One More Down - How Many To Go?

Well, we added the full band (minus one trombonist) last night. What a great sound! The music for High Button Shoes is excellent - rousing, saucy, corny, and sweetly melancholy. Jule Styne, the composer, also penned works you may be more familiar with such as Peter Pan, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Gypsy. He was pretty good at what he did!

These are the rehearsal days of "ups & downs". One minute everything is looking pretty rough and I heave a sigh, wondering if we will ever be ready and, "What can I do to help them?!" The next minute all is running smoothly and I am lost in the magic that music, dance, and nostalgic comedy can create. The kids are loving the show and the fruit of their labor is beginning to show.

But more than just musical theater is being produced. I see many of them doing things they've never done before - delivering lines, sashaying across the stage, twirling out a waltz step, and dancing in line with all their comrades. They are encouraging one another - "Way to go, Pontdue! You sound great, Oggle! Floy is terrific, Jeremy! Hey, we look pretty good on this number!"

So on it will go. One more week until we open. It's a big week. Lots of push needed. The first few rehearsals are tech rehearsals and we will be adding lights, sound, sets, effects, etc. The first attempts at putting it all together can be pretty deflating. It seems as though everything that was well learned is now falling apart, and the things that were weak before have disintegrated! But, hopefully, by mid-week it will all be gelling - lights, sound, sets, orchestra, dance, lines, costumes, props, entrances. Oh, there is so much involved in a production!

But most of all, we are "gelling". We are working well together, growing in love and esteem for one another, showing deference and care. The truly good stuff is happening. So upward and onward we go!

Hope we see you there! You will love "New Brunswick, N-J!"