Community Theater Woes

We have a couple of things going on right now. The first is.....

TA DA!!

Our new seats have arrived! (Some assembly required.) They've been assembled, and just need to be installed tomorrow. We have a shortage of volunteers, and one guy has done most of the work all by himself. This includes hauling out the old seats, some of which had to be cut loose, due to the amount of paint on the bases, building a platform to raise the second row by a couple of inches, taking out some out-dated wheelchair ramps, and painting the whole kit and caboodle. He has had some help, but not nearly enough. He is exhausted. And he's my Assistant Director for the Christmas show!

My auditions are next week. I've been telling people Sunday and Monday, but the calendar says Monday and Tuesday. So, it looks as if there will be three days of auditions. I have only a month to put it up, minus two days off for Thanksgiving--I hate to lose a rehearsal day. I have pre-cast the role with the most lines, and the actress has had her script for two weeks, so, hopefully, she has started to memorize her part.

I returned a call from the Theater answering machine from a lady in San Antonio. She has a 5-year-old and a 16-month-old, and was asking about the auditions. San Antonio is three hours away! That's (at best) leaving the house at 4:00 PM to get to a 7:00 PM audition, and getting home at midnight. And the same for rehearsals and performances, should her unfortunate children get cast. I explained that we are a volunteer theater, with no compensation or remuneration in the offing for successful auditioners. Sheesh! Isn't there any children's theater in San Antonio?

I'm about to take the plunge into a morass of Mommies. The last time I directed this, I cast everyone who came, and wound up kicking one kid out. I have a different attitude this time. I'm going to keep the cast to a minimum, and the production, bare-bones.

I'm on the first hill of the roller coaster, going up, and asking myself, "Why am I doing this?" This time next week, I'll be blocking the show, on my way down that first drop, and the question will be answered.

The Christmas show is supposed to be fun. It's going to be fun, dammit!

Don't make me get out my ball bat!