Sunday, August 13, 2006

I'm free!

I'm free! I'm free from "My Fair Lady". They did ask me if I would consider doing the next musical.... I said "we'll see".
I'm free from my dance partnership (surprise!). I have decided that enough is enough and it is over. He doesn't know it yet though (although if he is thinking straight, he should have come to the same conclusion). This story is a rather long one and would merit its own blog.
And I am about to make some changes in my life that will free me up further but will take time to come into fruition.
And to add to these exciting times, we are going to Cirque du Soleil next year!!!!! We got presale tickets today! How cool is that!!!!

Wednesday, August 09, 2006

I need therapy!

I have just finished the first performance of "My Fair Lady" and I must now be certifiable!!! No no one told me that they had changed the starting time of the matinee to half an hour earlier!!!! I got there with minutes to spare before it began!!!! Communication people!!!!!! And it was actually the first time that we had played the second act. What a shambles!!!!!! We ended up working out the cuts as we went along!!! Singers forgot to put their microphones on when changing costumes. They had major isues with my microphone! I sounded very boomy in the second half even when I wasn't playing!!!!!!! I had to stop at one stage and dampen the entire instrument and that didn't work!!!!!
I think that it is safe to say that this is my first and LAST school production!!!!!!
They gave me two free tickets to the final performance. Who do I dislike.........?

Monday, August 07, 2006

My Unfair Lady

This is the first sequel! As mentioned in a previous blog, I have agreed to be in a band for a school production of "My Fair Lady". And, as mentioned, things are not quite as organised as they should be! So I went to the Sunday night rehearsal. It was due to begin at six thirty and I had hurried down some dinner and arrived at the school for six (so that I had time to set up etc). I had already had a bad feeling about this rehearsal and I wasn't wrong unfortunately! It became very obvious that the rehearsal wasn't going to begin on time (and I had turned down a dinner with friends on this particular evening!) and the stage manager came over and began to chat with me. In the course of the conversation he mentioned that this particular rehearsal would end late. I asked the fatal question "how late?". My jaw literally dropped and I nearly threw the biggest wobbly when he said "eleven". So they had planned a four and a half hour rehearsal!!!!!! I don't think so! The rehearsal didn't actually begin until seven thirty and I left after ten fifteen. They didn't give us a break during that time and we hadn't made it to the second act by the time I had left. I was due to teach at seven thirty the next morning so there was no way I was going to stay longer. The scary thing was that this was the final rehearsal before the first performance!!!!!!!!! The band is not the problem, it is the cast. They are not disciplined at all (15, 16 and 17 year olds) and some still don't know their lines. They have only had five months to prepare for this!!!!
But I haven't even mentioned the scaffolding. It wobbles! So do the stairs that lead up there! And they don't even have hand rails!!!!! I refused point blank to take my expensive instrument up there and the Head of Department ended up letting me use the school instrument which will be left up there the whole time (because you don't want to be going up and down with it!!!). He was the gentleman and carried it up there for me (I didn't even ask for that chivalry buit I did make it clear that I was very freaked out by the whole scaffolding thing!). I have less than a metre square to play in (glad no one smells) and the lighting is less than shocking (guess the notes). When anyone walks on this scaffolding (it doubles as the balcony for such scenes) everything wobbles especially the music stand! (Hmmmmmm I hadn't thought about seasickness.........). The instrument that I am playing on has a hole in it but I'd rather that than having my instrument up there.
First performance on Wednesday afternoon. That is definately going to be interesting......

Saturday, August 05, 2006

Upping the insanity stakes

So I am putting my hand up to be the most insane one in our fold at the moment. I have agreed to do the gig from hell. It began innocently enough when I was asked to be part of the band for a school production of "My Fair Lady" (insanity evidence no.1). It quickly went down hill from there. The first rehearsal began an hour late and I had to leave early giving me a grand total of half an hour's rehearsal time. They have moved a rehearsal from Monday night to Sunday night (ouch!!!!! especially when I am starting work at seven thirty the next day!). They didn't even ask me if I was available for the Sunday night rehearsal and can't tell me when it will be due to finish!!! (they told me about this change at the first rehearsal which was on Wednesday - so much for communication). As I left the first rehearsal, they asked if I was available to rehearse Sunday morning aswell. Funny enough I said "no". The band is apparently going to be on scafolding at the rear of the stage. That's really freaking me out! How I am supposed to get my instrument up there???? And is it safe?????????? I think that I should start charging danger money!! I do get paid for this gig (or else I wouldn't be doing it!!!). I don't even work for this school! I am a guest musician. Pity they can't treat this "guest (professional) musician" with atleast a small degree of professionalism and respect! Wish me luck! Oh, and the last time I performed "My Fair Lady", I vomited in the pit!! Hope I'm not directly above the cast on stage.......