Ouiser Inside

There's always something about a full run-through...it's a milepost, a turning point, a breakthrough moment. 

We ran through the whole show this evening, and I come home with almost an other worldly detachment from the mundane aspects of life.  My body is here, but my brain and my soul are still at the Dungeon...thinking about it, smoothing rough spots, pondering the differences between last night's rehearsal and this one.  I feel calm, relaxed, triumphant, immersed in character and in thinking through my parts and my character portrayal again and again. 

I think I found her tonight--Ouiser, the whole person.  Standing outside the door waiting for my entrance, I straightened my back and held my chin up, a different carriage than I've had before, and it was her.  I felt it in my bones.  I moved through a range of postures and finally found the way SHE stands.  Proud, backs down to no one, a mixture of Jayme, and my grandmother, and the restaurant owner, all stirred into one person. 

We are working so hard as a cast.  I think we make great leaps with each rehearsal.  Some leaps are more obvious on given nights than others.  Shelby is good, getting more so every night; Payton IS Annelle--she's perfectly cast; CVett also gets better every night--her emotional scene at the end will ultimately be her best moment ever on stage; Shari's laughter adds so much to the whole 'feel' of the show, each scene; and Jan as Clairee could not be more natural on stage if she tried.  It's all very true.  Very human.

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I'm too tired to wash my hair this evening.  I should, but it will have to wait until morning.  My sadistic director and my like-minded cast-mates seem to be deriving great pleasure from ME being the one selected for the facial, the mustache waxing, the 'goop in hair'.  Me, probably the lowest maintenance person on the stage, and I have to put up with all these 'beauty' treatments.  Tonight, I got medical tape on my upper lip, cream all over my face, strands of hair pulled through a cap of sorts for...what...? Highlights, and then, the coup-de-gras:  they painted on a mixture of creme rinse and baking soda.  Gooey, then stiff and icky.  Ha.  Yeah.  Funny, guys.  Hope you're having a good time.  *I* have to take my curtain call in that mess.

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An epic and memorable moment coming to the Ricks.  September 17, 18, 18, 24, 25.  If you don't have your tickets yet.  Probably should get them:  www.crazylake.com