Back to Day One: "I Do, I Do"

The curse of doing what I do is that there are so many "Day One's." 

I've been very lucky for most of the last 4 or 5 years to have shows booked CONSTANTLY.  It became very rare for me to close one show and not go into rehearsals for another within the next week or so.  Well, over the last  month and a half, I've been involved with three different shows, but none of them were shows that I would be there for the entire process.  In the beginning of January, I worked for two weeks on Country Playhouse's production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee."  (Which opens this week) I taught the music to the cast, and then left the show in the talented hands of my good friend, Jacob Carr.   After that, I went into a week of rehearsals and another week of performances for Cy-Creek High School's production of "Little Shop of Horrors."  The show had already been learned and put up, but I came in to play the piano and lead the band for the performances.  That show was also mixed in with a rehearsal and a couple performances as the keyboard II sub for the national tour of "West Side Story" at the Hobby Center.   Obviously with that show, I was not there for an extended period of time.

So, after looking at my last couple of  months, the last time that I went to the first rehearsal for a show that I would also be at the final performance of was "Forever Plaid: Plaid Tidings" at Texas Repertory Theatre back in October!  Well, tomorrow that streak ends.  Tomorrow is another "Day One" for me as I go into rehearsals for Texas Rep's production of "I Do, I Do".   It is a show that I've not done before, so I am very excited about that, but it always just feels so daunting to know that over the next three and a half weeks, we've got a ton of work to do!  The cast only has two members, so it's not terribly hard music, but there is a lot of it! My score is about 200 pages long, which is actually VERY thick for a two person show.  To be honest, as of right now, I can't recall the name of the woman who will be playing the female in the show, but I know that Steve Fenley will be playing the male role.  Steve is one of the co-founders of Texas Rep, and has been in what seems like every show there since the theatre opened 6 years ago.  He is very talented, and will be great in this show, for sure. 

Starting rehearsals does mean less time at home, of course.  The last several weeks have been very nice for Blythe and I to be able to be home around the same time, eat dinner together, and go through our nightly routine with Carter as a family.  (Which you all saw pictures of! Thanks for reading!)  Since August, the three of us have really come to enjoy those rare nights that we can all be home and take our time with dinner and getting Carter bathed and put down for the night.  This is the hardest part about doing these shows, and especially thinking of that first rehearsal.  There's no "light at the end of the tunnel" feeling because you haven't even entered the "tunnel." 

But, before we know it, spring break will be here. Then the show will be open. Then we'll be sitting at Jones Hall watching a Harry Connick Jr. concert, and not thinking anything about what we've just been through!!!

Well, I guess that's all for now.  Wish me luck as I start the wonderful rehearsal process all over again tomorrow.  I will surely keep you all posted with how everything is going.  Thanks for reading!

Peace Out,
Luke