There's no business like show business ...

      I’m actually down at the theater at the moment. We’re in our first dress rehearsal. I’m running the lights and the sound, but for most of the play, I’m just up here watching and willing positive energy to the actors. Yes, it probably doesn’t help, but it’s no different from cheering for a football team on TV. They can’t hear you, but it makes you feel like your part of their accomplishment. A friend of mine likened a director’s job to that of a coach, and they are similar. Except when the play starts, I can’t make changes or give directions. It’s strictly in the actors’ hands.
      Anyway, they’re in Act 1, Scene 1. I have nothing to do until the end of the scene when I’ll blackout the lights. Then at the start of Scene 2, I’ll bring up the lights and set off the telephone sound effect. A couple of minutes and then a car horn, then nothing else until the end of the scene. I wish I could have found someone else to run the lights and sound. It would be nice to be in the audience and “cue” them with laughter and applause. It often helps to have someone do that. Helps break the ice during performances.
      They’re doing very well tonight. Making me proud.
      I’m not online down here. We have an old computer that we use to run the sound effects. It has an old version of Word on it, and I’m saving the file on a floppy to take home and post later.
      It was long day today. I’m tired. We met down at the theater and cleaned it this morning. Only a few people showed up, but we did a good job. Afterwards, my roomie and I hit Wal-Mart. Then I came home and attempted to impose some sort of order on my house. It doesn’t look like I worked on it, but I did. Another couple of hours and I think I’d have it licked. I hope I can find another couple of hours tomorrow. We’re not practicing then due to Mother’s Day.
      I hope you’re going to call your mom or spend some time with her tomorrow. I wish I could spend some time with mine. My mother was a wonderful person, and I still miss her. I got my humor, my love of the theater and my zest for life from her. I was blessed beyond words.
      Of course, I realize some people don’t have a good relationship with their mom. Some women aren’t good mothers, and that’s sad for all concerned. It leaves a hole in a child’s life that nothing else can fill. God keep you if that’s what’s happened to you.
      The actors hit a rough patch, but they’re making their way through it. They have to think on their feet if another actor drops a line. The audience doesn’t know the difference as long as the actors don’t let the audience know.
      We had to stop and restart the scene from the beginning. But that’s what rehearsal is for. To work out problems. I wish we had another week of rehearsal before we open. The actors would feel more confidence. They have the play down, but another week would let them know that they did. We open Wednesday and close Sunday.
      I was reading on the Net about other community theaters and discovered quite a few larger ones actually run two or three weeks in their productions. I can’t imagine ever doing that with a cast here, but it would be cool to do sometime.
      Still, it will be nice to get my life back. I’m feeling stretched these days. I’d like to get caught up on my projects, finish a few of them -– particularly Murder by Dewey Decimal so that Frenzied Feline can relax -– and hey, go on a few dates. I used to have a personal life, you know.
***
      I'm home now. It's late, nearly midnight. Some of us went to Chili's to eat and talk. I'm tired so I'll close. Take care and have a good tomorrow.