The Final Countdown

So tonight was it. The final rehearsal for Miracle on 34th Street. Even though I did not enter the rehearsal process until halfway through, it's still kind of mind boggling that it is time to open already.

Our last practice was, however, our best in various regards. I will spare readers the details of what exactly went better tonight, save this; just about everyone seemed to be having a really good time tonight. I do not know what it was, but everything suddenly felt quite light tonight. Whether it was the chatter in the dressing room, or the increased energy of the scenes, or the compliments we were all giving each other, the entire production just had that extra something tonight. From the very beginning I have been happy to be in this show, but on my way home in the car I was particularly excited to get this show underway. I was very much on cloud 9.

That is until, I hit a deer for the very first time ever...

Hell of a note about that incident...minimal damage to the car, and the animal actually shook it off, got up and ran away. I had managed to slow to about 20 miles an hour, so I suppose somehow that helped prevent serious injury to myself and the animal.

I guess that will teach me to be happy about a rehearsal.

Yet happy I was. And am. It is going to be quite fun. This is particularly true because there are a few things I added tonight (at the director's request) that I had not done before, So they will be nice and fresh, even for me, on opening night. A few more gestures and such.

Another interesting change in my part that will take place for the very first time tomorrow night is...(drum roll) my very first appearance in act 1! The director wants one or two scenes to be a bit busier with various background people milling about, and he asked me to be in one of them. So on opening night in front of an audience, I will be entering the world of act 1. How will I fit in? What will they think of me there? Will life ever be the same? Of course in the end, I willk just be walking across the stage with a package. But it I will no longer get to wait until intermission to put my costume on. Oh well.

Not that I would have waited anyway. I would have wanted to be dressed and amongst everyone else as the build up to the show was happening. Indeed that is where I found myself today for pretty much the first time. (Previous posts will indicate I spent much of act one up the balcony watching.) Lots of hustling and kids and costumes all over the place in the green room. However it is mostly a fun, positive sort of chaos. It is nothing compared to the madness that was Scrooge last year, where about 60 cast people had to run about in the same limited space, instead of the 47 we have for this show. I am fine with it.

I noticed today one friend of mine, as part of her costume, wears a pin that says "Believe". That sums up quite nicely my feelings on various aspects of this experience. Not only believing in Kris Kringle as the crux of the fictional story, but believing in the show itself, and that we are ready. Believing in what a Christmas experience can do for the hearts and minds of the audience. Believing in each other.

Tune in tomorrow for a little pre-show talk, and tomorrow night of course for the wrap-up of the big opening night.

Hopefully no deer will be harmed in the process.