Oklahoma! is open. Outdoor theater is blazing hot, but throwing myself into the river between shows helps.

This week I'm just trying to stay cool as Seattle hit's an all-time high.

Work has slowed down since I'm not available for weekends anymore, but Banana wants me back, so all is well. Working on a few Lachellybelly items while I have free time.

Snow White rehearsals will start three weeks after Oklahoma! ends (I wonder, do I really need to put in the exclamation mark every time I mention it?). And I've agreed to costume Ghostlight Theatrical's Fall show. I was hoping for one more evening gig, but I may concentrate on oodles of dance classes instead, and wait for the SMT shows I'd like to audition for this season. (Company and 110 in the Shade).

Off to eat apple pie made from scratch this morning.

I've survived hell week, and have a day off. Hooray!

We did three solid shows opening weekend. I know every cast member had a moment they didn't like, and I was late for an entrance, but overall three very good shows at the end of our 10 show hell week. Everyone kept their voices, and now we have a chance to rest up for the next weekend. Curly and I are coming early for an al italiano blocking and line run.

The 3pm shows out doors are hot and humid. The weather is not meant to improve for next week. Under my costume I wear knee high stockings, black ankle boots, bloomers, chemise, corset, corset cover, and petticoat. In 80 degree heat and high humidity, it's a very heavy combination. (Besides the fact that the costumer in me appreciates the detail, my dresses look better with underpinnings - and my corsetted waist looks so tiny when my skirts are swirling like they're supposed to) The chorus starts shedding petticoats as it gets hotter. Between shows on Saturday, Curly and I shed our layers, threw on swimsuits, and hurled ourselves in the 38 degree river. I only went up to my waist last time. Next time I'm getting in up to my neck.

I've been asked my a director who saw me do the French reading two weeks ago to do her reading tonight. I'm going over the script today. I wasn't able to make their one rehearsal Thursday, so my introduction to her style will be in the half hour before we read at ArtsWest for SPS. (The same group and place as the last one)

I'm off to forage for coffee.

Hell week has commenced.

First dress for the ladies tonight. My wig should finally make an appearance. Rehearsal ended at midnight last night, and I was up at 6 after going to bed at quarter to 1.

This is the toughest venue I've ever had to sing in. Outdoor theater sans mics is essentially like singing into a vacuum. In this theater, the rake is so dramatic that in order to play to the back of house, one's head must be tilted almost all the way up. (The 2nd floor balcony of the farmhouse puts me face to face with the third to last row) What a killer on vocal production to have one's chin that high in the air. So one does one's best, and trusts that all will sound fine, even if one has no clue how one's voice sounds.

Now I'm off to sing in a corset and see if there's any way to be period and still breathe.

Hell week starts Sunday. All week I'll be working days, then commuting to the mountains at night. Once we open, my schedule should be fairly easy-ish.

I remembered last night why I have a general policy not to spend a lot of time killing time with groups of performers. (After show hangouts being the exception) Inevitably the conversations start about who's amazing, and who's not, who is up for the same roles you are, and who they heard got cast, and who didn't. I find auditioning manageable only if I can walk away and not think about it again. Or that's the theory. I'd rather not know who I'm up against, or how good everyone else thinks they are. Policy back firmly in place.

Oklahoma had a markedly good rehearsal last night. The chorus made every entrance on time and with enthusiasm, and our new track tempos are much sprightlier. My personal practice sessions are going well, even though I don't maintain it easily in the very difficult acoustics of our rehearsal space. (One room, like singing underwater, the other, an echo chamber) The dialect coach called in this week to monitor the cast approved my accent, and was very happy that we're pronouncing Catoosie correctly. (My personal mission)

My credit card is now paid off. Hoorah! This week I should be able to start saving for next season.

Last night my roommate and I went to the midnight showing of Harry Potter: The Half Blood Prince. I had not been especially looking forward to this installment, since I'm not thrilled with the new Dumbledore. But good directing makes a difference, and this director did a lovely job balancing plot and subplot, exchanging exposition for action, and keeping everything moving along. Kudos to Daniel Radcliffe for his acting in the "Felix" scene. Also to Ron Weasley for the Love Potion scene. Kudos to Narcissa Malfoy for perpetual tearage. Nice mention to Draco Malfoy as well for a greatly expanded role from his previous one liners. I missed Moaning Myrtle, but nothing else was terribly glaring that got cut. There wasn't too much additional shooting that didn't come from the book, and only one directoral decision is going to be difficult to overcome for a major plot point in the next film or two.

That's my two bits. On a side note, I've never seen so many teenyboppers using a wizarding movie as an excuse to wear hotpants. And I saw even a balding middle aged man dressed in Hogwarts robes. There was no possible way, either, to eat all the candy, popcorn and soda my roommate and I splurged on for the film.

My main feeling these days is...exhausted, but happy. I'm working full time, but right now with two consecutive days off. The first of those I usually spent taking several hour naps inbetween reading a chapter or two, then waking up to discover I've drooled all over whatever I'm laying on. Carpet, pillows...my cat. I'm not normally a drooler...it's just a sign of extreme fatigue.

My work schedule is regular for a change, but I'm up at 5 every morning. That means that I'm off usually around 1. No later than 4. And leaves several hours for a nap before rehearsal. BUT my rehearsals go til 10, which leaves a maximum of six hours of sleep a night. A nap is not a luxury, but a regimented part of my routine. I can't wear out now. Once the show is open, I'll be working 50 hours a week, and spending my two days off doing three performances of Oklahoma!

I'm really enjoying this show. Really really. I love the character (who'd have thought?), and love playing opposite my costar. Which is good, since our play is completely different than the play the rest of the cast are putting on. We keep walking in on scenes we've never seen before, and we rehearse on different days than everyone else. I think I remember that from that last time I did this show. Curly and Laurey spend most of the play with each other, and the minor characters and chorus have their own plot and scenes. Not much interaction outside of chorus numbers, but even then - Laurey isn't in the Dream Ballet or Farmer and the Cowman. So I interact less with the rest of the cast even than Curly does.

Tonight I've got to get Oklahoma out of my head to do a single performance of Le Musee du Rodin at a Seattle Playwrites meeting at ArtsWest. I read lines on the bus this morning, luckily it's not memorized, and we'll have one more readthrough before the reading tonight.

Tomorrow we begin Act 1 runthroughs, and block the end of the show. I'm hoping to convince my choreographer to give me a private lesson to make sure I look credible dancing Many a New Day. As long as I get to dance, I'd like to look credible doing it. I've got the basic choreography down, but I want someone to make sure my arms and feet are pointing and curving correctly. I'm doing fine now, but with a slightly more work I could move more firmly into "moves well."

I'm at the library killing time, hoping a practice room becomes available. I got off work early, and rather than go home for a couple of hours, then taking a bus to West Seattle, I may as well stay in town and be productive until it's time to go. I brought my blacks to work and changed in the dishroom, and did my makeup and hair in the library bathroom. It worked.

Off to run lines.