The shows

It is done. I am happy that it is over but kinda sad that we worked so hard and only had 3 shows. So the first night I was obviously super worried and nervous but then when I stood there by the curtains getting ready to open them everything went down hill or up hill depending on how you see it. We had a power cut and it was on and off continuously for about 20 minutes. Finally it seemed somewhat stable so that we started and we got through the first number and then the power went. After about 10 minutes we had a pep talk in the green room and we decided to do the entire show acapella and so we went infront of the curtains and all the Tosties (the crew nickname) went to the front row so that we could use the flashlights on our phones to light up the stage. The actors would sit infront of the curtains and stand up when it was their time to sing. This went well and halfway through the first act we had light. We decided to go back and start the play where we left of outside. We did the rest of the play great. And it was nice that we skipped over the songs with the most difficult set transitions. The other two nights were not as interesting but still went quite well.

More material

During the holidays, I had lots of opportunity to work on my pad project. One of our guests brought me lots of new material and was very supportive of the project. I also started to sew for the Vanessa Grant school and gave samples to the ladies involved in that project. They really appreciated them and want them for the school. I don't have a dead line, but are going to make a few here and there and give them as soon as I have a few. They also wanted me to go to the school and deliver them myself and that sounds like a good plan.

two days before

We are two days away from the performance. I am honestly very scared that I will mess it up and that the actors can't do something and that they will look unnatural. In both acting and backstage we always say that the audience doesn't know anything. This is meant that if you mess us don't show it because they will only know if you show them that something is wrong. Today we got our last set pieces which are two street lamps which I find hard to practice putting them on as late as we are and just a few days ago we got the gate which is so big and we are already crammed in on our side of the stage because we have the gate,the stairs, the barricade and the mats which barely fit backstage and we are supposed to be running around and turning the set pieces and on top of that we also have boxes, tables, and chairs that all need to be put on stage. I just hope that we can figure this out.

More money for the school

Yesterday I learned that we are going to get another 180 000 Kes from the Rotary Club in a suburb of Stockholm to our school project! It's really amazing! Dixon has given me a priority list, so I know what needs to be done. The problem is that all the items on the list are a bit too expensive. Rotary wants us to use the money for infrastructure and they are not to happy about buying furniture. Now when we have two new rooms I think that desks, chairs and a black board should be a priority, but I don't know how Rotary will feel about that. I guess that the whole group will have to meet and make two different plans, depending on what Rotary will allow us to do. If they won't let us do furniture, we'll have to raise money for that somehow.

Center drop

Today Joan (our stage manager), Meridith (our prop master), Ms.Bingham and I met at the auditorium durring lunch and we saw the amazing and huge set piece that Juma made for us. Now going up the stairs to the big set piece is nerve wrecking as it is but now Meridith and I are supposed to take it appart in the middle of a song. We have to go on top of the set piece and we have to pick up the center and lower it down with ropes. I am very nervous about this because apparently it is very dangerous to lower the center down because someone could get crushed underneath it. Also because it is such a fast transition I am worried that Meridith and I will start to rush and do it carelesslyand that someone may get hurt. Hopefully Meridith and I can practice enough so that we are confident while doing it.

Longer rehearsals, no set

Now we have started to rehearse everyday other than Wednesday which I am a bit annoyed by because I have so much less time for Crossfit or to myself. Also now we can't come to composers club on Fridays because of rehearsal. A lot of the time now both Joan (the stage manager) and I sit backstage and we don't do a lot since we don't have any set pieces. We also stand in for people who are absent which is quite awkward since we don't know the songs or the blocking. This is quite frustrating because on some days we are so busy and running around while others we sit and do nothing which becomes a bit to repetitive when we hear the same 30 songs over and over again.

cross fit

During the Christmas holiday, I was very ill for a few days. I even had to go to the hospital for a drip. I was not able to keep up with my Cross fit regiment and I had to focus to bet well. Now that I'm back, I have gotten my first toe to bar, which is a gymnastics movement that is really hard to perform. I've also done numerous new personal bests. I'm very close to doing a kipping pull up and a handstand. I feel when I'm not doing cross fit, I get in a really bad mood and become somewhat rude. It is interesting to realise how important physical fitness is to me. I've been considering competing in "the open" again, but I'm not decided yet.