Arriving at the Barn
So its been suggested to me that I keep a record of my summer adventures this year, and I think that’s a marvelous idea. We’ll see if I can actually keep up with it. For now, I’m writing this on Word at home, and will have to copy/paste it into the blog when I can find an internet connection. I’m working on it.
It seems as if perhaps my trips to New Lebanon will always be predicated by car trouble. Girlfriend car trouble, in fact. Last year, Lisa’s car was stolen the night before I was due to leave. This year, Erin’s car broke the day before I was due to leave. Apparantly the bottom of the oil pan fell out or some such. On the entrance ramp from I5-N to 14-W in Vancouver. For those of you not in the PDX area, this is an on ramp that is truly difficult to get to if you aren’t going the right way. Since she was following me at the time it happened, I had to double back, go all the way back across the state line into Portland, get off the freeway, and turn back again to get to where she was. It was quite an adventure that included me going to get her mom from her apartment, calling AAA, and then having Andrew come to help out since I had to get to an early call at Northwest Academy. I was late. Erin was late to her call for Wild Party. But we got the problem solved, and in good humor, and that’s what matters.
Sunday was a very long day, and included much of Monday. Final show at NWA, then strike, finished that around 5:45. Then up to Vancouver, finish unloading my things into Erin’s apartment, say hello/goodbye to her visiting mother, a quick dinner at Burgerville, to the airport. Erin was rushing off to first rehearsal for Pippin, so a quick goodbye, and into the airport personmill. Check in was easy, security was easy, but my dreams of an empty center seat in my row were dashed by a rather large lady, who while being very nice, took up a percentage of my already meager seating space. Sleep was not to be had, though I did enjoy the showing of “The Spiderwick Chronicles.” But I hate not being able to sleep on red-eyes.
Layover in Newark was uneventful other than them choosing not to indicate which gate I was leaving from on the departure screens. That took some tracking down. Oh, and the fact that when I put my jacket back on as I exited the plane in Newark, I realized that I had inadvertently taken Erin’s keys with me. I had put my car key on her chain so she would have it, but when I had gotten some things out of the car, automatically put the keys in my pocket. She had her mother’s keys since she was driving her SUV with the car oilpan-less, so hadn’t noticed. Dread filled me when I realized that she didn’t have a way into the Yoga studio for her 8 AM class.
After landing in Albany, I called Erin, who had cancelled her classes anyway because she’s quite ill. I overnight mailed the keys later in the afternoon, so hopefully she won’t be too inconvenienced. Sorry sweetheart!
I landed at 10, so rehearsal was delayed until 11. We started with a company meeting and a read-through. The play, How the Other Half Loves, is a Ayckborne farce, very British, but a halfhearted attempt had been made by the publishers to Americanize it. But really, it’s impossible to do, so we just changed all the references back. Much better.
After a lunch break in which I went grocery shopping, mailed Erin’s keys, went to the liquor store and got a sandwich, we met back to start blocking the first of the four scenes. Bearing in mind that I had had no sleep for the last 24 or so hours, I think I held up quite admirably. I had only worked with one of the actors before (and the director and SM) but we all seemed to fall into an easygoingness with each other (you have to when you only have 10 days to rehearse) and everyone seems lovely. Everyone was very understanding of my sluggishness, and I am well appreciative. We blocked the entire scene (1/4 of the play) and managed a stumble-through before the end of the day.
Finishing around 7, I decided on a short nap, then up for a few hours before bed, trying to get back to a normal schedule. Got a chance to socialize a bit with the rest of the group, watch some TV, look over lines, have a long walk, and have an excellent hour-long chat with Erin, which was lovely, but never enough. The shooting star was nice, though. Which brings me to now. Just got out of the shower, where I realized I forgot to pack a towel. Oops.
Its really good to be back in this house. Its almost a second home to me now, coming back for the third time. Lots of the same people around – Joan and Abe, the producers. Michael the Artistic Director and director of the show. Michelle, our SM. Phil, who is in this play and is directing the next one. And a handful of new folk as well. Amanda, who is playing my wife in this one. Harry, who keeps accidentally stealing my food because he and I bought basically the same stuff and he gets confused. A few others (still working on names. I’m bad with names.)
Anyway, I’m still a bit sleep deprived. I’ll try to keep up with this, but no promises. I gots me lots of lines to learn.
It seems as if perhaps my trips to New Lebanon will always be predicated by car trouble. Girlfriend car trouble, in fact. Last year, Lisa’s car was stolen the night before I was due to leave. This year, Erin’s car broke the day before I was due to leave. Apparantly the bottom of the oil pan fell out or some such. On the entrance ramp from I5-N to 14-W in Vancouver. For those of you not in the PDX area, this is an on ramp that is truly difficult to get to if you aren’t going the right way. Since she was following me at the time it happened, I had to double back, go all the way back across the state line into Portland, get off the freeway, and turn back again to get to where she was. It was quite an adventure that included me going to get her mom from her apartment, calling AAA, and then having Andrew come to help out since I had to get to an early call at Northwest Academy. I was late. Erin was late to her call for Wild Party. But we got the problem solved, and in good humor, and that’s what matters.
Sunday was a very long day, and included much of Monday. Final show at NWA, then strike, finished that around 5:45. Then up to Vancouver, finish unloading my things into Erin’s apartment, say hello/goodbye to her visiting mother, a quick dinner at Burgerville, to the airport. Erin was rushing off to first rehearsal for Pippin, so a quick goodbye, and into the airport personmill. Check in was easy, security was easy, but my dreams of an empty center seat in my row were dashed by a rather large lady, who while being very nice, took up a percentage of my already meager seating space. Sleep was not to be had, though I did enjoy the showing of “The Spiderwick Chronicles.” But I hate not being able to sleep on red-eyes.
Layover in Newark was uneventful other than them choosing not to indicate which gate I was leaving from on the departure screens. That took some tracking down. Oh, and the fact that when I put my jacket back on as I exited the plane in Newark, I realized that I had inadvertently taken Erin’s keys with me. I had put my car key on her chain so she would have it, but when I had gotten some things out of the car, automatically put the keys in my pocket. She had her mother’s keys since she was driving her SUV with the car oilpan-less, so hadn’t noticed. Dread filled me when I realized that she didn’t have a way into the Yoga studio for her 8 AM class.
After landing in Albany, I called Erin, who had cancelled her classes anyway because she’s quite ill. I overnight mailed the keys later in the afternoon, so hopefully she won’t be too inconvenienced. Sorry sweetheart!
I landed at 10, so rehearsal was delayed until 11. We started with a company meeting and a read-through. The play, How the Other Half Loves, is a Ayckborne farce, very British, but a halfhearted attempt had been made by the publishers to Americanize it. But really, it’s impossible to do, so we just changed all the references back. Much better.
After a lunch break in which I went grocery shopping, mailed Erin’s keys, went to the liquor store and got a sandwich, we met back to start blocking the first of the four scenes. Bearing in mind that I had had no sleep for the last 24 or so hours, I think I held up quite admirably. I had only worked with one of the actors before (and the director and SM) but we all seemed to fall into an easygoingness with each other (you have to when you only have 10 days to rehearse) and everyone seems lovely. Everyone was very understanding of my sluggishness, and I am well appreciative. We blocked the entire scene (1/4 of the play) and managed a stumble-through before the end of the day.
Finishing around 7, I decided on a short nap, then up for a few hours before bed, trying to get back to a normal schedule. Got a chance to socialize a bit with the rest of the group, watch some TV, look over lines, have a long walk, and have an excellent hour-long chat with Erin, which was lovely, but never enough. The shooting star was nice, though. Which brings me to now. Just got out of the shower, where I realized I forgot to pack a towel. Oops.
Its really good to be back in this house. Its almost a second home to me now, coming back for the third time. Lots of the same people around – Joan and Abe, the producers. Michael the Artistic Director and director of the show. Michelle, our SM. Phil, who is in this play and is directing the next one. And a handful of new folk as well. Amanda, who is playing my wife in this one. Harry, who keeps accidentally stealing my food because he and I bought basically the same stuff and he gets confused. A few others (still working on names. I’m bad with names.)
Anyway, I’m still a bit sleep deprived. I’ll try to keep up with this, but no promises. I gots me lots of lines to learn.
Labels: Barn
posted by Brian at 11:48 AM
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