Random rehearsal quotes

Overheard in today's music rehearsal for Winter's Tale:

"This is going to be the best ever"

"They are going to hear this and say "WOW" that just happened"

"This sounds awesome!!"

"MARACAS! "

I forgot the Oh Boy Part!

Yeah...I meant to also share the wonderful blessings this week:

1. Two weeks of rehearsal...almost down. Run through of the full show TOMORROW.

2. The actors are wonderful. Really. And I am not biased. Promise. I woud tell you.

3. We have almost filled our entire bookings calendar! Ahhh!

4. Including......a few public performances at the Bethesda Theatre! Just met with them today and they are wonderful people. I wanted to cry right there in their office. But I didn't - that might have freaked them out. And I do not want to freak nice people out.

Visit their site. See shows. http://www.bethesdatheatre.com/

5. AND we have found rehearsal space! The super duper nice folks at Source/Flashpoint have come through with last minute rehearsal space. With that I actually did burst into tears...which was fine because it was just me and my computer. And she doesn't tattle. And you should totally support them http://www.sourcedc.org/ as they are a huge supporter of a variety of arts organizations in the District.

We need more people like these two. I am incredibly grateful for them both.

And our lawyers - who I haven't even talked about yet. They started this whole weeping chain of events. We couldn't move forward, apply for more money....without them. They believe. Theya re awesome women.

So there are happy things too which make me feel like this:

Oh Boy! and Oy!

From Becky.

We just about to close the second week of rehearsals and this week has been a roller coaster to say the least. I typed in the word CRAZY into the Google Image world just to see if I could find a picture to express the start of my week and interestingly enough these were among the top three:

The more I ponder, the more I think - wow! it does actually represent how I was feeling....a mixture between a goggles at the ready, stance set to jump when needed, foreigner to ways of running a company....coupled with a thumbs up, nothing possibly could go wrong now look in my eyes except that I might be lying to ya...finished off with a side of...seriously if anything else comes up I might just say ta ta to it all kinda charm.

Nice, huh? Needless to say, I started off the week hyperventalating... because it seemed the list of things needing to be done and worry about was growing.

Between my personal life - with my dear friends moving out and trying to find 4 new roommates to everything in the world that goes with trying to end and begin a new household.

My work life - We're just about to start a new season over at the J and well in case you haven't noticed people are being careful with money. Or at least they say they are...which really means that things like arts and fun are the first to go. So, the whole let's buy in advance rule is going out the window. So, we need to find new ways and grow patience beans that remind us...if you build it, they will come. Our season is pretty amazing - I would buy tickets in advance but luckily I don't have to since I have the inside track. But you should.

My school life -- Right. I graduated. But it's not over. I still have a GIGANTIC test to take which I said I would study for in August. It's August 14th...yeah, don't think that's happening. And I owe them a first aid class.

My other personal life -- involving trying to remember that we are more than a company and that there are times we need to have conversations that don't revolve around WS. That he's a good movie date. And that we have friends. We do, I remember you....I think about you. I miss them. And my family. My family. Surguries. Weddings. Babies. Work. Golf. Jets. Trips. Miss them too.

And finally but generally it's first so I won't feel bad ....Wandering Souls. I left RG a voicemail this week saying - Running a company is hard. And it is. It's fun, don't get me wrong. And I think we have a relatively easy company since most people don't object to what we do and want to help in fact. But there's a lot of things you can plan for. And you think you have covered it all and...oh, oh no...you didn't. Or you are finally on track and you pour a tall glass of wine...sit down to watch some Housewives of Atlanta (yeah, home!) and then you check your email (which you should probably never do when you're trying to relax or since you have done nothing but be on a computer - but I'm addicted. WHat???)

Anyway...you check the email and there's something you never thought of.

Life, huh? It's a doozy. I thought of something else...but my mom might read this. Hi mom!

So you, well I...do some sort of maniac dance of joy - if it's good - or I tear around like Animal from SS for a few minutes. And then you remember to take a deep breathe (my mantra these days) and realize that if you can keep your eyes on what you are trying to do and your belief that someone has your back....none of it matters and ALL will be well.

And you realize at least you got your heartrate up for a few minutes which is good since you keep promising yourself that you'll get back in shape.

And you pick the glass up. Take off the mute button and try to figure out just why these two classy (used so ginigerly) ladies are pulling each others hair on the street making Atl look bad. And you think - at least I am not them.

Show related - no confirmed rehearsal space for the last 2 weeks of scheduled rehearsal; the venues we're doing this for was slow on the uptake for booking shows; no public performance space;

We've started rehearsals...eeeek

I can't believe that we've started.
I can't believe that I haven't written in a long time.
I can't believe how much time and energy it takes to start a company.
I can't believe how much I like working with my co-founder and how much I am learning...
I can't believe how right this feels.

So to catch the waiting blogosphere...our adoring public... up on goings ons...let me give a rundown of the last few months.

We stayed up all night to finish writing our first grant. Kinda felt like I was back in college and had a term paper due at 9 am. Finished late late late. Got up early early early to run it over to the DC gov office. We celebrated turning our first grant in. It felt good! Great! Amazing!

We then waited. Then waited some more. And more. And with each wait our belief that we would actually receive the grant fell. As the date passed when they were supposed to let the receipents know. And that was it.

About 2 weeks later I called in sick to work....I was sick. But then the doorbell rang.

Certified mail. No idea what it was.

I signed. I chatted with Mr Halls the mailman. I went back in.

I opened the mail and then scared my poor cat half to death....because the scream that came out of me was over the top to say the least. I screamed, danced, jumped around, cried, laughed....my sickness was healed!

We got the grant! And not just some portion. The ENTIRE amount we asked for! And they never, to our knowledge, had given this much to one company. I called JJ and screamed...then my mom...then my dad....

It was a good day. We're real. We have funds to pay our artists. We're real. We have to make it happen now. We're real.

Sigh...and this was supposed to be about rehearsals.

Next post. Maybe in a minute.

But first I can say that we are partially funded by the DC Commission of Arts and Humanities.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!