The producer, who suffered two heart attacks just as this play started rehearsals, attends today's performance and sits in the front row, about five feet from me. My Parents and Your Sis sit on the row behind them. I make eye contact with them as I take the stage and never look their way again. Midway through the First Act, I'm feeling that accelerated heartbeat and, as I can't blame it on the lights or a sense of nerves, I'm thinking my sitting posture tightens the suit around me. Also, Windsor knots constrict.
The lines are indeed there as I summon them. A small blip occurs with the second witness as I sear she jumped a line, but I pick it up in about two seconds. I can tell she's rattled by it, and she misses a few of her lines, but the gist gets across. The rest of the act goes smoothly. It's a good audience; they laugh loud and long.
Backstage we change in the law library and shoot the breeze. The young cop plays his portable Nintendo, some of us scan the script, some gossip, some recap Act One slips. The question comes up about a gift for the beleaguered director, and I volunteer to buy her an Ayn Rand book and everyone can sign it.
The second act goes well, until the Swedish bookkeeper takes the stand. Right as his hand leaves the Bible, the air system kicks on, and from the back of the courtroom comes "jeeeeeeeesusss." The videographer. He won't pick up our lines now. The system was supposed to be turned off. It comes on three more times during the performance, and I guess we'll see him again next week. The third act goes very well, and I;m really feeling my lines, to the point I worry I'm overdoing it. Doc misses some objections but we glide passed them. When the stripper takes the stand from the audience, I see my boss walk into the aisle so the actress can get up. I register this for a second and go back to the show.
Not guilty by an 8-4 vote. Doc has won outright. I can only manage a moral victory next week. But I'm relieved to have this time off. We're supposed to rehearse on Thursday, but the rehearsal space is being used for the next production. We really only need a line-through; we sit and say our lines. No acting, no movement. It can be a casual refresher. The stage manager asks if I want to do this, and I'm all for it. So is the defendant. And after conferring with Your Sis, I'll suggest today in an email that we have folks to our house for a rehearsal party. This will make up for us missing out on hosting a cast party after the show closes. I won't even look at my lines until Thursday afternoon.
Official play website
Rehearsals
Second Show
First Show
Biding Time
The Last Rehearsals
Countdown: Two Rehearsals
Extra Drama
Countdown: Three Rehearsals
Countdown: Four Rehearsals
Countdown: Five Rehearsals
Countdown: Six Rehearsals
Countdown: Seven Rehearsals
Clock is Ticking
My Big Speech
Punching a Cop Is Bad, Right?
Act Two Redux
Friday Through Sunday
Eggshells
Drama!
Getting Serious
Our First Friday
Act Three Lines
Dusting Off Act One
Line Trouble
End of Second Week
'Go and Do Likewise, Gents'
Script Work
J'Accuse
Cramming
Walking and Talking
Readthrough
Marking the Floor
Auditions
First Night
Second Night
Third Night
Fourth Night
The NFL Contest
HER PICKS
NFC: New Orleans (4-4), St. Louis (0-8)
AFC: Indianapolis (7-1), New England (9-0)
MY PICKS
NFC: New Orleans (4-4), Carolina (4-4)
AFC: New England (9-0), San Diego (4-4)
Such a weird year in the NFL. There are a handful of really good teams, and then the quality of the league plummets. I won my fantasy week when my major stars came through. We taped the Colt/Patriots game and watched it after dinner.
Picture of the Day
Steampunk Pacman.
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