We are still waiting on some final numbers from the Lowertown Festival to find out exactly how much the theatre earned from the event. But preliminary numbers are between $4-$5 thousand. With the success of the Holiday Home Tour it looks like the theatre will be closer to our special events fundraising goal than we thought. Membership donations are still lagging a bit from last year. Those two areas are what the board really works hard at trying to raise. Combined they represent about 1/4 of the theatres $500,000 budget for the year. The board approved the budget for next year and approved the nomination slate of officers and directors for the election which happens at the theatre's family reunion picnic on June 23.
At that picnic the theatre not only elects new board members but also gives out the infamous Golden Screw awards for moments during the year that things didn't go exactly right. I'm sure that one nomination this year will be for a moment during Zink when Ice Z decided to be overly enthusiastic about plopping into a chair. The only problem was she missed the chair and ended up on the floor. She made it look like it was supposed to happen but everyone onstage did everything in their power not to burst out laughing. That is a Golden Screw moment.
I watched rehearsal of Act 2 on Wednesday night and took photos (which I turned into a video on the directors blog page on the website). Last night I watched Act 1. Last night was the first night to run all of Act 1 off book (which means the actors don't get to hold their scripts) . For some parts of the Act 1 it was the first time they had run the scene since they were across the street in the classroom working with the set taped out on the floor. It is vastly different to pretend to walk down stairs and enter doors and exit on a taped out floor versus doing it with real stairs and doors while trying to remember lines, lyrics and pitches of songs, and dance choreography. The cast did a good job of trying to adapt- but the first time to run through off book in a new space is always a long difficult evening. There is lots of stopping and starting and going back as the director says- "No you enter from mid left, not down left or no you cross over to past the doorway." Followed by the actors saying "oh- is that mid left?"
I took lots of set and prop notes last night. Today Jim and I will need to clear lots of space behind the set and gather some more of the set props. We are trying to locate a violin and a case. There is a bit in the show when the gangster pulls out a tommy gun from the case and later on when he needs the gun he pulls out the violin. We have an antique wheel chair that will be used. We are building 2 beds, a bunk bed for the "brig", The brig walls itself which is a rolling platform with the bunk beds and 3 walls attached, a bar with a rolling wall behind it, and various other units while still trying to build the basic set. Jim was able to build the doors with a wooden sill plate that glides across the floor. Yesterday he raised the railing we had already built and finished the side railings up the stairs. He attached the doors to the door units that pivot into place.
We are short on crew for the show. The chorus actors will not only have to act but also move scenery for the scene changes. This ads a layer of tension to everything as they do costume changes and have to remember to move set pieces. Jim and I will also be filling in on crew positions as it takes 5 people to run the lights, followspot, sound, projections, and stage manage.
We are 2 weeks from opening and things are now moving into high gear. The program is due at the printers today which means any late additions will have to be done with a program insert. The tv commercial was created using music from the show and the photos I took last week. The newspaper ads start next week.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Wednesday May 28
Tonight is a board meeting. I've been working on my Executive report and usually what is just one page long has turned into almost twice as much. I was able to get web statistics for our website and we have about 100 views per day of people who spend time on our website. It is always challenging to keep the website up to date. I feel like I spend more and more time trying to do that on a regular basis with the photos, videos that are added and creating a new page for each show or class that is coming up. At the board meeting tonight we officially accept the nominating committee slate for next year. When we proposed 3 year terms to current board members ending in 2011 it was hard for me to think that 2011 was only 3 years away! We will do the wrap up for the Derby Party and the Lowertown festival fundraising events that happened in May. We are also trying to get a feel for how the current fiscal year will end and any final areas that need to be addressed before June 30.
Tonight we present our budget for the next fiscal year to the board for review. Presenting a budget sometimes is like doing a show. You have to believe that you can accomplish what the goals are but at the same time you get this queasy feeling in your stomach of all the things that could go wrong. Not only does the theatre organization depend on achieving the goals set out but people's jobs depend on it too. I know why the average life of an Executive Director in a non profit is generally 5-7 years. It is very hard to stop worrying all the time about the number of volunteers, the budget, the buildings, the staff, the board, and so much more. I am often reminded of the plate spinner. My job as the Executive Director is to keep a bunch of plates spinning and try not to let any fall. The wisdom I continually hope to gain is to know when to take a plate off a stick that shouldn't be kept spinning anymore. (Okay that's my soapbox for the day)
This afternoon as part of my community service I'm judging a talent show for Kindergarten through 2nd grade at Clark Elementary- April nominated me for this.
Tonight after the board meeting is rehearsal for Anything Goes. Fowler Black left the hospital this weekend after having both his gall bladder and appendix removed. I'm really hoping he will be back as soon as he is able. We need him! Jim Keeney and I are working on the cabin doors for the set for Anything Goes trying to decide if there is enough clearance for them to swing and clear the drape behind them or if we need to narrow the doors. Since the walls holding the doors have to swing into place it is really hard to keep the door spacing from expanding or collapsing and then the door won't close or open right. I'm meeting with the director to discuss some of the options which include what is called a sill iron at the bottom of the door (a metal strip about 1 " wide that connects one side of the bottom of the door frame to the other) or building a small step through wooden panel like they have in some ships to keep water flowing into the rooms. With both methods the actors have to be very aware of the bottom piece. The question would be is it less awkward to step over a big piece or a little piece. The little piece tends to make everyone trip because they forget it is there.
These questions and more will be answered later today when we have to make the decision and build the piece so we can move on! If you have any comments on this or any other post I would love to hear from you. Just click on the comment button at bottom of this post. I added a slide show to the top of this post.
Tonight we present our budget for the next fiscal year to the board for review. Presenting a budget sometimes is like doing a show. You have to believe that you can accomplish what the goals are but at the same time you get this queasy feeling in your stomach of all the things that could go wrong. Not only does the theatre organization depend on achieving the goals set out but people's jobs depend on it too. I know why the average life of an Executive Director in a non profit is generally 5-7 years. It is very hard to stop worrying all the time about the number of volunteers, the budget, the buildings, the staff, the board, and so much more. I am often reminded of the plate spinner. My job as the Executive Director is to keep a bunch of plates spinning and try not to let any fall. The wisdom I continually hope to gain is to know when to take a plate off a stick that shouldn't be kept spinning anymore. (Okay that's my soapbox for the day)
This afternoon as part of my community service I'm judging a talent show for Kindergarten through 2nd grade at Clark Elementary- April nominated me for this.
Tonight after the board meeting is rehearsal for Anything Goes. Fowler Black left the hospital this weekend after having both his gall bladder and appendix removed. I'm really hoping he will be back as soon as he is able. We need him! Jim Keeney and I are working on the cabin doors for the set for Anything Goes trying to decide if there is enough clearance for them to swing and clear the drape behind them or if we need to narrow the doors. Since the walls holding the doors have to swing into place it is really hard to keep the door spacing from expanding or collapsing and then the door won't close or open right. I'm meeting with the director to discuss some of the options which include what is called a sill iron at the bottom of the door (a metal strip about 1 " wide that connects one side of the bottom of the door frame to the other) or building a small step through wooden panel like they have in some ships to keep water flowing into the rooms. With both methods the actors have to be very aware of the bottom piece. The question would be is it less awkward to step over a big piece or a little piece. The little piece tends to make everyone trip because they forget it is there.
These questions and more will be answered later today when we have to make the decision and build the piece so we can move on! If you have any comments on this or any other post I would love to hear from you. Just click on the comment button at bottom of this post. I added a slide show to the top of this post.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Sunday May 25 11 pm
This years lowertown festival is now history. To set up for the event the Buzzard brothers bring in 2 working sink units. A commercial refrigerator, A large warming storage container on wheels, a hot water heater, a prep and serving tables, food warmers, boxes and bags of paper towels, baskets, aluminum foil, a huge container of meat, and two large trailered BBQ cooking units, along with two large tents. By 4 pm today we had sold everything that was cooked for the weekend. Several guys make up the Buzzard Bros. along with a couple of younger workers the Buzzard Bros. call Chicken Hawks. They are all terrific people who do this because they love to get together and do something worthwhile for the community. After several truck and trailer trips back to Kirchhoffs storage area the equipment was returned cleaned and ready to go for the next event.
Special thanks need to go to the Market House Theatre volunteers who all signed up for 2 hour shifts over the 3 day festival to make sandwiches and package, ribs, chicken wings, BBQ chicken sandwiches, rice and beans, pulled pork sandwiches, and muffelatas, sell drinks and cookies. MHT board members signed up for 4 hour shifts as shift captains, and Marsha Cash pretty much lived at the festival for 3 days and her husband Floyd who gave up his birthday today to help make sure everything went smoothly. Thank you to both Marsha and Floyd! Thanks also to Renie and Don Barger who volunteered to work both Saturday and Sunday shifts! I wish I had a photo of Don Barger with his ear plugs in smiling away as he prepared the food. The music was so loud at times Saturday night that the crew resorted to hand signals to communicate.
This is a tremendous amount of work and the funds raised will go toward meeting our fundraising goal for the current year which ends June 30. One of the real benefits that I saw while I worked today was the positive attitude everyone had to help out the theatre. Everyone connected deserves a big thank and a well done! Another positive from the event was pulling together to accomplish this goal. It took over 60 people to make this event happen and working together we accomplished something special.
I think it is also important on this Memorial Day weekend when we spent time celebrating the arts in Paducah and raising funds for MHT to stop for a moment to honor our service men and women who have sacrificed so much for us. It is a very small gesture on MHT's part but we decided at the beginning of this season that we would have a reduced price for all veterans to our shows. Each show we have a few veterans who purchase tickets and it is our way of saying thanks for their service to our country and community.
While there is rehearsal on Monday for Anything Goes everyone else at theatre will be taking a day off for Memorial Day.
Special thanks need to go to the Market House Theatre volunteers who all signed up for 2 hour shifts over the 3 day festival to make sandwiches and package, ribs, chicken wings, BBQ chicken sandwiches, rice and beans, pulled pork sandwiches, and muffelatas, sell drinks and cookies. MHT board members signed up for 4 hour shifts as shift captains, and Marsha Cash pretty much lived at the festival for 3 days and her husband Floyd who gave up his birthday today to help make sure everything went smoothly. Thank you to both Marsha and Floyd! Thanks also to Renie and Don Barger who volunteered to work both Saturday and Sunday shifts! I wish I had a photo of Don Barger with his ear plugs in smiling away as he prepared the food. The music was so loud at times Saturday night that the crew resorted to hand signals to communicate.
This is a tremendous amount of work and the funds raised will go toward meeting our fundraising goal for the current year which ends June 30. One of the real benefits that I saw while I worked today was the positive attitude everyone had to help out the theatre. Everyone connected deserves a big thank and a well done! Another positive from the event was pulling together to accomplish this goal. It took over 60 people to make this event happen and working together we accomplished something special.
I think it is also important on this Memorial Day weekend when we spent time celebrating the arts in Paducah and raising funds for MHT to stop for a moment to honor our service men and women who have sacrificed so much for us. It is a very small gesture on MHT's part but we decided at the beginning of this season that we would have a reduced price for all veterans to our shows. Each show we have a few veterans who purchase tickets and it is our way of saying thanks for their service to our country and community.
While there is rehearsal on Monday for Anything Goes everyone else at theatre will be taking a day off for Memorial Day.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Saturday May 24
Check out the photos I took on the side to see all the stuff happening at MHT on Sat. May 24. To see lots more photos click on the link at the left side of the home page.
I stopped by the Lowertown festival last night and purchased a 1/2 rack of ribs from the Buzzard Brothers booth manned by MHT volunteers Sherry Shadle, Mark and Julia Schaberg, Randy Davis, and volunteer coordinator Marsha Cash. Earlier in the day when I was delivering some change for Marsha to buy ice for the soft drinks for the volunteers I was greeted by the sunglasses brigade of volunteers at the Buzzard Bros. booth of Sarah Bynum, Vickie Shelby and Becky Haus. MHT will receive a share of all the food sales from the booth as a fundraiser event.
Saturday morning started out with Footlights at 8 am. April had a list of needs for the day. I went to prop storage and hunted for several unusual prop pieces for use with the high school footlights troupe improv show that performed at11 am. As soon as the show was finished it was rush over to the lowertown festival and set up for Story Theatre performance of the Three kittens.
After the show it was time to pack the show back up in the theatre van and return it back to MHT. Then April, Jade, and I loaded back into our personal vehicle and headed back over to the festival. We stopped by the Buzzard Bros. booth to see if everything was okay and ordered some more ribs. Louie Kirchhoff and his "brothers" out did themselves with the food this year. It was great.
I heard from a friend of Fowler Black that he hopes to be released from the hospital tomorrow. We still don't know what that means in terms of a return to rehearsals but we will keep our fingers crossed.
Tomorrow another 3 shifts of workers will man the Buzzard Bros. booth and then strike it all at 4 pm and clean up. April and I did our best to help support the lowertown festival with food purchases, T shirt purchases and Art purchases. The next theatre board meeting is this coming Wed. Hopefully we will have some numbers from the festival to know how we did as a fundraiser.
I stopped by the Lowertown festival last night and purchased a 1/2 rack of ribs from the Buzzard Brothers booth manned by MHT volunteers Sherry Shadle, Mark and Julia Schaberg, Randy Davis, and volunteer coordinator Marsha Cash. Earlier in the day when I was delivering some change for Marsha to buy ice for the soft drinks for the volunteers I was greeted by the sunglasses brigade of volunteers at the Buzzard Bros. booth of Sarah Bynum, Vickie Shelby and Becky Haus. MHT will receive a share of all the food sales from the booth as a fundraiser event.
Saturday morning started out with Footlights at 8 am. April had a list of needs for the day. I went to prop storage and hunted for several unusual prop pieces for use with the high school footlights troupe improv show that performed at11 am. As soon as the show was finished it was rush over to the lowertown festival and set up for Story Theatre performance of the Three kittens.
After the show it was time to pack the show back up in the theatre van and return it back to MHT. Then April, Jade, and I loaded back into our personal vehicle and headed back over to the festival. We stopped by the Buzzard Bros. booth to see if everything was okay and ordered some more ribs. Louie Kirchhoff and his "brothers" out did themselves with the food this year. It was great.
I heard from a friend of Fowler Black that he hopes to be released from the hospital tomorrow. We still don't know what that means in terms of a return to rehearsals but we will keep our fingers crossed.
Tomorrow another 3 shifts of workers will man the Buzzard Bros. booth and then strike it all at 4 pm and clean up. April and I did our best to help support the lowertown festival with food purchases, T shirt purchases and Art purchases. The next theatre board meeting is this coming Wed. Hopefully we will have some numbers from the festival to know how we did as a fundraiser.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Thursday May 22
Well its almost midnight again and I've just finished uploading a video of the publicity shots I took last night. I spent most of the day working on the photos after I returned the costumes we used last night back to Creatures of Habit and running out to Sears to return for a credit the unused parts from the new dryer installation kit the theatre just purchased. As I drove out to Sears I wondered if the credit would be more than the gas it cost me to drive out to the mall from downtown. It was fortunately. Every penny counts at the present time.
Alexis worked on group sales today as we prepared to send out information on school matinee information to the schools for next season. School matinees for High School Musical and, Ramona Quimby are scheduled and ready for booking. We are planning on a very special production of the play The Secret Life of Girls which is focused on the bullying that happens in schools. The play uses a screen that shows real time texting and emailing that happens between the characters. We will produce the show in our studio theatre with a "talk back" after the show with a counseling professional who will help to provide tools to deal with bullying. We are still working on the dates for this production.
April and the Story Theatre troupe are at Lone Oak Elementary and Clark Elementary School tomorrow. April has spent the evening pouring over the materials for the Summer Drama Camp Cinderella.
Yesterday I wrote about a cast member from Anything Goes who went to the hospital. That cast member is Fowler Black. Fowler today notified Diane that he is having surgery tomorrow for his Gallbladder. Fowler has the lead in the play as the romantic lead. We will keep our fingers crossed and our thoughts and prayers with him tomorrow at 2 pm when he has his surgery. Hopefully Fowler will be back to rehearsal as soon as possible!
Tonight the Anything Goes cast rehearsed the end of the show. At four pm today before the rehearsal, Jim Keeney and I along with cast members Adam Gilliam and Chris Schnarr helped the Buzzard Brothers setup for the Lowertown Festival. We set up tents, unloaded refrigerators, serving tables, warmers, and helped place two large BBQ cookers in place along with 5 of the Buzzard Brothers. The festival starts tomorrow afternoon and looks to be a lot of fun!
Alexis worked on group sales today as we prepared to send out information on school matinee information to the schools for next season. School matinees for High School Musical and, Ramona Quimby are scheduled and ready for booking. We are planning on a very special production of the play The Secret Life of Girls which is focused on the bullying that happens in schools. The play uses a screen that shows real time texting and emailing that happens between the characters. We will produce the show in our studio theatre with a "talk back" after the show with a counseling professional who will help to provide tools to deal with bullying. We are still working on the dates for this production.
April and the Story Theatre troupe are at Lone Oak Elementary and Clark Elementary School tomorrow. April has spent the evening pouring over the materials for the Summer Drama Camp Cinderella.
Yesterday I wrote about a cast member from Anything Goes who went to the hospital. That cast member is Fowler Black. Fowler today notified Diane that he is having surgery tomorrow for his Gallbladder. Fowler has the lead in the play as the romantic lead. We will keep our fingers crossed and our thoughts and prayers with him tomorrow at 2 pm when he has his surgery. Hopefully Fowler will be back to rehearsal as soon as possible!
Tonight the Anything Goes cast rehearsed the end of the show. At four pm today before the rehearsal, Jim Keeney and I along with cast members Adam Gilliam and Chris Schnarr helped the Buzzard Brothers setup for the Lowertown Festival. We set up tents, unloaded refrigerators, serving tables, warmers, and helped place two large BBQ cookers in place along with 5 of the Buzzard Brothers. The festival starts tomorrow afternoon and looks to be a lot of fun!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Midnight May 21
I'm up late trying to finish up some work from home and thought I would finish with a blog entry. Since last Sunday we have worked on several things. Jim Keeney has built the rounded platforms for Anything Goes. He made the frames from plywood and 2x4 and then wet Masonite and paneling so that it would bend around the curved corners. Marsha Cash is madly trying to fill the last few spaces for the Lowertown festival volunteer slots. MHT is helping the Buzzard Bros. serve food at the festival and in exchange they are giving us part of the proceeds as a fundraising event. The setup for the festival starts tomorrow at 4 pm and runs through Sunday at 4 pm when we help with the tear down. Several 2 hour shifts are still in need of people and it takes no experience. The volunteers will help serve food.
Alexis has started printing out the season tickets on the new ticket stock for next season. We ordered a different color from the past year. April is finishing up her school workshops as well as continuing the Story Theatre tour of the 3 Little Kittens. They have performed 4 shows since Sunday. April has also been helping me and working late at night on the newsletter which will go out to the printers tomorrow. We will post it online and email it tomorrow as well. It takes quite a bit of time to write the articles and layout the newsletter. April and I do all the writing and layout work and then send the finished file to the printer.
Today Jim and I unloaded the Story Theatre van after its final show of the day and put new wheels on one of the rolling units and re-loaded the van. The tour only has 2 weeks left but the units get a lot of hard use. One of the casters on the sound box got stuck two days ago and the cast has had to wheel the box in continuous circles to get it into the schools for the show.
Tonight I took publicity photos of Anything Goes and worked to put the new photo on the header of our website. To put the photo on I have to photoshop the background out and resize the photo to the correct size and then merge it into the header. I stopped earlier this afternoon and picked up some costumes from creatures of habit for the photos tonight. Natalie called me to ask if we were still doing photos because she called one of the principal actors to ask him to come in for a costume fitting today and he told her he was in the hospital and couldn't make it. We contacted the actor and he was waiting to hear from the doctors as to what was wrong. Some of the options were appendicitis, gall bladder, or unknown. I don't want to mention the actors name until I find out more.
While I was at rehearsal tonight Diane Byrd the director and I discussed the actors condition and decided to wait until we know more before beginning to panic. Diane was also having a problem with a scene in which she has to get 5 people on in the scene in an area of the stage that is too small. I moved around some of the wall units that we were playing with and increased the size. We will have to build a "bunk bed" for the brig along with a cell door and two wall units. Fortunately we still had a cell door from the Story Theatre tour of Hansel and Gretel so that might speed things up a bit. I was worried that trying to climb up on the bed which also had to roll in place during a fast scene change might cause the unit to tip over. We worked out some extra walls which should stabilize the unit.
I spent some time reworking the video on the home page of the website from the Zink Back stage. I video taped the cast from Zink talking about their experience working at MHT and doing the play. The show had a great effect on the actors and the audience. A oncology doctor saw the play and told a friend that it helped her to understand what she was leaving out when she talks to patients and what the nurses who followed on behind her sometimes had to do with patients. A retired pastor of a local church saw the show and commented that it should be mandatory for all young people entering the seminary to address issues of children and illness.
Tomorrow I'll continue to photoshop the publicity photos I took tonight and create a television commercial and a newspaper ad. I also have promised to help with the setup at the lowertown festival. I communicated with Eric Hobbs and MHT will begin hosting Eric's Improv classes for adults in June. I'll post more details as we know them. Oops I almost forgot that I met with Renie Barger and one of the nominees for the board for next season today. Meetings with possible board members are always something I look forward to. It's a chance to fill someone new in on all the things we do at MHT. It's almost 12:30 am and I outa here!
Alexis has started printing out the season tickets on the new ticket stock for next season. We ordered a different color from the past year. April is finishing up her school workshops as well as continuing the Story Theatre tour of the 3 Little Kittens. They have performed 4 shows since Sunday. April has also been helping me and working late at night on the newsletter which will go out to the printers tomorrow. We will post it online and email it tomorrow as well. It takes quite a bit of time to write the articles and layout the newsletter. April and I do all the writing and layout work and then send the finished file to the printer.
Today Jim and I unloaded the Story Theatre van after its final show of the day and put new wheels on one of the rolling units and re-loaded the van. The tour only has 2 weeks left but the units get a lot of hard use. One of the casters on the sound box got stuck two days ago and the cast has had to wheel the box in continuous circles to get it into the schools for the show.
Tonight I took publicity photos of Anything Goes and worked to put the new photo on the header of our website. To put the photo on I have to photoshop the background out and resize the photo to the correct size and then merge it into the header. I stopped earlier this afternoon and picked up some costumes from creatures of habit for the photos tonight. Natalie called me to ask if we were still doing photos because she called one of the principal actors to ask him to come in for a costume fitting today and he told her he was in the hospital and couldn't make it. We contacted the actor and he was waiting to hear from the doctors as to what was wrong. Some of the options were appendicitis, gall bladder, or unknown. I don't want to mention the actors name until I find out more.
While I was at rehearsal tonight Diane Byrd the director and I discussed the actors condition and decided to wait until we know more before beginning to panic. Diane was also having a problem with a scene in which she has to get 5 people on in the scene in an area of the stage that is too small. I moved around some of the wall units that we were playing with and increased the size. We will have to build a "bunk bed" for the brig along with a cell door and two wall units. Fortunately we still had a cell door from the Story Theatre tour of Hansel and Gretel so that might speed things up a bit. I was worried that trying to climb up on the bed which also had to roll in place during a fast scene change might cause the unit to tip over. We worked out some extra walls which should stabilize the unit.
I spent some time reworking the video on the home page of the website from the Zink Back stage. I video taped the cast from Zink talking about their experience working at MHT and doing the play. The show had a great effect on the actors and the audience. A oncology doctor saw the play and told a friend that it helped her to understand what she was leaving out when she talks to patients and what the nurses who followed on behind her sometimes had to do with patients. A retired pastor of a local church saw the show and commented that it should be mandatory for all young people entering the seminary to address issues of children and illness.
Tomorrow I'll continue to photoshop the publicity photos I took tonight and create a television commercial and a newspaper ad. I also have promised to help with the setup at the lowertown festival. I communicated with Eric Hobbs and MHT will begin hosting Eric's Improv classes for adults in June. I'll post more details as we know them. Oops I almost forgot that I met with Renie Barger and one of the nominees for the board for next season today. Meetings with possible board members are always something I look forward to. It's a chance to fill someone new in on all the things we do at MHT. It's almost 12:30 am and I outa here!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
May 18 Sunday
Yesterday (Saturday 17th) was a day with a to do list. Today was a filled with quick decisions and celebration. Saturday began with Footlights in the morning taught by April. Next Saturday is the last footlights class for the year. The High School troupe will perform a comedy improv show next Saturday in the Studio Theatre at 11 am. While April was teaching I was out at Sears purchasing a new dryer for the costume shop. The theatre's washer and dryer were both purchased when we moved in to the second stage building over 10 years ago. The washer died earlier this year and was replaced. The dryer lasted just a short time longer and the replacement will be delivered Tuesday. Zink performed the Saturday matinee and then we all went home. I made photo cd's of the show until midnight. April prepared for the cast party at our home.
This morning (Sunday 18th) about 11 am. Betty Wise who plays the nurse in Zink called to tell April that her sister had been rushed to the hospital in Madisonville and was in serious condition. Betty called as she was leaving Paducah. At first Betty thought she might be back in time for the 2:30 matinee today. But as Betty found out more and more about her sisters condition it became apparent that Betty would not be able to do the show today. I was at church when Betty called and April was at home getting ready for the party. There are no understudies for the shows. Usually when something like this happens April or I fill in since we know the shows so well. I was already in the show as the father so I couldn't do it. April was running a complicated sound design for the production and couldn't leave that to someone who had never had a chance to run it. Especially since she was calling cues for the lights and sound. April even thought of doing the part herself by walking from the control booth onto the stage and back to the booth (located at the right rear of the audience seating area). But that choice didn't work eitehr for a couple of the complicated scenes with sound and the nurse character.
April thought of canceling the performance since the audience only seats 60 people and we knew most of the audience today was family and friends. We would never be able to cancel something like this in our main theatre which seats 240. However to cancel your last show feels incomplete and is not really a desirable choice. That old phrase the show must go on is really true. April called me just as I was leaving church to stop and pick up some cd covers on my way home. I thought about several actors who might be able to walk in at the last minute and carry a script but none of them had seen the play and didn't know the character. I tried to think of who had been in the audience and Cindy Miller suddenly came to mind. Cindy's daughter Maria is in the show and Cindy had seen the play last weekend. I have directed Cindy in a couple of shows and worked with her in Sanders Family Christmas where she was musical director and also acted in the play. She is a talented actress and really well grounded when it comes to a crises. In the time it took me to drive from 9th and Kentucky Ave to 28th St I knew what to do. I called April and told her to call Cindy. April tried to contact her but could only get her voicemail. I was home by this point and April and I both decided to try First Presbyterian Church where Cindy and her family are members. April called the church and talked to someone who promised they would find Cindy and have her call. Cindy called April. April explained the situation and Cindy met April at the theatre at 12:45 to go over the part. Cindy would carry a script and read from the script for the characters lines. The tricky thing is that timing on the lines is critical to the show. Sometimes things are slower paced and other times the lines overlap. If you aren't familiar with how a show has developed it is easy to get lost trying to follow in the script.
Cindy and April ran through the blocking (movement) for the character and where she entered and exited from. They reviewed the scene changes that the character had to help with. When the cast members started arriving at 1 pm they were pulled in and we worked a couple of the scenes with Sydney, Marsha and Cindy. At 2 pm the house (auditorium) opened for seating and Cindy moved upstairs with the cast to continue to work on the dialogue.
At 2:30pm April called places for the actors and did the pre-show speech to the audience to thank our sponsors. April explained to the audience that Betty Wise would not be performing in the show today. Her sister was very ill and that our thoughts and prayers with with Betty and her sister. April explained that Cindy Miller who had only just gotten a script only an hour and a half ago would be performing the role.
Cindy did an outstanding job. We were all extremely proud of her for stepping in at the last moment. Betty contacted us at the end of the show and told that her sister was going in for surgery.
The cast and crew gathered at the Cochran home about an hour after the show ended and everyone ate lots of food and celebrated the successful performance run of Zink. Betty called at the end of the party to tell us that her sister had made it through the surgery and that the doctors were encouraged. Our thoughts and prayers remain with Betty and her family. Our thanks goes to Cindy Miller for being willing to step in and in true theatre style prove once again that the show will go on. As the kids enjoyed the beautiful weather running around our back yard playing hide and seek I was reminded again how close this group had become. Six weeks ago most of them were strangers. Today they were friends and an extended family. That is one of the real joys of community theatre. April and I worked in professional theatre before moving to Paducah. This was my first contact with community theatre. Like many others I didn't understand what true community theatre is. It is people from all walks of life and ages coming together to create community and create art. We don't just entertain... We change lives was never more true than today.
This morning (Sunday 18th) about 11 am. Betty Wise who plays the nurse in Zink called to tell April that her sister had been rushed to the hospital in Madisonville and was in serious condition. Betty called as she was leaving Paducah. At first Betty thought she might be back in time for the 2:30 matinee today. But as Betty found out more and more about her sisters condition it became apparent that Betty would not be able to do the show today. I was at church when Betty called and April was at home getting ready for the party. There are no understudies for the shows. Usually when something like this happens April or I fill in since we know the shows so well. I was already in the show as the father so I couldn't do it. April was running a complicated sound design for the production and couldn't leave that to someone who had never had a chance to run it. Especially since she was calling cues for the lights and sound. April even thought of doing the part herself by walking from the control booth onto the stage and back to the booth (located at the right rear of the audience seating area). But that choice didn't work eitehr for a couple of the complicated scenes with sound and the nurse character.
April thought of canceling the performance since the audience only seats 60 people and we knew most of the audience today was family and friends. We would never be able to cancel something like this in our main theatre which seats 240. However to cancel your last show feels incomplete and is not really a desirable choice. That old phrase the show must go on is really true. April called me just as I was leaving church to stop and pick up some cd covers on my way home. I thought about several actors who might be able to walk in at the last minute and carry a script but none of them had seen the play and didn't know the character. I tried to think of who had been in the audience and Cindy Miller suddenly came to mind. Cindy's daughter Maria is in the show and Cindy had seen the play last weekend. I have directed Cindy in a couple of shows and worked with her in Sanders Family Christmas where she was musical director and also acted in the play. She is a talented actress and really well grounded when it comes to a crises. In the time it took me to drive from 9th and Kentucky Ave to 28th St I knew what to do. I called April and told her to call Cindy. April tried to contact her but could only get her voicemail. I was home by this point and April and I both decided to try First Presbyterian Church where Cindy and her family are members. April called the church and talked to someone who promised they would find Cindy and have her call. Cindy called April. April explained the situation and Cindy met April at the theatre at 12:45 to go over the part. Cindy would carry a script and read from the script for the characters lines. The tricky thing is that timing on the lines is critical to the show. Sometimes things are slower paced and other times the lines overlap. If you aren't familiar with how a show has developed it is easy to get lost trying to follow in the script.
Cindy and April ran through the blocking (movement) for the character and where she entered and exited from. They reviewed the scene changes that the character had to help with. When the cast members started arriving at 1 pm they were pulled in and we worked a couple of the scenes with Sydney, Marsha and Cindy. At 2 pm the house (auditorium) opened for seating and Cindy moved upstairs with the cast to continue to work on the dialogue.
At 2:30pm April called places for the actors and did the pre-show speech to the audience to thank our sponsors. April explained to the audience that Betty Wise would not be performing in the show today. Her sister was very ill and that our thoughts and prayers with with Betty and her sister. April explained that Cindy Miller who had only just gotten a script only an hour and a half ago would be performing the role.
Cindy did an outstanding job. We were all extremely proud of her for stepping in at the last moment. Betty contacted us at the end of the show and told that her sister was going in for surgery.
The cast and crew gathered at the Cochran home about an hour after the show ended and everyone ate lots of food and celebrated the successful performance run of Zink. Betty called at the end of the party to tell us that her sister had made it through the surgery and that the doctors were encouraged. Our thoughts and prayers remain with Betty and her family. Our thanks goes to Cindy Miller for being willing to step in and in true theatre style prove once again that the show will go on. As the kids enjoyed the beautiful weather running around our back yard playing hide and seek I was reminded again how close this group had become. Six weeks ago most of them were strangers. Today they were friends and an extended family. That is one of the real joys of community theatre. April and I worked in professional theatre before moving to Paducah. This was my first contact with community theatre. Like many others I didn't understand what true community theatre is. It is people from all walks of life and ages coming together to create community and create art. We don't just entertain... We change lives was never more true than today.
Friday, May 16, 2008
May 16
It is about 11pm Friday night and I'm working from home on the newsletter. Thursday I spent most of the day working on the website. Creating descriptions for next seasons plays and putting in the audition dates. I also updated several pages with new photos on the photo gallery page and added descriptions for preschool classes on the home page, summer workshop page and on the classes page. I also updated the story theatre/workshops page. We finalized details for the summer lunch box theatre show during the summer festival and talked with the caterer about food prices for the event.
The afternoon was more of the same except for the phone call from the representative for AACT which is the American Association of Community Theaters. The representative called me to talk about our credit card processing fees. AACT has worked to get a lower fee structure for member theatres. I've shopped these fees before. I was amazed to discover all of the hidden fees that are associated with our accepting Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. Each credit card has a different percentage that is charged to the theatre for accepting it based on the amount charged. In addition there is a transaction fee charged to the theatre for each transaction. Visa and Mastercards also have different rates depending on whether it is a debit card, a standard card, and a corporate card (like a Shell Visa card or a different company Visa). My head was swimming with numbers by the end of the call trying to sort out exactly what we pay to do business with credit cards. In addition there are different companies for our in house box office and our online ticket sales. To jump to the end we pay almost $5,000 a year in fees to accept credit cards.
Many theatres charge you a transaction fee for every transaction. Market House Theatre does not. We don't charge to do phone sales or walk up sales. We do charge a fee to cover our costs for online sales. We have struggled for years to keep up with rising costs and wrestled with adding fees. We have come down on the side of our customer and kept any costs incurred inside the ticket price except for our online sales. If you walk up to the box office or order tickets by telephone we are one of the few theaters that doesn't charge you more than the cost of the tickets. I don't know how long we will be able to hold out against that trend but the public is safe for at least another year.
Today I worked on articles for the newsletter and then had to make a quick trip to South Livingston Elementary to check on a bad microphone for the story theatre tour. One of our wireless body mics isn't working well. I stopped at Rowton Audio on the way back and rented a unit that we can use until the end of the tour in 2 weeks. These units are very expensive to purchase. I had just dropped off a unit on Thursday that went bad earlier in the week. We have had some of the wireless packs for 10 years.
When I returned to the theater Jim Keeney and I talked about some of the set pieces for Anything Goes. We need two beds, a bunk bed, a rolling bar unit and several tables and chairs. I then went back to the office and Marsha was working on a big poster for the lobby for Anything Goes. We purchased a large format printer used several years ago and haven't used it for a couple of years. I dragged it out of the scene shop office were it was collecting dust and down to the lobby and tried to load drivers and get it up and running. I only partially succeeded. I'll have to work on it again Monday.
Saturday brings footlights in the morning, and Zink in the afternoon. April is at home this evening getting ready for the cast party on Sunday at our home for the cast. It is traditional that after the last performance the cast strikes (takes down) the set and then goes to the directors house for a party. April tries to make a couple of special items for the party. Two more performances of Zink and then the show is over. It has been a good run for the cast. We are 3 weeks from opening for Anything Goes.
The afternoon was more of the same except for the phone call from the representative for AACT which is the American Association of Community Theaters. The representative called me to talk about our credit card processing fees. AACT has worked to get a lower fee structure for member theatres. I've shopped these fees before. I was amazed to discover all of the hidden fees that are associated with our accepting Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. Each credit card has a different percentage that is charged to the theatre for accepting it based on the amount charged. In addition there is a transaction fee charged to the theatre for each transaction. Visa and Mastercards also have different rates depending on whether it is a debit card, a standard card, and a corporate card (like a Shell Visa card or a different company Visa). My head was swimming with numbers by the end of the call trying to sort out exactly what we pay to do business with credit cards. In addition there are different companies for our in house box office and our online ticket sales. To jump to the end we pay almost $5,000 a year in fees to accept credit cards.
Many theatres charge you a transaction fee for every transaction. Market House Theatre does not. We don't charge to do phone sales or walk up sales. We do charge a fee to cover our costs for online sales. We have struggled for years to keep up with rising costs and wrestled with adding fees. We have come down on the side of our customer and kept any costs incurred inside the ticket price except for our online sales. If you walk up to the box office or order tickets by telephone we are one of the few theaters that doesn't charge you more than the cost of the tickets. I don't know how long we will be able to hold out against that trend but the public is safe for at least another year.
Today I worked on articles for the newsletter and then had to make a quick trip to South Livingston Elementary to check on a bad microphone for the story theatre tour. One of our wireless body mics isn't working well. I stopped at Rowton Audio on the way back and rented a unit that we can use until the end of the tour in 2 weeks. These units are very expensive to purchase. I had just dropped off a unit on Thursday that went bad earlier in the week. We have had some of the wireless packs for 10 years.
When I returned to the theater Jim Keeney and I talked about some of the set pieces for Anything Goes. We need two beds, a bunk bed, a rolling bar unit and several tables and chairs. I then went back to the office and Marsha was working on a big poster for the lobby for Anything Goes. We purchased a large format printer used several years ago and haven't used it for a couple of years. I dragged it out of the scene shop office were it was collecting dust and down to the lobby and tried to load drivers and get it up and running. I only partially succeeded. I'll have to work on it again Monday.
Saturday brings footlights in the morning, and Zink in the afternoon. April is at home this evening getting ready for the cast party on Sunday at our home for the cast. It is traditional that after the last performance the cast strikes (takes down) the set and then goes to the directors house for a party. April tries to make a couple of special items for the party. Two more performances of Zink and then the show is over. It has been a good run for the cast. We are 3 weeks from opening for Anything Goes.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
May 14
Yesterday I went with the Story Theatre troupe to Hendron Lone Oak Elementary and helped setup for the performance of The Three Little Kittens. April was helping with the screening for the Gifted Talented program at Clark Elementary school in the morning, then running to WKCTC to do a workshop for Librarians on the use of theatre in teaching and then going straight to Hendron for the performance. The 300 kids at Hendron had a great time with the show which uses the play to teach about telling the truth. In the play the kittens don't tell the truth about what happened to their mittens. Throughout the play the actors interact with the audience asking for their help. Momma Cat (April) asks the kids if they have rules at their house and then has some of the audience kids tell what those rules are. She reminds the kittens that they have chores to do and that she needs their help to keep the house clean. When the kittens don't tell the truth Momma Cat asks the kids for ideas on what to do to punish the kittens for not telling the truth. This 35 minute musical is very high energy as the kittens play and dance throughout the show. I took lots of photographs of the The Three Kittens for the MHT archives.
After the show I returned to MHT to meet with Diane Byrd the director of Anything Goes to discuss the sets for the show. After the meeting with Diane the service repair technicians from Sears was here to repair our dryer. We had just replaced our washer less than 2 months ago. The dryer was purchased ten years ago. The dryer can't be repaired so I'll be out looking for a dryer this week.
I then prepared for the City Commission meeting at which MHT did a short presentation to give information to go with our city funding request. We requested $25,000 from the city for several programs and to help us with the maintenance on the Market House Building which is owned by the city. The commission meeting was held at 5:30 pm and the ordinance supporting funding for the Symphony and the Carson Center was also approved.
This morning I gave a tour to 48 middle school students from South Marshall County Middle School. It usually takes an hour to tour our buildings and do a short acting workshop with the kids. The cost for the tours are free. The only restriction is subject to scheduling.
We do tours and workshops for other groups including the Paducah Leadership class. After the tour today I helped Jim by carrying the step units and platform units across the street to the main theatre for Anything Goes. Then it was off to Rotary.
I am a Rotary member and the speaker today was an intellectual rights attorney. This subject at first glance may not seem to have much to do with the Market House Theatre but it is very important. We pay for an annual license with Ascap and Bmi for all of the preshow, intermission, and scene change music that we use. In addition if we use a song during a play as an integral part of the play we have to secure royalty permission for that song as well. It can get very expensive.
Some plays that we receive the rights to produce also include a copyright on certain types of scenery, costumes and movement that the original Broadway company used. This restriction prohibits us from recreating the Broadway show and requiring that our production be unique to the Market House Theatre. Some shows have been so restricted that many theatres refuse to produce the plays- an example is Les Mis. The barricade used in the Broadway show is copyrighted as scenery and groups are not allowed to reproduce that barricade. However the script calls for a barricade so the theatres are often left in a quandary as to whether they can produce a show without certain scenic elements.
Rehearsals continue tonight for Anything Goes. Saturday Zink goes back into production. I'm currently working on press releases for the summer drama classes, the Lunch Box theatre show of The True Story of the Rabbit and the Hare, and auditions for MY Way.
Marsha Cash is seeking volunteers for the Lower Town Music festival to work in the Buzzard Bros. Booth at the festival. Buzzard Bros. have graciously allowed MHT to partner with them as a fundraising event on Friday- Sunday May 23-25. Contact Marsha Cash if you can work this event!
After the show I returned to MHT to meet with Diane Byrd the director of Anything Goes to discuss the sets for the show. After the meeting with Diane the service repair technicians from Sears was here to repair our dryer. We had just replaced our washer less than 2 months ago. The dryer was purchased ten years ago. The dryer can't be repaired so I'll be out looking for a dryer this week.
I then prepared for the City Commission meeting at which MHT did a short presentation to give information to go with our city funding request. We requested $25,000 from the city for several programs and to help us with the maintenance on the Market House Building which is owned by the city. The commission meeting was held at 5:30 pm and the ordinance supporting funding for the Symphony and the Carson Center was also approved.
This morning I gave a tour to 48 middle school students from South Marshall County Middle School. It usually takes an hour to tour our buildings and do a short acting workshop with the kids. The cost for the tours are free. The only restriction is subject to scheduling.
We do tours and workshops for other groups including the Paducah Leadership class. After the tour today I helped Jim by carrying the step units and platform units across the street to the main theatre for Anything Goes. Then it was off to Rotary.
I am a Rotary member and the speaker today was an intellectual rights attorney. This subject at first glance may not seem to have much to do with the Market House Theatre but it is very important. We pay for an annual license with Ascap and Bmi for all of the preshow, intermission, and scene change music that we use. In addition if we use a song during a play as an integral part of the play we have to secure royalty permission for that song as well. It can get very expensive.
Some plays that we receive the rights to produce also include a copyright on certain types of scenery, costumes and movement that the original Broadway company used. This restriction prohibits us from recreating the Broadway show and requiring that our production be unique to the Market House Theatre. Some shows have been so restricted that many theatres refuse to produce the plays- an example is Les Mis. The barricade used in the Broadway show is copyrighted as scenery and groups are not allowed to reproduce that barricade. However the script calls for a barricade so the theatres are often left in a quandary as to whether they can produce a show without certain scenic elements.
Rehearsals continue tonight for Anything Goes. Saturday Zink goes back into production. I'm currently working on press releases for the summer drama classes, the Lunch Box theatre show of The True Story of the Rabbit and the Hare, and auditions for MY Way.
Marsha Cash is seeking volunteers for the Lower Town Music festival to work in the Buzzard Bros. Booth at the festival. Buzzard Bros. have graciously allowed MHT to partner with them as a fundraising event on Friday- Sunday May 23-25. Contact Marsha Cash if you can work this event!
Monday, May 12, 2008
May 12
Its lunch Monday and I'm getting ready for a meeting with the incoming President Renie Barger and a prospective board member for next year. (Our year starts July 1) We meet individually with each propsective board member to give them a full briefing on the financial and programming status of the theatre. We talk about board responsibilities and staff responsibilities and about some of the important issues facing the theatre. This will be our third meeting since last week with just a couple more to go before the May board meeting on the 28th when the nomination list is formally submitted to the board. Each prospective member is given the information and than asked to think it over and let Renie know if they are still interested. Then the board reviews all the potential new members and selects from that list.
We finished the first full weekend of Zink shows. April bought Jade and a friend tickets for the matinee performance of Zink on Sunday. After the show I talked with the girls and asked if when the character in the play dies it made them cry. They both looked at me like they didn't know what I was talking about. I suddenly realized why the show works differently for adults and kids. Every adult watches the scene when I carry Becky onstage and she is dying and we cradle her between us and they know what is happening. During the scene Papa Zeke (the wise old Zebra) crosses over from Africa to the Human world and reaches out and takes Becky's hand and she leaves her parents. The parents never break the cradle that Becky was in and continue to look at the spot where she was as if she is still there. Every adult knows what happened in that moment. But for the kids they see Becky leave her parents and go back with Papa Zeke to the imaginary Zebra world.
It was like a light bulb going off to me when the kids didn't know what I was talking about. In some ways the kids are able to understand that Becky went off to a different place. The adults in the audience understand that Becky has left her parents and they feel that loss. Both adults and kids come back together at the end of the play when Becky talks about the courage to face predators in both worlds.
The wonderful thing about doing theatre is that it can be a powerful tool on so many levels. The best plays are the ones that you keep learning from with each performance and each audience. Sometimes the audience doesn't catch all of the nuance that is being created and all the meaning in a play until they see it a couple of times. But the performers continue to grow and learn every time you step on that stage and into somebody elses' shoes to experience life from a different perspective.
We finished the first full weekend of Zink shows. April bought Jade and a friend tickets for the matinee performance of Zink on Sunday. After the show I talked with the girls and asked if when the character in the play dies it made them cry. They both looked at me like they didn't know what I was talking about. I suddenly realized why the show works differently for adults and kids. Every adult watches the scene when I carry Becky onstage and she is dying and we cradle her between us and they know what is happening. During the scene Papa Zeke (the wise old Zebra) crosses over from Africa to the Human world and reaches out and takes Becky's hand and she leaves her parents. The parents never break the cradle that Becky was in and continue to look at the spot where she was as if she is still there. Every adult knows what happened in that moment. But for the kids they see Becky leave her parents and go back with Papa Zeke to the imaginary Zebra world.
It was like a light bulb going off to me when the kids didn't know what I was talking about. In some ways the kids are able to understand that Becky went off to a different place. The adults in the audience understand that Becky has left her parents and they feel that loss. Both adults and kids come back together at the end of the play when Becky talks about the courage to face predators in both worlds.
The wonderful thing about doing theatre is that it can be a powerful tool on so many levels. The best plays are the ones that you keep learning from with each performance and each audience. Sometimes the audience doesn't catch all of the nuance that is being created and all the meaning in a play until they see it a couple of times. But the performers continue to grow and learn every time you step on that stage and into somebody elses' shoes to experience life from a different perspective.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
May 7
My back held out and I carried Sydney on for opening night. As of writing this (Sat. 1:30 pm) the cast is getting their costumes on and we have performed 5 performances already of the show. In about 5 minutes we will do warmups for the show. This consists of lots of stretching and vocal exercises. Stretching your body to release the tension and get it loosened up. Stretching your face so that you can make expressions easier. Vocal warmups which stretch the vocal chords and your lips and tongue so you can articulate your words. Favorite vocal warmups are red leather yellow leather copper kettle brittle brattle said faster and faster. I was always partial to toy boat, toy boat, toy boat said several times faster and faster.
We had someone ask how we (the adults) cry every performance. Once you learn the tools of acting you find that you are able to touch on deep emotions within yourself when you concentrate and "pretend" or imagine a situation. I imagine that Sydney is my daughter Jade and that she is dying. That is enough to make me very emotional. I block out the fact that an audience is watching and I focus deeply on Sydney and those feelings. Then I fight those feelings. I do my best not to cry because that makes it real. Most of don't want to cry. We don't want to. That is what an audience can identify with. For me I have to lightly touch those feelings or I become so emotional I can't speak.
I read a script this morning while I was waiting for Jade to finish footlights. It is about middle school girls and the bullying and isolation that happens with our kids. It made me very emotional as I read it. April asked me to read it for possible production next season in our studio. I think it will be a challenge technically but is well worth the risk. After the performances a professional holds a "talk back" with audiences to explore the subject matter. In one of the guides we actually see a scene again with the actors and freeze them at the critical point. Then we look at different ways that scene could have continued which stopped the bullying. This is something I think is very important for our community and our kids.
Keep your eyes open next season and we will announce performance dates for this play. The cast is warming up and I need to join them.
We had someone ask how we (the adults) cry every performance. Once you learn the tools of acting you find that you are able to touch on deep emotions within yourself when you concentrate and "pretend" or imagine a situation. I imagine that Sydney is my daughter Jade and that she is dying. That is enough to make me very emotional. I block out the fact that an audience is watching and I focus deeply on Sydney and those feelings. Then I fight those feelings. I do my best not to cry because that makes it real. Most of don't want to cry. We don't want to. That is what an audience can identify with. For me I have to lightly touch those feelings or I become so emotional I can't speak.
I read a script this morning while I was waiting for Jade to finish footlights. It is about middle school girls and the bullying and isolation that happens with our kids. It made me very emotional as I read it. April asked me to read it for possible production next season in our studio. I think it will be a challenge technically but is well worth the risk. After the performances a professional holds a "talk back" with audiences to explore the subject matter. In one of the guides we actually see a scene again with the actors and freeze them at the critical point. Then we look at different ways that scene could have continued which stopped the bullying. This is something I think is very important for our community and our kids.
Keep your eyes open next season and we will announce performance dates for this play. The cast is warming up and I need to join them.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
May 8
(This is more personal than usual but I just had to share!)
Tuesday morning I should have read the tea leaves to see what the next 24-48 hours would hold for me. Some days you just shouldn't get out of bed.
About 9:30 am Tuesday morning Jim Keeney, Chris Simpson, and I loaded the theatre flatbed trailer with the orchestra pit cover (six 4' x 8' pieces each weighing about 200 lbs) and took them to the warehouse located inside the Easter Seals building. We unloaded the platforms and then loaded up 3 large rolling wall units (6' x 8' pieces each weighing about 250 lbs.) that were built for Kiss Me Kate and took those to the theatre. As we unloaded and put the units on stage I stretched my back and a disc I've had problems in the past with shifted. (This is an old college theatre injury that only seems to get worse with age. In common terms "my back went out" My daughter Jade the first time I said that to her asked me where it went?) I went to the Chiropractor immediately that afternoon to get some attention. My biggest concern was that in the play Zink I play the father. During one of the scenes I have to carry my daughter (Sydney Hughes) onstage and set her onto a platform as she is dying. I knew that I was going to be in big trouble if my back stayed out.
At the Zink dress rehearsal Tuesday night I told her that I couldn't carry her that night and for her to just walk on with me. We did the rehearsal and I left Paducah right after the rehearsal and drove 4 hours to Frankfort for the Kentucky Arts Council Grant Review. I arrived at the hotel at midnight eastern time. The four hours in one position didn't help my back. I didn't sleep well that night because of my back and woke up that morning and found that my back had locked in position and I couldn't get out of bed. I lay there thinking "I'm in a hotel in a town 4 hours from home. I have a grant review meeting in 1 1/2 hours and I can't get up. What am I going to do if I can't get up? Maybe the house keeping staff will find me lying here later in the day and help me get up? Will I have to stay for another night because I can't get out of bed? What will happen with the grant review? What will happen with Zink final dress rehearsal? I looked across the room at my cell phone and cursed myself for not leaving it closer. I glanced at the phone by the bed and wondered how you call the front desk to ask for help getting out of bed? I thought this is the perfect comedy situation for a play! (I always try to find the humor in even the worst moments. It's either a sickness in me or a strength. Sometimes I can't tell which!) With a great deal of struggle I slid out of bed and crawled over to a piece of furniture and finally pulled myself up to a standing position. I convinced myself I could do this! Once I began moving slowly about my back unlocked. Although I walked like I was 103 years old.
The grant review panel was meeting in the hotel I was staying at so I didn't have to go far. I made it to the meeting room by 9 am and then waited for our grant to be reviewed. We were 11th in order that morning and they got to us about 10:15. The panel had good comments as well as some questions about the theatre. Unfortunately the panel is set up as a public meeting but the public is not allowed to comment unless the organization representative was recognized and specifically requested to comment. The panel did not recognize me so I was not able to comment. The MHT grant application review lasted 5 minutes. I got in my car and drove back 4 hours to Paducah for the Wednesday evening final dress rehearsal. I was prepared to attend a city commission meeting at 5:30 on Wednesday when I got back. I found out that somehow I had confused the date and the commission meeting was on Tuesday the 6th. I had missed it. The city was very nice and they rescheduled me for next Tuesday.
As I got into costume for the Wednesday night final dress I couldn't bend over to tie my shows. Alexis from the box office took pity on me and tied my shoes for me. (Although Marsha Cash told her she should demand a raise while I was not in a condition to refuse!) I still couldn't lift Sydney so we walked through the motions. I went home last night exhausted and hoped that Thursday would be a better day. It has been so far.
Zink opens for the general public tonight at 7:30 pm. It officially opened this morning at 9 am. Two school matinees were held this morning- 9 am. & 11:30 am. The show went very well.
Although I'm still not lifting Becky my back has improved significantly. There is a blackout just before I'm supposed to carry her onstage and we've been moving on in the blackout and pretending that I carried her there. We will keep doing that until I'm sure I won't drop her.
Tonight's show is selling very well with just a couple of tickets left. The kids at the school matinee really enjoyed the show. The adults all cried. April noted that the 3rd graders at the school matinee really enjoyed the show. They were able to leap into the world created in Zink and really enjoy it. Adults seemed to be more in tune with the loss of a child than the fact that the play is about courage and that Becky learns how to face her fears and how to move through that process. The zebras in the show are all symbolic of Becky's will to live and help her face her fears. Because they are symbolic they have very human characteristics. It is funny to hear a "foreign zebra" in the Zebra talent show do a joke about a Rabbi, a Priest, and a Minister in a boat in a kind of gibberish language. There are some deeply moving parts in the play as well as some very funny parts. Maybe for adults it is harder to see beyond the pain sometimes.
So break a leg to the Zink cast and crew! (I don't like saying that as much since that really happened a couple of years ago on opening night at Market House for Oklahoma.) Come see the show and if you're an adult be prepared to cry and laugh. I think it will be one of those great shows MHT puts on that people will talk about for a long time. There are still plenty of tickets left.
Tuesday morning I should have read the tea leaves to see what the next 24-48 hours would hold for me. Some days you just shouldn't get out of bed.
About 9:30 am Tuesday morning Jim Keeney, Chris Simpson, and I loaded the theatre flatbed trailer with the orchestra pit cover (six 4' x 8' pieces each weighing about 200 lbs) and took them to the warehouse located inside the Easter Seals building. We unloaded the platforms and then loaded up 3 large rolling wall units (6' x 8' pieces each weighing about 250 lbs.) that were built for Kiss Me Kate and took those to the theatre. As we unloaded and put the units on stage I stretched my back and a disc I've had problems in the past with shifted. (This is an old college theatre injury that only seems to get worse with age. In common terms "my back went out" My daughter Jade the first time I said that to her asked me where it went?) I went to the Chiropractor immediately that afternoon to get some attention. My biggest concern was that in the play Zink I play the father. During one of the scenes I have to carry my daughter (Sydney Hughes) onstage and set her onto a platform as she is dying. I knew that I was going to be in big trouble if my back stayed out.
At the Zink dress rehearsal Tuesday night I told her that I couldn't carry her that night and for her to just walk on with me. We did the rehearsal and I left Paducah right after the rehearsal and drove 4 hours to Frankfort for the Kentucky Arts Council Grant Review. I arrived at the hotel at midnight eastern time. The four hours in one position didn't help my back. I didn't sleep well that night because of my back and woke up that morning and found that my back had locked in position and I couldn't get out of bed. I lay there thinking "I'm in a hotel in a town 4 hours from home. I have a grant review meeting in 1 1/2 hours and I can't get up. What am I going to do if I can't get up? Maybe the house keeping staff will find me lying here later in the day and help me get up? Will I have to stay for another night because I can't get out of bed? What will happen with the grant review? What will happen with Zink final dress rehearsal? I looked across the room at my cell phone and cursed myself for not leaving it closer. I glanced at the phone by the bed and wondered how you call the front desk to ask for help getting out of bed? I thought this is the perfect comedy situation for a play! (I always try to find the humor in even the worst moments. It's either a sickness in me or a strength. Sometimes I can't tell which!) With a great deal of struggle I slid out of bed and crawled over to a piece of furniture and finally pulled myself up to a standing position. I convinced myself I could do this! Once I began moving slowly about my back unlocked. Although I walked like I was 103 years old.
The grant review panel was meeting in the hotel I was staying at so I didn't have to go far. I made it to the meeting room by 9 am and then waited for our grant to be reviewed. We were 11th in order that morning and they got to us about 10:15. The panel had good comments as well as some questions about the theatre. Unfortunately the panel is set up as a public meeting but the public is not allowed to comment unless the organization representative was recognized and specifically requested to comment. The panel did not recognize me so I was not able to comment. The MHT grant application review lasted 5 minutes. I got in my car and drove back 4 hours to Paducah for the Wednesday evening final dress rehearsal. I was prepared to attend a city commission meeting at 5:30 on Wednesday when I got back. I found out that somehow I had confused the date and the commission meeting was on Tuesday the 6th. I had missed it. The city was very nice and they rescheduled me for next Tuesday.
As I got into costume for the Wednesday night final dress I couldn't bend over to tie my shows. Alexis from the box office took pity on me and tied my shoes for me. (Although Marsha Cash told her she should demand a raise while I was not in a condition to refuse!) I still couldn't lift Sydney so we walked through the motions. I went home last night exhausted and hoped that Thursday would be a better day. It has been so far.
Zink opens for the general public tonight at 7:30 pm. It officially opened this morning at 9 am. Two school matinees were held this morning- 9 am. & 11:30 am. The show went very well.
Although I'm still not lifting Becky my back has improved significantly. There is a blackout just before I'm supposed to carry her onstage and we've been moving on in the blackout and pretending that I carried her there. We will keep doing that until I'm sure I won't drop her.
Tonight's show is selling very well with just a couple of tickets left. The kids at the school matinee really enjoyed the show. The adults all cried. April noted that the 3rd graders at the school matinee really enjoyed the show. They were able to leap into the world created in Zink and really enjoy it. Adults seemed to be more in tune with the loss of a child than the fact that the play is about courage and that Becky learns how to face her fears and how to move through that process. The zebras in the show are all symbolic of Becky's will to live and help her face her fears. Because they are symbolic they have very human characteristics. It is funny to hear a "foreign zebra" in the Zebra talent show do a joke about a Rabbi, a Priest, and a Minister in a boat in a kind of gibberish language. There are some deeply moving parts in the play as well as some very funny parts. Maybe for adults it is harder to see beyond the pain sometimes.
So break a leg to the Zink cast and crew! (I don't like saying that as much since that really happened a couple of years ago on opening night at Market House for Oklahoma.) Come see the show and if you're an adult be prepared to cry and laugh. I think it will be one of those great shows MHT puts on that people will talk about for a long time. There are still plenty of tickets left.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
May 6
Yesterday was spent doing painting and fixing small details on Zink. Last night I took a little video to promote Zink. You can see a sneak peak of the production on our website by clicking on the Zink page link on the home page. Then watch a couple of moments from the start of the play.
Rehearsal went well last night and things are looking good. Today is a day for travel. Marsha Cash who plays the mother in Zink has a doctors appointment in Nashville and hopes to be back for the rehearsal at 5 pm. I have to leave just before the end of rehearsal to drive to Frankfort tonight so that I be there tomorrow morning for our Kentucky Arts Council Grant review. The total time set aside to review the MHT grant is 10 minutes. Some years the grant review panel asks questions of the organizations and some years they don't ask any questions. I'm not allowed to speak unless they ask a question. I've booked a room in Frankfort so that I don't have to leave at 4 am tomorrow morning and drive back. The review happens at 9 am Eastern time tomorrow morning.
Final Dress rehearsal is Wednesday at 5:00 pm for Zink. At 5:30 pm Wednesday is the City Commission meeting in which MHT will be considered for funding this year.
Today I will try to setup a meeting with Creatures of Habit to talk about costumes for Anything Goes. I will also get Jim Keeney to switch gears and start working on Anything Goes. Janice Peterson is doing the last minute costume fixes for Zink. I'll have to stop by Wagner clothing today to get some patches and police uniform accessories for my costume for Zink (I play the father).
Program ads are starting to come in. Annette Deem is selling ads for the theatre for next season on a commission basis. Annette has done this for the past couple of years. We are trying to sign up volunteers for the Lowertown Festival Fundraiser. We are supplying the servers for the Buzzard Brothers BBQ booth at the festival. The Buzzard Brothers are splitting the profits with the theatre. There is a sign up sheet in the box office.
April, Travis Hensel, Emily Chapman, and Sydney Hughes are touring each day with Story Theatre. Sydney has the lead role in Zink. It makes for a long day for her to act as a kitten during the day and young girl dying of leukemia at night. Sydney is home schooled so that allows her to tour with Story Theatre. I would never have dreamed of being able to do what she is doing when I was kid. Sydney's parents, Terry and Jennifer Hughes, are very supportive of the theatre.
Alexis is processing season ticket orders and selling Zink tickets. Last Friday was Box Office Assistant Rhiannon Dodds Birthday. She only works part time so we are looking for a time to surprise her with cake and cards.
Rehearsal went well last night and things are looking good. Today is a day for travel. Marsha Cash who plays the mother in Zink has a doctors appointment in Nashville and hopes to be back for the rehearsal at 5 pm. I have to leave just before the end of rehearsal to drive to Frankfort tonight so that I be there tomorrow morning for our Kentucky Arts Council Grant review. The total time set aside to review the MHT grant is 10 minutes. Some years the grant review panel asks questions of the organizations and some years they don't ask any questions. I'm not allowed to speak unless they ask a question. I've booked a room in Frankfort so that I don't have to leave at 4 am tomorrow morning and drive back. The review happens at 9 am Eastern time tomorrow morning.
Final Dress rehearsal is Wednesday at 5:00 pm for Zink. At 5:30 pm Wednesday is the City Commission meeting in which MHT will be considered for funding this year.
Today I will try to setup a meeting with Creatures of Habit to talk about costumes for Anything Goes. I will also get Jim Keeney to switch gears and start working on Anything Goes. Janice Peterson is doing the last minute costume fixes for Zink. I'll have to stop by Wagner clothing today to get some patches and police uniform accessories for my costume for Zink (I play the father).
Program ads are starting to come in. Annette Deem is selling ads for the theatre for next season on a commission basis. Annette has done this for the past couple of years. We are trying to sign up volunteers for the Lowertown Festival Fundraiser. We are supplying the servers for the Buzzard Brothers BBQ booth at the festival. The Buzzard Brothers are splitting the profits with the theatre. There is a sign up sheet in the box office.
April, Travis Hensel, Emily Chapman, and Sydney Hughes are touring each day with Story Theatre. Sydney has the lead role in Zink. It makes for a long day for her to act as a kitten during the day and young girl dying of leukemia at night. Sydney is home schooled so that allows her to tour with Story Theatre. I would never have dreamed of being able to do what she is doing when I was kid. Sydney's parents, Terry and Jennifer Hughes, are very supportive of the theatre.
Alexis is processing season ticket orders and selling Zink tickets. Last Friday was Box Office Assistant Rhiannon Dodds Birthday. She only works part time so we are looking for a time to surprise her with cake and cards.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
May 4
Several people have mentioned that they read my blog and really like knowing what is going on behind the scenes at the theatre. Feel free to post comments at the bottom each posting with your favorite memories of tech day or anything else that comes to mind. I tried something new yesterday and today by carrying a camera with me and occassionally snapping off some photos.
We are in the midst of what in the theatre is usually called hell week. That defines the weekend before and the week leading up to the opening. It is a time full of long hours and a tremendous amount of work to get to the finish line- opening night. I've included several photos in the blog that I took today as a way to get a better understanding of what I'm writing about.
Friday afternoon May 2- I spent the day taking down lights and cable in the theatre's mainstage, then walking them across the street to the studio theatre to rehang and cable the lights in preparation for Zink. We had an electrician in to install a light on the side of our box office building so that people can see our banners at night. We also had the electrician rework our house lights in the studio theatre so they can be dimmed on the light board along with the rest of the stage lights. Up until now you had to have an actor turn the light switch off at the side of the room to turn off the house lights for us to start the show and the actor had to turn the house lights back on at intermission and at the end of the show. A couple of times the light board operator had to run across the stage after the show because after curtain call the actors forgot to turn the house lights back on. In the midst of carrying lights across the street and getting ready we had a couple of big thunderstorms with downpours. Our back door to the studio theatre has a small drain outside. In a downpour it overwhelms and floods the back of the theatre with water pouring into the building under the door. That always adds to the drama of the theatre when you drop everything and bail the back hallway.
Saturday- May 3, I worked on lights all morning and April held footlights classes. At noon we left and got ready for the 6th annual derby party which started at 3 pm. This years crowd was down a little from last year but still a good size group making for a great time. The food was great by Kirchhoffs. Max's did the bar for us and Maiden Alley provided the screening of the race. St. Mary and Graves County High School students provided a string quartet for the listening pleasure of Derby Party guests. Bill Brockenbourgh went home with the winning ticket by betting on the winning horse from our 50/50 charity raffle. He took home $150 and the theatre received $150 for our youth and outreach program. We packed up from the Derby party and went home only to change clothes again and return to the theatre to set light cues. April and I set the cues until about 10:30 pm Saturday night.
Sunday morning May 4. April, Jade and I arrived at the theatre about 9:15 with our breakfast from the drive through at McDonalds. I base coated the rock platforms and the tree. April worked on sound cues. Our daughter Jade brought her little DVD player and watched movies and rode her bike in the back parking lot while her parents worked. All Jade's friends tell her how cool it must be to have two parents who work at MHT. Jade just rolls her eyes. The poor kid has spent many a beautiful weekend afternoon cooped up in a dark theatre where "mom and dad" worked out the technical details on a show while she had to find a way to keep herself from going stir crazy. I think she would gladly trade sometimes for her parents to have more normal jobs.
The cast showed up at 1:30 pm and we did a technical rehearsal with costumes, sets, lights and sound for the first time. Sydney Hughes who plays Becky Zaslow, the main character, worked with her wig and bald cap today for the first time. She got her hair cut short so that it would work with the bald cap we purchased from creatures of habit. It takes her about 45 minutes to get it put on correctly and then blended in with her skin. Sydney then has to wear a wig over the cap so it can be removed during the show when she get chemotherapy. All of the Zebra's had their costumes today. The 4 adults who play Becky's parents, her teacher and a hospital nurse also had costumes today. We spent a great deal of time working on special lighting cues for when the predators attack the Zebras and when the Zebras jump from the African Savannah to the human world to help Becky out. We finished the run through about 5pm and then had pizza and ice cream courtesy of MHT board members Ann Counts (thanks also to her husband Phil) and Heather Dorr for providing the Pizza and Ice Cream as a way of saying thanks to the cast and crew for doing the show.
We wrapped up about 6:30 and I promised Jade I would ride bikes with her when we got home because she put in an 8 hour day at the theatre today too. Tomorrow we go back at it.
We are in the midst of what in the theatre is usually called hell week. That defines the weekend before and the week leading up to the opening. It is a time full of long hours and a tremendous amount of work to get to the finish line- opening night. I've included several photos in the blog that I took today as a way to get a better understanding of what I'm writing about.
Friday afternoon May 2- I spent the day taking down lights and cable in the theatre's mainstage, then walking them across the street to the studio theatre to rehang and cable the lights in preparation for Zink. We had an electrician in to install a light on the side of our box office building so that people can see our banners at night. We also had the electrician rework our house lights in the studio theatre so they can be dimmed on the light board along with the rest of the stage lights. Up until now you had to have an actor turn the light switch off at the side of the room to turn off the house lights for us to start the show and the actor had to turn the house lights back on at intermission and at the end of the show. A couple of times the light board operator had to run across the stage after the show because after curtain call the actors forgot to turn the house lights back on. In the midst of carrying lights across the street and getting ready we had a couple of big thunderstorms with downpours. Our back door to the studio theatre has a small drain outside. In a downpour it overwhelms and floods the back of the theatre with water pouring into the building under the door. That always adds to the drama of the theatre when you drop everything and bail the back hallway.
Saturday- May 3, I worked on lights all morning and April held footlights classes. At noon we left and got ready for the 6th annual derby party which started at 3 pm. This years crowd was down a little from last year but still a good size group making for a great time. The food was great by Kirchhoffs. Max's did the bar for us and Maiden Alley provided the screening of the race. St. Mary and Graves County High School students provided a string quartet for the listening pleasure of Derby Party guests. Bill Brockenbourgh went home with the winning ticket by betting on the winning horse from our 50/50 charity raffle. He took home $150 and the theatre received $150 for our youth and outreach program. We packed up from the Derby party and went home only to change clothes again and return to the theatre to set light cues. April and I set the cues until about 10:30 pm Saturday night.
Sunday morning May 4. April, Jade and I arrived at the theatre about 9:15 with our breakfast from the drive through at McDonalds. I base coated the rock platforms and the tree. April worked on sound cues. Our daughter Jade brought her little DVD player and watched movies and rode her bike in the back parking lot while her parents worked. All Jade's friends tell her how cool it must be to have two parents who work at MHT. Jade just rolls her eyes. The poor kid has spent many a beautiful weekend afternoon cooped up in a dark theatre where "mom and dad" worked out the technical details on a show while she had to find a way to keep herself from going stir crazy. I think she would gladly trade sometimes for her parents to have more normal jobs.
The cast showed up at 1:30 pm and we did a technical rehearsal with costumes, sets, lights and sound for the first time. Sydney Hughes who plays Becky Zaslow, the main character, worked with her wig and bald cap today for the first time. She got her hair cut short so that it would work with the bald cap we purchased from creatures of habit. It takes her about 45 minutes to get it put on correctly and then blended in with her skin. Sydney then has to wear a wig over the cap so it can be removed during the show when she get chemotherapy. All of the Zebra's had their costumes today. The 4 adults who play Becky's parents, her teacher and a hospital nurse also had costumes today. We spent a great deal of time working on special lighting cues for when the predators attack the Zebras and when the Zebras jump from the African Savannah to the human world to help Becky out. We finished the run through about 5pm and then had pizza and ice cream courtesy of MHT board members Ann Counts (thanks also to her husband Phil) and Heather Dorr for providing the Pizza and Ice Cream as a way of saying thanks to the cast and crew for doing the show.
We wrapped up about 6:30 and I promised Jade I would ride bikes with her when we got home because she put in an 8 hour day at the theatre today too. Tomorrow we go back at it.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
April 30
I've just returned from seeing Jesus Christ Superstar at the Carson Center. This past Friday I attended Little Shop of Horrors at the WKCTC. I do my best to see and support other arts events in our community.
This morning the Paducah Sun Current carried an article about the Market House Theatre Ultimate Derby Party fundraiser. I was quoted as the Market House Theatre "owner". This isn't the first time that I've been called that. Both April and I are often called that by the kids who take classes and do shows at the theatre. When we tell them that we are only employees of the theatre they are always surprised. The surprise is even bigger when I tell them that the people of our community are really the owners of the theatre. People who support the theatre by making a minimum donation of $40 each year are the owners. The board of directors are elected by the owners of MHT. Board members act as owner representatives in the decision making process. The board has hired me to be the CEO of MHT. That means that I oversee the plays the theatre puts on and supervise all of the employees. I make decisions as to how the theatre operates its business. The board decides on where the theatre is headed for the future and raises funds to help cover the part of the operations not covered by ticket sales. So the answer is no. I'm not the owner of MHT in the sense of a business owner, but I do believe passionately in the ideals that the theatre stands for. April and I give money each year for a membership so that we can support the theatre and others can see that we believe in what the theatre represents. So in a larger sense you can say that I am one of the "owners" of the theatre. I share that ownership with almost 150 others in the community who support MHT by making a membership contribution.
This morning I finished working on the budget to present at the finance committee this afternoon. We are just finishing paying off a couple of bank loans for copiers and ticketing equipment we purchased on a lease to own a couple of years ago. That will help the budget next year. After that, I spent some time working on publicity for the Derby party this weekend. I worked with Jim Keeney to move some large pieces of flooring from the turntable so we can get Anything Goes taped out so they can rehearse Thursday night in the mainstage. Kelly Salchli came in and began to paint on our backdrop for Zink. Kelly is a terrific artist who does murals in peoples homes. April and I won Kelly's services at a school auction last year and had Kelly come in and paint a beautiful windows on my daughter Jade's bedroom walls. The painted window looks out onto an enchanted land. Butterflys are painted on various points around the room.
Zink rehearsed tonight and got through the last two scenes of the play. Zink still has a great deal of scenery to finish by Sunday afternoon's technical rehearsal.
This morning the Paducah Sun Current carried an article about the Market House Theatre Ultimate Derby Party fundraiser. I was quoted as the Market House Theatre "owner". This isn't the first time that I've been called that. Both April and I are often called that by the kids who take classes and do shows at the theatre. When we tell them that we are only employees of the theatre they are always surprised. The surprise is even bigger when I tell them that the people of our community are really the owners of the theatre. People who support the theatre by making a minimum donation of $40 each year are the owners. The board of directors are elected by the owners of MHT. Board members act as owner representatives in the decision making process. The board has hired me to be the CEO of MHT. That means that I oversee the plays the theatre puts on and supervise all of the employees. I make decisions as to how the theatre operates its business. The board decides on where the theatre is headed for the future and raises funds to help cover the part of the operations not covered by ticket sales. So the answer is no. I'm not the owner of MHT in the sense of a business owner, but I do believe passionately in the ideals that the theatre stands for. April and I give money each year for a membership so that we can support the theatre and others can see that we believe in what the theatre represents. So in a larger sense you can say that I am one of the "owners" of the theatre. I share that ownership with almost 150 others in the community who support MHT by making a membership contribution.
This morning I finished working on the budget to present at the finance committee this afternoon. We are just finishing paying off a couple of bank loans for copiers and ticketing equipment we purchased on a lease to own a couple of years ago. That will help the budget next year. After that, I spent some time working on publicity for the Derby party this weekend. I worked with Jim Keeney to move some large pieces of flooring from the turntable so we can get Anything Goes taped out so they can rehearse Thursday night in the mainstage. Kelly Salchli came in and began to paint on our backdrop for Zink. Kelly is a terrific artist who does murals in peoples homes. April and I won Kelly's services at a school auction last year and had Kelly come in and paint a beautiful windows on my daughter Jade's bedroom walls. The painted window looks out onto an enchanted land. Butterflys are painted on various points around the room.
Zink rehearsed tonight and got through the last two scenes of the play. Zink still has a great deal of scenery to finish by Sunday afternoon's technical rehearsal.
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