DAY FIFTY FIVE - Saturday May 19
Gregg had the orchestra in the theatre so he worked on the music while we ran act one. Then we joined him on stage for the big chorus numbers. It will sound great.
Here's me with one of the actors, Alexsei Alexseivich Shambor - he is one of the actors who plays Mary's father. He is a highly decorated actor in Russia (they have all these distinctions and honors) and he is the biggest bear of a sweetheart. From the first day, he would greet me with an aggressive slam of both his palms to his heart - one hand on the other. I incorporated it into the show as the salute to the prince.
Here's a video of some of the orchestra rehearsal. I went a little crazy and spent a little too much time editing together all permutations of songs 2 and 3!
Here's a nice little tale: the set designer - of whom you know I think the world - told me that there was a mix up in the costume shop. They thought all the girls in the chorus were supposed to be in men's costumes. Huh? I even saw the designs for the chorus women's costumes - separate from the ballet costumes. I did say that three women were dressed as male waiters in the cafe scenes - but not that ALL 10 women were to be dressed as men. So that's 17 costumes they have to scare up in less than a week! Oops. Oh, and another oops. The lighting designer (whose work I had seen here and is by far my favorite ) is suddenly unavailable due to illness. I had assumed they would arrange another lighting designer. Because it's a HUGE musical with about 30 scene transitions and 22 huge musical numbers. But I assumed incorrectly. Slava (the set and costume designer) is now the lighting designer as well! With his characteristic calm and charm, he says, "Horashow," - Good" and he says it with a tone that makes you believe him.
I then staged - re-staged, actually, the comic number between the King and Mary.
In the evening, I gave notes to the leads and worked a few scenes.
After rehearsal, Patti and I laid out the curtain call music and staging.
Gregg had the orchestra in the theatre so he worked on the music while we ran act one. Then we joined him on stage for the big chorus numbers. It will sound great.
Here's me with one of the actors, Alexsei Alexseivich Shambor - he is one of the actors who plays Mary's father. He is a highly decorated actor in Russia (they have all these distinctions and honors) and he is the biggest bear of a sweetheart. From the first day, he would greet me with an aggressive slam of both his palms to his heart - one hand on the other. I incorporated it into the show as the salute to the prince.
Here's a video of some of the orchestra rehearsal. I went a little crazy and spent a little too much time editing together all permutations of songs 2 and 3!
Here's a nice little tale: the set designer - of whom you know I think the world - told me that there was a mix up in the costume shop. They thought all the girls in the chorus were supposed to be in men's costumes. Huh? I even saw the designs for the chorus women's costumes - separate from the ballet costumes. I did say that three women were dressed as male waiters in the cafe scenes - but not that ALL 10 women were to be dressed as men. So that's 17 costumes they have to scare up in less than a week! Oops. Oh, and another oops. The lighting designer (whose work I had seen here and is by far my favorite ) is suddenly unavailable due to illness. I had assumed they would arrange another lighting designer. Because it's a HUGE musical with about 30 scene transitions and 22 huge musical numbers. But I assumed incorrectly. Slava (the set and costume designer) is now the lighting designer as well! With his characteristic calm and charm, he says, "Horashow," - Good" and he says it with a tone that makes you believe him.
I then staged - re-staged, actually, the comic number between the King and Mary.
In the evening, I gave notes to the leads and worked a few scenes.
After rehearsal, Patti and I laid out the curtain call music and staging.
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