First and final dress

As of 5pm today, my job just got much much easier. This afternoon the second cast (at HGO we call it the "alt cast," I have no idea why) had their one and only rehearsal on the stage. It was a lot like the final dress rehearsal for the first cast, except that today we had no orchestra, no chorus, no banda (oboes, trumpets, percussion, and guitar for this production), and no audience. What we did have were costumes for the first time (giant Scarlett O'Hara hoop skirts), the set for the first time (a raked stage that's steeper than it looks), and lights for the first time (in this production, lots of sidelight—Caliboy tells me that the general rule is if you're not being blinded, you're not being lit).

This kind of rehearsal always makes me nervous, but today's went just about as perfectly as it could have. We got through the whole show, ran the curtain call, rehearsed a couple dialogues over again, gave my notes, and still had time left over at the end. Everyone looked great, sang beautifully, and worked the stage like pros (because they are). I'm so excited to see them all have great successes in their performances this week. The main part of my job is done now, although wouldn't you know it, a potentially ill chorister means I'll be rehearsing an understudy at 9AM tomorrow.

I'm already feeling more relaxed. I've got my MacBook on my lap, a cat lying on my wrists, the SNL Presidential Bash is on TV, and I'm munching on German Christmas cookies for the first time this year.

Of course, I won't feel truly relaxed until tomorrow night, when I'm crossing #11 off my To-Do List. Go Obama!