Early Arrival, Late Entry

I was out of town for the weekend so I didn't get a chance to post on Thursday rehearsal.

Not that there was much to report on this time. I arrived at the theatre about an hour and a half before I was needed. I suppose I misunderstood the schedule somehow, because my skit wasn't being rehearsed until later in the evening. So I walked around Shepherdstown a bit. And a bit more. And more still.

Around 8:30 we did go over "Mr. Preble Gets Rids of His Wife." This is one of the two skits wherein I have the most lines. We blocked it on the actual stage. (To which we have access already, thankfully.) The director have me a few character notes, while a few of the other actors in the green room prepared to go over their scenes a second time that evening. The blocking took about 20 minutes, and my evening at the theatre was concluded.

So as I said, there wasn't much to report. Not that there always is this early in the rehearsal process. But this one is going to be so short for any number of reasons.Particularly in being off book. I have less than two weeks, and that is fast even for me. I will be spending most of my days from here until September 1 looking over the lines when I am not working on my writing.

This still feels like such a strange production. Not just due to the intentional absurdity of some of Thurber's writing, but due to the fragmented nature of it all. It must be so far now, as it would not be productive to run every skit every night for right now. I'm sure that once we are running entire acts in one evening, and we get used to the transition between skits it will not feel so odd, but for now I feel a little bit disconnected with the production as a whole. (It is still very early though.)

Tonight is to be another dance rehearsal night. The choreographer has taken all the information she gained a week ago and, as far as I understand, has come up with more specific blocking and dance moves for us during the opening scene. Most of the energies tonight will be dedicated to understanding that I dare say. Certainly they will for me.