To the storytellers!

Today we return to the Flynn for our brush up rehearsal.  We are running through the show with full set, props and sound set-up--no costumes and no make-up--for the specific purpose of "freshening" things up before we re-open on Thursday.  Fight call will happen; we will tech Mark's fly again, and make sure that Abby's hair/wig combo is secure.  I will check spacing and business as the cast and crews run through their on stage work.  Sean will double check the timing of his cue calling.  Cheri and Tom will talk with Jeremy about the projection cues and where they need to be tightened up.  Corey will continue to work on mic cues and mix.  All of the familiar procedures and pre-show business will happen on the same schedule that we have grown accustomed to since last week-end.

Returning to the security of the structure and the story that we built feels like a tremendous relief:  the storm of emotions from the weekend has left me drained and exhausted.  Don't get me wrong!  I am beyond happy....I don't really have words to describe the flood of feelings:  joy and pride that our concept works so beautifully;  fierce pride in the work of my cast;  humble gratitude for the "buy in" of the crews;  more gratitude for my design teams' trust and vision...I've looked at 1000s of photos of the show, of the party, of backstage shenanigans (Oh yes!),  and what I see is beauty, joy, commitment, ownership, camaraderie, honest pride and love.  I also saw the show 4 times this weekend, and was blown away by how beautiful it is.  The carefully crafted moments are working!  The lights, the projections, the costumes, the make-up, the sets, the movement--all are so beautifully integrated.  My cast and crews are hitting their marks and telling their story and I can hardly take it in.  Really, I can't.  I hope to take more in this weekend--to really see things and appreciate details in a calmer and more right-brained way....I'll try anyway!

We--Lyric Theatre--don't have a lot of experience doing two weekend shows.  The "old-timers" do, but most of the cast/crew is too young to remember when that was standard.  How to prep them?  How to lead them and make them feel confident and present in THESE moments of story telling?  It's so easy to get knocked off kilter by the accolades that we have received.   I want to shake them up a bit and remind them of what they have done and can do again.  I want to remind them of why they were picked to do this show and to be in this cast.  Doing that will get them to the frame of mind that best delivers this story...This "brush-up" rehearsal isn't in place to refresh and remember the business or the stage work; it's in place to remind the cast and crews of who they are, to center them and refresh them, to clear away the debris of moments that are now in the past, and to break away from the hypnotic siren songs of praise...

Having real work to do makes me feel so much better!  It's hard to stay present with praise.  I really don't know how--other than to say thank you to the person offering it.  Getting back to "center", feeling grounded and open--that's where I want to be and where I want my cast to be.

To the storytellers!
xo
Kelly