This time of year,after the fairs and after most festivals (still have a couple) Theater and Corporate Season (with a little bit of school shows thrown in for good measure). For the past four years we have kicked the Theater portion off with our show at the Paradise Performing Arts Center (PPAC). We debut the new illusions/routines for the season; which is another way of saying we audience test them. Last night we debut Bump in the Night (which fooled my wife even though she knows how it works.) and re debuted (haven't performed in over 10 years) the Vanish (where one of us stand on a table we just built out of two saw horses, two 2X4s and a flat board, toss a foulard in front of us and then immediately vanishes....and the table is promptly taken apart.), and the re debut of a routine we only did for Halloween shows aver 4 years ago, The Seance (where Princess Cynthia is tied to a chair next to a basket full of stuff from the remains of an old haunted house, a curtain-hoop made from the bed curtains of the haunted house are raised in front of her the instruments fly and bang and honk and clang. Then the drape is lowered and she is still tied tight. Much more happens including an audience member joining her.)
All in all the show was a success and in spite of a couple of technical glitches (the worst being the lights tech missing her ques and screwing up one trick as a result; the other glitches were un-noticeable to the audience. ) The AM show was a sell out and the PM, though not a sell out, was in the black ink. Both audiences were enthusiastic and happy with the shows according to post show comments (We have friends and staff out in the audience and lobby to listen in and hear comments so we can fix the things people don't like.
I dropped the show off at the theater the day before and we did a bit of set up before heading back out. The next morning we arrived about two hours before curtain and finished setting thing s for the first show. Jim came down from college to join us. Having grown up doing this and knowing the show the way most kids know their gameboys and cell phones the show was deftly put together and ready to go. The show ran smoothly and even Princess Olivia who was visibly sad when she was introduced (some ting went on back stage that mad her sad....still don't know what it was but with a three year old it could've been anything!) After the show we met and greeted the audience on their way out then changed and started the PM setup.
Though there was 8 hours til curtain the setup time included rehearsal of the new things and technical work for our new set. Also since we were using the fly system to lift some props there was the weight balancing of those and the setting of the lights. Naturally food, naps, and personal stuff had to be worked in as well. That's life on the stage and backstage; especially for a family with little kids.
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