running the show

We've been running the show from start to finish in the last few rehearsals and I have to say I think it's going well.  There are still a few things I'm concerned about.  We'll be rehearsing with lights for the first time on Friday, which is always a pain but great once we get through it. 

I have no doubt everyone will shine when the audience gets here, because we had a few people watching late last week and they did so much better, but rehearsals should be just as energetic and animated as performances.   Tonight we're working music and several scenes that are just not working yet.  I'm so glad we're doing that!  What we really need is to run lines once - just lines.  I think most of us have our blocking down, but those lines are causing trouble for some people.  Oh, and picking up cues. 

I do have a couple of funnies to share. 

There's a childbirth scene and I'm playing the midwife.  The "pregnant" girl actually has a quilt block under her dress as the baby - a quilt block that I use in the next scene.  Well, we did the show with costumes last night and she tucked the "baby" into her bloomers so it wouldn't fall out.  When I reached under the blanket and her dress to get the baby out, I couldn't get it because it was in her bloomers.  I had a second of panic as I tried to find it without grabbing anything personal and she struggled with it to get it out so I could grab it.  Finally, after several seconds and after all of us losing control and laughing, I got the baby out.  I begged her not to tuck it into her bloomers again.  She agreed.  It was funny but a bit uncomfortable for everyone!

The other funny involves a scene where we are all naming our children, all at the same time.  We each have 12 names and we start at different times.  I know the first five names I'm supposed to say, but for some reason the ones in the middle just fly right out of my head.  Since we are saying them at the same time, it's less important if we get them exactly right, so I've been just saying names that come into my head at the time once I've given the next person their cue.  One night I named the Beatles and other musicians from that era.  Last night I named all my high school boyfriends.  This morning on my commute, I finally got all the names right!  Hopefully that means it's in my head now, but I'm not holding my breath.  Maybe tonight I'll name the characters in my favorite books.  I'm sure I can come up with 12 of those!