So it’s hell week/tech for It’s a Wonderful Life and this is my first time being a stage manager. I am guessing I will soon get an invitation to join the Secret Society of Stage Managers and am looking forward to the first mingle.
The Wicked Wicker Wheelchair
So moving some of the trucks around is a pita. One in particular comes to mind, on which a piano is mounted. And, oh, no. It’s not a prop piano, it’s the real thing, so that has to way about a half a ton. Okay. perhaps it’s only a quarter ton, but still that thing doesn’t roll easily. And when you have set pieces that barely fit into the wings, well, let’s just say that getting around backstage is a challenge. Throw in an old fashioned wicker wheel chair and then you’ve got a real backstage party going on.I have to get a picture of that chair. maybe tonight. click on the picture to see another view —>
Not complaining, just saying. What’s the odds of working in two productions in a row which use wheelchairs? The wheel chair in this one is, by far, the cooler of the two. It’s pretty much a lounge on wheels. It would be quite at home by the pool in the Bahamas drinking a blue foofoo coconut drink with a paper umbrella.
Did I ever mention how much I love doing shows with children in them? Seriously. But there always seems to be one kid that can’t quite manage to stay with it. (Sometimes two.) I did Aladdin and there were kids all over the place ranging from age 4 to teens and as I recall we didn’t really have any issues.
When I did Stuart Little there was occasional child mayhem, but it was mostly scattered.
Tales of Peter Rabbit, well there was a bit of brattery about that. As an adult you can’t really go there, but you want to commit an assault on brattery. But it is all about the parents really. If you are going to have your child in a show, realize that, odds are, they aren’t the freaking star. And everyone on stage is expected to maintain levels of politeness. If your child is obnoxious or rude, don’t get upset if someone in the cast is a bit short with your shortie. And frankly it is your fault. Not your child’s or the person who berates them (if it comes to that.)
sorry. I sort of got off on a tangent. Wonderful Life is really coming together and I am looking forward to opening. We have a sponsored house for our final rehearsal Thursday, which pretty much means we open on Thursday. Holy crap. That’s tomorrow. Zoinks.
On another front I have an interview for a training gig on Saturday. 6 month deal to do training at MUSC. First I’ll have five weeks of training on the software I am going to be teaching, and then out to the trenches to teach. I think maybe this might give me some material for a new script and some comedy bits. I couldn’t see otherwise. Really. 7 months worth of hanging out with medical folks? That has all the makings of a TV series. Nothing like that’s ever been done before, has it? Oh, wait, yes it has. every season since television was invented. So what? Mine will be better. Or at least have an interesting slant.
Oops, wait I didn’t get the job yet.
So I was searching for free images of Peter Rabbit and I came across this, Peter Rabbit, Tank Killer. Nice alternate tale of Peter Rabbit on a Nazi Killing Binge. He make Aldo Ray look like a pussy. Aldo didn’t have a bazooka. Oh, no. But PR did. He’s a bad ass rabbit. And I don’t usually link out to other blogs, but the tale is good enough to break that rule. So if you want to read the tale, click on the image.
