Last rehearsal before theatre week!

Yesterday was our last rehearsal in the downtown studio. The rest of them will officially be in the theatre and it doesn't feel like this is even possible that by this time next week, Wizard of Oz will be a memory.

I don't know if I'm ready for that.

(I am ready to be able to go to bed and not have the super buzzing-bee-cartoon-character-type music in my head all night, though, so there's that.) (ps. that's what the Winkie Guard Solo scene music sounds like.)

(anyway.)

We were supposed to run it twice, but were only able to run it full-through once.
I got to do the Crows one last time, as one of the girls who is usually there wasn't. I'm not sure where she was, but the poor girl has been sick for a while and dancing through it so maybe that's it. I just hope she's feeling better, poor girl has been working her butt off for this show. Of all the girls I'd have to jump in for, she and one other would break my heart.

Before and after Crows I ran the first scene with the girls in hopes that we would be able to show Julie that we mean business and are working hard. They were really showing some great improvement and I was proud of them. I think the hardest part during these studio rehearsals is their struggle with distraction. There are so many people and movement and things going on that if you aren't completely focused, you're bound to mess up. It's even happened to me. The front people can't afford this.
Sadly, one of the front girls messed up so they both got switched in the scene. It was a tough lesson to learn, but it happened anyway. The girls that got moved forward will do the part well. They know it through and through and I think the bout of necessary confidence will be great for them.
Most everything else seemed to show great improvement.

During corrections, we got chewed because a lot of the girls weren't paying attention. (not all, but enough.)
It's no wonder those are the ones that don't know what's going on most of the time. It takes a toll on everyone.
It's exhausting to have to be the one to hold up the group, and I wouldn't be able to without the couple other girls that are very aware of what is going on. Knowing I can bounce things off them and we can come to a conclusion is what keeps this scene afloat. If they would just do confidently what they know, they would shine. But I understand it's hard at that age, especially with so many people watching and it being such a risk.

I sent a few of the pictures to the company principals when I got home (even though I'm kinda not supposed to?) and got to talking with my friend Abby.
She said this:

I told her how there are times I just want to shake some of the girls and scream "SHE JUST SAID WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ME LITERALLY TEN SECONDS AGO PAY ATTENTION." But that's not allowed. I then mentioned how nice it was to hear it, too, because before when I was involved in dance or theatre, to do what I'm doing here was a guaranteed way to get yourself stuck as an understudy. Instead of seeing all your hard work and taking it into consideration that you'd be a good person to rely on and cast in the role in the first place, they saw you as a solid back up to have for if the leads flaked like they were prone to. (yet they always seemed to pull it together for the show. All glory, no work ethic.) It's really nice to know that working hard to make sure things still run smoothly in case something happens isn't going to get me permanently benched, but instead will help me in the long run.

She then said:

And this is when I melted into a puddle.

For the first time in a really, really long time I actually feel like I belong somewhere. That who I am is enough just as I am. That I'm not a failure or lacking or a disappointment, but instead a valuable asset. That hard work isn't being ignored.

(Ps. I have really great friends that are there for me when I need it and quick to celebrate me when things go well. To have such people there for the highs as well as the lows is something I cherish. You people make the world go round.)