Opening Weekend

An evening off from the theater, after four rehearsals and three performances in eight days. I'm tired, but very satisfied. The shows have been great, the audiences even better, and our little barbershop quartet has actually been getting cheers for the harmonies we've worked so hard to perfect.

Rehearsal was complicated a little by a widespread power outage that started on Monday. The theater didn't have power, but the high school did, so the high school's theater director, who happens also to be playing Harold Hill in our production, arranged for us to rehearse on the high school's stage. No props or sets, no costumes or makeup, but we did well.

I missed Tuesday because I had to work (and we still had no power), and so dove directly into full dress rehearsals on Wednesday and Friday. Tiring, but very satisfying, and before we even knew it, there was an audience out there. Three shows, a few minor glitches but nothing serious, and some seriously happy customers.

And I'm seriously tired. This show is fun, but it's also a very difficult show for anyone singing in it. My fellow members of the River City school board and I spent a lot of time perfecting the harmonies of "Sincere," "It's You," and "Lida Rose," even singing it together during costume changes to make sure we were hitting the right chords.

I don't think I've ever been able to link the words "obsessive" and "casual" in the same moment, but that's what it was like. Although we obsessed over the notes, we never stressed over it. If someone was uncomfortable and wanted to give it another try, we just started singing, enjoying the result when we all hit the right chord, and heading to the piano or the pitch pipe when we didn't with a vow to do it until it was right.

After a little touch-up Wednesday, we'll do three more shows. I'll be able to rest and get on with some neglected projects when it's done, but I'll also have a serious case of post-show let-down.

And at some point, maybe next year or the year after, when the right play comes along, I'll do it all again.

Did You See It?

Have you noticed yet what's at the bottom of the front page of the website? It's a little trick I figured out that allows you to see older pictures. It's not perfect yet—the only way to go back is to use the back button on your browser, or the HOME link to go all the way to the beginning—but it works pretty well.

I've been paying more attention to that, and almost none to this blog. That's partly because it has been a monumentally busy summer. Thomas and Erin moved out, and three of the four of us that remain in the house are working. And we're all working very unpredictable schedules.

Karen's job is, well, retail, and we've known how that goes for more than a decade. I'm working at a timeshare, and as soon as school let's out that just gets completely crazy. William is working in the restaurant in an exclusive golf club close to home, and most of his hours are in the evening.

Makes for some interesting logistics, both for transportation and for meals. It will calm down this fall; William's job goes into hiatus, and mine slows down to a manageable crawl. Karen's just stays the same, but we'll have more time to take care of her.

And I'll have two boys in high school, which means that the evenings are going to involve a lot of studying. Both boys are foregoing sports for the fall, William because soccer would interfere with the remainder of his work, and Danny because he wants to start high school with more time to study and rest.

We haven't spent all of our time working. We managed to get out to some of our special places this summer, and Karen has been doing more painting. And I'm starting rehearsal on a play for the fall. We're doing The Music Man.  I get to sing barbershop. I'm excited and slightly terrified, although the three gentlemen I'm singing with are all very good singers, and good friends.

Now it's time for a rare dinner date with Karen. We were going to go do some photography and art gallery exploration, but it's muggy and we're both a bit too tired for so much running around. Tomorrow perhaps.

And not so very long, I hope, until the next blog entry because this is ridiculous.