I Will Never Change the World, Until "I Do"

I'm sad to admit that my work / plans / hopes for Springfield Community Theater aren't going as I had hoped. It looks like I'll have to put some effort in it.

First off; I need a very talented pianist for The Last Five Years. And I have to accept the fact that the pianist I found is not going to work out, and she will be let go. She swears; that's ok. In fact, if she'd have shut up, I don't think it would have turned out this way . . . but I may be wrong.

The music is exceptional. EXCEPTIONAL and hard. It is so great you won't believe it. Please, come see the show - and, please please, buy the soundtrack first. This is not for the grade school set. Get to know it a bit. Jason Robert Brown is a master of modern composing.

Well. well, well. It was a very nice rehearsal. We blocked the first number. The only number when I get to look in Janice's eyes. (OH, her name's Janice. I've called her Mrs. Walker, and Petunia Walker . . . as a joke on the character's we played in Tommy. But, who am I kidding.
I've given every reader of Sidenote the power to destroy me. what am I saying . . . another scotch? ok.)

Yes, and the number is called "The Next Ten Minutes". It's the proposal / wedding scene. And I just had no friggin' clue as to what the beats were. I know I am limited in my ability - but you should believe this: I am good. But I just couldn't get it. It's in 12 / 8 time. Which feels like 4/4, but a dotted quarter note gets one beat. I don't even know how to read that, so I mark each beat in the measure as if it's a measure unto itself. But Susan, my pianist, well, everyone other than me has accepted; she's rhythmically challenged.

We don't have a music director. The director can certainly cover that position herself - Adrianna is just a quadruple threat director. She came over to the piano and helped Susan through it. The reason I couldn't get it was that Susan was treating the eight note / quarter note combination of the repetitive phrase as a pick up, and not a full third of the beat.

So what! She took direction. Susan that is. Adrianna was counting, patronizingly, 1.2.3.4.5.6. Over and over again, and we were getting it. It got better and better. Then when we went to block the number, Susan kept up with what she'd learned.

Yet, when rehearsal was over, Janice and Adrianna openly talked about finding another pianist! Susan was still there. I thought I didn't understand, and they were talking about augmenting the band with a synthesizer player.

But no. Nobody but me thinks that Susan can do it. Not Susan, not Adriannia, not Janice. And I don't believe it - but I know they are all right.

So. F*ck.

Oh, and then there's Anita. What the hell? She's the "President" of this group. I'd vote for firing her - except I don't want to be president. No way.

I'm much much to lazy. If not me, though, who? If somebody doesn't appear for this, then this group should die.

Happy 50th Anniversary, Springfield Community Theater . . .

I need be President. No. No. No. . . . I need to find a president. Rolf! Rolf could be president. No, that's not good either. .

Where's the help hiding at? On the other end of the phone line, probably.

God, I love this show. And with Adrianna directing, 50 seat black box, it's going to be the not-to-be-missed show of the season . . . but I've got to get a new band.

Hi. Bye. Are you there?

Tin can at my feet, think . . I'll kick it down the street . . .

Still have to walk Bailey. One more scotch first.

Good night.

Vig.