Jon Satrom

Laura and I before the show!

The dressing room at the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts in Clemson, SC.

View from the stage at the Brooks Center.

We have now completed our three preview performances here in Clemson, and the show has felt a bit more settled each time which is fantastic.  We keep joking about how the real show is happening backstage as we scramble around to do quick changes, grab props, take a swig of water, and towel off our faces all in time to run right back onstage. 

One of the interesting (as well as stressful) things about working on a new show and creating a role is that there are last minute changes that are often put in during the preview process.  So, it is a challenge to remember the chnages and put them in for the next performance and not get confused and revert back to the way it was in the show yesterday or the day before.  There were a few cases of some last minute additions or minor choreography or blocking changes, but it was nothing that we couldn’t handle. 

Now that we are moving on to Ashland, KY to have our official opening performance, the show is what is called “frozen,” which means that no more changes will be put in and that the show will stay the way it is now for the remainder of the run.

I forgot to mention in a previous entry that on the day of our first performance, I completely slept through my alarm and was awoken by the sound of one of my cast mates knocking on my door telling me it was time to head to the theatre!  So that was a freak out moment, but I just grabbed a hat and my toothbrush and headed for the theatre and managed to pull myself together in the dressing room in plenty of time to be fresh for the show!  Still, it was not a great way to get things started.

Today has been a chance to catch my breath!  We had a performance this morning at 9:30 AM to a sold out house of children, teachers, and parents.  Immediately following the performance, we had a talkback with the kids where they have a chance to ask us some questions.  It is a neat thing to do, although we fielded the majority of questions about the way the set works and the smoke and all sorts of things that we had nothing to do with.  But, the kids really seem to be enthralled with the show and same with the adults.  After the show, we had an understudy rehearsal for Abby, who will be playing Mrs. Wigglesworth with us in Ashland, KY and Muncie, IN while Melissa is away at her sister’s wedding.  It was pretty quick and painless.  We did not have to wear costumes or use props which was a nice relief from the madness!

We ran to Wal-Mart and picked up some last minute items since the actual “tour” officially starts tomorrow.  We all bought backseat organizers that can clip to the headrest of the bus seat in front of yours and that hang down with pockets so you can store things.  We also bought some crafty items so that we can each decorate and individualize our organizers (for some reason we are all quite excited about that!) Our bus also has a DVD player, televisions, and a game table seat.  We also bought some things to make gifts for our directors and creative team because they will not be with us once the tour actually kicks off.  The show then becomes the responsibility of our Stage Manager/Company Manager, Marta. 

Tonight we have a party being thrown for us by Mickey, the woman who runs the Brooks Center where we have been rehearsing and performing for the last several days.  So, most of the cast is currently napping or just waiting to head to the party!

Today we had our first two “preview” performances.  Previews are shows that are performed in front of an audience, but are also helpful for the creative team so they can watch the show and see what works and what doesn’t and make changes to the show accordingly before the official “opening.”

The shows went really well and it was fantastic to hear the kids and adults both responding so enthusiastically! 

I will post more details later on and hopefully a few pictures, but right now the cast and crew are going to head out for a bit to unwind! 

I have been meaning to start blogging much sooner than this, but life has been pretty crazy!  So, I am currently on tour with a show called “Discover Theatre! featuring Disney’s Cinderella Kids and The Jungle Book Kids.” It has been a fantastic experience so far, but I can honestly say that it is the hardest show physically that I have ever done!  It is an hour long and there are only 6 of us in the cast so that means that none of us gets much of a break during the show, and it is extremely high energy with lots of split second costume changes.  Needless to say I am kind of a sweaty mess at the end of the show each day.

The cast and creative team have all been so great to work with and the production values are also incredible.  It is a WHOLE lot of stuff packed into an hour show so it has been really fun to watch it all come together.  We are currently in Clemson, SC working on the campus of Clemson University at their theatre, the Brooks Center for the Performing Arts.  It is a beautiful facility and the crew (consisting of Clemson students and a few of our staff that will be touring with us) have been amazingly on top of their game and have been there to help us into our two second costume changes or throw props in our hands as well as operate the sets and lights and everything else that they do! 

We have been in Clemson since Thursday and have been in twelve to thirteen hours of rehearsal just about every day since.  It has been exhausting but also pretty fantastic.  I am proud of the show and I can’t wait until we get settled into it so it feels a bit less manic!!!  We have our first performance for an audience tomorrow morning and we are all very excited about that.  We have two shows here tomorrow, followed by one on Wednesday.  We also have an understudy rehearsal on Wednesday since Melissa (who plays Mrs. Wigglesworth in my show) is leaving us for a few days coming up for her sister’s wedding.  So, our fantastic understudy and unbelievably efficient backstage goddess, Abby, will be playing her role. 

On Thursday, it is off to Ashland, Kentucky!