Bits and biddles
In the past week, I have:
- Spent Friday working an almost-eighteen hour day, doing my usual goodness with last-minute ticket sales, getting everything ready for the buses, changing into my suit in less than three seconds, getting everyone on the bus, getting everyone off the bus, getting everyone on the bus again, and then back to the Opera Center.
- Friday's "drunk bus" stories were really more "old people love their crackers" stories - we had an appetizer box donated by a local restaurant, which contained some great cheese, but only three crackers. At least one person on every damn row asked for more crackers.
- When I actually got to the venue, I had absolutely nothing to do - it's amazing to work with a professional box office and house manager.
- Sunday was up at 7, which I still thought was 6 (yeah - time change fucked me), running to grab OJ, making a thousand gallons of mimosas, picking up boxed coffee - thanks, Panera!, getting people on the bus, getting people off the bus, getting people into brunch, getting people into the theatre, selling tickets, working will call, tearing down, getting people on the bus, getting people off the bus, and spending two hours cleaning up mimosa decanters and various bus shit by myself.
- Sunday's bus story centers around Jim, our bus driver. Turns out he's a gay former Coast Guard-er in a fifteen-year relationship. Kind of a silver fox, too. He took a volunteer form, so we may hear from him again.
- Monday I was at jury duty. Sat in a room for two and a half hours, got called up to a courtroom as part of a jury panel. Whole panel was struck (all-white panel, black defendant - you think?), so we went back down. Made friends with some crazy middle-aged ladies who could make a new SITC - the Funny Earthy Lady, the Retired Schoolteacher, the Political Junkie Artist, the Knitter, and the Blue-collar Widow. Finally get called into another courtroom at 4:15. The Public Defender is one of our board members, so I cough that info up in jury selection, and was finally released at 4:45.
- The last three days have been Season Ticket Renewal hell - so much fun selling seats (and people are very protective of their opera seats) in a theatre that hasn't even started reconstruction. I'm doing my best, and ringing all of my promises with disclaimers...but it's fun.
- Today is Friday. Tomorrow I'm going to see Andrea Chenier at Mobile Opera; our Mezzo artist in residence is singing in the production. Sunday I have a baby shower for our artist in residence pianist. Then it's Monday again.
And that's me.