05.06.2002 || 01:17

A week-end of thespianisms

Saturday, 00h04 Comfort Inn room 220

Well, I certainly hope never to work with this set designer again. It took us an x-tra hour or so to get out of Dollard because the casket upon which two members of the ladies' chorus must march and stamp turned out to be made of 1/2-inch plywood. The others loaded the set while the Origamist and I cut wood and nailed it into the casket to reinforce the fucker. We then danced on it to make sure it wouldn't give, finished loading the truck, and left. After registering at a hotel with wizened Scot at the front desk, we went to the auditorium and unloaded, only to discover that the 5-foot wide/6-foot high doorway we asked to be cut into one of our backdrops is, in fact, three feet wide and about 5 high. There will be no ladies in hoopshirts coming through *that* doorway. There are other issues with the set that I won't go into here. I'm too pissed-off and too tired. It's been an extremely active day.

We had to tape up the drops by two feet because this auditorium is only 18 feet high, as opposed to the stately 20 feet of the theatre in which we will be doing out Montr�al shows. We had to re-think where the girls come in because of set issues, we had to yadda and yadda and yadda.

The lighting tech is a highschool girl who's never done this before. The sound man is one of her classmates. The Origamist and I giggled a bit because of two very obvious things: The boy wants the girl, and the boy doesn't stand a chance in hell.

Anyway, after many hours in that damned auditorium, lunch in a diner in which French dressing is considered ethnic cuisine and a day spent in a town that just *screams* 'Men with Brooms,* I am back at the hotel and about to fall into a well-deserved sleep. To-morrow, I hope Sister doesn't forget to bring the trunk she said she'd bring after I discovered that the one we asked the set guy for never matriealised, I hope she remembers to sew on the Sergent stripes I had to buy for the police sergeant's costume (authentic British sergeant stripes: $16 la paire), and I hope that the troupe doesn't do nearly as bad as I'm expecting them to.

I also hope that my girlfriend's move goes well. She deserves it, dammit!

Good-night all.

**********

Sunday, 8h40 highway 401 130km/h

Tired. So goddamn tired. It's half past eight in the morning and we've only been on the road for 35 minutes.

I dunno if it was the disastrous dress rehearsal, the fact that the cast actually pulled it together after that to put on a good show, or that I have now stage managed my first performance. Maybe it was watching a red fox lope along the side of the road or taking pictures of some huge birds or prey above a ruined bar, maybe it was the dancing and hamminmg backstage left while the Soprano and assorted female chorus members cancanned at us from backstage right, or the fact the major general missed 3 phrases but covered like a pro, or the quick strike after the show. Perhaps it is the vodka crans and pizza at the hotel afterwards, but I am bushed. Or maybe it's the fact that the director doesn't come to the roadshows so the Origamist and I had to direct as well as stage manage our *first* performance. My back hurts like a mother and I'm stuck in a car for the next three hours (and that only because the producer drives at the speed of sound). In spite, I am happy. Montr�al will be different. It's where I sit in the booth and call the whole show, which I couldn't do in Trenton because the producer had forgotten the radios. The former stage manager came along to help out and I put her in charge of lights because I knew she could call them even without hearing from me.

I also had to pull people from scenes because the stage was far smaller than the Montr�al stage, and people were stepping on one another in the dress rehearsal. Oh, and I had to mediate a major dispute between two chorusmembers. They were dance partners for a scene, and they had two differing views on the situation: His philosophy was that he's the man, so he leads the dance, whereas her philosophy was that they should really get it right. All in a night's work in the theatre.

when we arrive back home, we drive straight to Concordia, where we unload the set and props and start to set up -- except that I have a meeting with the director and lighting designer at 13h00. THen I run off to my acting class, which I'm looking forward to in a big way. After class is Enterprise with the Origamist and the Soprano, which will be my first time on my arse since godsknowwhen.

Oh, note to self: find out why Sister didn't put anything about her singing tour of China in her programme bio.

Gods, the country outside the window is beautiful. I'd like to dive out of the car and disappear behind that hill. Maybe splash out into Loyalist Cove or live off berries and roots somewhere near East Cornwall.

But then I'd be living in Ontario. My French-Canadian arse would miss the French signs.

But this country is all about heartbreaking vistas.

**********

Monday, 1h12. Home at last.

Just got back from the acting school's 10th anniversary birthday bash. It was at a club downtown on St-Laurent. Fun time, many famous or semi-famous former students were performing and strutting about, many happy people dancing or yakking with that thespian animation. I had wanted to hear the tale of the Girl's moving day, and told her I'd be home and callable by about 23h00 but I'd forgotten that the bash was on, so I went to the bathroom and called her, when I noticed that it was 23h20, to see how it went (There was *no* way I was going to hear my phone in the club), but she was on with someone else at the time. Oups... My fault for being late.

I also started blocking my scene for the showcase in class to-day (because getting in from Trenton and running to a meeting after unloading the set and props wasn't *enough* of a day, I also went to acting class; then to the Soprano's with the Origamist, then to the anniversary party... Stupid boy=long day). I always feel like a bit of a gimp up onstage, so it was nice to have guys from class come up to me and call me believable...

*yawn* Must be at the theatre by 9h00 to start the setup for our Montr�al run. Bed now. G'night.



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older shite

One last little note... - 09.21.2006

de-stressing, biking and terrorism - 06.06.2006

Mildly stressed... - 05.29.2006

More crime stupidity - 05.28.2006

Scary stuff - 05.25.2006



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