Under the Weather

"Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage! Blow!
You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout
Till you have drench’d our steeples, drown’d the cocks!"
-King Lear, III:2

Well, okay, it wasn't quite that bad, but we were all under some rather nasty weather here in Moncton today. A cold, wet wind has blown away the last lingering scraps of summer like so many dead, soggy leaves. If it didn't feel like autumn before, boy, it does now.

However, in the case of our female castmate (whom i'll call Meryl, although her real name is Melissa {no, it isn't}), it's the actual truth. She's battling what is, by all reports, a decidedly ugly flu, and so she was sort of in isolation today. We're under strict orders from Director to avoid Meryl, if not like the plague, then at least like a really bad flu.

So Director, who actually played Meryl's role in a previous life, stood in for us in a couple of scenes during rehearsal today. It was fun to have a new version of the character to play off of, especially since Director also wrote this play. Mostly, though, today was about working around the scenes in which Meryl's character appears, giving us fellas a chance to really focus on a few other key scenes, getting lines, blocking, and various bits of business properly co-ordinated.

In short, it's like every rehearsal any of us have ever been to. I keep expecting someone to come along and tell me to stop slacking off and get to work. I keep wondering when the hard part comes along. These rehearsals, this script-study, character analysis, all this stuff that we're doing doesn't seem any more like work to me now than it ever does at home. If not for the fact that Director seems genuinely and consistently pleased with the progress we're making from day to day, i'd almost be worried.

I guess i'm just really not used to liking my job this much.

Mind you, we'll see how i feel after a few weeks living in a minivan, doing the show two or three times a day.

Speaking of which, before you ask: No, i don't know where we'll be performing, nor when (okay, there's a good chance you personally weren't going to ask about that, but trust me, someone else reading this was.). We'll be getting our itinerary any time now; Director is just awaiting certain confirmations to be...well you know, confirmed. If you're one of the few lying awake at night wondering when i'll be playing an inveterate gambler in a highschool gymnasium in Gander, Newfoundland, rest easy: when i know, you'll know.

And finally, speaking of resting easy (i love a good segue), i was very very happy to hear tonight that our dear friend Bob is in good shape and mending well, having undergone something of a tune-up today. Lord knows he's got better things to do than read blogs right now, but my thoughts, best hopes, and love are with him, as are those of many, many others tonight. I hope to see him soon.

And, of course, if any of you nice folks can keep me updated on how he's doing, i'd be most grateful.

Okay, it's getting late. Whatever i'm forgetting is gonna have to wait til next time. Hugs and kisses, all.