DeMizio's Journal

Monday's Theater Group

Sunday, May 18th 2003

11:30PM - fall asleep for tomorrow is an early morning. Set alarm for 7:30AM.

Monday, May 19th 2003

7:45AM - Wake up, looking at clock, realizing you forgot to turn the alarm on. Jump in the shower.
7:55AM - Get phone call from Angie, saying that she is stuck in traffic. Run out the door of E7 expecting heavy load in at the theater.
8:02AM - Arrive at theater. No one is there yet but your boss. Open the curtains, turn on the lights, open the loading dock doors.
8:20AM - Angie arrives. Suggests that perhaps the stage should be cleaned off. You agree.
8:30AM - Begin to wonder where the acting troupe is.
8:40AM - You've replaced all of the lamps that were out on the first electric. Angie has finished sweeping the steps to the green room, revealing their natural color (brown.)
8:45AM - Tidy up the lights on stage right, in the hope that someone won't hurt themselves walking around the area.
8:50AM - Still no sign of actors.
9:00AM - You keep walking through the theater to figure out what to do.
9:10AM - Angie leaves to get breakfast. You hit play on the CD player just to get some music - whatever was left in the tray whenever it was last used. It turns out to be a nice instrumental piano CD.
9:13AM - A version of "Ring Christmas Bells" comes on the CD. You think "How strange. It is May, and I am listening to "Ring Christmas Bells."
9:18AM - "Ring Christmas Bells" is now stuck in your head.
9:25AM - The group shows up and load in begins. They're professional so it begins smoothly.
9:27AM - You ask what time the show starts, and are told "9:45AM." You casually mention that you never got their light plot, and that that perhaps would be helpful. They explain what they need.
9:30AM - Angie begins to cut gels. You try and hook up their microphones into the house system. Thank goodness Dave just happens to walk in now to help out.
9:35AM - Mics successfully patched. You go to the catwalks to begin programming the specials that the group requires.
9:40AM - the lights are gelled.
9:45AM - You begin programming the board with some simple cues as the house is opened and the schoolchildren shuffle in.
10:00AM - The show begins. You're treated to a historical piece about the Shriver family of Union Mills, MD and their struggles during the Civil War.
11:00AM - The show ends. You breathe a sigh of relief and go downstairs for load out.
11:05AM - The head of the production company introduces himself on stage and says that for the next show they'd like a little more light in some of the scenes.
11:07AM - You're told that there will be a second show beginning at 11:15AM, just as soon as the troupe has gotten a bite to eat.
11:15AM - You're at the lightboard in the catwalk waiting for the show to begin.
11:20AM - Still waiting. "Ring Christmas Bells" repeats in your head for the hundredth time.
11:22AM - You pull out your Palm Pilot and read Sunday's news, since that was when you last used it.
11:28AM - Still no show. The audience has been in the house for 10 minutes now, and are getting restless. Finish reading the NY Time's sunday electronic edition.
11:35AM- The second show begins. You're treated to a historical piece about the Shriver family of Union Mills, MD and their struggles during the Civil War. AGAIN.
11:45AM - You realize their script has a break of thirty pages between things you have to do. THIRTY PAGES.
12:45PM - The show is over after a long Q&A session.
1:00PM - Load out commences.
1:35PM - The group leaves.
1:45PM - Your boss says she'll see you at 3PM and lets you have an incredibly long lunch.
1:55PM - You turn the lights off, and leave the theater.

It was a fun day, long day.

Ring Christmas bells, toll loud and long,
your message sweet, peal and prolong,
come all ye people join in the singing,
repeat the story told by the ringing,
)ring, ring, ring Christmas bells,
ring, ring, ring Christmas bells

Posted by Matthew at May 20, 2003 08:24 AM