Sooner or Later…

Yes I am still here.  Like my daughter Grits we are heavily involved in The Nutcracker.  After ballerina troubles (several) I am now a party parent complete with hoopskirt and long gloves.  My dance partner joked that I am his fourth wife.

In addition to my own appearance several of my other children are also involved.  Grits in Snow and Chinese.  Nikos is the soldier doll & Chinese.  In our production the dolls with Uncle in his shop are the opening scene, then they appear again in the party scene.  Thomas is in the party scene & in Russian.  Lindsay is a Snow Flurry in the big snow scene & a gum drop in the Mother Gingerbread dance. 

This run is from December 13 - December 20 but I think it was added to - so Thursday to Thursday.  On Monday we do 2 school matinees during the day with the evening off.  Grits has pictures and hopefully she will post soon.

The evening backstage is quite a production too.  Danielle is a nursing baby & I have been reluctant to get another batch of formula.  So she gets fed before our 40 min. drive.  Lindsay’s hair is put up at home so she can  get herself dressed at the Studio/Theater.  I get makeup, hair & dressed (supporting under garments on at home) while she either naps or is held by Grits or other dancers.  Grits watches her while I’m on stage.  I wait as another dancer drops her hoops (to do spot light) and take me & the hoop back to the dressing room.  We must go through the front of the theater so it is a longer walk.  I drop my hoop & hang both up then strip and change as fast as possible.  Hair, gloves, dress, false eyelashes–all off.  Danielle us usually hungry but just a bit fussy.  She keeps busy with her binky and talking to everyone.

After I claim Little Missey, Grits quickly finishes her own changing and leaves to perform.  Once she is finished she begins her transformation into the Chinese doll.  The director has her in Geisha style face paint, a red shortish ‘robe’ and black jazz dance pants–stretchy.  Her hairbun gets chopsticks.  She looks very cute if I do say so.  Her brother Nikos wears a recycled ‘Cats’ costume (form fitting) and a dragons head with gloves.  Their dance is cute, but she may want to describe it herself.

We run out to the car for a quick snuggle.  The cast is so big that there is no quiet place to nurse so it really is better.  Danielle tops her tank, but never a really good meal, I guess there is too much going on.  Back inside to check that Lyn got her costume change & her hat (think yarmakule) is pinned on well.  I also check that Thomas has his costume change as well.  We spend the last act either in the large dressing room (party girls, snow, soloists) chatting with whoever is around.  I also look at Grits makeup to assure her it looks fine.  The dress rehearsal & first night it was caking and not smooth so we looked for better white and now it looks much, much better.  Slowly the kinks are getting worked out.

We wait listening to the music,  by this time Danielle is often very tired but will not give up.  She just looks and looks until she suddenly falls asleep (hopefully).  It is a good thing she is so easy going.  Curtain call has Grits & Nikos on stage.  Afterward they are part of the meet and greet in the lobby. 

Eventually we finish changes.  Nikos is fast and usually goes to help his friends who are working on cleaning up in the kitchen. (This theater is a dinner theater).  We all go home very tired.  Its a good thing that we homeschool the younger crowd as they get to sleep in much more that Nikos.  Still, as much as we like the performing we will also be glad when things are finished.

The next show is Oklahoma for the older dancers and possibly Thomas.  That run will be for several weeks. The younger Studio kids will be doing Annie, but for a much shorter time.   Amazingly, for a theater built in a bean field in a smallish town, most show run at least 6 weeks (on weekends) to full houses.  I’m not even thinking about that in detail right now.

If you are curious the play list is here:  http://www.imperialdinnertheatre.com/2005_season.htm

Gotta run.  Danielle’s medicine time is up so she can eat, then off to clean the church, followed by an attempt on my own home.  Sooo glad when things calm down!!