One show down... sort of.

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Okay. Well... that was interesting.

Yesterday was spent in a mad rush at the theater to program the entire show, a show based on moving lights, on an ETC Express 48/96. For those of you considering that in the future, I don't recommend it, unless you have mad skills. I got most of the show done... I needed about another half hour when we opened the house, so the last parts of the show were done in blind while the first part of the show was running. Amazingly, the only cue I really blew was because of the house lights, which are on the wall out of reach, and needed to be brought down at the same time as a cue... oops. I'll need someone to help with that tonight.

The show itself was difficult. Gerald had the bridge of his bass slip three times in the first act. The first was bad... but he fixed it and got back in the game pretty quickly... only to have it slip again. This time he left the stage and came back... played for a song or two, and had it blow a third time. He wasn't back the rest of that act. Austin and Masumi (playing piano and drums, respectively) carried it as best as they could (though Austin had the dazed look of a survivor walking off a crashed plane at the end of the show), and the dancers were troopers, pushing through. Gerald had the bass fixed at the end of intermission, and he babied it all through the second act, but said he could feel it slipping again. Fortunately, he kept it intact until the end of the show. Complete with three full instruments, even if hobbled, the band and dancers rallied for the second act, and while I wouldn't say it was a hit or anything, it was a pretty good save, and the audience seemed to like it, even if they were a bit puzzled by everything.

Not a great start in otherwords, but the company showed their professionalism in the face of long odds against them. The entire production so far has been horrendously hampered by our producers who are unwilling or unable to find professional tools for us to use. In addition to my problems with the lights and console, it took Gerald a day of shopping around the music stores to find a bass that really had a good sound, and of course it turns out that one had problems of its own. Masumi went through the same thing finding even a halfway decent jazz drumkit, and while we do have a grand piano (white, with stickers on it!) at this theater, I know Austin will be using an electronic one at some of the shows. The whole thing really has been a test of what we can do with shit to work with...

So this morning myself and the rest of the tech team are off to a city half an hour away to start setting up the theater for tomorrow. We'll be back in Shanghai tonight, for another performance at the same theater... hopefully better than last night.

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Comments

[Don Dickson]

frustrated for you
I dunno whether to laugh or cry. I might do some of both. But the show was well-received by the audience? How big an audience? Hang in there brother, I feel your pain. Tell us what y'all are EATING! Have you hit KFC yet?

[t]

puzzled
stephen, ...love the part that the audience was "puzzled." In lieu of the amount of time, effort, and energy that has gone into this production it\'s a wonder you're not "puzzled." It's times like these that I look back and say "I'm surprised it went as well as it did." If you (all) will,... dig deep inside,...to that part of you that has carried you this far,....and keep on going!!! Once again,...lower your expectations,...it's a different crowd,...they have different expectations. In the next several hours "Distance Energy" from J. Wayne Ryker,...pull on it, if you will. You are never far from our thoughts..... sincerely, t

[t]

stephen, ...if you can find a few minutes of calm in between the bursts of frenetic activity. It sounds as tho \"the planning committee\" in Shanghai may have missed a few key points. Tough on all involved @ Tapestry. It speaks volumes regarding their willingness to help you guys get the tech support you need. I would liken it to going to a supervisor with a problem,...and her turning a blind eye. Painful,... a feeling of insignificance in terms of one\'s well-being, one\'s skills, and how one is perceived by others. The reality of \"who\" you all are is of no significant consequence to what is currently happening. Separate \"the stuff\" from you (all) as individuals. I liken it to the old Midnight Oil song \"it belongs to them,...let\'s give it back!!!\" Basic human concern involves helping others,...I\'m unsure whether the folks in Shanghai have the skills, knowledge, and expertise to help. My sadness is in the work you all have done. Your effort thus far will carry you (all) far once home. These challenges will have brought you much closer than if things had went smoothly. Rest assured you all have an incredibly strong base of support back home. sincerely, t