The cast party’s over and the soprano’s dead - again. The last performance of La Traviata went off pretty much without a hitch. The production itself was one of our strongest in years, with top-notch singers and musicians, good production values and more rehearsal time than usual. Unfortunately, with the economy tanking and donations and funding nearly non-existent, we’ve been stretched thin. The four of us (me, Trish, Juan and Val) seem to be pushing a boulder up Mount Everest . To have me (the director) also doubling as stage crew, stage manager and prop master; Val (the producer) doubling as the box office, costumer and lighting designer; Trish taking care of wigs & costumes plus random administrative tasks and Juan handling every other backstage element while also performing a role in the opera - it’s just ridiculous. Trust me, it’s not like we love doing everything ourselves, but that topiary won’t move itself into place. And no one’s storming the theatre insisting on volunteering to help backstage either, so what's a lowly non-profit to do?
A “mom-and-pop” operation isn’t quite as fun or quaint when you’re bordering on “grandma-and-grandpa” territory. Yes, I exaggerate, but there’s a big difference between 30 and 40 years old when you’re dragging around set pieces and hanging backdrops. At 30, it’s bohemian, at 40, it’s … well … hard work. I woke up this morning unable to bend at the waist. Yes, I actually threw my back out last night at strike! Depressing? - Yes, but maybe it’s time to let the young-ins take over the heavy lifting (if we could find any that would back away from center stage).
With Traviata over, at least I can temporarily enjoy the “freedom” of only having to work at my day job. Yeah, right. Now I have my nights “free” to get CDC’s - that's Cranford Dramatic Club, not the Center for Disease Control - new website up and running by Thanksgiving, publish and update both mine and Trish’s new websites and figure out what the heck Mrs. Claus is going to sing at this year’s holiday concert.
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