Dress Rehearsal

(Practicing lines in the parking lot before it got dark)

Didn't get home 'till after midnight. That hasn't happen in a few decades.

Monday night we had a miserable rehearsal at the restaurant where the play will actually be performed, with lights and music. For the first time.

The added stuff threw me for a loop and I forgot, flubbed or plain old missed several dozen lines. It was intense and, more so, unnerving. I was left rattled to the core.

So, I started last nights rehearsal with trepidation.

We didn't even start until 9:30 pm. The tech crew was having problems and everything was delayed.

We waited from 6 to 9:30, just waiting and screwing around.

As it turned out, all went well. Oh, there were a few missed lines and such, but over all it went well.

I was so grateful.

Today I have been running lines in the trouble spots. I now understand how much repetition it takes to work up the lines. Over and over and over again. Dozens of times. Every day.

On one level, I will be ecstatic when this is over. I do want my life back.

And, I think we are going to have a pretty good play.

I finally got to ride my bicycle this morning and the damn brakes aren't working again. I have no idea what to do about this. I am frustrated.

I missed 4 days in a row for exercise and breakfast in town. I do love this routine. Missing it is a loss.

I should get back to...you know what...reading lines. Final dress rehearsal tonight with a small audience. Yipes! Not to worry. They are Panamanians who are studying English so they won't know what the hell we are saying.

Hard to flub a line when the audience can't understand it!