January was full of rehearsals, working though the hour long cuts of both shows and tech rehearsal beginning the first week in February. Since then, we've technically been on tour for almost three weeks, but we've actually only been out on the road 7 days for a total of 14 performances so far.
We've had some good performances, and some crappy performances. Performing in schools can leave us at the will and whim of schools' schedules, students' behavior, and teachers' tolerance, with a wide variety of outcomes. As an ensemble, the cast is still learning how to perform for people who are not trained theatre-goers, and how to handle talking, laughter, and other distractions from their audience. For me, I spend most of my days switching between crisis management (when one of the actors informs me we forget a major scenic element, or when the lights stop working on the trailer) and smoozing (distracting the teachers, principals, and PTA reps while the show is loaded in and out).
Outside of work, I've been exploring the city and hanging out with friends as much as possible.
Highlights include: a chance encounter with Mick Jagger at the Whitney Art Museum; hanging out for an afternoon in MoMA with Anna and Megan, and Anna and I being remembered at Scotland Yard, the blues bar in Hoboken that we used to frequent last summer (being a local - like you're part of a community - is a great feeling!)
