survivor
though i don't watch television, and i've never actually seen one of the survivor shows, or any other 'reality' t.v. i've heard of the survivor series. i think they should do one backstage of a big theatre production.
so, for those of you who have very kindly taken an interest in my small and chaotic world, here's how it went.
very badly
after arriving at 5, putting on makeup, and the first of many costumes required, helping gents and kids with their makeup, warming up my fingers on my fiddle for the gypsy fiddler scene, going through solo numbers with the lead players, taking the choir through their warmup, and working over a couple the trickiest numbers with them, we were all ready for the promised 6:30 startup. and waited, much to the frustration of all, till nearly 8, while the powers that be diddled with all the little details they hadn't sorted out yet, and we waited. there was a little grumbling, but it was no surprise, so it was nothing overt.
the director, whose keenly honed radar caught a flicker of everyone's frustration, decided that i was a good scapegoat, and tried to pick a fight with me after the entire cast was backstage, waiting for the curtain to go up. she's a big girl, and she was livid. more than a little scary. and everyone was waiting to start, so i didn't want to play. she couldn't get much of a fight out of me, so she fired me. (although i've heard you can't fire volunteers... they say the only way to get rid of them is to kill them. i guess i got off lucky)
i went home. had another volunteer commitment that night, of a much more pleasant sort, so i pulled myself together, changed into my little black dress and pumps, and went there. good food, good company, good art, good music, and no one screaming at me. there is heaven on earth.
sadly, some of the cast knew about the other commitment, and tracked me down. they'd got through the thing, but it hadn't gone well, and they convinced me to be there for the rest of the show. which, in honesty, i was only half serious about abandoning. but all i told them was "i'll sleep on it."
so i wondered if i'd hear anything from Herself the next day. but, no. and when i showed up backstage, she was all smiles and glad to see me. and huggy. "the past is in the past" was all she said about it. i guess it never really happened. i must have imagined it.
before the Sunday matinee she collapsed in tears and it was some time before she could pull it together. (she's also a major player in the show, as well as directing it) i was on pins and needles through it all, wondering if i'd be the target of the next outburst.
and we'll do it all again this coming weekend.
pray for me.
so, for those of you who have very kindly taken an interest in my small and chaotic world, here's how it went.
very badly
after arriving at 5, putting on makeup, and the first of many costumes required, helping gents and kids with their makeup, warming up my fingers on my fiddle for the gypsy fiddler scene, going through solo numbers with the lead players, taking the choir through their warmup, and working over a couple the trickiest numbers with them, we were all ready for the promised 6:30 startup. and waited, much to the frustration of all, till nearly 8, while the powers that be diddled with all the little details they hadn't sorted out yet, and we waited. there was a little grumbling, but it was no surprise, so it was nothing overt.
the director, whose keenly honed radar caught a flicker of everyone's frustration, decided that i was a good scapegoat, and tried to pick a fight with me after the entire cast was backstage, waiting for the curtain to go up. she's a big girl, and she was livid. more than a little scary. and everyone was waiting to start, so i didn't want to play. she couldn't get much of a fight out of me, so she fired me. (although i've heard you can't fire volunteers... they say the only way to get rid of them is to kill them. i guess i got off lucky)
i went home. had another volunteer commitment that night, of a much more pleasant sort, so i pulled myself together, changed into my little black dress and pumps, and went there. good food, good company, good art, good music, and no one screaming at me. there is heaven on earth.
sadly, some of the cast knew about the other commitment, and tracked me down. they'd got through the thing, but it hadn't gone well, and they convinced me to be there for the rest of the show. which, in honesty, i was only half serious about abandoning. but all i told them was "i'll sleep on it."
so i wondered if i'd hear anything from Herself the next day. but, no. and when i showed up backstage, she was all smiles and glad to see me. and huggy. "the past is in the past" was all she said about it. i guess it never really happened. i must have imagined it.
before the Sunday matinee she collapsed in tears and it was some time before she could pull it together. (she's also a major player in the show, as well as directing it) i was on pins and needles through it all, wondering if i'd be the target of the next outburst.
and we'll do it all again this coming weekend.
pray for me.
posted by grannyfiddler at 11:49 AM
10 Comments:
oh my. . . I am!!
thanks, claire. i guess it's time tostop whining about it. :o}
Oh my God! That was really awful! You poor thing!
That sounded like the mother of all Fiascos, and the mother of all directors who have no tallent and have to blame someone else for there own short comings!
Don't go back please for your own sake don't go back!
Janice~
All I can say is wow - that was some night. But do you really need all that stress? ec
janice - i'll finish the show, because there are other, saner people relying on me to be there. but in the future i'll be careful to steer clear of anything this person is involved in. thanks.
mr e - you're very right. i don't need the stress. i've booked a week of holiday time off work, shortly after the thing finishes. i'm going to play in the dirt and make music and draw pretty pictures, and meditate on my foolishness.
How did I get so far behind on commenting? I know I remember reading this.
Anyhow, hi - hope worst over by now.
Ann
hope you survived another weekend of the show, hope it went better!!!
Just remembered I forgot to stop by and thank you here for your comment on my blog -- was that last week -- already?!
And me, oh my! Perhaps I am being a bit too judgemental for someone not there in the situation, but this person seems a bit too unhinged...
My protector shields automatically go up for you, grannyfiddler! Hope you are surviving the show... Brave, brave soul...
Thanks for the comment today. Stephanie is a lovely woman with a lot of common sense along with her spiritual side.
Thanks for the comment. I'd be glad to loan out a few kids for a noisy weekend. You'd be glad to send them back. That's what most grandparent too.
Kidding of course. I didn't plan it but now my life would seem very empty without them.
Incidentally, we've picked up a few more grandmas and great-grannies on the blog. Jacqui and Merle, both from Australia are "greats"
Post a Comment
<< Home