Cycle
2004-11-17,

I think I'm finally starting to reach past the denial stage of being in this show and delving into acceptance. For some reason, I've really disliked the process of preparing this show. It's not anything concerning the participants, to be sure; they're all nice people and at the very least passing performance-wise. One thing I know I don't like about it it the music, what little there is. There's a total of four songs (not including incidentals), and two of them are truly awful, structurally.

In one, the composer was, I think, trying to implant characterization and moods directly into the music, rather than trusting the performers to manage it themselves. In another... well, have you ever seen someone try and write out something with jazz phrasings? It just doesn't work. I truly think that the guy - or guys, actually, I think - who wrote this thinks either that actors are stupid, or he just hates them outright. Either way, it doesn't make for a pleasant singing experience, generally. The other two songs are a tad wordy, but nice; one is a nostalgic little solo ditty, and the other is a group work that we dudded up a little to make prettier.

But my real concern, of course, is all the memorizing of lines, something I've not done much of since high school. Sure, there've been some speaking parts over the last year, but nothing like this. It's basically a part and a half, since I'm doing the male part of the things that H took over when she joined in the fun. At some point I decided to feel overwhelmed by it. I registered that there must be a reason why the guy who backed out before I started ran screaming. I've been having the darndest time finding the gumption and/or the time to get really into the memorization process.

I feel a sea change coming on, however. And high time, too, as we've been requested to get 'off book' by the weekend after Turkey Day. At least I'm not the only one struggling; the only ones who seem even close to being off book are H, who has the smallest part of the lot (and has also been working very hard on her lines), and the two people of retirement age who have much more time on their hands.

What that means, I suppose, is that I'd better finish this damn entry and go pick up my script.

-- End Transmission --