Packing in lots!

This post is from lovely Marine Madesclaire pictured center in the photo! (I hope her Maman reads it....)

Phew! It's been an amazing, albeit exhausting, week or so. We've moved on from three-five day residencies to two-show-a-day touring. An entirely different beast to master, and just after I'd gotten used to residencies. Early morning call times, cold weather and heavy scenery aside it's been a blast getting into the true swing of things. Un-loading and loading the show twice a day has gone from tentative and lengthy to the well oiled machine it is now. I know exactly what I need to do, and the best way to do them. I've even mostly memorized the packing order for the Ryder van. Trees, house, table, floor, leg stands, soundbox,pink then blue trunks, boxes without stuff, JBL, monitors, big mamma, poles and stands, shoe box, bench, costumes, bass case, sandbags. Everything else. Thankfully I didn't have to figure that particular puzzle out, that was Mister William and Mister Cameron's job. Technical stuff aside I've settled into the play much more comfortably. Weepish has slowly but surely started moving from a place entirely made from her name, to a character who's highly and extremely emotional. Able to change moods on the drop of a pin, and yet (hopefully) never false in her emotions. I'm still working on that last part, as an actress my heart dropped when I read the part; the one thing I cannot seem to do is cry onstage, but I no longer feel as if the character is silly. My school-girl and her twin Seth are working on a possible video blog, have an amazing secret handshake, matching glasses and alter egos. And of course I'm having a blast as Wanda, the mandolin playing daughter of the Cobbler. She's a little on the simpler side than her sisters Darlene and Sharlene. No word from Pa as to why Ma didn't call her Warlene. Finally I've been able to spend a little quality alone time with William's mandolin (it's been put into my care for the duration of this season) and after being taught a folk song I've ventured out and started learning some new songs. Which means, Maman, I'll be wanting a mandolin under the Christmas tree in December....