Showtime-- Opening Night

Opening Night:

I don’t feel nervous…. This is a BAD sign. When I am not nervous, it generally means that my acting is going to be lack luster at best. And I’m not really worried about the other actors—even though we had to add another rehearsal in because I dress rehearsal was slow, dull, uneven, and otherwise boring.

BUT then—once I was in full costume—and everyone was getting to their places—the nerves hit. Thanks heavens! Opening Night was a success. The giant peach, which I feared wouldn’t even be standing in time for the show, worked beautifully. Clay Bell, Jeremy Reardon, Tanner Powell, and other cast members worked like ghosts—sliding from place to place making everything happen.

In the end everything worked out—as it always seems to at Cotton Hall. And maybe I wasn’t nervous because I knew it always is this way. I’ll be sure to fill you in on some of the in-betweens and add more detail after we close.

Until things slow down….

Will Murdock

Broken Promise

Okay... so... I know I promised several blog posts a week throughout this production. I realize now that I was completely silly in the head to make such a daring statement....

Things have been busy at Cotton Hall AND are busier still today. As I sit here at the computer, I am thinking of all that I am supposed to be doing, and I've been asked to help with a new project-- AGH!!!!! (Although, I am not stressed out about this show-- which is new for me-- generally during the final week of a show I would be losing hair and sleep over unfinished projects.)

So........ in defense of my time... I will give you the briefest of brief run downs of what's happening with James.

LOBBY:

We have some awesome moms with this cast. Last night, there were five or six (and my sister, a non-mom) who were charging ahead in the lobby. They swept and they swept and they swept some more. Together, they moved a HUGE wooden display case, and ton of heavy coke fountain drink canisters, and a pile of luau decorations for the cast party.

SET:

I have to say this-- at the risk of bragging-- but I love the house that we have made for the evil Aunt Spiker and Sponge. Its not Broadway impressive, but it suits me just fine. We've also been working on other things of course, but that has been our biggest project so far.

COSTUMES:

Betty Murdock and Kathy Strickland rock! They have got the costumes rocking! I think these are some of the best we've seen so far!

REHEARSALS:

Last nights rehearsal was a little bit sillier than I would have liked, but since Saturdays run thru was awesome-- I figured I would let them get the silly our of their system. I've been really impressed by the physicality the bugs have been working on with their characters. Aden knows exactly where James' emotion is at-- somehow-- with every line. And Aunt Spiker and Sponge are hilarious. (Possibly upstaged by their hats.) And everyone else is doing a phenominal job on their parts too!

Signing off--- there's a peach to build---

Will Murdock