DAY THIRTY FOUR - Saturday April 28

DAY THIRTY FOUR - Saturday April 28

Worked epilogue scenes in morning - really fun with these great character guys.

We were supposed have catch up time with the Bondy (comic lead) who has missed many  rehearsals.  Remember when we did that recasting - moved one Sandor out, moved a Bondy over to Sandor and a Bajossovich up to Bondy? Well the Bossovich we moved up to Bondy is overwhelmed with all his shows and the baby who was just born. So, finally, I get an evening when he can finally show up at rehearsal – I release everyone except him and his love interest – and dontcha know, Kirill tells us he’s pulling him from the production. Kirill decided he is overextended and cannot do our show - at least in a large role.  So... nobody to rehearse.  So no sense in rehearsing.  So Gregg and I went to see a Rimsky Korsokov opera, "The Tsar's Bride."

It was in the same beautiful theatre I was in last night for Giselle.  It was a very opulent production - sort of.  The costumes were beautiful.  And the set was actually rather primitive - although the amazing scenic painting made it feel much more elaborate.  Except, whenever anyone brushed up against a wall or opened a door, the entire "building" would ripple since it was all canvas drops that were not even stretched on frames.

There were some great voices - but the acting was rather stiff.  And there was a HUGE chorus - there must have been about 70 people on that stage! Oh, wait, we will have about the same number!

Here's the curtain call so you can get a sense of the scale.  All the three dimensionality of the set is painted.

DAY THIRTY THREE - Friday April 27

DAY THIRTY THREE - Friday April 27

The drugs seemed to help Patti's leg - she was feeling better and we worked big scenes with the full company.  

During a break, I learned that we will not be able to get any personnel for the onstage band – therefore the entire basis of the set design is kind of for naught. The central platform and stair unit was supposed to be for the band - a fake band - but a band nonetheless. See set rendering:

There are apparently no people left to play those four fake musicians - so I may have to re-conceive the staging for all of the epilogue and all of the prologue. The adjustment would be to make that platform the grand entrance into the cafe and to have people refer to the real orchestra as the house band. It could work - but it's a major overhaul.

After rehearsal, Patti and I were upset because we felt, not for the first time, that some of the chorus and second ballet group (remember, there are two casts in principals, chorus AND ballet corps) had a bad, or at least disrespectful, work ethic. Most of the people were paying attention when they were not on stage so they knew what to do when it was their turn - but others were paying NO attention, TEXTING, sitting in the hallway - spewing bored vibes and when it was their turn to get up on stage - had NO IDEA what they were doing. Therefore, we had to teach everything YET AGAIN - wasting our time and the time of those who WERE paying attention.  

There were further complications from the fact that we have no idea who of the 2 or 3 casts has done what scenes. Nor which of the two groups of chorus people have been staged – we rarely see the same faces twice in the same places. So we have no real way of tracking who has been in a rehearsal the first time we stage something and, therefore, should know what was done when we run it. Shouldn't that be the stage manager's job?  

Since there was a big show in the evening, I couldn’t have too many people to rehearse so I cut my losses and went to the opera house with Gugu (Irina Gugushina, one of our interpreters) to see the ballet – Giselle.

I found the ballet of moderate interest but the opera/ballet theatre was absolutely stunning.

 

 

 The main curtain was ancient and stunning.

 

We had front row seats, which was kind of great, but kind of not.  You could not see below the dancers ankles so you lost all sense of feet on the ground - and so much in ballet is the beauty of the foot, pointe or flat, right?

Also, they kept doing this weird tableau thing - they'd finish a scene, all would freeze as the curtain, slowly, pulled closed. Then it would open again, with them still frozen (or wobbling just a little), then close the curtain again and it would be intermission.

Here is a video of the curtain call.

DAY THIRTY TWO - Thursday April 26

DAY THIRTY TWO - Thursday April 26

Patti did not sleep AT ALL and her leg is killing her.

On the way to rehearsal they were rehearsing some music for the "Fiddler on the Roof" performance.   Some great musicians.

We did the only huge scene we hadn’t staged – the end of Act One. One of our performers - who is actually very attentive during rehearsal in spite of a frustratingly (for him) small role, was LITERALLY texting as he was crossing downstage DURING A SCENE! Not offstage, sitting in a chair waiting to go on. Not in the hallway, not on a break, not observing a rehearsal from afar. LITERALLY as he was crossing during some else's dialogue. I blew up. I mentioned how disrespectful it was to their fellow performers. He mentioned he was turning his phone off. I'm not sure if I believed him but I mentioned that it might be a good idea to turn cell phones off BEFORE you enter a scene.

A note about this guy - I used him as an example but he is far from the only one doing it. He's actually usually very attentive - in spite of feeling that his role is too small. And, further, he saw that Patti was in pain, walked over to her and said he does chiropractics as a hobby and would she like him to adjust her? It turns out he has miraculous hands and has made regular visits to help her. Everyone is rallying around Patti with such compassion. Everyone searching for the right doctor who can help her - coming to check on her, bringing her flowers, offering advice - extremely caring people who are making Patti feel cared for - if not cured.... yet.  

We even got one creaky looking crutch from the props department and a real set of crutches from one of the IT guys!

In between sessions, Patti went to the hospital to (hopefully) get an MRI.  I went to "The Office" for lunch.

It turns out she did not get the MRI. The doctor - who she said seemed to know his stuff - told her she had a herniated disk. He gave her all sorts of medication - two of which were injections - there are lots of syringes going around in Russia! Once she got back to her room, the troops rallied again to help administer the various philtres, potions and pills.  

In the evening, I did some catch up work with one of the actors who has missed a lot of rehearsal. Unfortunately, I released two other actors and ended up having time to work with those I released. Oh well.  On the phone very late with all sorts of folks - thanks to Skype!

DAY THIRTY ONE - Wednesday April 25

DAY THIRTY ONE - Wednesday April 25

In the morning, we did a big put together of act two – we didn’t quite get to the epilogue like I wanted to.

For lunch, I went to the Japanese restaurant alone. I finally got internet on my phone (when not in a wifi zone) so I could use my translator app from Google to ask for chicken - "kooritsa"!

During lunch, I saw that our poster was up at the front of the theatre! That's Ksenia (one of our Mary's) on the right. The flyer - which has the same image - makes mention of a director from NY, a choreographer from LA and a conductor from Chicago. 

Patti has been having terrible back/leg pain - sciatica or pinched disc kind of thing. Our stage manager (ex-dancer with this company), who has the same kind of pain, offered to give Patti one of her injections - which Ksenia (of poster) administered.  Hopefully it will help. Patti has also been having trouble sleeping so that, with the leg pain, is making things very difficult for her.  

In the evening, I had a great rehearsal working the comic couples then the romantic couples.

DAY THIRTY - Tuesday April 24

DAY THIRTY - Tuesday April 24

Day off.  I worked on Nathaniel's yearbook ad in morning and then walked to a mall with Gregg.  It was, well, like a mall.  It was a nice, long walk with lots of stores... that you'd find... in... America.  Nike, Puma, Reebock, MAC, Body Shop, Bennetton, etc, etc, etc.  Here are some photos:

A hydro-electric dam in the middle of the city!  Also a memorial to the founding and naming of the city - both as Sverdlosk (Soviet name) and Yekaterinburg (pre-Soviet AND current name)

 A stone commemorating the founding of the city.

And a video about that...

This is the TV tower on which they halted construction because they discovered water in the foundation and it started leaning.  It was supposed to be the pride of Yekaterinburg.  Now it's the eyesore.

Some nice, Peace graffiti on the way to the mall.

Town Hall - a great old Soviet-era building

Lenin - a great big Soviet-era statue.

A pedestrian mall, like so many in America.

Bronze sculptures every so often, commemorating old-world trades.

Grisha found a friend:

And... a Burger King... like so many in America!

Inside the Burger King. Looks familiar...

Street musicians:

That large curved window was the mall of our destination.

The aliens have landed!  And they have brought laptops!

MAC, Body Shop... I know we're not in Kansas any more - but there wasn't much Russia to be found in this mall either.

The circus building - but they are out of town till June.

 

Grisha and Misha on a trolley.

Grisha and Misha on a trolley that ended up going the wrong way so we had to walk anyway!

Aforementioned trolley...

One of many golden-domed churches here.

In the evening, at our theatre, they had the 7th Annual Emerald Festival of Music - an international festival organized around the resident band, Izumrud (it means Emerald), of the theatre.  We have heard them rehearse and they were part of that press conference of a few weeks ago.  Absolutely incredible musicians - coolest people - fastest pluckers I've ever seen - on balalaika, mandolins, dombras, vibes, drums, accordion - whatever. There were Native American and South American bands, Izumrud, a Russian/French lady. Here is Izumrud opening the concert.  Watch the whole video because they are so incredible!!!



The next video is one I got from the press folks - as in I didn't see this with my own two eyes - but it is an example of how completely amazing the Izumrud players are.  You MUST watch till the end.



Following Izumrud, they had a trio of Native American players from Arizona, a band from South America (the NON-South American woman - the blonde, happens to be the daughter of the blonde lady from Izumrud!), and a Russian/French woman who was from Ekaterinburg but now living in France.  As we were sitting in our box seats, we heard ENGLISH!!! being spoken behind us - and it wasn't US speaking it!  It had been a long time.  It was the wife of the Native American Flute player (his name is R. Carlos Nakai - and is Grammy nominated) and their Russian manager - they are on a short tour here. I'm not sure why the sound drops out a couple of times in the video below:


Something funny happened during the intermission.  We came back and they had gathered some set pieces from different shows to dress up the joint.  Some planets hanging, some light posts, a couple of cars and the backdrop - which was a Broadway theme - but with most of the images related to "Kiss of the Spider Woman."  Kander's and Ebb's names, the logo of the show, the number of Tony nominations, the names of Chita Rivera, Brent Carver and Anthony Crivello.  Here's are a couple of pictures.  It made me laugh.

DAY TWENTY NINE - Monday April 23

DAY TWENTY NINE - Monday April 23

I was awakened at 7AM by one of my favorite alarm clocks – Phoebe on Facetime as she was brushing her teeth before she went to bed!

We are nearly at the halfway point and the days seem to be speeding by. It seems impossible that, in America, we’d be in technical rehearsals by now and opening at the end of this week. NOT POSSIBLE HERE.  For many reasons – double and triple casts – because of all the shows these folks are in, we can’t get everyone all the time – language barrier. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: we will need every bit of the 8 weeks that we’re here.

We worked the big end of act two scene in the morning. I started staging the principals and then Patti came in and we did the full company stuff together.  

  

Lunch?  Not sure.  But we had some.

In the evening I re-worked Lloyd choreo because we had a character missing yesterday and we will re-re-work it tomorrow. But it was a really fun session. Great character guys here!

I worked with Janet on the yearbook ad (due for Nathaniel's school) until pretty late.

DAY TWENTY EIGHT - Sunday April 22

DAY TWENTY EIGHT - Sunday April 22

Before rehearsal we always hang and have coffee in my apartment. Well, I participate in the "hang" if not the coffee. Gregg made a funny comment. He was working on his score and had purchased some new pencils at the bookstore next door. But he couldn't find pencils with erasers. "Just like the Russian philosophy – one man for one job." As in, erasers are purchased separately! 

I rehearsed the scene with the kids in the morning - the scene into the song that Patti had choreographed yesterday.  ADORABLE kids.  There are three teams - I can't even keep track of who is on what team.  We have three girls and three boys in each team - all playing little princes.  Here's a video of the rehearsal:

On the way to lunch, we ran into the kids from our show.  Aren't they adorable?

We took Patti to my new lunch place. They have a fantastic meringue dessert (think submarine sized) - which I quite enjoyed as you can see below.

The above picture was NOT staged!

Here we are having some silliness with the cardboard sushi girl at the restaurant next door.

Misha

Grisha

Pisha #1 (love the lady observing)

Pisha #2

Since we have these four hour breaks between rehearsals I have begun to appreciate the value of a little nap.
 

In the evening, I worked scenes and song with the character who is the billionaire father of the title character. It is a comic number where two ministers of Prince Sandor are trying to get Lloyd (the billionaire) to agree to sign on the dotted line to finalize the sale/purchase of the Palace. Since Patti has such a huge amount of material to choreograph, I agreed to try this one on my own - which she will finesse later. I think I did ok.  The odd thing, however, is that I can never get both ministers in the same rehearsal. NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: So for the next couple of days, I taught this number three or four times over to make sure all absent performers got it at some point!

One of the actors who plays Lloyd was there for one scene and when it came time for him to do the second scene – he was gone. He dismissed himself! And one of the actresses playing Mary who was out of town this week performing opera in Chelyabinsk is now going be out of town for a second week!
 

How has this place continued to exist as well as it has with such odd, complicated scheduling and organization in the stage management department is amazing to me. I should re-phrase that: the stage manager’s job here is very different. As is the director’s.

The stage manager calls the shows eventually (I assume) OOPS! NOTE FROM THE FUTURE: it was not until tech week (the final week leading up to opening night) that I learned the Stage Manager does NOT call the show - is in fact not on headset and every crew person takes their own cues!

BACK TO THE PRESENT: In rehearsal the stage manager deals with props and LITERALLY reads the script aloud at every rehearsal until people are off book. As in, she reads just a bit ahead of the actors so they can catch their lines from her. Like they are her echo. It’s very odd. And more than a little distracting. She also sets up the rehearsal room. But she has nothing to do with communication (I'm not exactly sure who communication central is, actually) or organization beyond anything but props. There is a scheduler who does just that (the amazing Tatiana M - pictures of her with rifle in earlier posts).

I do miss an American style Stage Manager. The stage manager here said she had not gotten the drawings for the designs for the kids' toy rifles from Slava (the set designer). I told her she should email him directly because that would be faster than me emailing him, him emailing me, me giving her the info, etc. She had one, very simple, reply.  "Oh, but I don't have email."  You see what I'm up against here?!?!?!

The assistant director (who will re-set the show once it’s in the repertory and I’m no longer here) takes down the blocking – he’s also the guy who doesn’t call people when we change the schedule – he waits until he sees them in the building. But by then, of course, it’s too late!

But, then again, judging from the show last night – they do what they do EXTREMELY well for their audiences and everybody was onstage looking and sounding amazing and the cues were run perfectly and it was a truly entertaining show – with such imagination and vision. So… what they do, works. What we do… works. They are just vastly different journeys to a similar end.

Even though “we Americans” believe they could learn a lot from us in the stage craft and organization department – there is a lot to be admired about their system here. It would never work in America because this volume of performers in this many arts organizations could not get paid a living wage because our government does not support the arts the way they do here. But to see these performers enjoy this breadth of roles in such a variety of material – and for audiences to see 30-50 people on stage every night – countless principals, singing chorus of 26, AND ballet company of 24, AND a 35 piece orchestra – to say nothing of stage crew and administration – is kind of amazing. All on staff, all year round, all paid, all with job security for their lifetime. So, I suppose the cultural awareness in America has lots to learn (at least admire) from the cultural pervasiveness of this country. Mind you, this is one of hundreds of cities in Russia who all boast their own opera theatre, musical comedy theatre, ballet theatre, dramatic theatre, children's theatre, puppet theatre, etc. 

Grisha, Pisha and I watched a bit of Auntie Mame (Rosalind Russell version - not musical version) after rehearsal. Patti and Gregg are determined to catch me up on all of their favorite old movies – most of which I’ve never seen.  How did I miss out on all these movie greats?

DAY TWENTY SEVEN - Saturday April 21

DAY TWENTY SEVEN - Saturday April 21

In the morning, I started staging the last scene of the show while Patti worked with kid soldiers for the number with children.  

In the last scene, our Prince Sandor (romantic lead) has to get very angry at Bondy (the comic lead) because the latter is baiting the former as a way to build up the tension before revealing the deus ex machina that the romantic leads will end up together. One of the actors I was working with, while having many strengths as a performer, does not gravitate towards anger too easily.  I decided to do an exercise with him that I often do back home in scenes that need more emotional stakes - an exercise, by the way, which has never failed to succeed. It is a way to physical-ize the tension in a scene by having two actors lean into each other with their hands on each others' shoulders. Whomever has the line, is pushing the other performer backwards. Whomever has the power in the scene should be winning the pushing. It is impossible to speak lines without engaging in this exercise because of the strength needed to push the other actor, even a few feet (or meters!).  I explained to these two performers that we were going to do an exercise that would NOT be the way we would ultimately perform the scene - it was just that... an exercise.  

One of the actors refused to do the exercise.  He said his character does not have that tension - which is true. The contrast in tension/lack of tension is what gives the scene humor. I, again, explained that it was simply an EXERCISE - and that his participating in the exercise would help his fellow performer.  He said he'd rather just express the tension in the lines. I repeated that I was simply asking him to HELP HIS COLLEAGUE. He said he couldn't do it because that's not how he will be in the scene. I got really pissed.  I said, "I can do it and I'm not even in the scene!!!!  Ok, you stand over there and say the lines while I do the exercise to HELP ANOTHER ACTOR find something deeper in their performance."  

He at least (begrudgingly) agreed to do that.  So I was pushing against the actor as the other actor was pushing against me.  He is a very soft-spoken, gentle creature so I was surprised with his strength - I had a lot of trouble not losing ground. 

After the exercise, the two gents did the scene again.  The actor who WAS willing to do the exercise found a new level of passion heretofore unseen. After the scene I asked the actor who was UNWILLING to participate in the exercise if he noticed the difference in the other guy's performance. HE replied, "He wasn't angrier. He was just louder." I looked around the room and every single other person agreed that the WILLING actor had taken a great leap. I explained that it wasn't the final performance and that he had a ways to go - but that it was great progress and the exercise helped. At that point, some of the other performers seemed to scold UNWILLING actor for his unwillingness to bend at all, on anything. He shouted back at them - I think saying how he was behaving very well - and was not out of line. Judging from the others' reaction, he was the only one of that opinion - everyone else felt he was being difficult.

I explained, rather loudly (and in his face) that I found it very upsetting that he was unwilling to help his fellow actor and that his behavior was very unfair.  He, of course, disagreed.

I had to explain, again, that my methods may be different from what they are used to but these were not necessarily American/Russian differences. Just different ways to achieve the same common goal - the best show possible. 

It should be said, at this juncture, that the UNWILLING actor is EXTREMELY talented - is great in the show and always was from day one. He NEVER stops working and has a great work ethic - excepting the above story. 

So, I felt very good about the rehearsal - in spite of the fireworks.

We had lunch at new little bistro we found. I found yet another favorite chicken dish - chicken breast and vegetables in a Parmesan/mushroom cream sauce.  DEE-licious. It reminded me of the Popeye Chicken at Pizza Capri in Chicago, near Steppenwolf.

We then took care of some business. The SIM card on my cell phone had run out of minutes - which was odd since nobody had this number except Pisha and Grisha and calls to and from them were free since we were on the same network. It turns out I had been paying 50 rubles a day for a service that played music when people called me - rather than simply ringing. I explained that I would never purchase that service since only two people had my number and that I didn't need to entertain them any more than I already had. They will credit me the minutes. 

I then went to take some money out of the cash machine.  With 1 dollar equaling 30 rubles, the balance at the bottom is always very exciting.  If only it had a dollar sign in front of it!

We had the evening off because the specTACle (show) onstage has most of our principals in it.  So I went to see it while Patti and Gregg did some work with the Ballet company.  It was called "Dead Souls" and is a pop opera of the Gorky novel. Gorky is a national hero - and this show includes many characters from other novels of his - so it is a glorious Gorky-fest for Russians. The show was directed by Kirill - the artistic director here and has real style. I thought it was fantastic. The costume design was really amazing and the entire production had real vision. It won four Golden Mask Awards - the Russian Tony. For best show, best director, best costume design and best music.  

Click here for a link to the show's page at the theatre - check out the photos.  The final image - over 40 performers all slithering up a single grid of a set piece which came crashing down from the top of the proscenium was one of the most stunning I've seen.

A little wine and cheese with Pisha and Grisha afterwards.

DAY TWENTY SIX - Friday April 20

DAY TWENTY SIX - Friday April 20

We had the stage in the morning so we worked the huge scene that ends Act Two.  Patti and I worked together, very well, I might add, and nearly got it done.  But, again, there were some cranky, bored people. They were in the minority but you could feel the negative energy.  I decided to give a little impromptu pep talk at the end of rehearsal.  I explained that I understood, and asked them to understand, how difficult these huge scenes are to stage.  I went on to say that our job here is NOT to keep you artists entertained but that we are here to make the most entertaining show for their audience.  I said that it is totally understandable if they get bored.  But I asked that they keep their boredom to themselves.  Displaying and/or broadcasting their "I'm bored" energy inhibits our process and I told them I appreciated their patience and their skills - because they are doing excellent work - but to please put forth as much positive energy as possible.  

Gregg and Patti felt it was a good speech because I wasn't angry - I was calm and understanding of their position.  Gregg actually thought I was going to say, "If you're bored... then get the heck out of my rehearsal."  When, instead, I said, "If you're bored... I understand.  But please keep it to yourself."

During lunch, we had one of the theatre's computer techs look at Gregg's computer because every time he logged on to a wireless network at a hotel near his apartment, he could not get back on line here.  

We went to the Japanese restaurant for lunch.  Gregg was a little late - so here are Patti and I fending for ourselves.  

In the evening Patti worked with the ballet company while I started staging one of the epilogue scenes.  I finished a little early so I peeked in on Patti's work.  Here is an early version of the "In Chicago" number.




And here's Bogdan - the adorable little boy - son of two of the dancers - imitating the dancers.  He spends a lot of time in these rehearsals.  In fact, there are several little kids who hang around at rehearsals with their parents.  We don't mind at all.  Quite the opposite, in fact.

In the evening I worked a song which we've inserted for the character of Mary's Father, Benjamin Lloyd.  It will require some choreography - but I staged up until the dance break.  But after rehearsal, I got a great prop idea that would make the scene make sense and make the dance break even possible.  So, I've got to re-work that in a couple of days. 

DAY TWENTY FIVE - Thursday April 19

DAY TWENTY FIVE - Thursday April 19

We were onstage, working the big prologue number.  On a break, we had a conversation with Elena (dramaturg) and Arkady (translator) about anachronisms. Gregg and I feel that jokes about R&B, James Bond, Silicon implants and the Prince of Monaco marrying Grace Kelly (all references to events that took place after this piece was written, and which we are setting, in 1928). We (Americans) feel that these anachronisms do not help the piece and that there is plenty of "honest" humor in the characters and situations that exist in the period. It was explained to us Americans that Russians love this type of humor and that the show would be far less funny - in fact, not funny enough, without them. That seemed like an absurd argument - why would you want to take people out of the period in which the show is set for a few cheap (and not very good, actually) jokes? We lost the argument on that one.  I still don't understand it - but call it a cultural difference and put yet another check mark in the "American Confused" column.

After lunch, we had another argument about something in the prologue.  We won this one, however.  In the script there was a reference to Charlie Chaplin and Freud as being guests in the Cafe in the prologue. These references were inherited from the Light Opera Works script that Gregg adapted with a colleague - the basis for our Russian translation. I imagine, at first, they were just guests to impress Mary with the clientele at the Cafe. The third person referenced is the Prince of Sylvaria - who is to become her love interest. They (the Russians), of course, wanted Chaplin to be in a tramp costume. I explained a few weeks ago that Chaplin could have travelled to Europe in the late 20's (just after he had made "The Circus"), but that he would ABSOLUTELY NOT be in his Tramp costume. At that point they scrambled to come up with the following: "Oh, Chaplin and Freud are bad imitators - hired actors, dressed up to attract customers."  So the restaurant hired them - as you might see bad imitators in Times Square or Hollywood? Ok. But if these are to be American icons in a European Cafe - Chaplin could make sense. A Brit - but found fame in America. But Freud was not even settled in America in the late 20's. He was in Vienna until escaping the Nazi's - so not an American icon in 1928. I also asked how the audience was supposed to recognize Freud - he's just a balding guy in a suit! He mentioned that he could wear a wig. Did he mean Einstein? Who first visited NY in 1921 but didn't emigrate until 1933? Their theories just didn't hold water for me.

My argument was that these figures (if the non-Chaplin guys would even be recognized) would raise more questions than they answered. We have a prince who is disguised as his attendant, and his attendant disguised as the Prince. To add these other icons would only serve to confuse in an already exposition-laden opening scene. Imagine, dance numbers with all of the chorus and ballet dressed as customers in the Cafe - then you have the Prince and his officers, dressed appropriately, and a few waiters - then you have these two random Famous Folks who would always stick out like two sore thumbs. They argued how valuable it is to have two total fakes making the Real Prince dressed up as a Fake Prince that much funnier. Huh? I need a road map in the program to make sense of all that.

So... the Americans won that one. 

Gregg and I lunch at new place – and I found my favorite lunch dish in Russia, to date.  A lovely chicken breast (NOT smoked - like most chicken here - why would you want to make chicken taste like bacon?) with vegetables in a Parmesan cream sauce.  Very tasty.

We meet every couple of days to talk over schedules with Tatiana Michaelovna.  She is THE scheduler... as well as the accompanist for the ballet rehearsals.  And she is INSANELY BRILLIANT at both jobs.  I hope they're paying her what she's worth because she is doing the work of LITERALLY 3 or 4 people.  She is always calm, sweet, FUNNY, warm, understanding and has a handle on this company.  Kirill (the artistic director) says that Lena (the dramaturg) is his right hand and Tatiana is his left hand in helping run the company.

We were discussing scheduling the choreography for the six little princes.  I mentioned that the each need a toy rifle.  Tatiana walked calmly to her closet and pulled out this little baby:

We explained that they needed to be smaller and less real looking - but we certainly appreciated her keen sense of humor and timing.

In the evening I had nearly the full company- chorus and ballet, included - to do tedious mathematical staging of massive palace scenes – how they enter, exit – whatever wasn’t choreography. Many of the ballet were snooty – bored, not wanting to wait around while I staged what the principals do in that scene. I actually skipped over most of the principal stuff to do at a later time without the chorus and ballet. But these folks love to let you know if THEY feel you are taking up their valuable time. Hey, aren't they paid by the government to be in these rehearsals? And to do what the production team feels is necessary to make the best show? Russia or America, feeling that attitude from performers is hugely demoralizing and does not help the process. 

Before the rehearsal started, I asked Ivgeny (the assistant director) to cancel the actress who plays Rosemarie because I knew I wouldn't get to her scene.  Then, she showed up! I asked the A.D. why she was there.  He said, "I didn't see her yet."  I put on my confused and exasperated American face.  I said to the actress, "Do you have a cell phone?" She said yes. "Can you receive texts?" I asked. She said yes. "Do you get email?" She said yes. I said to Ivgeny, "Have you ever heard of a cell phone, texting or email?" The A.D. then held up his cell phone and made a face LITERALLY of, "Oh, I never thought of that." REALLY!? I had to laugh. After I apologized to the actress. 

Crazy, huh?

DAY TWENTY FOUR - Wednesday April 18

DAY TWENTY FOUR - Wednesday April 18

On the way to rehearsal, I heard a song from our show, fully orchestrated, coming from the theatre.  It was the first orchestra rehearsal and it sounded AMAZING.  Here's a video of their SIGHT-READING one of the tunes:



I started staging scenes from the Epilogue - the final scene. Patti had some words with some of the second cast ballet dancers. Apparently, there are about five of them who (1) are bitter about being in the second cast - but Patti, rightfully, picked the 12 best dancers because that is what's best for the show - of course. But a few of these folks pout through the whole rehearsal, don't pay attention when Patti is teaching material and, therefore, are not prepared when it is their turn to try the dancing.  No wonder they are second string - self-fulfilling prophecy, really.

She has SO much choreography in this piece (I warned her when we first spoke about it) that she needs to focus on teaching the cast that will open the show.  The other folks probably don't even need to know it until next October! I told her that if the second cast was slowing her down, she should suggest that she teach them when, and if, she is done with the main choreography for the first cast. And if there's no time, they have the ballet staff who can teach it - besides, it would have to be re-taught in October, anyway, right?

We went for the business lunch at the same restaurant Gregg and I went to last night. It was a little disappointing.  I pointed to the soup I thought Gregg had last night (a delicious Thom Ka Gai - Thai chicken soup) but what was delivered has little sea creatures staring up at me from their rubbery little tentacles. 

DAY TWENTY THREE - Tuesday April 17

DAY TWENTY THREE - Tuesday April 17

Day off.  But lots of work.  Helped Janet in the morning (her night), then caught up on this-here blog. We're also on deadline with ads for the kids' yearbook so there has been lots of Photoshopping as well.

I have heaps of staging homework to do as well as to start scheduling rehearsals for HMS Pinafore (my next show) and selecting designers for Grease (the show after that). So lots to do in addition to this work.

Gregg and I found a new Chinese restaurant about 3 blocks away that was delicious.  All of these restaurants are open till midnight weekdays and till about 2AM on weekends!  

DAY TWENTY TWO - Monday April 16

DAY TWENTY TWO - Monday April 16

The start of week 4.  I can't believe that.  We're almost halfway through.

In the morning, I staged a group of chorus women who play 8 millionaire heiress friends of Mary (the title character).  We call them the Millionheiresses.  These are women who mostly sing with the chorus but sometimes have smaller roles.  I was impressed with their commitment, sense of comedy and focus.  So, in these fabulous costumes that Slava has designed, they'll be great.

Lunch at the Actors' House - remember, where Gregg and I went last week with Kirill - where his wife works.  We had a lovely lunch and showed Patti around the joint.

It turns out we're famous. In Asia. Well, in Russia. Well, in Ektarinburg. Well, in theatre circles. Well, at the actors' house. Well, on the bulletin board anyway.

A nice walk back to the theatre during which time we stopped to snap a few photos...

 Misha and Grisha

 Pisha and Grisha

Misha and Pisha

Another nap before rehearsal.

In the evening, Patti and I were together (Gregg too) working on musical staging.  First the romantic leads, then the comic leads.  But no one told us that we'd only have one of the three Prince Sandor's (romantic lead).  And that he had to leave an hour into rehearsal!  WHERE'S THE FREAKIN' STAGE MANAGER AS WE KNOW THEM??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good work done - however. I left a bit early when things turned to strict choreography to do some work at the room - and to Facetime with Janet and the kids. I can't say enough about how useful Skype and Facetime have been - it's pretty incredible that I can see their beautiful faces whenever I want - at least until the program cuts us off and we call back again, and again, and again. But, even with the interruptions, I'll take that any day to merely a phone call with a phone card - which I suppose was the only way just a few years ago.

After the rehearsal, Gregg and Patti hung out upstairs while I worked with Janet on her audition by Facetime.  After that, I joined them upstairs. But I was tired so it wasn't long before I hit the hay.