Feb. 26

Crowns had their final performance on Sunday and it was a terrific show. Mary Jane Bowles the Director, Doug Arnold-Musical Director, Jason Munday-Percussion, and the cast did an outstanding job. I hope that we see a lot more of the cast from this show in future MHT productions. We are already planning for the next studio production in Feb. 2009.

Monday we continued to prepare for the Opening of Harriet the Spy along with work on the Charity League Follies. For Harriet Tech Director Jim Keeney worked on building two special beds that are about 2 feet wide and 4 feet long. He created custom headboards for each to help give us the feeling of location. He also is building a special cabinet that will act as Harriet's wardrobe, spy area, and a dressing screen. Lots of discussion happened about how to make the doors of the wardrobe function as both a screen for her to change clothes and wardrobe doors that wouldn't get in the way of sight lines when we didn't need the screen. I continued choreographing songs for the Follies rehearsal. Last night we had a large chorus group and worked just two songs over and over. By the end of the evening we had made lots of progress. Tonight we will review those songs and add a couple of more. We are still about 2 rehearsals behind where we should be.

For Harriet today we will record Harriet's voice onto a computer for playback during the show. There are a couple of moments when we hear Harriet's voice as other things happen on stage. Jim and I will also be moving lots of flats (wall sections) to the theatre's warehouse facility to clear space back stage for the scenery for Harriet the spy. Tech rehearsal is this Sunday. (That is the day we add sound, lights and costumes for the first time.) This week and next week are typically called Hell Week because of the extremely long hours the technical crew and performers put in to get ready for the opening. We still have a couple of scenic pieces that are only in the conceptual stage and those need to be finalized in order to meet our goals.

Diane Byrd and Emily Chapman worked on Anything Goes last Saturday afternoon. They are preparing for the dance workshops which start March 1. They look to be lots of fun and everyone interested can find out more details by clicking on the newsletter button on the website.

March 6-9 is Harriet the Spy performances. March 10 will be the Economic Impact of the Arts study meeting for the area. March 11 will be the theatre's preview night to unveil our 45th Anniversary schedule of plays. March 17 & 18 are the auditions for Zink. March is coming up quickly.

Wednesday Feb. 27 is the Board of Directors meeting to begin budget discussions and evaluate fundraisers for the rest of the current fiscal year.