Building the House!

I would give all the disclaimers about being completely un-tech-savvy and not knowing editing from a hole in the ground, but it would be a waste of time (wait a sec, did she just work that disclaimer in there afterall?).

Below is my AWESOME video footage and photo montage of the house and my schnoozies.

My life rules.

Show # 12

Today was SO MUCH better than yesterday that it's hard to believe they took place in the same week, let alone back to back.

We met at the revoltingly early hour of 6.30 this morning, made the drive up to the Bronx and loaded in for a 10 am performance. We had an INCREDIBLE crew of guys helping us with load-in and build. I actually have video footage of them building the house together with Ben and me, but I can't quite figure out how to upload it yet (yeah, I'm pretty low-tech).

Anyway - we played to a very well-behaved audience who eventually understood that they not only had the option of responding vocally, but that it was encouraged. I'm thinking that the pre-show speech about turning phones, etc. off and being respectful is going to have to be revised enough to clue in those who don't go to the theatre ever to the fact that they can and should be responsive. We'll see... After a sweet strike and load-out, we had surprise cupcakes for Emileena, whose birthday it was today.

For now - I'm back in Bushwick, watching Flight of the Conchords, digesting a quesadilla from the awesome little Mexican place across the way and preparing to go to bed early. Like, 9 o'clock early. It was nice to be able to sleep up near the garage last night and sleep in until 45 minutes before van call, but it's also nice to sleep somewhere more familiar/comfortable and just deal with having to get up earlier than usual in the morning.

These are the thrills of touring and commuting.

Shows 9, 10 & 11

These last two days could not have been more different from one another(in every respect possible) if they had tried.

To wit:
Monday was a travel day - we drove to New London, CT (which is not far), arrived with ample time to spare and spent the evening tooling around in the mall, eating at a Chili's and watching American Beauty in the hotel room. Then, on Tuesday, we had two shows at the Garde Art Centre. It was beautiful. I have a few pictures (though none that do it justice), but I can't post them until I'm at my own computer again.
We loaded in and finished building in record time, did two wonderful, smooth shows, had an excellent lunch at an Indian restaurant, and then loaded out (again, in record time, thanks to the wonderful IATSE crew) to drive back to Manhattan.
The whole thing was smooth, easy and peaceful. We played to two very enthusiastic houses and met some of the kids after the second show, who absolutely loved the various characters.

Then came today.

First off, today's show was considered "local", to the extent that we're not staying in hotels but meeting in Manhattan at very early hours and ending the day back in Manhattan (albeit at very late hours).
After not nearly enough sleep, we were called at 7 am at the garage, which meant waking up at 5 to get there on time from Bushwick. The space we were in was not large enough to accommodate the set, so we decided to strike the house (which is, yes, our sets biggest feature). This, in turn, meant we had to re-stage vast portions of the show and figure out all new scene-changes, exits and entrances. For reasons that do not bear repeating, I had to miss the first scene of the show, but ultimately we worked everything out. It was, without a doubt, the wonkiest performance we have yet given, but the children LOVED it (I mean LOVED. in CAPITOLS. they were louder than any audience we've had so far). Furthermore, if we can get through today as in-one-piece as we ultimately did, we can do anything. I mean that.
If you want a silver-lining way of looking at it, today was a test of our ingenuity and quick-wittedness, but we passed. Also, not building the house cuts down build and strike by about half the time, so no complaints there.
Anyway, we are "home", with another shockingly early call tomorrow morning. The good news is that tonight, I'm sleeping on the Upper West Side (thank you, Devin) so the commute tomorrow is literally two blocks, as opposed to four trains.
I'm going to take vitamins and drink a beer.
Love,

Shows # 7 & 8

Why, what on earth could that set behind Leigh be? Oh, it's the set they expected us to perform around/in front of, rather than clearing off the stage. Yes, you read that right. We went to this community college to perform two sold-out performances and they didn't even clear the stage for us. But we weren't frustrated! We were delighted and challenged! Yes!

Actually, I make it sound like a much bigger deal than it was. At this point, we've probably run the gamit (sp?) of sizes that we will encounter; we've encountered everything from too big to too small to just right (goldilocks, anyone) and this space, ultimately, was fine. We had to push the other production's set back into the wings and get a little creative with our downstage space, but it worked out ok.

Plus, we found swords in the dressing room:


There are about twelve more variations of this photograph, but really, who needs to see them all.


What else, what else. Oh! So, we did two shows back to back (as is our wont), struck and loaded out our set and then drove off into the sunset looking for a place - any place, really - where we could get ourselves some dinner.
So we pulled into a promising looking Mexican restaurant, only to be turned away for not having reservations. So, with tears in our eyes, we set off into the still-setting sun and continued our quest for dinner and found a TGI Friday's. Not the best, but it will do when you're starved and tired. We arrived, parked the vans (an arduous activity, let me assure you) and marched in only to be told there was a 90 minute wait. So, once again, with tears in our eyes we drove off into the dusk (yes, the sun had set by now) and found ourselves a Panera. I shouldn't complain, Panera has decent food. Plus we had enough extra time after eating to go peruse the selection at Barnes & Noble across the way. That being said, I think I left the book I bought in the van, where it does me no good whatsoever on this fine day off.

In other news, I sort of pulled something in my lower back during build for these two shows, which made some of the bending over/lifting and myriad other physical activities somewhat more difficult than usual, but I think by tomorrow everything will be fine again.

Speaking of tomorrow, we have a 10.45 am van call (ah, how civilised) and the ensuing drive to New London, CT, where we have two performances on Tuesday.



On an unrelated note, at the end of our previous day off (last Friday), we took an unexpected detour through Philly (don't ask). This is what Philly looks like at night, when it's raining and your camera has no flash:

SNOW DAY

as i write this, i am sitting in our less-than-glorious motel 6 room, having eaten at the classiest of restaurants, Denny's, and having been informed that ALL THREE performances for today have been canceled.
Basically, at 5.45 this morning, the alarm went off. Ethan, one of my roommates, had already headed out to eat a quick breakfast before our 6.30 am call when we got a call from our beautiful stage manager, informing us that the 10 am show had been canceled. Approximately forty-five minutes later, the phone rang again to tell us that the noon show was also cut.
Then, approximately ten minutes ago, we were informed of our final cancellation - tonight's 7.30.

• for the record - in Chicago, this amount of snow is laughable

As much as it is too bad that we don't get to perform at this performing arts centre (of which i cannot remember the name) the rest we're getting is worth it. Plus, now we might do some exploring, maybe head into Philly, see a movie, or (oh wonder of wonders) go to a Target!

The funny thing (at least to me) is that in Chicago, today would never have been classified a 'snow day'. There are maybe 4 inches of snow on the ground and the roads are pretty well salted and sanded. I guess the people of Pennsylvania have a lower threshold for winter weather. Regardless, no one in our cast is complaining. Honestly, the timing could not have been better; several of us aren't feel our most well and this day of sleep and renewal is just what the doctor ordered. It also means tomorrow's performances will be that much better!

That's it for now. I'll let you know if we do anything truly spectacular with our time off.

Show # 6

Oh wow.

Today was our first performance in a performing arts centre (as opposed to a cafetorium) and that made all the difference.

First off, we had an incredible crew helping us with loads in and out (which cut both of those times in half, nearly).  Secondly, we must have been playing to approximately five or six hundred, which, i know, is small potatoes in comparison to some houses, but to us it was a huge step up from the 100 or so in the public library =)

A major difference was playing out to a large house and a balcony, as opposed to down to children on the floor.  We also (much to our gain) had enough floor-space to actually accomplish all of the blocking and set-changes that are supposed to take place.

We had a 6.45 van call, packed in, drove to our venue and were in and out by 12.40.  Stopped for lunch at a Bennigan's (a first, for me... also, not the greatest, but edible) and then finished the trek to Essington, PA.  I'm rooming with the boys tonight, and the three of us were the only ones who wanted dinner.

We walked into some smoky "Irish Pub" that was really just the local townie pub and, after surveying the landscape, promptly walked back out.  We ended up getting pub-grub and beers at a sports bar called Coaches - a good way to unwind.  As is watching the Democratic debate (which is on TV as I write this).

We're all pretty rundown at this point, but I feel like as long as we're taking our vitamins, eating a lot and getting enough sleep, we should be able to stay healthy and enjoy ourselves during this time.  Furthermore, the more we do this, the better we get.  I can definitely tell that I'm already stronger than I was during rehearsals; case in point, I'm lifting flats and set-pieces during build and strike that I couldn't lift by myself before.  

Anyway - I'm writing this from Ethan's computer, on account of we only had one internet access code (courtesy of the less-than-friendly lady at the front desk of our motel) and I feel like it's time to give it back to him.

Tomorrow morning, our call is 6.30 am.  We were scheduled for three performances tomorrow, but just minutes got word that "one or more" may have been cancelled.  I must admit, I'm not bummed out by that news.  Naptime!  

Plus, we're like a half hour from Philly (where I've never been) and if we don't have shows, I'm definitely rolling in to explore a bit.

I'll keep you posted.

Shows # 4 & 5

As promised, a picture of Emileena:

Next time, I'll actually get her face in here.

Today, we convened at 7.15 am on the Upper West Side, to discover that the partition separating the storage section from the passenger section of the passenger van had been removed, thus making it possible for us to inflate an air mattress in the back and take turns nesting.
This is what nesting looks like:

(Ben & Michelle)

Today was our first performance in a non-school venue. We drove up to the library in Great Neck, NY and performed in perhaps the smallest venue we have yet come across. When Leigh stood on tip-toe, she could nearly reach the bottom of a projector hanging from the (extremely) low ceiling. The thing is, we don't really mind if the venue is short (read: low ceilings) because then we don't have to build the roof on the house. However, this venue was not only short, but also skinny (read: nowhere near enough floor space). The good thing is that even after five days away, we were able to adjust accordingly, run through the things that needed to be fixed, spacing-wise, and correct them after the first show.

Oh yeah, that's the other thing, we did two shows back to back.

The first one was fine - we had high energy and I think everyone was ready to be back in the swing of things after all of our time off. The second one was more difficult, just because we hadn't had no time between shows yet. Plus, we knew that load-out and the ensuing road-trip to Pennsylvania (whence I write this) were imminent upon the ending of the second show. I think these things made it slightly more difficult for us to rise to the necessary amount of energy. The thing is, and wow I'm starting to sound like a broken record, the kids got us there.
You can't do this show for yourself - you HAVE to be doing it for them and giving every single beat, breath and box-step away. The response from the adult audience members was also incredibly friendly; nothing builds morale quite like praise =)

Anyway, I sign off in the knowledge that for the next seven hours I will sleep like a rock, before waking up in time for our 6.45 van call and drive to our venue for performance # 6.
Crazy, right? goodnight, folks.