It began a few months back with "Baby... you wanna watch Repo! with me and brainstorm on some scenes?" So we did. Ashley is the love of my life, after all, and I'd watch a slasher flick with (for?) her any time. And brainstorm scenes, even though this is definitely not my line of work. So then I'm like "hmm... I like this movie." Except the Thankless Job scene. That was too gory for me. Folks, I had no idea...
Fast-forward to the Sacramento Horror Film Festival. Or rather to the point where the decision is made to do the preview and the tech rehearsal for that occurs. I'm doing more than brainstorming now, I'm carrying boxes with heavy stuff in them. Then the fest itself, whereupon I drive movie-stars around (and getting lost in Sac's Web O' Freeways), duck-tape random things, and running around acting like Ashley's walkie-talkie. When the pressure's on, everyone is put to use, especially boyfriends.
After the show, in the afterglow of euphoria, I'm told that we need an extra dude to fill a genecop role. I say yes. I mean, this can't be a huge time commitment, right?
Eight weeks later, I find myself playing four roles, including the one where Tim rips my guts out in that scene I don't like. Which means I spend most of my time ripping one costume off myself and putting another one on. I'm sad because the screen-accurate replicas of genecop rifles didn't come in. I find two M4s in WalMart on the morning of the opening day. I feel better.
At this point I'm researching the locations of emergency rooms in Sacramento because Ashley's been running a high fever for days. I'm convinced she's going to collapse an hour before the show. She seems to be surrounded by eight people yelling her name on any given minute. Insanity reigns, but I can't shake a persistent feeling that we're going to be fine. "We're gonna ROCK this HOUSE!" I proclaim to anyone who'd listen. They look at me like I'm some kind of looney. Oh ye of little faith...
A couple hours before the show everything is chaos. Props, wigs, bits of costumes litter the place. In an upstairs dressing room I help Jessalyn zip up her costume. It seems 50% of everyone's time has been spent helping Jessalyn transition between costumes. She has many costumes. I try to work the zipper and it comes off, opening a gash in the back of her dress. I say "we're gonna ROCK this HOUSE!" Jessalyn blinks at me. I finally succeed in zipping her up. We're halfway through our penultimate runthrough.
The special effects guy arrives with a bundle of gross things, and Tim and I finally get to practice pulling my guts out. The first time around the intestine gets stuck in my pants and Tim bungles his dance routine while trying to yank it out. The prosthetic is duck-taped to my hairy Jewish stomach and chest. I have a bad feeling about this.
Every time I run through the theatre, the scene becomes a little neater. Techies are dashing around and looking more haggard and dusty by the minute. We're finding out about all the things that aren't going to work the way we wanted: Tristan's Pavi face isn't articulate, Camille tends to rotate a little (or a lot) on the wire, a few of the costumes couldn't be made, there's no face prosthetic for "Blame Not My Cheeks". A few minutes before the show I run to the Green Room to re-attach the abdominal cavity prosthetic to myself. I find Jessalyn there, worried about the face. Felicity is there worried about her slashed throat. Every other minute Catt exclaims something like "Oh my God, how am I going to do X, Y and Z?" Dani wanders by wondering where the Evening Slice magazine went.
I think to myself "We're gonna ROCK this HOUSE!" It's unconvincing. I feel a little faint.
People are lining up outside. I run into my cousin in the line. Ashley's Mom brings us sandwiches, and we force each other to eat.
Little by little, chaos resolves itself. The audience is in place, and while it's not a full house, it's a pretty filled-up house. Billy and I are sporting the genecop riot gear, so we can't do anything but wait now. We hang out with a bunch of gals in Sanitarium Square garb in the VIP room upstairs. Half an hour passes in tense idleness.
I worry about the Thankless Job scene. The board to which I'm supposed to be strapped is a little bare and I tend to slide off it. There's little to hold on to. The first time I tried it, it broke under my (fairly light) weight. I responded by sticking a dozen more screws into it. Will it hold? We'll see...
The show begins! When Dani comes out in Graverobber's costume, the crowd goes nuts. When Tim comes out on stage in Repo Man's costume, rips out Felicity's heart and throws it (with aorta attached) into the audience, the audience goes MORE nuts. I'm watching through the door, thinking, we have 'em. I'm relieved that the lights are good, even though there were pretty dismal during the runthrough. I can't see Stephen's head explode, but I hear the audience freak out. Ashley comes out through the door and says excitedly: "Oh man... it's ALREADY good!" She's pale and feverish. I worry about her.
The flashlights I taped to the M4s are super bright, and I love how the audience members flinch when Billy and I get in their faces during 21st Century Cure. We advance onto the stage on cue, Catt is suitably terrified as we push her around. Then Trevor shows up in the Repo Man's costume and pushes us around.
And then the blur begins. My ears are permanently tuned to the soundtrack (which I still haven't gotten out of my head) as I rip the riot gear off, ready to be wheeled on stage as the Legal Assassin victim. I barely need to act scared: Tim growls the lines into my face and I fear he's going to bite my nose off. I'm glad that I personally (and nonchalantly) checked Tim's prop scalpels: they're dull. Whew. I'm 50% certain he'd start cutting me for real during Thankless Job. That one's next.
Tyler the techie and I are still not quite sure how to do that one. The big board is living on stage for the time being, much to Ashley's displeasure. I placed a chain on it for me to hold on to (and pretend to be bound by). Tyler is going to help me roll the board out, but during the scene it seems to me (and to the audience) that I'm pulling that huge thing after me by myself. Thirty seconds before we go on stage the special effects guy comes up to me and says: "I got a blood pack for you, lemme just..." and shoves it into my prosthetic. "What do I do with it?" I ask. "Oh, just tell Tim to tear it," he says. "Uh Tim," I say. "I've a blood packet inside my guts. Just um, tear it." "Oookkay," says Tim. He's discombobulated, focusing on his choreography. I think "fuck it." It'll work.
Oh. It works. The fake blood goes everywhere, down my pants, all over my stomach, all over Tim's gloves and helmet and legs and all over the floor. It's cold, slick and, after a minute, incredibly sticky. The crowd roars as Tim yanks out a long intestine. He looks for the heart, but for some reason his gloved hand, slick with fake blood, starts probing *downwards* into my pants. Um, Tim? That's not where the heart is... He mercifully gives up and finishes the scene. I'm still not sure what THAT was... As I slide off the board and crawl offstage, I notice the enormous pool of blood on the stage. Who knew that little packet could hold so much?
When Theresa helps me take the duck tape off, I scream so loudly they can hear me on stage. The fake blood congeals on my stomach, and for the rest of the show my shirt clings to it. My pants are encrusted. Tim's gloves stick together. We look at each other in bewilderment, but the show must go on.
I will die a few more times, but not as spectacularly. I still barely see anything that goes on on stage, but by the audience's reaction, we're doing well. After the intermission, it's time to rock out to Seventeen.
Trevor and I climb into our costumes: he into the Lion, me into the Hippo. I can't see out of the Hippo head. So, to help me find the stage, Trevor has to lead me by the hand. As the scene starts, we're standing together, in silence, in the dark, holding hands. It's weird and comforting at the same time. And when we get on stage, the crowd goes nuts.
I've a weird memory about that scene. After Ashley comes on stage as Joan Jett and starts rocking out, I sneak a peak through the Hippo's mouth, and all I can see is bright multicolored stagelights, and a bunch of jumping "fans". The light, music and chaos of the scene make that crowd appear huge. I feel like a rockstar. My legs would ache for a week afterwards.
More feverish changing, painful plucking at the sticky shirt and pants, a glorious genecop death at the hand of the Repo Man. Then the dead get up, scurry offstage to change into suits for We Started This Op'ra Shit. Forgetting to go around the back, I saunter straight through the isle, followed by curious glances. In the foyer, I find the Woman with the Martini Glass, in whom I barely recognize Ashley. I can barely think: "Ooh! Long hair! Hot!" when we're off through the doors. "Geneco helped upgrade my second-class heredity!!" "My liver was totally wrecked, but now I can drink whatever I want!"
Then I dip her. Awkwardly. The audience gawks: they don't know. Frankly, they're probably gawking at the genterns. Our genterns are hot and a lot more skimpily dressed. And they're writhing against each other.
I prance offstage. Another change into a genecop, sticky fingers leaving red smudges on everything. Camille up in the air, and the audience roars again. Another glorious Repo-death on floor center. Then the crescendo at the opera, Justin's glorious death scene, and the special effects guy sauntering across the stage with... wait... WTF?! What is he..? Oh... my... I'm ready to watch Ashley fly at him and rip his head off right on stage. Thankfully, she exercises restraint. Then Tim's Repo Man coat gets caught in the wheelchair and the audience snickers. Catt's and Tim's performance brings them back.
Then the final scene, and then the bows. And then we're done! Except we're not. It takes us two days to load out. When we get home, Ashley sleeps twelve hours straight. I don't sleep. I am awake all night thinking about how to improve things.
We're all pumped. February is going to...
Except then the reviews come in and hey. What'd I tell you? WE ROCKED THAT HOUSE!
Ladies and gents, boys and girls. We're a kick-ass bunch, aren't we? With all that didn't quite work out, with everything that didn't go according to plan, all the props that didn't materialize, the spinning flying rig, the last-minute special effects that surprised us more than the audience... we got them peeing their pants. Now imagine February. Yeah. That's right.
I think I'm hooked on this...
p.s. Sorry if I didn't tag people, I don't have everyone...
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Saturday, December 26, 2009
December 12 Show, Amber's Sweets Debut (by Camille Niello)
So the Saturday of the actual Repo! Live show, everything was pretty chaotic. Props were coming in, last minute decisions made, costumes finished up. Complete and utter chaos. The previous day I had gone up on the wire rig for the first time ever for Chromaggia. Now, we had gone over it a number of times, but with a rather large harness over my Chromaggia costume, and one wire, there was no real guarantee that I was going to remain facing the audience. But a few times over, we tested the drop, went rather successfully, so the next day, we rehearsed my timing of coming down onto the stage to be lifted after Blame Not My Cheeks. I was going to be in the air by the time they lowered me for Chromaggia.
Everything went extremely well for a first show. Thankless Job, an evisceration scene where we see more of the monster come out of Nathan Wallace, played by Tim Meunier, was before my first entrance with Luigi, Amber and Pavi, as well as my first meeting with Shilo. We underestimated just how much blood was going to come out of those theatrical blood packets. It was everywhere. As I step over the body of the "victim" Luigi had just stabbed to death, I about slipped and landed on my ass about three times, both Amber, played by Jessalyn San Gregorio, and I seemed to be having the same issue. With the mostly opaque contacts I was wearing plus the stage lights, navigating about the stage was not an easy task. But that scene was done and went rather successfully.
Before Chase the Morning, my first meeting with Shilo, played by Caitlyn "Catt" Miller, I had to book it up the aisle during intermission. I had mapped out exactly where my family members were and just how I was going to get past them. This was an epic fail, because while I'm huddled at the top of the stairs in the lobby, I look over to see a camera in my face with two friends of my parents who I have known virtually my whole life, behind it. I chatted with them for a little bit, anxious to hear if my parents had left the building or not due to the nature of the show, and hearing that my parents were still there and were actually enjoying it was enough to bring tears to my eyes. So as Who Ordered Pizza and Night Surgeon begin, I'm already pacing. I'm in costume, with the opera costume underneath my Chase coat because there was no way in hell I was going to get that sucker as well as the harness on in time before I went onstage. So beneath the coat, I was wearing both the Chromaggia opera costume as well as the harness. Other people said it worked well, they could barely tell, but when I looked in the mirror what my mind's eye saw was a pregnant reptile. But it worked well, it was pulled off well. Morgana, one of the henchgirls, quickly darted offstage after Night Surgeon in order to escort me as Blind Mag toward the "Wallace House" a.k.a the stage. Chase the Morning has always been a very powerful number, the first meeting between Mag and Shilo, and as I'm supposed to "project" the image of Marni onto the wall on the far side of the theatre, I looked up to see that there was no projection.
Ok... whatever, just work with it. And I did, and delayed a little but it finally flickered to life, much to my relief. The scene took off and went incredible, including Everyone's a Composer where Mag is basically thrown out of the house by Nathan. Once over, I hurried back up the aisle. Grabbing the flower which was on the food counter, I awaited At the Opera Tonight.
The chaos didn't really begin until I rushed back upstairs, thinking I had enough time to put the eyelashes on for Chromaggia, the finger talons, which are a BIG prop for this sequence, and my thigh high boots. Mind you these things are a good six-inches high with a platform on the sole and spiked heel. How I haven't killed myself in these by now is beyond me, but I absolutely adore them for the scene. But by the time we get up there, I'm getting the wristbands, choker, everything, reach to grab the talons.... only to find that someone had moved them and they were nowhere to be seen.
Panic set in. The techies ran amok trying to find the damn things, I'm struggling to get my boots zipped up. Mike, who helped operate the flight rig, was yelling for me to get downstairs. With boots halfway zipped up, I about vaulted down the stairs, prepared to be lifted up in the air. Somehow I didn't meet my mark, so I think, and within seconds of me being barely three feet in the air yet, I start turning away from the audience. As an actor, you're trained to work with whatever happens. Act like there's nothing wrong, and usually you can pass a mistake as part of the show. With the screen displaying Sarah Brightman doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing in back of me? There was no way it could have been passed as part of the show. I went with it, however, and the second I landed figured I'd continue on with my choreography to redeem myself.
I blew it at the end however when I thought I heard one of the techies saying that they found my talons. Or saying to me from the back wing. I moved over in a very Mag fashion, only to be met with looks of "What the hell are you doing?" when I did so. Ok, apparently I heard wrong. So I made my way back, thought, "Ok, just BS the rest of it." And I did, moving back over to the mark for the flight rig, only to be swung completely around by the wire once again. At this point, seeing Blind Mag trying to wriggle her way back around elicited a laugh out of the audience. But it brought a bit of the tension down. It was a mistake, we were working with it, there was nothing we could have done to help that. They knew that. So before my death, I swung around to glare at Rotti Largo with "I would rather be blind." and it just so happened that I was turned around by the wire as I went to "take out" my eyes. It was a cool effect actually, and would have been better if I had been turned back around in the other direction.
But of course, I wasn't. Rather than be dropped on my back I found myself being dropped face first with my bum in midair. I landed, rolled, against the "snow pile" scenery, which was wire mesh on the inside of it, and slowly slid down it for Mag's death.
The show was brilliant on the other hand. Nathan's Repo coat got caught in the wheelchair, which required a techie to rush out and assist. But the rest of it was as powerful as it was intended to be. The reviews were fantastic, and what has set us apart from the other casts is the fact that Mag was actually lifted in the air, as well as the Inopportune Phonecall victim literally hung upside down, poor Trevor. He was a trooper, though, and did an amazing job. I had the easy stunt, though it seemed like he enjoyed being hung upside down. So I'll close this out. For all fans of Repo!, come back out for our February 27th show of 2010.
To bring this to a close, for all Repo fans, Chase the morning, yield for nothing,
and of course...
Everybody, everybody TESTIFY!!!
xx Camille
"Blind Mag"
Everything went extremely well for a first show. Thankless Job, an evisceration scene where we see more of the monster come out of Nathan Wallace, played by Tim Meunier, was before my first entrance with Luigi, Amber and Pavi, as well as my first meeting with Shilo. We underestimated just how much blood was going to come out of those theatrical blood packets. It was everywhere. As I step over the body of the "victim" Luigi had just stabbed to death, I about slipped and landed on my ass about three times, both Amber, played by Jessalyn San Gregorio, and I seemed to be having the same issue. With the mostly opaque contacts I was wearing plus the stage lights, navigating about the stage was not an easy task. But that scene was done and went rather successfully.
Before Chase the Morning, my first meeting with Shilo, played by Caitlyn "Catt" Miller, I had to book it up the aisle during intermission. I had mapped out exactly where my family members were and just how I was going to get past them. This was an epic fail, because while I'm huddled at the top of the stairs in the lobby, I look over to see a camera in my face with two friends of my parents who I have known virtually my whole life, behind it. I chatted with them for a little bit, anxious to hear if my parents had left the building or not due to the nature of the show, and hearing that my parents were still there and were actually enjoying it was enough to bring tears to my eyes. So as Who Ordered Pizza and Night Surgeon begin, I'm already pacing. I'm in costume, with the opera costume underneath my Chase coat because there was no way in hell I was going to get that sucker as well as the harness on in time before I went onstage. So beneath the coat, I was wearing both the Chromaggia opera costume as well as the harness. Other people said it worked well, they could barely tell, but when I looked in the mirror what my mind's eye saw was a pregnant reptile. But it worked well, it was pulled off well. Morgana, one of the henchgirls, quickly darted offstage after Night Surgeon in order to escort me as Blind Mag toward the "Wallace House" a.k.a the stage. Chase the Morning has always been a very powerful number, the first meeting between Mag and Shilo, and as I'm supposed to "project" the image of Marni onto the wall on the far side of the theatre, I looked up to see that there was no projection.
Ok... whatever, just work with it. And I did, and delayed a little but it finally flickered to life, much to my relief. The scene took off and went incredible, including Everyone's a Composer where Mag is basically thrown out of the house by Nathan. Once over, I hurried back up the aisle. Grabbing the flower which was on the food counter, I awaited At the Opera Tonight.
The chaos didn't really begin until I rushed back upstairs, thinking I had enough time to put the eyelashes on for Chromaggia, the finger talons, which are a BIG prop for this sequence, and my thigh high boots. Mind you these things are a good six-inches high with a platform on the sole and spiked heel. How I haven't killed myself in these by now is beyond me, but I absolutely adore them for the scene. But by the time we get up there, I'm getting the wristbands, choker, everything, reach to grab the talons.... only to find that someone had moved them and they were nowhere to be seen.
Panic set in. The techies ran amok trying to find the damn things, I'm struggling to get my boots zipped up. Mike, who helped operate the flight rig, was yelling for me to get downstairs. With boots halfway zipped up, I about vaulted down the stairs, prepared to be lifted up in the air. Somehow I didn't meet my mark, so I think, and within seconds of me being barely three feet in the air yet, I start turning away from the audience. As an actor, you're trained to work with whatever happens. Act like there's nothing wrong, and usually you can pass a mistake as part of the show. With the screen displaying Sarah Brightman doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing in back of me? There was no way it could have been passed as part of the show. I went with it, however, and the second I landed figured I'd continue on with my choreography to redeem myself.
I blew it at the end however when I thought I heard one of the techies saying that they found my talons. Or saying to me from the back wing. I moved over in a very Mag fashion, only to be met with looks of "What the hell are you doing?" when I did so. Ok, apparently I heard wrong. So I made my way back, thought, "Ok, just BS the rest of it." And I did, moving back over to the mark for the flight rig, only to be swung completely around by the wire once again. At this point, seeing Blind Mag trying to wriggle her way back around elicited a laugh out of the audience. But it brought a bit of the tension down. It was a mistake, we were working with it, there was nothing we could have done to help that. They knew that. So before my death, I swung around to glare at Rotti Largo with "I would rather be blind." and it just so happened that I was turned around by the wire as I went to "take out" my eyes. It was a cool effect actually, and would have been better if I had been turned back around in the other direction.
But of course, I wasn't. Rather than be dropped on my back I found myself being dropped face first with my bum in midair. I landed, rolled, against the "snow pile" scenery, which was wire mesh on the inside of it, and slowly slid down it for Mag's death.
The show was brilliant on the other hand. Nathan's Repo coat got caught in the wheelchair, which required a techie to rush out and assist. But the rest of it was as powerful as it was intended to be. The reviews were fantastic, and what has set us apart from the other casts is the fact that Mag was actually lifted in the air, as well as the Inopportune Phonecall victim literally hung upside down, poor Trevor. He was a trooper, though, and did an amazing job. I had the easy stunt, though it seemed like he enjoyed being hung upside down. So I'll close this out. For all fans of Repo!, come back out for our February 27th show of 2010.
To bring this to a close, for all Repo fans, Chase the morning, yield for nothing,
and of course...
Everybody, everybody TESTIFY!!!
xx Camille
"Blind Mag"
Confessions of a Genetic Perfection- Amber's Sweets Show Diary, 12/12/2009 (by Jessalyn SanGregorio)
Chapter One: If it's your first time, it's gonna hurt.
I awake at 9:30 a.m. sweating bullets. I roll over to see David, my boyfriend, still asleep. I roll back over onto my back, exhaling with a huge sigh. My hand reaches out to twist my fingers into his gorgeous long hair while my mind wanders back to the nightmares I’ve been having all night about the show. My stomach flips over in a twist of nervous queasiness and terror.
Only David (and the 25 or so other people in my cast) have any idea how long and how hard I’ve been working on this.
I don’t really remember anything that happened on Friday before the show, except Jessica freaking out about costumes, Tim looking sexy (I had a hard time not jumping him in the Repo outfit.(haha!)) Camille and Trevor going up on the rig, and us laughing so hard at Camille wriggling to get herself turned back around on the rig she looked like a retarded Tinkerbell, or possibly a very entertaining piñata. (I love you Camille, but it was REALLY funny.)
I sighed once again, thinking back on all of this, and decided that right now wasn’t the time to get sentimental. I needed to get my head in the game, as Zefron sings.
David and I finally rolled out of bed, after he managed to basically force feed me something. I have no idea what it was, food doesn’t mean much when your fueled by stress and terror. I don’t remember what we talked about on the way down, or the drive down itself. I remember telling David that I would be hitting the ground running.
I was right. From the second I walked in the door, someone was screaming for me. Tech are running everywhere, Andie is still making sets, flight guy is running around, saw dust and plastic bags litter the audience. Ashley is everywhere with her script. I manage to make my way down to the freezing cold dungeon where I am greeted by Jessica, tears streaming down her face, surrounded by a massive piles of fabric. Patterns litter the floor. The Moms are sitting down there sewing furiously, Elyse is trying to calm Jess down, to little or no avail, people are running EVERYWHERE. I decided my presence would best be served down there, getting shit done. Eventually, Dwight attempted to come downstairs at which point we WARNED him that unless he could sew really quickly, he better leave or he’d leave without a limb. Elisabeth and I were working quite diligently and quickly on my Who Ordered Pizza dress about an hour later when Dwight tried it again- this time he got the full force of Jessica’s rage. It was pretty impressive, actually. After threats of not doing the first run through until I had all my costumes done, hell seemed to break loose. It seemed like all of the execs were about ready to rip each other a new one- I was already in serious pain, two hours sitting hunched over in the cold sewing (or rather gluing) yarn on the skirt, fixing other pieces, etc was taking its toll on my back and neck. My pain was nothing compared to Jessica’s who had had her appendix removed several days before, and was operating on something like a Xanax morphine cocktail. I don’t remember. Eventually, we managed to finish ALMOST all of my pieces (except for Blame Not My Cheeks.)
I then spent the next TWENTY FIVE MINUTES figuring out and placing all my costumes pieces where they needed to go. I need an assistant. For those of you who don’t know- I have the most costumes in the whole freaking show.
I have – 31 costume pieces, 7 wigs, and 3 pairs of shoes.
So yeah. ASSISTANT PLEASE!!!! Ms. Hilton needs her assistant!
Some how, we make it through the first run through.
Lunch time! David went and got something from Trader Joe’s for lunch. I pretty much ate it without tasting it, and tried to just shut my brain off for a while. I couldn’t even think about doing another run through and THEN AN ACTUAL SHOW.
BUT THIS IS OPERA!!!!!!!!!
I left my shoes off (the cause of my pain) and gathered up all 31 pieces, 7 wigs, and 3 pairs of shoes and reset them. I REALLY need an assistant.
We managed to get about halfway through the second runthrough when – OH SNAP! We have enough time to run Chromaggia and that’s it.
At this point, I have probably run up and down each set of steps about 35 times each (not an exaggeration), out to my car twice, ran through WSTOS with the girls twice, and done a full run through and half of one in high heels. I couldn’t help it. I walked up to David, and proceeded to burst into tears. I was in SO MUCH PAIN. Thank god for that boy and his magical foot massages.
After he managed to calm me down, I realize something.
Spooky Dan has arrived, people are lining up, and I STILL HAVEN’T SEEN THE FX GUY!!!!! I reset all my shit and make a mad dash to the green room, shoving through the audience members in line, completely in character. I manage a quick five minute meeting with the FX guy, who PROMISES to be there to apply my fake forehead right before BNMC. I dash backstage, reassured.
SHOW TIME!
So far- Jeff, Justin, Dwight, Tim, and I are upstairs together. The nerves set in. shit. Shitshitshit. My feet hurt. And- OH FUCK ME I HAVE TO PEE.
Too late now!
Miss Misery finishes her hosting, and the film starts. Morgana goes out with her violin, during the intro sequence. Jeff and I head down stairs and start hyping up Tim. The screams of approval that greeted him when he went onstage was what quieted my nerves. As soon as Tim and Felicity go offstage, Jeff, Tristan, Justin and I head onstage. More screams. I can’t help but play it up, Amber style. I flop down, and remember that – OH YEAH, we have NEVER run this effect before. Stephen walks on stage, and I notice the blood pack attached to him. I panic. That blood is going to fly backwards ALL over the stage, and probably ALL OVER ME and my costume, which I have to wear again. I process this in about half a second as Jessica pulls her “gun” and fires. Jeff triggers the device. Were it not for the fact that I had been yelling in my head the words “DON’T REACT DON’T REACT DON’T REACT” I would have jumped. Blood sprays forward ALL OVER Justin, Jessica and Morgana. My face betrayed nothing, but I did sigh of relief. My costume, at least, was safe. Behind me I hear Tristan quietly freaking out ‘holyshit! Holyshit that was awesome! Ohmygod!” and Jeff at my feet going “ Holy crap! Ohmygod its everywhere! That was so cool!” and me going “ SHUT. UP. I KNOW.” To both of them. Just then, Justin and the henchies pass me, and I realize that Justin has blood ALL OVER HIS FACE. Epic. I went offstage laughing and freaking out about how cool it was.
Onward! I change into my next costume, Mark It Up. I think just about everybody saw my boobs that day. Oh well. Jeff, Andie, Dwight, Stephen, and I head onstage, and everything goes swimmingly.
Onward once more! I figured out that Trevor has to help me get my Zydrate Anatomy costume on underneath my Sanitarium Square costume. We get me completely changed (and everyone sees my boobs again) and we all line up for Sanitarium Square. However, we had grossly miscalculated how much blood was on the stage after Thankless Job. I noticed Camille struggling valiantly for balance as I strut on stage and notice the issue. We are sliding EVERYWHERE. Camille and I dance precariously around Billy, who’s laying on the floor, and I grab her, SOMEHOW we managed to not die. Though Jeff nearly killed me when he pushed me backwards on the line “When I’m running GeneCo!” and I went slipping into Tristan. After that Dwight, Stephen, and I run frantically outside around to the lobby, thankfully washing all the blood off my shoes. We vault upstairs, and I madly throw my clothes off, zip up my boots, throw on my fourth wig and frantically make it to the bathroom.
Ah, sweet release.
Zydrate Anatomy became an obstacle course however, once I hit that stage in 6 inch stiletto heels on a stage still smeared with blood. I remember clinging to Dani for dear life, and being SO GREATFUL that it was intermission afterwards. The heels of my boots had blood going a full inch up the heel, and blood all over the toes.
INETRMEZZO.- techies run rampant with towels and rags trying to get as much blood offstage as possible. Next show- we need to place an order with Brawny. Or use a tarp. I change into my Gold outfit, with my Who Ordered Pizza outfit over it. I flag down a techie to bring me my shoes from the lobby-(personal assistant please?) I talk to Billy who is getting his neck appliance put on for Night Surgeon.
We start back up again with Who Ordered Pizza, and all goes swimmingly. The audience got a kick out of my gratuitous groping of Tim. I run offstage to change for HINAWS,
Just then Tim comes backstage, seething. Apparently, no one told him Billy had the appliance on, so blood just DUMPED all over the Repo outfit. OOPS.
During HINAWS, the techies forgot to bring Rotti’s desk back onstage, so I had to improv. Hilarity ensued when I went to skip offstage, with an added fake stumble. I land and notice my head feels decidedly light, and the audience is laughing really hard. My hands fly up to my head, where I realize that my wig has fallen off. SHIT. I roll with it though, dashing back to pick it up and failing very awkwardly offstage. I throw my wig on the table, dash upstairs for my WOP wig, and dash right back downstairs for my brief appearance in Gold.
More dashing.
I change at the speed of light into my ATOT outfit, and manage to make it. I slid THREE TIMES down the cement ramp thingy, and had to had Stephen guide me down the stairs to I wouldn’t die. As soon as I hit the backstage area I am FRANTICALLY throwing my clothes off. I then realize that the FX guy, who had PROMISED to be there………
Wasn’t.
He was NO WHERE in site. Shit. I have about a minute and half to be on stage. I scream at Stephen to help me change. He grabs my costume, throwing it at me, while I’m screaming ‘SAMMIE!!!!! WHERE’S THE FX GUY!!!!! HE’S SUPPOSED TO FUCKING BE HERE FOR MY FOREHEAD!!” the look of panic I received from the poor girl was priceless, techies are yelling into walkie talkies trying to find the guy. I’m screaming at Stephen to do the Velcro on my back while I’m putting my shoes on. Judging by the film score, I have about THIRTY SECONDS to be on stage.
“FUCK!” I scream ‘I HAVE NO FUCKING FOREHEAD!!!!” I whirl in frustration for my wig, ripping it off the wig head and jamming in unceremoniously onto my own. Stephen moves over to fix it for me, and as he moves, I see it- my saviour. Two bottles of stage Blood sitting on a ledge. Thank you, Theresa.
I turn to Stephen as I fly across the room to the bottles of blood. “TELL THE TECHS TO BRING ME AS MANY PAPER TOWELS AS POSSIBLE. AND SOME WATER BOTTLES” Stephen shouts down the stairs at the techs as I grab a bottle, ripping open the top. I then proceed to dump as much blood into my hand as I can possibly manage. Voila. Instant bloody face. I leave the bottle on the floor as I rub my hands together, effectively ruining the carpet. Oh well. This is opera. I REFUSE to go onstage without a forehead to fall off. I somehow manage to get down the stairs without using my hands (as they were covered in blood) and onto the stage in time. I prance and preen and finally I turn, sliming my face with as much blood as possible.
Ew. I can feel it dripping onto my costume. Shit. Oh well.
I run back offstage, up the stairs, and start grabbing water bottles and paper towels to get this shit off me. Stephen and I frantically scrub my face, and I run back downstairs for another two second appearance. Then I fly BACK upstairs to change into my final costume, where I take over GeneCo. (fuck yeah!)
When all is said and done, I strut back onstage for my final scene, Jeff and Tristan at my sides.
And then it’s over.
Fuck.
It’s over.
YES! I did it! WE DID IT!!!
the reviews came in, Spooky Dan interviewed us all, and we even earned some groupies.
Despite the pain, the blood, the freak outs, improv’s, tears, exhaustion, fighting, the stress, I went home with the hugest smile that night.
Did it feel worth it?
FUCK YES!
There are a few people I want to personally thank-
First- Stephen, for being cool in face of my screaming.
Secondly- Theresa, for bringing the blood that saved my ass
Camille- you were the one that was there from the BEGGINNING. Mag and Amber for life.
Jessica- words fail me when it comes to your dedication and drive. I love you.
Andie- for being amazing, taking SO MUCH onto yourself, and dedicating your time and effort.
David- for being there, taking care of me, and showing me what love means, i love you so much.
Ashley- damn, woman, for having the creative drive, the talent, and dedication to pull us all together, thank you. I owe you so much for giving me the opportunity to help create, lead, and inspire. You’re a hero.
Tim- where do I even begin? People like you are so rare, so insightfully wonderful. You need to know how much EVERYONE in this cast looks up to you, respects you, . I look at you and wish I had one tenth of your drive, focus, and ability to create. YOU started this Op’ra Shit, Tim. YOU were the spark that fanned the flames of bringing the REPO! Experience to Sacramento, you brought the thirty or so of us to create something amazing, something beautiful. Something unique. You are one of the strongest people I know, I’m so proud of you and everything you have overcome and done, and everyone of us is proud to call you our friend.
So guys, we ready to do this again in February? Cause I’m ready to bring the fire…..
TESTIFY!!!
p.s. sorry if i missed a tag of anyone..
I awake at 9:30 a.m. sweating bullets. I roll over to see David, my boyfriend, still asleep. I roll back over onto my back, exhaling with a huge sigh. My hand reaches out to twist my fingers into his gorgeous long hair while my mind wanders back to the nightmares I’ve been having all night about the show. My stomach flips over in a twist of nervous queasiness and terror.
Only David (and the 25 or so other people in my cast) have any idea how long and how hard I’ve been working on this.
I don’t really remember anything that happened on Friday before the show, except Jessica freaking out about costumes, Tim looking sexy (I had a hard time not jumping him in the Repo outfit.(haha!)) Camille and Trevor going up on the rig, and us laughing so hard at Camille wriggling to get herself turned back around on the rig she looked like a retarded Tinkerbell, or possibly a very entertaining piñata. (I love you Camille, but it was REALLY funny.)
I sighed once again, thinking back on all of this, and decided that right now wasn’t the time to get sentimental. I needed to get my head in the game, as Zefron sings.
David and I finally rolled out of bed, after he managed to basically force feed me something. I have no idea what it was, food doesn’t mean much when your fueled by stress and terror. I don’t remember what we talked about on the way down, or the drive down itself. I remember telling David that I would be hitting the ground running.
I was right. From the second I walked in the door, someone was screaming for me. Tech are running everywhere, Andie is still making sets, flight guy is running around, saw dust and plastic bags litter the audience. Ashley is everywhere with her script. I manage to make my way down to the freezing cold dungeon where I am greeted by Jessica, tears streaming down her face, surrounded by a massive piles of fabric. Patterns litter the floor. The Moms are sitting down there sewing furiously, Elyse is trying to calm Jess down, to little or no avail, people are running EVERYWHERE. I decided my presence would best be served down there, getting shit done. Eventually, Dwight attempted to come downstairs at which point we WARNED him that unless he could sew really quickly, he better leave or he’d leave without a limb. Elisabeth and I were working quite diligently and quickly on my Who Ordered Pizza dress about an hour later when Dwight tried it again- this time he got the full force of Jessica’s rage. It was pretty impressive, actually. After threats of not doing the first run through until I had all my costumes done, hell seemed to break loose. It seemed like all of the execs were about ready to rip each other a new one- I was already in serious pain, two hours sitting hunched over in the cold sewing (or rather gluing) yarn on the skirt, fixing other pieces, etc was taking its toll on my back and neck. My pain was nothing compared to Jessica’s who had had her appendix removed several days before, and was operating on something like a Xanax morphine cocktail. I don’t remember. Eventually, we managed to finish ALMOST all of my pieces (except for Blame Not My Cheeks.)
I then spent the next TWENTY FIVE MINUTES figuring out and placing all my costumes pieces where they needed to go. I need an assistant. For those of you who don’t know- I have the most costumes in the whole freaking show.
I have – 31 costume pieces, 7 wigs, and 3 pairs of shoes.
So yeah. ASSISTANT PLEASE!!!! Ms. Hilton needs her assistant!
Some how, we make it through the first run through.
Lunch time! David went and got something from Trader Joe’s for lunch. I pretty much ate it without tasting it, and tried to just shut my brain off for a while. I couldn’t even think about doing another run through and THEN AN ACTUAL SHOW.
BUT THIS IS OPERA!!!!!!!!!
I left my shoes off (the cause of my pain) and gathered up all 31 pieces, 7 wigs, and 3 pairs of shoes and reset them. I REALLY need an assistant.
We managed to get about halfway through the second runthrough when – OH SNAP! We have enough time to run Chromaggia and that’s it.
At this point, I have probably run up and down each set of steps about 35 times each (not an exaggeration), out to my car twice, ran through WSTOS with the girls twice, and done a full run through and half of one in high heels. I couldn’t help it. I walked up to David, and proceeded to burst into tears. I was in SO MUCH PAIN. Thank god for that boy and his magical foot massages.
After he managed to calm me down, I realize something.
Spooky Dan has arrived, people are lining up, and I STILL HAVEN’T SEEN THE FX GUY!!!!! I reset all my shit and make a mad dash to the green room, shoving through the audience members in line, completely in character. I manage a quick five minute meeting with the FX guy, who PROMISES to be there to apply my fake forehead right before BNMC. I dash backstage, reassured.
SHOW TIME!
So far- Jeff, Justin, Dwight, Tim, and I are upstairs together. The nerves set in. shit. Shitshitshit. My feet hurt. And- OH FUCK ME I HAVE TO PEE.
Too late now!
Miss Misery finishes her hosting, and the film starts. Morgana goes out with her violin, during the intro sequence. Jeff and I head down stairs and start hyping up Tim. The screams of approval that greeted him when he went onstage was what quieted my nerves. As soon as Tim and Felicity go offstage, Jeff, Tristan, Justin and I head onstage. More screams. I can’t help but play it up, Amber style. I flop down, and remember that – OH YEAH, we have NEVER run this effect before. Stephen walks on stage, and I notice the blood pack attached to him. I panic. That blood is going to fly backwards ALL over the stage, and probably ALL OVER ME and my costume, which I have to wear again. I process this in about half a second as Jessica pulls her “gun” and fires. Jeff triggers the device. Were it not for the fact that I had been yelling in my head the words “DON’T REACT DON’T REACT DON’T REACT” I would have jumped. Blood sprays forward ALL OVER Justin, Jessica and Morgana. My face betrayed nothing, but I did sigh of relief. My costume, at least, was safe. Behind me I hear Tristan quietly freaking out ‘holyshit! Holyshit that was awesome! Ohmygod!” and Jeff at my feet going “ Holy crap! Ohmygod its everywhere! That was so cool!” and me going “ SHUT. UP. I KNOW.” To both of them. Just then, Justin and the henchies pass me, and I realize that Justin has blood ALL OVER HIS FACE. Epic. I went offstage laughing and freaking out about how cool it was.
Onward! I change into my next costume, Mark It Up. I think just about everybody saw my boobs that day. Oh well. Jeff, Andie, Dwight, Stephen, and I head onstage, and everything goes swimmingly.
Onward once more! I figured out that Trevor has to help me get my Zydrate Anatomy costume on underneath my Sanitarium Square costume. We get me completely changed (and everyone sees my boobs again) and we all line up for Sanitarium Square. However, we had grossly miscalculated how much blood was on the stage after Thankless Job. I noticed Camille struggling valiantly for balance as I strut on stage and notice the issue. We are sliding EVERYWHERE. Camille and I dance precariously around Billy, who’s laying on the floor, and I grab her, SOMEHOW we managed to not die. Though Jeff nearly killed me when he pushed me backwards on the line “When I’m running GeneCo!” and I went slipping into Tristan. After that Dwight, Stephen, and I run frantically outside around to the lobby, thankfully washing all the blood off my shoes. We vault upstairs, and I madly throw my clothes off, zip up my boots, throw on my fourth wig and frantically make it to the bathroom.
Ah, sweet release.
Zydrate Anatomy became an obstacle course however, once I hit that stage in 6 inch stiletto heels on a stage still smeared with blood. I remember clinging to Dani for dear life, and being SO GREATFUL that it was intermission afterwards. The heels of my boots had blood going a full inch up the heel, and blood all over the toes.
INETRMEZZO.- techies run rampant with towels and rags trying to get as much blood offstage as possible. Next show- we need to place an order with Brawny. Or use a tarp. I change into my Gold outfit, with my Who Ordered Pizza outfit over it. I flag down a techie to bring me my shoes from the lobby-(personal assistant please?) I talk to Billy who is getting his neck appliance put on for Night Surgeon.
We start back up again with Who Ordered Pizza, and all goes swimmingly. The audience got a kick out of my gratuitous groping of Tim. I run offstage to change for HINAWS,
Just then Tim comes backstage, seething. Apparently, no one told him Billy had the appliance on, so blood just DUMPED all over the Repo outfit. OOPS.
During HINAWS, the techies forgot to bring Rotti’s desk back onstage, so I had to improv. Hilarity ensued when I went to skip offstage, with an added fake stumble. I land and notice my head feels decidedly light, and the audience is laughing really hard. My hands fly up to my head, where I realize that my wig has fallen off. SHIT. I roll with it though, dashing back to pick it up and failing very awkwardly offstage. I throw my wig on the table, dash upstairs for my WOP wig, and dash right back downstairs for my brief appearance in Gold.
More dashing.
I change at the speed of light into my ATOT outfit, and manage to make it. I slid THREE TIMES down the cement ramp thingy, and had to had Stephen guide me down the stairs to I wouldn’t die. As soon as I hit the backstage area I am FRANTICALLY throwing my clothes off. I then realize that the FX guy, who had PROMISED to be there………
Wasn’t.
He was NO WHERE in site. Shit. I have about a minute and half to be on stage. I scream at Stephen to help me change. He grabs my costume, throwing it at me, while I’m screaming ‘SAMMIE!!!!! WHERE’S THE FX GUY!!!!! HE’S SUPPOSED TO FUCKING BE HERE FOR MY FOREHEAD!!” the look of panic I received from the poor girl was priceless, techies are yelling into walkie talkies trying to find the guy. I’m screaming at Stephen to do the Velcro on my back while I’m putting my shoes on. Judging by the film score, I have about THIRTY SECONDS to be on stage.
“FUCK!” I scream ‘I HAVE NO FUCKING FOREHEAD!!!!” I whirl in frustration for my wig, ripping it off the wig head and jamming in unceremoniously onto my own. Stephen moves over to fix it for me, and as he moves, I see it- my saviour. Two bottles of stage Blood sitting on a ledge. Thank you, Theresa.
I turn to Stephen as I fly across the room to the bottles of blood. “TELL THE TECHS TO BRING ME AS MANY PAPER TOWELS AS POSSIBLE. AND SOME WATER BOTTLES” Stephen shouts down the stairs at the techs as I grab a bottle, ripping open the top. I then proceed to dump as much blood into my hand as I can possibly manage. Voila. Instant bloody face. I leave the bottle on the floor as I rub my hands together, effectively ruining the carpet. Oh well. This is opera. I REFUSE to go onstage without a forehead to fall off. I somehow manage to get down the stairs without using my hands (as they were covered in blood) and onto the stage in time. I prance and preen and finally I turn, sliming my face with as much blood as possible.
Ew. I can feel it dripping onto my costume. Shit. Oh well.
I run back offstage, up the stairs, and start grabbing water bottles and paper towels to get this shit off me. Stephen and I frantically scrub my face, and I run back downstairs for another two second appearance. Then I fly BACK upstairs to change into my final costume, where I take over GeneCo. (fuck yeah!)
When all is said and done, I strut back onstage for my final scene, Jeff and Tristan at my sides.
And then it’s over.
Fuck.
It’s over.
YES! I did it! WE DID IT!!!
the reviews came in, Spooky Dan interviewed us all, and we even earned some groupies.
Despite the pain, the blood, the freak outs, improv’s, tears, exhaustion, fighting, the stress, I went home with the hugest smile that night.
Did it feel worth it?
FUCK YES!
There are a few people I want to personally thank-
First- Stephen, for being cool in face of my screaming.
Secondly- Theresa, for bringing the blood that saved my ass
Camille- you were the one that was there from the BEGGINNING. Mag and Amber for life.
Jessica- words fail me when it comes to your dedication and drive. I love you.
Andie- for being amazing, taking SO MUCH onto yourself, and dedicating your time and effort.
David- for being there, taking care of me, and showing me what love means, i love you so much.
Ashley- damn, woman, for having the creative drive, the talent, and dedication to pull us all together, thank you. I owe you so much for giving me the opportunity to help create, lead, and inspire. You’re a hero.
Tim- where do I even begin? People like you are so rare, so insightfully wonderful. You need to know how much EVERYONE in this cast looks up to you, respects you, . I look at you and wish I had one tenth of your drive, focus, and ability to create. YOU started this Op’ra Shit, Tim. YOU were the spark that fanned the flames of bringing the REPO! Experience to Sacramento, you brought the thirty or so of us to create something amazing, something beautiful. Something unique. You are one of the strongest people I know, I’m so proud of you and everything you have overcome and done, and everyone of us is proud to call you our friend.
So guys, we ready to do this again in February? Cause I’m ready to bring the fire…..
TESTIFY!!!
p.s. sorry if i missed a tag of anyone..
Diary of a Seventeen-Year-Old Girl (by Catt Miller)
Okay, so..... Everyone else is doing Repo diaries, so I thought I'd chime in with my bit!
My little bit wasn't that exciting, however.... And I didn't have nearly as many techie mistakes, and some of mine were minor... but I will say everything that was driving me insane!
Okay.
So!
Bear with me. ^^
First of all things first, I left Wednesday morning (to go to the mall first), suitcase in tow, to get to the theatre. I got there an hour early, was not well-dressed for warmth, and was the only one there... so we had to sit inside.
No big.
I'll skip to the actual day..... The stuff in-between was just errands and insanity.
Saturday morning.... I wake up early, get ready to go, and am freaking out because I don't have some of the stuff I need. I also know that a lot of other people didn't have the stuff they needed, and because I'm paranoid,I begin to worry HORRIBLY.
When Ashley, Art, and I get to the theatre, most of their cast members have yet to show up, the sound guy had just gotten there, and the place was a mess! I tried to help as much as I could, but there wasn't a whole lot that I could do... So I did all I could.
Then, tech started..... The sound guy didn't once do a run through with the actual projections or anything, which I KNEW was going to fuck up the actual performance.... My nightgown wasn't completely finished yet, and I was missing some things.
First run through starts out good, but I realize that the tech forgot to throw the dead body onstage in time for 21st Century Cure. It switches to Shilo Wakes, and I figure out.... I CAN'T GET THE NIGHTGOWN ON.
So I tear it off and throw it, about ready to have a panic attack, but I was onstage, so I wouldn't. AS soon as Infected finished, I was upstairs.... Where I lost it.
For the next couple scenes, while I was backstage, I was crying, panicking, and having a mental breakdown. I'm surprised I held out so long... You'd think it would have happened sooner.....
Oh,well.
Tons of other things went wrong during that rehearsal, but they were smoothed out by the second... then came the real thing!
Jessica had let me borrow a pair of disposable contacts so I could see onstage (A fucking godsend they were, thank you SO much Jess! *tackleglomps*),and I was finally used to them when the show started!
One big problem.... one of the techs didn't put one of my books in the bag with all the other stuff, so I had to run around lookign for one... one lady gave me one to use, and I wish I could have found her afterwards to give her back the book, but I had no idea where she or IT was.
Anyway! My cue started, and I headed down the aisle..... To the sounds of screams! My heart was beating rapidly, my adreniline pumping.... but this was it! I couldn't mess up!
So I got onstage, was a TINY bit off on my cues, but all in all, 21st Centruy Cure went well. Then came Shilo Wakes, where instead of the nightgown, I just stripped off half of my costume... To the sounds of TONS of catcalls. >//////////<>.<>.<>.<
Not that the whole cast hadn't seen (and compleented, THANKS, Stephen)n my boobs already, cuz in a show like this, you don't have time to worry about people seeing you naked.
Then came Rotti's Chapel Sermon (Also called Rotti's Brainwashing video), where a techie was supposed to put Marni's veil for me to wear... but it was not there. I remembered the flashlight, though!
What pissed me off the most was that the video wasn't THERE... until I saw the damn projections being FLIPPED through! I was so moritifed.....
xD
Then came Let The monster Rise, which was FUN... but I kept getting my timing on the swinging of the damn shovel wrong. Also, the projedtion of Mag didn't show up in time, so I was akwardly staring at nothing, just like with the Brain-washing video.....
THAT was what irritated me the most.
After that was the Final Showdown..... Which went fairly well, until Jessalyn whispered "Pull up your dress" when she came onstage.... And I had to pull it up for like the fifty-millionth time.
Then I Never Knew I loved You So Much was intruded upon by Tim's coat getting caught in that fucking wheelchair!
Finished that really well,though... did Genetic Emancipation, and was finally DONE.....
Then the bows came,and I was last. Right after I bowed, the music stopped at JUST the right time.... which made up for the one thing that really depressed me about the show....
Not ONCE did I get to be covered in fake blood!
I was REALLY looking forward to that!
In any case... there's my diary, sorry it wasn't as entertaining as Jessalyn's, Meg's, and Camille's. ^^
I'm also sorry if I missed someone.... my Facebook likes to act up a lot.
My little bit wasn't that exciting, however.... And I didn't have nearly as many techie mistakes, and some of mine were minor... but I will say everything that was driving me insane!
Okay.
So!
Bear with me. ^^
First of all things first, I left Wednesday morning (to go to the mall first), suitcase in tow, to get to the theatre. I got there an hour early, was not well-dressed for warmth, and was the only one there... so we had to sit inside.
No big.
I'll skip to the actual day..... The stuff in-between was just errands and insanity.
Saturday morning.... I wake up early, get ready to go, and am freaking out because I don't have some of the stuff I need. I also know that a lot of other people didn't have the stuff they needed, and because I'm paranoid,I begin to worry HORRIBLY.
When Ashley, Art, and I get to the theatre, most of their cast members have yet to show up, the sound guy had just gotten there, and the place was a mess! I tried to help as much as I could, but there wasn't a whole lot that I could do... So I did all I could.
Then, tech started..... The sound guy didn't once do a run through with the actual projections or anything, which I KNEW was going to fuck up the actual performance.... My nightgown wasn't completely finished yet, and I was missing some things.
First run through starts out good, but I realize that the tech forgot to throw the dead body onstage in time for 21st Century Cure. It switches to Shilo Wakes, and I figure out.... I CAN'T GET THE NIGHTGOWN ON.
So I tear it off and throw it, about ready to have a panic attack, but I was onstage, so I wouldn't. AS soon as Infected finished, I was upstairs.... Where I lost it.
For the next couple scenes, while I was backstage, I was crying, panicking, and having a mental breakdown. I'm surprised I held out so long... You'd think it would have happened sooner.....
Oh,well.
Tons of other things went wrong during that rehearsal, but they were smoothed out by the second... then came the real thing!
Jessica had let me borrow a pair of disposable contacts so I could see onstage (A fucking godsend they were, thank you SO much Jess! *tackleglomps*),and I was finally used to them when the show started!
One big problem.... one of the techs didn't put one of my books in the bag with all the other stuff, so I had to run around lookign for one... one lady gave me one to use, and I wish I could have found her afterwards to give her back the book, but I had no idea where she or IT was.
Anyway! My cue started, and I headed down the aisle..... To the sounds of screams! My heart was beating rapidly, my adreniline pumping.... but this was it! I couldn't mess up!
So I got onstage, was a TINY bit off on my cues, but all in all, 21st Centruy Cure went well. Then came Shilo Wakes, where instead of the nightgown, I just stripped off half of my costume... To the sounds of TONS of catcalls. >//////////<>.<>.<>.<
Not that the whole cast hadn't seen (and compleented, THANKS, Stephen)n my boobs already, cuz in a show like this, you don't have time to worry about people seeing you naked.
Then came Rotti's Chapel Sermon (Also called Rotti's Brainwashing video), where a techie was supposed to put Marni's veil for me to wear... but it was not there. I remembered the flashlight, though!
What pissed me off the most was that the video wasn't THERE... until I saw the damn projections being FLIPPED through! I was so moritifed.....
xD
Then came Let The monster Rise, which was FUN... but I kept getting my timing on the swinging of the damn shovel wrong. Also, the projedtion of Mag didn't show up in time, so I was akwardly staring at nothing, just like with the Brain-washing video.....
THAT was what irritated me the most.
After that was the Final Showdown..... Which went fairly well, until Jessalyn whispered "Pull up your dress" when she came onstage.... And I had to pull it up for like the fifty-millionth time.
Then I Never Knew I loved You So Much was intruded upon by Tim's coat getting caught in that fucking wheelchair!
Finished that really well,though... did Genetic Emancipation, and was finally DONE.....
Then the bows came,and I was last. Right after I bowed, the music stopped at JUST the right time.... which made up for the one thing that really depressed me about the show....
Not ONCE did I get to be covered in fake blood!
I was REALLY looking forward to that!
In any case... there's my diary, sorry it wasn't as entertaining as Jessalyn's, Meg's, and Camille's. ^^
I'm also sorry if I missed someone.... my Facebook likes to act up a lot.
Confessions of a Repossion Victim (By Trevor Gjeltema)
Ask not what Amber's Sweets can do for you. Ask what you can do for Amber's Sweets... I wake up between Felicity and Elyse (before you leap to conclusions nothing happened...with Elyse anyway) before by brain can focus and all the happy recollections can return to me Elyse's phone rings. it's Jessica, she's been up all night and is panicked. not the best way to wake up after less then 4 hours of sleep. from what I can here from this side of the conversation I decide it might be coffee time. you know just in case I need to do any driving in a hurry. I stumble out of my bedroom only to realize Tristan is between me and the coffee maker. time for the ninja skills. coffee procured I wander back in to the bedroom to find out that Elyse has calmed things down, and everything will be ok so long as we bring some breakfast for Jessica.
crisis one averted.
Tristan need to get to the theater early so the Trevor taxi makes it's first trip of the day while felicity does some last minute stitching. I return home for breakfast, gather supplies(food for Jessica) and rally the troops. Felicity, Elise, Elisabeth, and I pile in to my clown car for now my second trek to the colonial. it's chaos. techies are building sets, people are running around in a panic, and I really have nothing to do. Elise makes her way to the sowing circle in the dungeon, since some people hadn't arrived yet and run troughs seemed hours felicity and I set off to target for last second costumes and advill for Tristan (apparently I was mixing drinks a little heavy the night before.) arriving back we realized that the food we had brought for Jessica was in our trunk. doh!! in the end it was just as well because she was to nerves to eat. I left snacks in the care of Elise, and now that I was once again just an extra body I wondered around looking for a way to be useful. I found the techies working on sets and though I could be of some use... I couldn't but I told them about the power drill I brought (ok so actually it was felicity's and we brought it the day before and had neglected to tell anyone.) as it turns out an extra drill was welcome, so even if I wasn't able to help my drill could. but this meant I had nothing to do but sit around. before long what luck what luck they needed extension cable so it was off to home depot for me.
by the time I got back noon had come and gone, and still no run through insight. the slave labor stitching party in the dungeon was furiously trying to get the last minute costumes done. Before I can think what next felicity tells me we're going home so she can finish a few things on the sewing meshan. yay 10 minute nap and lunch for me!! Ashly gave us strict instructions to call when we finish so she can call 15 min to places.
I should point something out at this point I was only a few hours away from being hung upside down by my ankle, and we had yet to test the rig with my costume on over it. so when I arrive for I think the 7th time I grab the rig guys and get one full costume test seconds before places for the first full runthrough. big plus no death. it turns out I have a lot of time off stage, and there wasn't any one in the wings to help with costume changes. I finally found what I had been looking for all day, a chance to be useful. and my internal 12 year old found what it had been looking for constantly since it was my external 12 year old BOOBIES!!!! some of my efforts were more successful then others. I believe the phrase pregnant reptile has been mentioned. but more then one sweet was squeezed in to a corset by yours truly.
run through begins and the pressure is on. out of curiosity I see if the harness fits under my costumes. it does, which means that the changes I had been worrying about will take half the time. thank god. rig works I live and Art and celebrated by rocking out in animal suites... oh wait that was part of the show.
performance comes along and the sleep deprivation starts to catch up with me. I'm just about to conck out with my eyes open when a blood splattered largo family come running up the stairs. turns out no one warned them blood pack were live. but now we have an unforeseen problem. how do you clean up blood and still make it to your scene on time? I help as best I can, but this does add one more concern to my impending stunt. will the blood get in my hair when my spine is removed? before long I have my answer. no because there was no blood in my spine. go figure. but then it was time for my moment of glory LION TIME!!! we rocked seventeen and the crowd loved us.
from my moment of glory to my moment of tragedy. in my self appointed role of costume aid I'm helping Camille change before cromagia and oh fuck she has no talons. some one must have moved them. the time we waist looking for them is time not changing, and Camille goes out with boots unziped and only half her feathers. but thanks to our idea to put the harness on during intermission and but her costumes over it she is still safe to fly. and fly she did. from what I understand it was the most impressive moment of the whole show.
the certans close on a kiss god knows we can tell the end is near. oops wrong musical. but the epilogue ends and we all take a bow. relief and bed
my only regret is the loin didn't get any fan girls. sigh
congrats everyone on an awesome show. thanks to Tristan and Camille for bringing me in to the sweets fold. thanks to Tim, Ashly and Jessalyn for being awesome, and putting on such an amazing event. My love to all the sweets and Testify
crisis one averted.
Tristan need to get to the theater early so the Trevor taxi makes it's first trip of the day while felicity does some last minute stitching. I return home for breakfast, gather supplies(food for Jessica) and rally the troops. Felicity, Elise, Elisabeth, and I pile in to my clown car for now my second trek to the colonial. it's chaos. techies are building sets, people are running around in a panic, and I really have nothing to do. Elise makes her way to the sowing circle in the dungeon, since some people hadn't arrived yet and run troughs seemed hours felicity and I set off to target for last second costumes and advill for Tristan (apparently I was mixing drinks a little heavy the night before.) arriving back we realized that the food we had brought for Jessica was in our trunk. doh!! in the end it was just as well because she was to nerves to eat. I left snacks in the care of Elise, and now that I was once again just an extra body I wondered around looking for a way to be useful. I found the techies working on sets and though I could be of some use... I couldn't but I told them about the power drill I brought (ok so actually it was felicity's and we brought it the day before and had neglected to tell anyone.) as it turns out an extra drill was welcome, so even if I wasn't able to help my drill could. but this meant I had nothing to do but sit around. before long what luck what luck they needed extension cable so it was off to home depot for me.
by the time I got back noon had come and gone, and still no run through insight. the slave labor stitching party in the dungeon was furiously trying to get the last minute costumes done. Before I can think what next felicity tells me we're going home so she can finish a few things on the sewing meshan. yay 10 minute nap and lunch for me!! Ashly gave us strict instructions to call when we finish so she can call 15 min to places.
I should point something out at this point I was only a few hours away from being hung upside down by my ankle, and we had yet to test the rig with my costume on over it. so when I arrive for I think the 7th time I grab the rig guys and get one full costume test seconds before places for the first full runthrough. big plus no death. it turns out I have a lot of time off stage, and there wasn't any one in the wings to help with costume changes. I finally found what I had been looking for all day, a chance to be useful. and my internal 12 year old found what it had been looking for constantly since it was my external 12 year old BOOBIES!!!! some of my efforts were more successful then others. I believe the phrase pregnant reptile has been mentioned. but more then one sweet was squeezed in to a corset by yours truly.
run through begins and the pressure is on. out of curiosity I see if the harness fits under my costumes. it does, which means that the changes I had been worrying about will take half the time. thank god. rig works I live and Art and celebrated by rocking out in animal suites... oh wait that was part of the show.
performance comes along and the sleep deprivation starts to catch up with me. I'm just about to conck out with my eyes open when a blood splattered largo family come running up the stairs. turns out no one warned them blood pack were live. but now we have an unforeseen problem. how do you clean up blood and still make it to your scene on time? I help as best I can, but this does add one more concern to my impending stunt. will the blood get in my hair when my spine is removed? before long I have my answer. no because there was no blood in my spine. go figure. but then it was time for my moment of glory LION TIME!!! we rocked seventeen and the crowd loved us.
from my moment of glory to my moment of tragedy. in my self appointed role of costume aid I'm helping Camille change before cromagia and oh fuck she has no talons. some one must have moved them. the time we waist looking for them is time not changing, and Camille goes out with boots unziped and only half her feathers. but thanks to our idea to put the harness on during intermission and but her costumes over it she is still safe to fly. and fly she did. from what I understand it was the most impressive moment of the whole show.
the certans close on a kiss god knows we can tell the end is near. oops wrong musical. but the epilogue ends and we all take a bow. relief and bed
my only regret is the loin didn't get any fan girls. sigh
congrats everyone on an awesome show. thanks to Tristan and Camille for bringing me in to the sweets fold. thanks to Tim, Ashly and Jessalyn for being awesome, and putting on such an amazing event. My love to all the sweets and Testify
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