So we had our first run through yesterday (Sunday).  It was pretty aggravating- you know, one of those rehearsals where everyone looses the script for the first time and has to call “line” every other word.  I have no clue how to show looks yet, but I never quite know until tech week.

I don’t know how I’m doing.  My songs are getting better- meaning I can consistantly belt each one, which is more than I could do before.

I’m getting worried that I just won’t do well.  I always freak out, but I feel that I’m just…not funny, which is the worst thing I could imagine.  I also have a lot of school work…yadda yadda yadda, I’m sure you’d all love to hear me complain.

We’re starting to rehearse later each day, which means tech week is coming soon.  I’m just nervous that we don’t have enough time.  Next week we have spring vacation for a week and then the next week we have tech week, which is kind of stinky.  I just want everything to turn out well for my final show.  Everyone’s doing really well, and I’m really proud of all the effort we’re all putting in, I just hope all that effort shows in the final product

A short post:

One month to go until the show.  Holy schmigoly oly!  I’ve been practicing my songs and they’re getting better.  That’s good.  The seniors had senior skip day yesterday, so we couldn’t go to dance rehearsal.  But I think everything will be good (fingers crossed).  I really need to memorize those lines, though.  Until something exciting happens,

Hailey

I just performed “No Time at All” for the last time.  I can’t believe it.  I’ve fallen absolutely in love with this number.  I may perform it every day in my room just for the sake of it!

I’m actually a little disappointed because Alex Annunziata poured way too much baby powder in my hair and it flew off every time I moved so I was laughing at some points during the song.  Hopefully it wasn’t too noticeable.

Alright.  Must get back to the show!

Opening night and closing night are generally the best.  That was completely falsified last night!  The second Friday performance was easily the best show we’ve had.  The audience was so alive, clapping and cheering from “Magic to Do” to “Finale.”

The best part of yesterday’s performance was a visit from North Rockland’s cast of Pippin!  It was easy to pick them out during “No Time at All.”  They were the row of kids screaming at the top of their lungs and waving their arms in the air.  After the performance, they all waited to congratulate us.  In all honesty, it was one of the best post show experiences of my high school career.  High school theatre can get very competitive, especially when it comes to schools performing the same show.  However, they all waited at the stage door to tell us how much they enjoyed the performance.  They seemed really excited by what we’d done with the show.  Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see their production, but I heard that it was a much more traditional version “Pippin.”  (I also heard that it was incredible!)  Maybe I’m a sap, but it was great to see two schools come together like that.     

On another note: I can’t believe tonight will be my last time performing on North’s stage.  It’s going to be a tough goodbye.

 Munchkinland

 Garrett (Guard) and I

 Rehearsal

Thanks to Georgina, Haley, Stephanie, Danielle G, Kyra, and Sam for these pictures (gotta love facebook!)!!

So, the Romantic Atmosphere musical number is finally finished.  It’s going to be really fun and hectic.  Some of the people are getting disguised so we can have the whole cast in the number, so watching my friend Jason put on a beard that made him look Amish was pretty golden.  

Not only did we work on the cafe number/romantic atmosphere, but Dennis (Marsha (our director)’s husband) is starting to work on this hugh fake iron thing to hang above the stage.  I don’t know how to explain it, but it will be cool.  Trust me, guys.

So, it’s been fun going to rehearsal, dancing, hanging out with friends.  I was ready to hate the rehearsals i just had because it was cutting into my vacation time, but I’m actually glad it happened.  Also, costumes are starting to be brought it.  And by brought in I mean they are in the corner of the gym (where were rehearse) staring me down.  Stop torturing me, costumes, and let me try you on!

I can’t believe it’s over.  It’s so weird to be here at school and not have rehearsal to go.  The experience was worth all of the time, though—we put on such an amazing show, and I think it’s fair to say that we all bonded with each other too.

The last two shows were both phenomenal, and we sold them both out too!!!  Hen Hud has never had a sold-out weekend before, so it’s super exciting to be a part of a HHHS history-making show.  I don’t really have much to say about the last few shows because they were both flawless.  Sure, there was a little bit too much smoke during the melting scene (which resulted in ad libs such as “Wow, the witch has a lot of smoke” or “I can’t see the broomstick because there’s too much smoke!!”), but other than that, everything was perfect.  The audiences were also fantastic, especially the Sunday afternoon show—with so many kids, there was so much laughter at such strange parts.  Steven and I had a stare-down in one scene because the audience laughed at a line that wasn’t really funny… but it was still really cute. 

I honestly feel apathetic about just having performed for the last time on the Hen Hud stage.  I think it’s partially because I’m just not an emotional person and I’m not fazed by stuff like this, but I also think it might be that it just hasn’t sunk in yet.  I further don’t see this as something ending—this is an experience that will always be really special and memorable to me.

Regardless, The Wizard of Oz has been a great experience, and I’m so grateful that I got to work with such an amazing and talented cast, crew, and directors.

We had a crazy opening night!!!!  Two things:  1)  We sold out the performance, which has neverhappened at Hen Hud before!!!  2)  We had a blackout in the middle of the show.

I can’t believe we sold out the performance!!!!!!  They had to actually turn people away at the door because we were so full—that’s never happened before, so we were all so pumped backstage when we heard.  So, naturally, the audience was amazing.  They laughed at everything, they cheered really loudly, and they were just all-around fantastic.  You could feel the energy in there—it was really, really amazing.  I’m so glad we had such a supportive audience!!

So the show was going really smoothly, and we were in the Munchkinland scene.  I had just done the “I’ll get you my pretty… and your little dog too!” line and ran offstage.  I saw the lights flicker a bunch of times and heard a thunder-esque noise, so I figured Tech was doing some new effects, then the lights go completely out onstage.  I thought Tech just made a mistake and went to blackout, so I went back into the chorus room (where we wait backstage), and thought nothing of it.  Then a bunch of people come backstage and were like, “The fuse on stage blew!!  We have no lights and sound!!”  We were all kind of confused, because that’s never happened before.  Meanwhile, Maddy’s onstage improvising things like, “How can I follow the Yellow Brick Road if I can’t see!?”, and I heard the audience laughing hysterically.  Yeah, Maddy!!!
A few minutes later, everyone comes offstage, and our directors came back and told us that we had to take a 10/15-minute break until the Tech crew could go fix the fuse or whatever else blew.  So we were all waiting backstage, trying to not freak out about this.  Sure enough, we get the announcement 10 or so minutes later that the lights were back on, so we all did a pump-up/energy circle again, then resumed the show. 
We’re blaming it on Friday the 13th!! 

The show itself went amazingly.  The audience was fantastic, everyone was spot-on, Tech was perfect, scene changes were flawless…  There were a few little things that happened (the ruby slippers didn’t disappear fast enough, Toto fell out of Maddy’s basket at one point,  etc.), but nothing that we couldn’t fix right away.  All in all, it was a fabulous show and everyone had a ton of fun.

A lot of people in the audience said that this was the best Hen Hud show they’ve ever seen.  That’s so exciting!!!!!!!!  And I’m really excited for tonight’s and tomorrow’s performances—I really think we’re going to sell out the shows again.
I’ll post some pictures tomorrow from our performances—the pictures I’ve seen so far are fantastic!

Great job everyone!!!

Opening night was absolutely amazing!  Everything fell perfectly into place and every performance was nothing short of incredible.  I’m so proud of everyone!

There are really no words to describe how great it felt to sing “No Time at All.”  People laughed, cheered, and, best of all, sang along.  When I got offstage, I was literally shaking from all of the adrenaline.  There’s absolutely nothing like performing for an audience.  I can’t wait to do it again four more times!  

Alex Annunziata (Catherine) came up to me right before “Magic to Do” started and said, “I can’t believe this is your last opening night.”  I can’t believe it either.

Today’s Agenda:

Rest (eg. sleep, movies, music)

Maryland v. Duke Basketball Game (Go Terps!)

Pippin at 8:00

I’m pausing my pre-show prep to write a short post about opening!  

I woke up this morning and felt a little under the weather.  But don’t worry, that’s a good thing!  I’ve been sick before every single Cue & Curtain show so I was actually a little nervous that I was feeling perfectly fine yesterday.  I’ve been home all afternoon resting and drinking lots of tea.  I’ll be ready to go by 8:00.  

The weirdest part about today is that I’m not the least bit nervous.  I’m sure I’ve just completely jinxed it and will now fall onstage or something, but it’s true.  My stomach isn’t shaking yet.  I’m confident in the show and I know it’s going to be incredible.  There’s nothing to really worry about.  Although ask me how I feel five minutes before places and I’m sure I’ll have a completely different answer for you!

Alright, time is running short.  I have to be at the theater in an hour so I’ll end with this: Best of luck to the entire cast, pit, and crew!  Break legs guys!