So, this week has been one to remember – from Martinis to snow to a bat – things certainly weren’t boring this week. A few of us in the cast/crew of Ain’t Misbehavin’ have been under the weather this past week. And it’s a tough thing as an actor to get sick. There aren’t any understudies, and you can’t just call in sick to work when work is a rehearsal or a performance at the theatre. The show must go on; so, sick or not, we must be there and do everything in our power to give the same caliber performance as always. Yes, this can be taxing on our bodies and, at the time, hard to do, but in the end I think it’s one of the most magical things about the theatre and the people who work within it. No matter what, the show must go on. And in great casts/crews of people, there is a community and a bond to where everyone helps each other out when they need it and covers for them. I have found that to be the case with so many wonderful casts at the Roxy. It was no exception during “Around The World In 80 Days” when I came in and learned the show in only 3 days, and it certainly is the same for “Once Upon A Time” and “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” We unfortunately lost a week’s worth of performances of “Once Upon A Time” because of school being out this past week due to snow. Where does all this snow keep coming from? In moving to Clarksville, I heard there were pretty mild winters, but this one has been more like what I was used to living in New York City. As is the case for most weeks so far this year, Saturday is my busy day. I taught dance to a wonderful group of children, performed our final matinee of “Once Upon A Time,” bar-tended for “Martinis With Fats,” and then ran the spot light for “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” During dance class this week, I finished teaching a combination to “Singin’ In The Rain” and then we reviewed all the combinations they had learned so far. I think it is important to learn that retaining your choreography (as well as your lines, blocking, songs, etc. when you are in a show) is integral to the success of the show you are working on. I then performed in our final “Once Upon A Time.” A stool we use in several of the stories wasn’t set in the right place, and we had to improvise for “Little Red Cap.” This wasn’t a big deal, just another example of live theatre – the show must go on! Plus, it kept us on our toes. I bar-tended for the pre-show event “Martinis With Fats” and had a great time! Bar-tending at a Broadway Theatre was my survival job while living in New York City between acting gigs, and I feel right back into the old routine, and discovered I sort of missed it, and really enjoy being behind the bar. Martinis are no joke, and several folks had to ask for something to dilute their drinks. Kendall and I then took our mounts in the balcony to run the spot lights for “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” I enjoy being on the backstage side of things as well, and this is a fun way to help out the theatre and the show even when not on stage. During this Saturday night performance, a bat decided it would be a good time to come out of hibernation and fly around the theatre during one of the songs. This was an unexpected addition to the show that evening, but it didn’t seem to bother the audience or cast for very long. And of course, the cast knew – THE SHOW MUST GO ON!
