DAY THIRTY SIX - Monday April 30
A day off - we were actually supposed to go on an overnight to the house outside of town of some friends of friends of Gregg's. But there was a snowstorm out there and they lost power.
We were also supposed to audition two new Bondys today - but both of those were cancelled as well.
I saw another famous Russian novel (by Alexander Grin) transformed to a pop musical, "Scarlet Sails". Many of our cast was in the show. A very modest production - but effective. Kirill found me during intermission to discuss the Bondy recasting situation. There was actually nothing to discuss because there was no audition today.
I learned some interesting information about how this company works. I thought the entire thing was supported by the government. It turns out only the physical plant and salaries are taken care of by the government. Production costs (sets, costumes, all technical elements) are paid by ticket sales and sponsors.
He mentioned that some of their more ambitious production can cost up to 20 million rubles (about $700,000). Very impressive, I think.
I hosted Gugu and Paulina (two of our translators) for a bit of peanut butter back in my apartment. I turns out that peanut butter cannot be found in Russia. Both these women have spent time in America and have longed for peanut butter ever since.
As I was walking them to the stage door, we ran into the daughter of the man who composed (and won A Golden Mask - Russian Tony Award) for "Dead Souls" the show I saw last week. She is a choreographer and her brother is a director and they asked if they could observe rehearsals. I, of course, said, "of course."
A day off - we were actually supposed to go on an overnight to the house outside of town of some friends of friends of Gregg's. But there was a snowstorm out there and they lost power.
We were also supposed to audition two new Bondys today - but both of those were cancelled as well.
I saw another famous Russian novel (by Alexander Grin) transformed to a pop musical, "Scarlet Sails". Many of our cast was in the show. A very modest production - but effective. Kirill found me during intermission to discuss the Bondy recasting situation. There was actually nothing to discuss because there was no audition today.
I learned some interesting information about how this company works. I thought the entire thing was supported by the government. It turns out only the physical plant and salaries are taken care of by the government. Production costs (sets, costumes, all technical elements) are paid by ticket sales and sponsors.
He mentioned that some of their more ambitious production can cost up to 20 million rubles (about $700,000). Very impressive, I think.
I hosted Gugu and Paulina (two of our translators) for a bit of peanut butter back in my apartment. I turns out that peanut butter cannot be found in Russia. Both these women have spent time in America and have longed for peanut butter ever since.
As I was walking them to the stage door, we ran into the daughter of the man who composed (and won A Golden Mask - Russian Tony Award) for "Dead Souls" the show I saw last week. She is a choreographer and her brother is a director and they asked if they could observe rehearsals. I, of course, said, "of course."
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