mrdreamjeans | Shoot Off A Cannon

Yesterday's rehearsal focused on cutting out ten minutes from "Wonderful Town". We're running between 2 hours 37 minutes and 2:45.The director and producer would like to get the show down to 2 hours and thirty minutes. I lost one of my entrances in Act 1; but it was filler anyway, so I don't mind much. But, it does gives me an hour offstage before I re-enter at the end of "Conga". It's tough to have that much time offstage. It requires a strong refocusing of energy to feel part of the show. The second act begins with "My Darlin' Eileen" and I need to go from zero to sixty immediately. It's like being shot out of a cannon!

I couldn't have asked for a better birthday yesterday! I so appreciate all of the wonderful greetings from my friends in the live journal community! Between your words of love and support, around 20 emails and IMs from non-LJ friends, phone calls from every member of my family, quite a few friends and both exes, my dressing room spot decorated with a Pooh Bear Birthday Banner and streamers, bouquets of flowers, a surprise visit backstage from my actor friend Cheryl who brought a big birthday cake, having the cast, crew and orchestra sing Happy Birthday to me twice .... I even shared a birthday morning call with

pbehr in Victoria. We've never met, but we share the same birthday and decided to mark the day by speaking for the first time. I am humbled by the attention and words of affection ... May you all feel so embraced when you reach 52!

I'm off to the theatre for another five hour rehearsal beginning at noon. It doesn't let up before opening. We'll rehearse right up till 5:00pm, break between 5 and 7:30pm and hit the ground running at 8pm. Tonight's the official opening night for "Wonderful Town"! As I sing to Eileen at the top of Act 2, "The Mayor of Shannon would shoot off a cannon and call ye a queen ... Darlin' Eileen". Officer Lonigan is gonna take stage with gusto!