Hell Week!
Tootsie opens in two days. I feel pretty good about it. There are some spots that still feel awkward to me, but I think they will smooth out over time. I don't anticipate opening night to be my finest hour, but I think I will continue to get in my groove.
Opening night is Friday the 13th! Let's hope that doesn't mean anything.
I am doing what it takes to take care of myself. I'm working from home. I get home between 11PM and midnight, so I sleep in until it's time to work. I do some yoga in the afternoons for exercise and as a warm up for the show. I'm taking tomorrow and Friday off, which I hope to use to get outside and walk in nature a bit.
As far as I know, I don't know how many of my friends will be in the audience. My family is coming opening night. Nobody else I know has said anything about coming, or those who said they were coming have not said when. I hope I see some friendly faces in the audience.
I had to miss the debate last night because of rehearsal. I'm sorry I missed it. Kevin sent me texts to update me during the night. We had a 15-minute break between rehearsing Act 1 and Act 2 and we watched the debate on my phone in the dressing room. I really don't know how any voter who is undecided can possibly vote for Trump. I know there is a percentage of deluded people who believe his crap, but for the sane among us, how can anyone even think of voting for him? What do they possibly think he can offer?
We had a wrench thrown into the works for our post-play plans. The week after Stage Kiss the director (Anthony) is marrying his long time partner. They are having a big Halloween themed party in their home. As soon as they started asking us to save the date, Kevin and I said we would be there. When the invitations officially went out, we responded right away. We were so excited to go to this.
Then yesterday we received an invitation from him nephew for Elle's second birthday party on the same day. He was thrilled to receive the invitation since we haven't seen his brother, SIL, nephew, or grandniece since the first birthday party last year. He saw me look upset when I saw the invitation and he didn't know why. I reminded him that the wedding is on the same day. He told me, "So we won't go to the wedding."
I am not keen on blowing off the wedding. I have known Anthony since I was fifteen years old (and he was still in the closet, married to a woman and expecting his second child). My entire theater community will be there. These people are chosen family to me. I want to be there with my friends I have been with for almost all my life. The kid will have other birthdays. This wedding will only happen once.
But Kevin made the very rational argument that he hasn't seen his family for a year now. The fact that they are scheduling time together is a big deal to him. Who knows when the opportunity will come again?
There is a part of me that's bitter about that. Kevin tries so hard to get together with his family. He offers to come for visits in either Chicago or Lexington all the time and there is always a reason why they can't. They put us off and blow us off. The ugly truth is they don't prioritize family the way he does. This has become more obvious since my MIL's death two years ago. She was the glue that held us all together and now that she's gone the rest of us don't matter (or that's what it feels like). I remember the day we had the unveiling of her grave, Bob and Susan flew in from Chicago, attended the service, and then flew right back without spending any time with the rest of us. It feels like the people at the wedding will miss us more than Kevin's family will.
We're trying to come up with a solution. Kevin asked Susan if we can come on Sunday for a family visit. He wants to make the trip in one day. That will be six hours total of driving under optimal traffic conditions, and after we have been out late the night before. My solution is he goes to the birthday party and I go to the wedding. My family is usually invited to these parties, so he can drive out there with them if I'm not there to keep him company.
It's always something! He's in a bad enough mood as it is given that his business is slow and he had to take a pay cut.
His brother turns 70 in December. Maybe the family will do something for that.