Sunday, September 16 - Day Six

End of the first week and I think I would be feeling quite positive and optimistic right now if it wasn't for the fact that I AM SO TIRED I FEEL LIKE MY LEGS ARE GOING TO FALL OFF.

They managed to get through all of the blocking for Act One - looks great. And they would have got through Act Two except I kept interrupting them. The next to last scene, the "Penultimate Scene" as we call it, is giving me a headache so I thought I would spread the suffering around by asking them to read about eight versions of it. Well, three, but it felt like eight. As they blocked it, some things became apparent and they moved some stuff around, cut some things and it now has a viable shape. So we'll go with that. For now, anyway. Answers may continue to suggest themselves.

A day off (Monday) is a wonderful thing. Time now for a cold drink, a hot bath, a little time with my neglected family and a long sleep. Hope Bob and the cast and the SMs are doing likewise.

Friday, September 14 - Day Four

The PTE Playwrights Unit is getting its own swanky office/library/workroom with desks and comfy chairs and everything. It's not ready yet, so in the meantime I have a desk I can use in the Stage Management office. Why do I suddenly have the urge to be very very organized? Wayne and Peter (thank you both) got me a couple of lamps because flourescent lights make my muse shrivel up and die. 

Next to the desk there is a window overlooking the Rehearsal Hall. When I look in, I can see them working away and it looks just like a real play: very exciting. At about 2PM I looked in and Steven was wearing his character's paper printer's hat. A couple of hours later, half the cast, at least one Stage Manager and the director were all wearing them. Good times.

I am finishing up the major changes and creating a nice clean script so the actors don't have to keep writing stuff in and inserting pages. I have one more scene to rework, and then I'll stop monkeying with it (mostly) so they can learn it. And I hearby promise, promise, PROMISE not to make Lillian's monolgue any longer. I am aware that it's driving Megan to a brink of her own.

Thursday, September 13 -- Day Three

Dear women who work full time:
How the hell do you do it?
Sincerely, Ellen

The whole wife-and-mother kept me up pretty late last night. Then I slept in this morning which has caused a minor disaster or two.And I still didn't get time to finish the grant applications which are due Monday. See, if I don't apply for grants now, when The Brink is over I have no work. Forever. Oh well, I'll get them done, somewhere between helping with math homework and hearing about the soccer game and finally, finally, finally fixing scene three.

Wednesday, September 12 - Day Two

The changes I made last night, most of them, seemed to be right. Until Karyn the Stage Manager pointed out that I had a character speaking in the new pages who wouldn't be on stage at that point. Try again.



Mid-afternoon, one of the actors (who shall remain nameless) started to nod off during the discussion. I cannot say I blame this particular actor. "Table work" means long hours of reading and discussion and is very tiring. Besides, we were discussing some other actor's scene. Having been an actor, I know that other people's scenes are frankly not very interesting. What was amazing was how this actor (who shall remain nameless) managed to sleep with his/her eyes open. Such talent!

Seriously, I'm not taking it personally, or as a comment on my script. Bob wisely chose that moment to give us our break and then kept us awake the rest of the day by simulating gunshots and reading the stage directions in a way that made them come alive. What a great group. Blocking starts tomorrow which will be good in two ways. First, I will finally get to see things happening (or not) and second, all that standing and moving around will help everyone stay awake, even actors who shall remain nameless.

Tuesday, September 11 -- First day of Rehearsal

It is 12:07AM (Wednesday morning) and I have just spent a couple of hours working on some changes. I only worked on the smaller, more manageable ones. There are a couple of scenes that will need a longer look than I can do tonight. GREAT first day though. At the meet and greet I felt just like Snow White when she's all alone and she has all that housework to do. Then the bluebirds start making the beds and the squirrels sweep with their tails. That's how it felt to finally get to the rehearsal hall and have all those nice smart creative people around. It takes a village to make a play. Whatever goes wrong from here,  Scott Henderson will fix it with lighting.