“Annie” opens tomorrow, so tonight is the dress rehearsal, but it has been opened up for family members, so I imagine we’ll have an audience. It will be fun to hear people laughing at the funny parts that we have heard so many times that we forget they are funny. The pit band was actually all there last night, for the only time before the show opens. Both the bass and the regular trumpet player will be gone today, but we will have a substitute trumpet player, who will be playing 3 of the nights, I think. Then we have two clarinet players, one for 4 and the other for 6 nights, I believe. The bass player has to miss one performance – she has a college class on Tuesdays, and absolutely can’t miss that. No sub for that.
What this all means to me is that I have to be ready to catch the parts of whatever instrument is missing or is new that night, in case they get lost or simply can’t or don’t play their part. Adds a lot of stress to my performance, since I already have my own part to play. And for all that extra work, I get paid… well, the same as everyone else.
I’m feeling glad that this is my last show at the Barn. I don’t think I’ll miss it at all. But I’m trying very hard to have a good attitude about it when I’m there. I find that it is all a matter of what I’m concentrating on – if I concentrate on the good, I’m happy. If I concentrate on the frustration, I’m not. My choice, really. And it will all be done in less than two weeks.
Good luck tonight for the opening! 🙂