Cavendish, Prince Edward Island
For reasons it would take too long to get into, Leo and I are now living in Cavendish! No, we didn't do it on purpose - it was Kijiji! Though, as it turns out, the lady who owns this house is a descendant of Chesley Clark (one of Maud's suitors), and her great-grandmother made Maud's wedding dress. And the sewing machine was actually in here until we moved in! How's that for synchronicity? There's also a big chance that Maud was actually in this house; it was built in 1910 and she left for Ontario in 1911. I just thought - what if she had her fittings for her wedding dress in here?
Anyway, there's another bit of history to think about today - it's closing night. Already! Obviously it's been maddeningly busy between the show and the move, which is why I haven't posted since opening night. It's been quite a ride. Tourism has been down dramatically on the Island this year, so all the shows took a hit. We were no exception. Thankfully things have picked up the last couple of weeks! We've also been incredibly blessed to have such a great cast who gives 110% no matter how many are in the audience. I've gotten so used to working with them now over the last 10 weeks that I'm bummed I won't get to anymore. Many of them are either returning to Ontario or just going there period; some are leaving tomorrow morning already.
Of course, it's all the business stuff that I've enjoyed the least. And the promotional stuff takes up a lot of time. So, whenever someone asks me "Did you enjoy your day off?", I'm like, "What day off?" It's pretty well non-stop. My favourite part remains actually being in the show. I'm sure I'm not supposed to be, but I've enjoyed it very much. I like getting into costume and putting on the make-up and greasing down my hair and putting on the microphone and getting out there and working with the actors. As I may have mentioned, my main role is Chester, and most of you know he's a bit of a bad boy. That's always fun to play. But I put lots of vulnerability into him so he doesn't come off like a cartoon character. It doesn't excuse him doing hurtful things to his wife and mother, but he does it because he perceives himself as hurt to begin with. I wrote him before Mary Rubio's biography came out, which had lots more about Chester, but I didn't want to incorporate any of that into the show. It's Maud's show, anyway; us other characters just influence her! :) The pinched nerve thing I mentioned before has persisted; usually with enough ibuprofen I can do a show fairly easily, but the last few shows have been more difficult. I guess I really shouldn't be doing the jitterbug with a pinched nerve! After tonight I'll rest it...at least I've been getting some exercise up there!
So, the question everyone asks is, "What's next?" I don't know. Honestly, I've spent all of 2009 working to get the show up and then actually doing it, and that was my sole focus. So I don't know what's next. All I know is that there are still some changes we'd like to make, but first I need a significant break. So I'm hoping to not deal with Nine Lives through September if I can help it. I'd like to take a look at the manuscript for my third book that I abandoned in 2004. I'd like to record some of my own songs that have also been languishing on the backburner. But yes, the time will come to revisit Maud and the gang, and work on getting another production going for 2010. I have some ideas...I'll have to do some of the legwork in September, but, as for creative changes, they're waitin' 'til October if I have anything to do with it!
Ironically enough, it was 5 years ago tomorrow at Cavendish Beach that Leo first said to me "Why don't we write a musical?" Of course, at first that concept was continuing Anne's story - and Anne & Gilbert had long since beat us to that idea, which is how Nine Lives came to be. The irony comes from the fact that, 5 years ago, we had come here on vacation. Now we can walk to Cavendish Beach in about 7 minutes! So I think tomorrow morning deserves a pilgrimage. It's also fitting that this production ends right on the anniversary - it's like coming full circle somehow. I dunno - I guess you had to be there!
I'm having a lot of feelings around the show ending and I think I'm just kind of trying not to pay attention to it right now. But I know it's going to be a bit of an emotional night. There's a good amount of relief, too...but I hate goodbyes. I'm way better at them than I used to be, but the actual moment of it is usually hard. I'm just glad we pulled off another show, and that it was better than last year's all around. That is gratifying!
I guess that's it...have to finish getting ready and then get out of here. Call time isn't for 4½ hours, but we've got closing night errands to run. I don't know what else to say except thank you to those who keep reading this and from Cavendish, PEI, this is AMJ signing off for two thousand nine! (The 2009 production, I mean...not the entire year! I'm sure you'll be hearing from me...from Whatever Comes Next.)
For reasons it would take too long to get into, Leo and I are now living in Cavendish! No, we didn't do it on purpose - it was Kijiji! Though, as it turns out, the lady who owns this house is a descendant of Chesley Clark (one of Maud's suitors), and her great-grandmother made Maud's wedding dress. And the sewing machine was actually in here until we moved in! How's that for synchronicity? There's also a big chance that Maud was actually in this house; it was built in 1910 and she left for Ontario in 1911. I just thought - what if she had her fittings for her wedding dress in here?
Anyway, there's another bit of history to think about today - it's closing night. Already! Obviously it's been maddeningly busy between the show and the move, which is why I haven't posted since opening night. It's been quite a ride. Tourism has been down dramatically on the Island this year, so all the shows took a hit. We were no exception. Thankfully things have picked up the last couple of weeks! We've also been incredibly blessed to have such a great cast who gives 110% no matter how many are in the audience. I've gotten so used to working with them now over the last 10 weeks that I'm bummed I won't get to anymore. Many of them are either returning to Ontario or just going there period; some are leaving tomorrow morning already.
Of course, it's all the business stuff that I've enjoyed the least. And the promotional stuff takes up a lot of time. So, whenever someone asks me "Did you enjoy your day off?", I'm like, "What day off?" It's pretty well non-stop. My favourite part remains actually being in the show. I'm sure I'm not supposed to be, but I've enjoyed it very much. I like getting into costume and putting on the make-up and greasing down my hair and putting on the microphone and getting out there and working with the actors. As I may have mentioned, my main role is Chester, and most of you know he's a bit of a bad boy. That's always fun to play. But I put lots of vulnerability into him so he doesn't come off like a cartoon character. It doesn't excuse him doing hurtful things to his wife and mother, but he does it because he perceives himself as hurt to begin with. I wrote him before Mary Rubio's biography came out, which had lots more about Chester, but I didn't want to incorporate any of that into the show. It's Maud's show, anyway; us other characters just influence her! :) The pinched nerve thing I mentioned before has persisted; usually with enough ibuprofen I can do a show fairly easily, but the last few shows have been more difficult. I guess I really shouldn't be doing the jitterbug with a pinched nerve! After tonight I'll rest it...at least I've been getting some exercise up there!
So, the question everyone asks is, "What's next?" I don't know. Honestly, I've spent all of 2009 working to get the show up and then actually doing it, and that was my sole focus. So I don't know what's next. All I know is that there are still some changes we'd like to make, but first I need a significant break. So I'm hoping to not deal with Nine Lives through September if I can help it. I'd like to take a look at the manuscript for my third book that I abandoned in 2004. I'd like to record some of my own songs that have also been languishing on the backburner. But yes, the time will come to revisit Maud and the gang, and work on getting another production going for 2010. I have some ideas...I'll have to do some of the legwork in September, but, as for creative changes, they're waitin' 'til October if I have anything to do with it!
Ironically enough, it was 5 years ago tomorrow at Cavendish Beach that Leo first said to me "Why don't we write a musical?" Of course, at first that concept was continuing Anne's story - and Anne & Gilbert had long since beat us to that idea, which is how Nine Lives came to be. The irony comes from the fact that, 5 years ago, we had come here on vacation. Now we can walk to Cavendish Beach in about 7 minutes! So I think tomorrow morning deserves a pilgrimage. It's also fitting that this production ends right on the anniversary - it's like coming full circle somehow. I dunno - I guess you had to be there!
I'm having a lot of feelings around the show ending and I think I'm just kind of trying not to pay attention to it right now. But I know it's going to be a bit of an emotional night. There's a good amount of relief, too...but I hate goodbyes. I'm way better at them than I used to be, but the actual moment of it is usually hard. I'm just glad we pulled off another show, and that it was better than last year's all around. That is gratifying!
I guess that's it...have to finish getting ready and then get out of here. Call time isn't for 4½ hours, but we've got closing night errands to run. I don't know what else to say except thank you to those who keep reading this and from Cavendish, PEI, this is AMJ signing off for two thousand nine! (The 2009 production, I mean...not the entire year! I'm sure you'll be hearing from me...from Whatever Comes Next.)
No comments:
Post a Comment