Man it has been quite an exhausting feet but it has all come together and we are finally having a good time running the show.
Now this has been one of the most frustrating and tiring shows I have ever been involved in, but it has also been one of the most beneficial. I have to admit when we first started rehearsals, I was startled by some of the other actors, for I thought as professional and big this production was going to be, that people should've been at a higher level of professional maturity, but I was reminded that people work at different paces, and learn and take things in very uniquely, so I had a little life lesson in character, and dealing with differences, (it was good for me).The amazing thing about our cast is how amazing the cast really is!!! All our leads accept 1 has been on Broadway, and fairly recently as well. THE PRODUCERS, MISS SAIGON, THE PAJAMA GAME, CHORUM BOY, FUNNY THING...FORUM, just to name a few. We have a National baton twirler, and a National gymnast, 2 people who were dancers and clowns for Cirque de Soleil, A guy who was a clown for Ringling Brothers, an Opera singer from China, and a girl who does character voices for Disney! Yeah, pretty tight right. And on top of that, we were directed by an up and coming sought after Director who just directed the tour of HAPPY DAYS, and The Broadway dancer Josh Rhodes, to choreograph it, and a fabulous costume designer.
Now the rehearsal process was gruelling. There was a new concept they had for the show where they wanted to add more of the ensemble into the show. There's alot of solo numbers for the main characters, but not many big production numbers. So they changed the format of the show as if we were all telling the story of Barnum's life, helping unfold the stories. So there was alot of music rehearsals, cause we would try something, change it, learning something new, and change it, and so on. So it got kind of hard memorizing parts and then doing totally different parts. Also on top of that, our director had to keep leaving to go direct another show, so it got very wonky cause Our Choreographer would stage numbers and do blocking, and then the director would come back and change everything, so it got very very, did I say very yet, frustrating, and it kind of set us back a little. We ended up having the longest week in theater possible. 3 ten hr days, and then 3 12hr tech days, which is unheard of, and nothing I have ever done before.
Not only did we have our regular rehearsal for the show, but we had our Circus lessons before.
So we would have to go to the Circus tent downtown Sarasota, and meet with our Coach and trainers, Pedro, who is a world class circus performer and sought after trainer and consultant, Susan, and Anna. Dudes let me just tell you the first day we were in there, as I was stretching and looking up at the circus tent, I just thought" Oh my gosh, look at where I am!" Who ever knew I would be learning to do amazing things under a real circus! It was definetly a moment that most of us had. Now the guy who plays our Ring Master is the one who was in RINGLING BROTHERS CIRCUS, so he was also our circus trick coach, and taught us all how to do our little tricks and gags in the show. Juggling, plate spinning, unicylcling, flame tricks, magic scarves, all those fun things clowns do. We had even different times set up for those lessons, at an even different place from the other 2. SO it was pretty extensive.But It all worked out. I actually ended up being one of the most used actors for the press. They came to the Tent with the cameras, and took footage of us there, and interviewed 2 of us, which they played on their local news station a couple of times. Here's the link to it, http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081110/VIDEO01/811100380&template=video . Now I hate the way I sound on it, my little lisp comes out, and I was caught off guard, so don't hate me. Anyway, I was also in the sunday Paper, and I was on this local community show that this old lady with Hats has, that was cool to be inteviewed on a show, it's just getting me ready for the big time, Good Morning America here I come!! And then I again was on A live segment of news FOX 13 down here, which was also pretty cool, got a little more exposure for some other cities in the area.
I was also after some debate, and some relinquishing, and some declines, asked to be the Dance Captain. So I now have another credit to add to my resume! Man this show has just been the most amazing gift from God for me, 4 wonderful things to make me more marketable, and more wanted. AND THEY WILL WANT ME, MARK MY WORD!!!!!! AHAHAHAH
