orchestra dress

Our first orchestra dress two days ago was lovely. The notes from the director were that the energy was up, it was a really good experience, bla bla bla.
How did III feel about it?
Good!
I was trying to make a lot more connections for the character, and also just 'staying' in character even though I have a number of entrances and exits with time in between then where I could just as easily be thinking about the Twix bar in my dressing room that I'm going to have at intermission, or chatting with the hair and makeup people, or chatting about that day's BBQ sandwich with members of the cast.
But no, I took some more time to myself and did quick speed-reviews of lyrics and dialogue, and lo-and-behold! I felt more connected.

I've gotten 2 really nice comments about how even though this character is supposed to be 2 dimensional and a bit 'flat' in terms of 'stock' character-ish/clown'ish, I still find a way to make it 'real' and 3 dimensional. And that's nice to hear. That people are picking up on details. Movements, gestures, thoughts..and the process that I'm going through in trying to put this commedia character up on stage but still give her heart.

So there ya go!
Tonight is an invited dress rehearsal. Our last one. There will probably be about one thousand school kids in the audience. I LOVE these kinds of audiences. Always puts you in a really good mood because they're appreciating something real and live .. and possibly for the first time.

And NOW...
since it's almost 2pm.
And I'm still in my PJs...
Off to take a shower, maybe do some lip trills, and go to the theater!

Oh yea--due to scheduling needs, my call is TWO HOURS before curtain for hair and makeup!
So I will try to only warm up after I get my 'hair did' and not let my energy get 'down' during that hour and a half between when I'm out of the chair and when I'm first on stage.

Also---went to a very long and very lovely dinner last night with a lot of the cast, director, conductor..and let's just say...it was a wine bar/restaurant.
Four glasses of four different kinds of wine later... and home at 11 pm... combined with duck and salmon tastings for dinner...and now I'm thinking- maybe that wasn't the BEST idea.
I didn't talk too much though! I'm just a bit dry. Some steam in the shower will do me good.
And I certainly have some WATER to down between now and 7pm...let's just put it that way.
D'OH!

It's all good though.