The ACTUAL First Full Run Though

Not almost. We did the whole thing today. Furthermore, I was 95% off book. I called for line I think twice, and muddled through one or to. And as silly as it was, I needed my book for the literal final page of the script in which I appear...obviously that will not take much to memorize.

But a good night for certain. It would have felt even better if the whole cast had been there.

Sadly, one of the main characters was absent today. And in fact has been absent for a great deal of the rehearsals so far, specifically in the last two weeks. This really isn't the sort of thing you want to see when you are less than a month away from your opening night.

That notwithstanding, scenes without the missing actor went well all and all. Progress is being made on every front. Most of my fellow cast members are also off book, or very near it. Props have been added to the mix. Technical difficulties are slowly being widdled away.

All we need now, (aside from the entire cast to be at a rehearsal, which I am not sure had happened yet since the read through), is for the new building to be ready for a performance. All indications are that it will be.

I am finding that of all the things I do in the show, the build up to the "Death of Tiny Tim" scene causes me the most apprehension. Not because it goes poorly. But because it is so intense, and so short. It is of course quite necessary, and I am committed to excellence for it as much as any other scene I am in, or any other play. But right now it still feels like I am waiting in line to get a vaccination; it is a greater good, but still hurts like hell for a split second. I am hoping that the intensity will remain even as the apprehension fades.

Also, one minor thing. Despite Topper's pipe being a hit with me and with others, the director noted that men would probably not have smoked in front of woman back then. And it is a point well taken. He probably would not have. The question that must be answered now is whether it would be better to ignore this convention, to have Topper simply keep it in his mouth without giving any indication of him smoking it, (which I do not actually do anyway), or to get rid of it completely. The jury is out, but you will hear it's verdict here first of course.

My next assignment for myself is to look more into the real Clarkson Stanfield. This is not a historical piece, but if I can find any quirks or characteristics of the man that I can make use of in my portrayal of him, all the better.