There's a superstition in the theatre world - a bad final dress rehearsal means a good opening night. I think we tried to test that theory with this show.
On Thursday night, we started off on the wrong foot - an actor missed his entrance (and his solo line) in the Prologue and everyone was on eggshells from that moment on. Then we had actors forget lyrics they had never forgotten, set pieces that moved too early or did not move when they were supposed to, family members taking flash photos and babies crying in the audience. Combine that with the fact that there were only about 15 people in the audience and no applause and it made for a very frustrating evening. I normally don't give a full notes session after the final dress, and I wasn't going to change this pattern - frankly, I didn't have any notes other than "please do everything on opening night (Friday) the way you did it on Wednesday night". I gathered the cast onstage after curtain call and told them to get some sleep, drink lots of water and come to the theatre with lots of energy and a positive attitude. The Stage Manager, Set Crew chief and I stayed at the theatre for another hour reviewing our mistakes and discussion strategies for correcting them, and then I spent some time working on the ASM (Assistant Stage Manager) book so that all the correct scene changes were properly marked.
Well, Friday night was mission accomplished - the actors and crew arrived ready to perform and with a positive attitude. Last year, MCT created the Legacy Society - these are donors who not only support the current season but also make a contribution to the endowment. Opening night included all of the usual anxiety regarding the opening of the show along with the need to clean and prepare the Moody Conference room and prepare for a reception for our best donors. As a result, you want to make sure that the show goes well so that these donors enjoy the experience and understand the importance of their support of our community theatre.
Overall, it was a very good night. For those of us involved in the show, there were some small items to work on - a bad microphone, a set piece that ran into something, an actor that left out a small line but picked it right up on the beat - these are things that we notice but others might not. At the end of the night, the cast and crew were very happy - the audience applauded throughout the show (and stayed despite the fact that it let out at 11 p.m.) and we had a positive reception with family and friends after the show.
It was interesting to talk to a board member after the show - she was so proud and said "aren't you proud of your work on the show" and I said that I was so far. Theatre can not be boxed and wrapped up like a present and simply "opened" for each performance - every night is a new night with new challenges and opportunities. The cast has been singing for 14 consecutive days and needs some rest, there is always the chance of a microphone failing, a set piece breaking, a costume piece ripping or other issues - that is the joy and challenge of live theatre. As a result, we must come back every night with the same energy and excitement to put on a this wonderful musical.
REMINDER - the next update is a week away due to knee surgery on Monday
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