I know you wish you were hanging out with me today. Up at 5, out the door at 6:15, and it’s Saturday. Whaaat?

1. Get to bakery by 6:20
2. On the road to school by 6:30
3. Stop at classroom and get huge coffeemaker (makes me mad I forgot that yesterday)
4. Go to rehearsal room, make coffee, meet Stoney
5. Rehearse from 9 till 4
6. Home by 5-5:30 p.m.
7. Jake and Justin arrive at 6 (yay!)
8. Play with J & J all evening
9. J & J go home 9 a.m. Sunday
10. Off to school to set up for orchestra rehearsal
11. Rehearsal from 1-3 p.m.
12. To classroom to get work done & practice
13. Home in time for dinner
14. Die till 5 a.m. Monday, when it all starts again

I’m not complaining, though. Like the Thriller says: I can’t not do it. Heh.

Mark, set, go. What’s up for your weekend?

There is progress.

Last night’s Act I run-through was painful in places — especially when Stoney brought down the Stone Cold Stunner on the cast and crew. But as anyone in theater (or sports) knows, directors (coaches) yell. One has to have a cast-iron stomach, and the hide to match, in order to function in live theater. It’s just the way of the thing.

Still, the actors are showing signs of life. I will throw my hat on the table and say that I think we’re where we need to be, eight days out.

Yipes — eight days.

After the students left last night, the three directors chatted about what keeps people coming back to do shows, given the hard work and sometimes, frankly, the suffering that takes place. We are convinced it’s because of the payoff; the love from the audience. I’m not sure why the crew keep coming back — they don’t really get any audience love. I’m sure they derive great pleasure, however, from lurking in the dark, plotting world domination. They don’t seem to crave the spotlight actors need, even though they know the show depends heavily upon their work in between scenes. I’ve never understood backstage techies…that’s why we have Greg.

The three movie sequences used during the performance (shot and edited by Finkville’s own Tom Hanks) are a highlight of the show. If you’re in the area, get a ticket. The short films alone are worth the price of admission. But we’d like to think the singing, acting and dancing will add to the overall effect.

Keep it up, kids. We’re almost there. Progress…

It is they. Them. They’re everywhere I look.

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Am I losing it already?

All right, coffee break’s over…

I’ve had some lively discussions (or at least I’ve read them) on Facebook before, but nothing like right now on my profile. So I’m late to the RtB dance for this morning.

The topic of discussion: my middle school choir concert last night. The kids were wonderful; the crowd, not so much. I felt really terrible for my students and for the members of the audience who were subjected to adults yapping at full volume (think basketball or volleyball game), showing little or no respect for five months of work being presented onstage. It was tragic.

Back in 1999, when I started at my school, concerts were held in the same place they are currently held, except no lighting was used (the main “cafetorium” fluorescents were left on), the choir risers were set up on the floor, not on the stage, and people sat at cafeteria tables instead of on chairs. I thought that was disrespectful to our audiences. I wanted them to have more of an actual concert experience. So I asked my principal if I could set up chairs, unplug the vending machines, use the recessed lights on dimmer switches, and use the Fresnels already in place above the stage. Roger on all of that, and yay, instant concert atmosphere. I think it helped the kids, too.

Though we had some issues with “training” the audience, things basically smoothed out within two concerts. However, last night showed some major regression. It was the first time in my career that I have had to turn to an audience and ask for quiet. No joke. I had to shut a crowd up. I was nice about it (I really wanted to launch into a diatribe, but…), and it helped until I turned around and the choir began performing. Then it was back to business as usual.

And I’m not talking parents not shushing their kids or taking them out in the hall if they got restless (although they didn’t do that, either). I’m talking adults gabbing full-bore like they were at a ball game. I was like, “Wow, some of these people couldn’t care less about what’s going on onstage.” It was quite the disappointment on a night when my kids really came through musically. Bummer.

Oh well…I am determined to deal with it. All suggestions welcome! (But they can’t be felonious.)

Two May gigs down — two to go.

In that order.

For those who don’t know, I’m off to SW Missouri to do a seminar with some undergrad music education majors. I’m taking my time and enjoying the scenery — much of which I will enjoy a second time come July. I plan to take lots of photos to share with the Thriller, to get his opinion on what all we should do while in that lovely state.

The drive will be therapeutic. I’ll get to rock the 70s music, or sit in silence; think. You know — see what condition my condition [is] in. (Big ol’ Hershey bar to the first fiend who comes up with the band who recorded that lyric — MAVIS IS NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY. :P) The hotels are exceptionally delightful; I will feel extravagant. I’ll sleep sideways on the king size bed. Call room service for ice water. That kinda thing.

And on a completely unrelated, yet equally important, subject: Anyone else excited about this? It’s filming in San Pedro this week. LaaaaAaAaaaaaAAAA…

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Have a good Thurgsday — I’ll check in with you tomorrow.

Fink out (and out).

Photo credits: digital-topo-maps.com; jon-hamm.org