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.