IN THE HEIGHTS
I have just spent the last month en washington heights.....not really, just in the sense that the show I was working on, took place there, and therefore, for the last month, I felt like I lived there. We even put street numbers on the stage to symbolize the streets in wash heights.
Well, my show IN THE HEIGHTS ended yesterday. It was a workshop production of a new musical hopefully heading to broadway sometime soon. The show was incredible. We had an amazing cast and a wonderful crew. I was the PA, officially titled the asistant to the stage managers in the program =). My job never ended. I not only worked as the 'non AEA ASM' but whenever someone was out or rehearsing in another room, I stood in for them and learned their part for that scene or dance number. I had an amazing time doing this. And I wasnt just a body for them to work with, no, I put emotion into it, cmon, how often do you get to act with amazing performers and infront of bway directors, choreographers and producers? So I gave it my all every time I got to stand in for someone, and letme tell you, I did it at least once a day. I learned the whole act 1 finale and a number in act 2!!!! Also, I had done this one scene with Mandy so much, that when they asked me to do it again the next day, I was off book!!!! they were all impressed with me for that, the actors and the director, and they all commented on it. I had so much fun. For the 3 performances we had, I ran backstage L and it went close to perfect each time. Everyone said they couldnt have done it without me. I got really close to a few people in the cast, Mandy Gonzalez in particular. She even had me wear her wedding ring during the show instead of putting it in the valubles bag cause she said it was good luck and she trusted me more with it. The funniest thing that happened was before act 2 of our last show yesterday, she came up to me and was like "check my breath" and blew right on my face! now thats friendship! hehe. Shes just amazing. I had a little bonding moment with Karen Olivo as well, cause, well, see my cell phone is used as a prop twice, and so when Karen opened my phone, alas, the slideshow as my background is a montage of pics of Norbert. She looks at the phone, then looks at me, and I got so embarrased, why? cause she knows him from RENT! oye. But i told her a bit of my story, and that was that. Then yesterday morning when I was ironing some flags in the dressing room, she brought him back up. And we talked for like 20 minutes about Norbert and how amazing he is. It was so nice. Shes a sweetheart. Everyone was amazing. I developed a special little moment with everyone in the cast. Whether it was when I handed them a prop, or made sure that they always got the same box that they like for a certain scene, or held the curtain for them or dancing backstage during the opening and closing numbers. On two occasions, two different people said out loud "rachel maier is the hardest working person in this room." Once it was when I was standing in for someone during a musical number, and I had learned the number a week before, and I rememberd it and did it perfect. The composer, who was also our lead, made that comment, and then Mandy chimed in "and she does trapeze." These people are just amazing. I have never felt so important on a show and so appreciated and loved and supported. When I stood in during these numbers, the actors didnt treat me like I was just standing in, they treated me like I was supposed to be that part all along. They even named me the honorary Latina. Andrea said I earned some Latina stripes! hehehe. I loved every minute of this show and I had the most amazing time. The show iteself is amazing and we had 3 full houses and standing ovations every time. The producers loved it and think it really has a future. Lets hope it does. This show took over my life for these past 4 weeks, and it changed me in a way no production so far has.
thanks for reading.
Well, my show IN THE HEIGHTS ended yesterday. It was a workshop production of a new musical hopefully heading to broadway sometime soon. The show was incredible. We had an amazing cast and a wonderful crew. I was the PA, officially titled the asistant to the stage managers in the program =). My job never ended. I not only worked as the 'non AEA ASM' but whenever someone was out or rehearsing in another room, I stood in for them and learned their part for that scene or dance number. I had an amazing time doing this. And I wasnt just a body for them to work with, no, I put emotion into it, cmon, how often do you get to act with amazing performers and infront of bway directors, choreographers and producers? So I gave it my all every time I got to stand in for someone, and letme tell you, I did it at least once a day. I learned the whole act 1 finale and a number in act 2!!!! Also, I had done this one scene with Mandy so much, that when they asked me to do it again the next day, I was off book!!!! they were all impressed with me for that, the actors and the director, and they all commented on it. I had so much fun. For the 3 performances we had, I ran backstage L and it went close to perfect each time. Everyone said they couldnt have done it without me. I got really close to a few people in the cast, Mandy Gonzalez in particular. She even had me wear her wedding ring during the show instead of putting it in the valubles bag cause she said it was good luck and she trusted me more with it. The funniest thing that happened was before act 2 of our last show yesterday, she came up to me and was like "check my breath" and blew right on my face! now thats friendship! hehe. Shes just amazing. I had a little bonding moment with Karen Olivo as well, cause, well, see my cell phone is used as a prop twice, and so when Karen opened my phone, alas, the slideshow as my background is a montage of pics of Norbert. She looks at the phone, then looks at me, and I got so embarrased, why? cause she knows him from RENT! oye. But i told her a bit of my story, and that was that. Then yesterday morning when I was ironing some flags in the dressing room, she brought him back up. And we talked for like 20 minutes about Norbert and how amazing he is. It was so nice. Shes a sweetheart. Everyone was amazing. I developed a special little moment with everyone in the cast. Whether it was when I handed them a prop, or made sure that they always got the same box that they like for a certain scene, or held the curtain for them or dancing backstage during the opening and closing numbers. On two occasions, two different people said out loud "rachel maier is the hardest working person in this room." Once it was when I was standing in for someone during a musical number, and I had learned the number a week before, and I rememberd it and did it perfect. The composer, who was also our lead, made that comment, and then Mandy chimed in "and she does trapeze." These people are just amazing. I have never felt so important on a show and so appreciated and loved and supported. When I stood in during these numbers, the actors didnt treat me like I was just standing in, they treated me like I was supposed to be that part all along. They even named me the honorary Latina. Andrea said I earned some Latina stripes! hehehe. I loved every minute of this show and I had the most amazing time. The show iteself is amazing and we had 3 full houses and standing ovations every time. The producers loved it and think it really has a future. Lets hope it does. This show took over my life for these past 4 weeks, and it changed me in a way no production so far has.
thanks for reading.