wow-long time since i logged on here. i use myspace now all the time instead.

This week in the life of the director of Grease
1. Monday--snow, very bad driving=had to cancel rehearsal.  We were supposed to do the music for Born To Hand Jive & Shakin At The High School Hop.

2. Tuesday-did various production related duties.

3. Wednesday-didn't check my voicemail until 6:45pm which is when I found out that the choreographer was too sick to come.  I had a random combination of 3 Buger Palace Boys, 1 Pink Lady, Vince Fontaine, Johnny Casino, Cha Cha, Eugene and about 15 chorus people.  They were already there so I did what I could. 

Good things: Those 20 kids do WE GO TOGETHER perfectly.
We finally blocked 1.1 (and everyone who wasn't there can just catch up later) 
We went over the words to WE GO TOGETHER numerous times
We attempted Hand Jive & Cha Cha taught it to Vince Fontaine who will be dancing with her at the beginning of that song due to an old sports injury that Danny had
I got to know the new kids a lot better and it was a more fun atmosphere because I didn't have to control 45 kids
The kids were awesome about going with the flow and helping each other with stretching, dances, etc.  They showed they are great kids and work together really well.  That's important to me.
Chris came "just in case" so he helped me out and ran the CD player

Bad things:
we were supposed to finish the Hand Jive  and learn the dance for Shakin At The High School Hop                                           
we had to use to pain in the butt CD player that is backstage because I didn't know to bring one

4. Thursday-this time i was smart enough to check my voicemail around noon.  I had a message from the music director telling me to call him as soon as I could about that nights rehearsal.  I did.  He told me he was very sick.  But he did express a strong desire to reschedule which I appreciate.  I guess everyone is getting sick this week.

Good things-
I decided to have rehearsal anyway with Rizzo & Sandy
We loosely blocked Rizzo's Sandra Dee
I did Prom Night with Sandy
I got to know Sandy much better and had fun talking with her and Naomi

Bad things-
I cannot music direct
I sang Prom Night in about 3 different keys at the same time, along with Sandy who is literally a professional singer-so I was nervous
We did more talking than work-totally my fault.
We were supposed to do the music for Prom Night, Look at Me I'm Sandra Dee (Rizzo) and the reprise (Sandy), There Are Worse Things I Could Do (Rizzo) as well as stage the numbers.

5. Friday: Summary-we have lost another entire week of rehearsals.  This does not help with my tension level or whatever.

Snow again.  It is supposed to be pretty cold so I hope it's not icy, because I don't do well on ice!  I hope I don't have to cancel rehearsal tonight although I wouldn't mind the break.  But I do feel kind of stressed because we still have so much left to do.  But Alon seems confident we will get through the music without a problem and Kim is going to start coming on Mondays to run dances which is a nice bonus.

At work--it's a "floating holiday" so I get to take another day off later and get paid.  It works out well because I get a great parking place at the T, a seat on the T, quiet office (for the most part!), and sometimes the boss lets us leave at like 4pm.  But I don't want to jinx it.  We'll see.

I have so much to do.  Most of it is a pain, most of it I brought on myself, but some of it is fun.  Like seeing what I want to do in Vegas!  Eric and I are going there for our one year anniversary in May.  It is my Valentine's Day/Anniversary/Birthday present and I think it was a great idea of his! I've never been and I think we'll have a lot of fun.  It will be nice for him to get away because he always works so hard and he LOVES Vegas!

Currently Playing Grease [Original London Cast] By Original London Cast Recording Summer Nights see related

Had another pretty lazy day.  When I finally went out to get the paint we need to finish the set for the festival the hardware store was closed.  I'll have to remember to get it Tuesday morning.

I'm trying to follow Weight Watchers again and for the past two days I haven't done all that bad.  I wasn't necessarily under my points allowance, but I was much closer than I have been lately.  I just want to loose weight before Grease opens because I know I'll want a lot of pictures and I don't want to shy away from being in any, and I want one of me with the cast and crew and I don't want to look at it and hate myself.  It's only like 6 weeks away so it's unlikely that I'll look all that much better but we'll see.

I'm mass producing Grease rehearsal CDs.  Alon recorded himself playing all the songs so we can work with it when he's not there and the kids can practice on their own.  I'll have enough for the kids who will be there tomorrow at least.  The rest may have to wait until next week. 

Working tomorrow from 9-5, then rehearsal from 6:30-8, and then I'm finally meeting Eric at Kowloon's for our Valentine's Day dinner.  That will be nice.  I hope he likes what I got him.