First Time for First Half

For the first time, we ran the entire first act of A Thurber Carnival. Mostly without interruption.

That is, once we finished with dance rehearsal...

It once again took an hour of our evening. Once again, the choreographer changed a good portion of the dance on the fly. Once again, the cast was confused by this, (myself especially.) Once again we were not permitted to run the entire dance without interruption. (This hasn't happened a single time in the entire production so far.) Once again, I had words with the choreographer over all of this. One difference is that I was not the only actor who found it difficult to stay quiet in the wake of it all this time.

This is getting to be so habitual and so unpleasant that I feel it there  no value in reporting on it in detail here on the blog each night. The situation is now clear to readers who follow this blog. My feelings on same are clear by now as well. not to mention the fact that it never really differs night to night. So let's suffice to call this unpleasant, unproductive part of rehearsal "dancing issues" henceforth, and leave it at that. From now on, if this sort of silliness effects a rehearsal in the final ten days (!), that is what I will call it. We don't have time for anymore of these dancing issues, really, but what can you do?

So, on to the real meat and potatoes of tonight; we ran act one with a full cast in order.

It is still difficult to get a sense of the timing for right now, because there is still some housekeeping that had to be done during each scene. However, we had a great many props with which to work this evening, and though I don't require many myself, having them on hand for everyone gave the first impressions of a polish to some of the scenes. Or in the very least, it gives the actors a chance to acclimate themselves with the props.

Also, because I haven't seen most of the skits, and we never did get a full script, (we only got the sections for the scenes we appear in), I am not yet sure when each skit is about to end. I will need to know that soon, so I will know when to be ready to begin the skits I am in. You can't hear the actors on stage from the green room, so it is extra important I know when a piece is about two-thirds over. When i get to that point, I will want to at least be backstage, if not at places. That will come, though. We may even secure a monitor to put in the green room.

My skits went well. As I have said, I don't have as much to do in Act One. All of my really short moments come in that act, and they all went well for the most part. (I am particularly pleased with myself in the short and sweet "Unicorn in the Garden". ) The only thing that is still a little shaky is "If Grant Were Drunk at Appomattox", and my co-star in that one admitted he find it one of the most difficult scenes he has ever done. But I told him it would smooth out by next week.

Which of course will be the final week of rehearsals. Tech week and all of that. There is still much to do, but as the director said after practice tonight, "There are glimmers of hope there."

Let's hope it is more than just hope.