Crunch time: the last few days before opening my next show!

We only have a few more days before our first preview (Thursday) and this is what I call 'crunch time': when everything you haven't worked on, over the past few weeks, has to be crammed into a few days, with never enough time to get it all done. And that includes trying to remember your lines! This has been particularly challenging, as we continue to get script cuts and changes (though admittedly, many have been my suggestions), but it's as difficult to un-memorize lines as it is to memorize them, at least the older one gets. The same goes for the blocking (the movement on stage) which also keeps changing. The director has a reputation for last minutes changes (even up until and including opening night) so, the next few days should prove quite harrowing. If we don't all kill each other, it will be a miracle.

We had our first tech rehearsal on Sunday (where you put all the technical elements together-lights, sound, costumes) and, unfortunately, it took longer than anticipated. In fact, we barely got through, even with an hour of overtime, and never got to work in costumes, which should prove interesting considering some of the actors have quite a few, and we've no idea if we will have time for those quick changes. And we've never actually run the play without stopping. Though that's not uncommon, it's by no means ideal! On several past productions, our first preview was our first runthrough (as we call it). A rather frightening situation and not something we relish. Not sure what will happen this time, but I'm girding myself for beaucoup stress. Tempers are already flaring.

It's been an interesting ride. I've worked on new plays before, but never actively participated in re-shaping one. We really needed more rehearsal time, but I'm happy to say, I was able to cut and change most of the dialogue that I initially had problems with, and the director and playwright (and some of the other actors) made other cuts that have made the play more palatable, but it's still problematic and I still have no fondness for the project, but at least I don't hate it as much as I did. What the audience will think of it and what the critics will say, is another story.

So, my blogging might be a little skimpy for the next few days.

Off to work on lines. Gulp!