Two snapshots

Words can hardly express what I saw and felt, but I'll try.

One: 7:45pm, Friday night. Cast on stage learning the Mormon dance -- really, really dancing. Smiling, laughing, howling, moving to the music and having a blast. Led by two seniors -- both with years of experience, down center sharing their joy. It's too late at night, too little on the sleep, and too far in to still be learning a new dance; beyond all reasonable expectations, past its time. But smiles all around, so much fun the French girls couldn't resist -- they knew a wonderful moment and dove in. A dozen set builders working -- hanging the back curtain, painting, upholstering, hammering. Sarah there, and asking what more she could do to help. Jan packing up to go -- tired and smiling. Steve and Kurt tweaking the sound system -- seeing how high the frequency levels can go before feedback, jamming music through the Sonics, cast pausing from their other dancing to jam with that for a while.

Two: 9:35pm, Friday night. Thanking Deb and saying goodnight. Saying goodnight to Joel, who is washing brushes back in the shop. Josh and Allison asking how early the building would be open, because they both have a lot of work to do. Feeling the strength of an amazing rehearsal that moved us toward a dream, a vision, an idea, a hope of what we could be -- and that it will actually happen. Clicking off the house lights from the main entrance, looking across the auditorium, across the seats, across the stage, through to the shop, to the back corner where Joel was still washing brushes. Good night.

SET

SET. Ask, beg, plead, grovel, bribe, blackmail, promise. . . SET. Friday 6-9pm, Sat 10-12am.

Update

Spread the word. Tell others to check this -- not just those you normally tell, but anyone you see in the halls. The big push is Thur - Sat. You'll be very tired, but the schedule has time built in on Sunday and Wednesday noon until Thursday pm to rest.

Pretty good progress tonight. The light is peeking through!

Tuesday, 3-6: Run Act two, work MFV, W or When. You'll be out at 6 sharp.
Wednesday: GUTHRIE -- no rehearsal, but long day.
Thursday: Start run at 3:15 sharp. Costumes, band, music. Choreography until 7:30.
Friday: What can we do? We need to run the show 3-6. Can we then take a supper break and run choreography at 6:30 until 9pm again? Your call, but if I were dancing in the show, I'd make it happen, as Saturday morning is the last two hours we can devote to dancing.
Saturday: 10am - 12noon Choreography. Pizza at noon (no food in auditorium). 12:45 Tech run/crawl through. Be patient actors! Done at 5pm.
Sunday: Rest
Monday, 3-7. Full run. If time remains (doubtful) work scenes.
Tuesday am: miss 2nd period. Homecourt preview. Probably the first 20 minutes of show.
Wednesday: 8:10am call. Excused from part of first, all of 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th. JA show at 9:30am. Final notes. Nothing after school but rest.
Thursday, 6pm call: Opening night. Talk it up and get people there the first night so we have a big weekend crowd.
Friday, Saturday, 6pm call.
Strike after production on Saturday -- plan on midnight.