Two Birthdays and Opening Weekend

I can't believe how quickly time seems to be flying by. Seems like just last week I was unpacking my car and looking for a bed to buy on craigslist. Yesterday we wrapped up the end of opening week which was crazy busy why I haven't written anything for awhile.
I'll start at the beginning. The first part of our week at the theatre was rehearsals followed by previews. A preview is a run of the show just like it would be when we are open but it can still technically be considered a rehearsal. Those were looong days. We would arrive at the theatre 11:30 and get ready for rehearsal. From about 12:45 until 5:45 we would rehearse the show. Our cast has been particularly vocal so we spent a lot of time listening to discussion, moving furniture around to try new blocking, waiting for the lighting designer to fix cues and re-setting the stage to where ever the Daniella would want to work from.
At 5:45 we would go on dinner break for about an hour then come back to the theatre and get things ready for the show that night. The show itself runs pretty short, about and hour and a half with no intermission so we get done fairly early in the evening but we have to shut everything down and wait around until the end of notes - the director meets with all of the designers to get feedback and talk about things that need to be changed before the next preview and sometimes that takes a long time. So most nights I was getting home at about 11:30pm. I have to say our previews went pretty well at least from my perspective back stage. I have spent so much time running lines with our actors that I seem to know the show pretty well - word for word. Also during previews we were implementing script changes. The writer was back in town and they decided to make some changes - mostly cuts which made the actors pretty happy because it is always easier to get rid of a page of dialogue than add one a few hours before a performance. That was how most of the week went.
Thursday after our last preview I went out with my roommate in Irvine. You could technically say it was my first night out on the town in the OC. It was the birthday of one of her friends who had been over to our place and met me and he decided to invite me as well as her. I have to say it was pretty fun. I met them after they had dinner - a big group of people, maybe 15 or so - and we went to a bar, I have no idea what it was called but it was loud, there was a small dance floor and a live band. So we danced the night away and I met more of her friends. It was a pretty fun night and luckily for me Daniella decided to start rehearsal at 3:30 so I didn't have to be at the theatre until 3 the next day.
Friday was opening night and I found myself with the same jitters I've had at every opening night since I've been involved theatre. Deb and I had checked our preset list, the lemon meringue pie had thawed and we were ready to go. We had a pretty full house and they seemed to respond pretty well to the show. After the show was over the theatre hosts a big party on the terrace - basically the outside patio to the entrance of the theatre. There was an open bar along with stations of appetizer type foods. There was a table that was serving grits, a table with vegetables and fruit a dessert table and people walking around serving appetizers - mini chicken pot pies, chicken meatballs and mini grilled cheese sandwhiches. Music was playing and we bounced around chatting with all the theatre people. When they started turning the lights out on use we migrated to a bar down the street with the pride and prejudice cast and partied a little more. It was really a fun night. Unfortunately it was followed by a two show day.
Saturday we had a matinee and night show. It was also Jarrett's(one of the actors in our show) birthday so the stage management girls decorated his dressing room and I baked a pie. It was a fun little celebration and everyone loved my strawberry pie. It was the first time I had tried baking a lattice crust and I think it turned out pretty well. I'll post pictures eventually. Saturday almost the entire cast spent dinner break sleeping or lounging on couches recovering from friday. It is so crazy the way a show works. Friday we have a director and Saturday she's gone. Already back in New York. The show is all ours and it is our responsibility to make sure it doesn't change drastically from its original intent.
Saturday night I was in bed by 11:30 exhausted and desperately needing sleep to survive Sunday - another two show day. We all made it through the two shows on Sunday and I had big plans to go grocery shopping, do laundry and find a used book store today on my day off but so far none of those things have been accomplished. I did however manage to make biscuits and gravy for breakfast. Mmmmmm good! My roommate is in vegas for the weekend and won't be back until tomorrow morning - I kind of love having the house to myself, very relaxing and no worries about her bringing home guests at the last minute.
The first review came out on our show and it wasn't particularly good. We got an email from our director to be aware of it but to avoid discussing it with our actors. You can read it here: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/culturemonster/2011/10/theater-review-how-the-world-began-at-south-coast-repertory.html
Bad review or not I still get paid and so do the actors. I wouldn't necessarily say it is a bad review just kind of ho-hum and it does a good job of explaining the action of the show for those of you that won't get to see it. It will be interesting to see if other reviewers feel the same.
HAPPY MONDAY!!