation (never asked for one)." so I turn around and tell him that yes I am pissed that they get 2 hours to prepeare but I get none and that him telling the cast to leave stage management alone and dont get in their way until 6 makes us look like bitches but Im not getting my way so Im done with the situation. I walk away again. I almost left for good but something made me stay. I find myself a corner now that I have been humiliated in front of 2 actors the director and the playwright. a few minutes later Armando (the director) brings me a tissue and I explain the situation and he reasures me that Ive done a fantastic job and that he is on my side. Again, I cry for about 20 minutes this time, collect myself and close up for the night.
Opening night..... 6:10... wheres the sound operator? I dont know and I dont have his number! So, we call the sound designer and he cant come in and no one else knows how to run sound......Well, lets jump on it and Elizabeth (the lx op who would become sound next week when I take over lights) and I start up the program and go at it blindly. We dry tech the show together from 6:30 till 7:14. Yup, its opening night and without any practice we change positions and run a flawless show! only 1 light cue was too early and it was totally my fault.
I think Ive proven myself. And, Barlcay is giving Elizabeth and myself the money he was going to give Craig, the now show!