I can't believe its been so long...

... since I last did an update on this thing! I've been meaning to for ages, but never quite got around to it. That's my excuse and I am sticking to it.

Well then dear reader, what have we been up to since May?

An awful lot actually.

Firstly we have had a slight change of cast; due to circumstances beyond both our control Richard Self had to leave the project due to a clash of commitments. It wasn't anyone's fault, it was just that something else got resheduled and was faced with a "being in two places at once" problem. Anyway, as one door closes another opens, and Richards departure meant that I was able to cast John Hart in the role... whose physique is closer to how I imagined Muncie's to be anyway.

Secondly, we've had a revolving door on the crew, with people signing up, then pulling out. I think we are there now... at least I hope so. So the backstage line up is: Michael Taylor (light operation) Michelle Yianni (Sound Operation) Nicky Clark and Geraldine Mullins (Backstage/props) and Yvonne Golding (prompt) all under the watchful eye of the truely splendid Sarah O'Hanlon (SM).

Anyway that brings us up todate on the personell front, so what else has been going on. well quite a lot of bits and pieces have been put together. We have a concept stage design (isn't Google wonderful?), and Sarah is doing a number of smash and grabs at local shops procuring the various odd props which the show requires ("You want what?" okay...."). I've had several discussions with the Wendy Marsh (who is also acting as the costume Guru) and we are starting to get an idea of what people will wear. That actually is pretty straight forward... other than for Roy... (oh we are going to have some fun with that...). Sarah and I had our first pre production meeting a few weeks ago, so we were able to talk through the general management of the production for the first time and I feel that her contributions are going to be priceless. Being Stage Manager is a thankless task: they get blamed for everything that goes wrong, yet a good SM can make as much difference to the show as having a good or indifferent actor on stage.

And finally last night was the first read through of the play! Oh my goodness, for the first time I could hear the voices(well most of them) breathing life in to words that previously only existed on the page. There were moments that made me laugh, others that made me tingle and some that had me struck with awe. If this is what the read through is like the end product is going to be Brill!